Sheets - William - 1901
Source: Crawfordsville Weekly Journal Friday, 13 December 1901
The sudden death of William Sheets last Friday evening, the 6th instant, came as a shock to his many friends. For the past three years the deceased had made his home with Jas. Hutchinson, south of the city, but for about a week before his death he had been stopping in the city, and for several days it was noticed that his conduct was strange. He complained of a pain in his head and at times seemed irrational. The morning of the day of his death he wandered out to the fair grounds where he had been accustomed to stay while training horses, and Roe Byrd finding him there in a dazed condition, took charge of him during the day. Later in the day he was brought to the city and as he seemed in a deep stupor Dr. Dennis was hastily summoned, but before his arrival Mr. Sheets died.
The deceased having no relatives in the city, the body was taken to Undertaker Carver’s office where an inquest and an autopsy was held by Coroner Dennis assisted by Dr. Swope. The autopsy disclosed that death resulted from a hemorrhage of the brain, in which a blood clot was found which had probably been forming for several days.
Will Sheets, as he was familiarly called, was in his fifty fifth year and had been a resident of this county for the past twenty years, and most of the time he was engaged in the training and developing of roadsters, a business in which he was signally successful by reason of his patience, firmness and kindness. He was a man of good address, jovial and hopeful in his disposition, and came from one of the best families of Tippecanoe County. He, like many others, had his weakness, but for more than a year he had lived a temperate life, and died a sober man.
A bereaved wife, two daughters and his son, a minister in Iowa, mourn his death. Six brothers and three sisters survive him: Frank Sheets and Mrs. Dr. Beasley, of Lafayette; Fred Sheets and Mrs. Kelso, of Indianapolis; Captain Sheets and Mrs. VanNatta, of Fowler; Charles Sheets, of Montmorenci; Ed Sheets of Dakota, and Robert Sheets, of Minnesota.
Appropriate funeral services, conducted by Rev. G. W. Stafford, were held at the undertaker’s parlors Sabbath afternoon at 2 o’clock and were attended by a large number of relatives and friends. The interment was at Oak Hill Cemetery. -s
Source: Crawfordsville Weekly Journal Friday, 13 December 1901
Friday afternoon William Sheets, who has been staying out at the fair ground stalls, was seen acting peculiarly by George Wilcox and Roe Byrd. They supposed that he was intoxicated and brought him down town and took him to the jail. He was cold when taken in the jail and breathing heavily, but revived a little after lying down. Later he began to get worse again and at 6 o’clock Dr. Dennis was summoned, but Sheets was dead before he got there. Saturday morning, Drs. Dennis and Swope held an autopsy on the body to discover the cause of death and found that a hemorrhage within the brain had occasioned it. Mr. Sheets had been working for James Hutchinson, southeast of the city for some time, but last week was paid off and went to Lafayette for a visit with his brother. He returned to this city last Tuesday and had complained since of having pains in his head and at times his talk had not been rational. At the time of his death he had on his person considerable money. His family was all very worthy people living near Lafayette and quite well fixed in this world’s goods. Mr. Sheets was a man of good education and has a son in the ministry in Iowa and a married daughter, his wife living in Otterbein.
He leaves six brothers and two sisters, they being Frank Sheets, and Mrs. Dr. Beesley, of Lafayette; Mrs. Kelso, of Indianapolis; Mrs. VanNatta and Captain Sheets, of Fowler; Ed Sheets of Dakota; Charles Sheets, of Montmorenci; and Robert Sheets, of Minnesota. Mr. Sheets would have been 55 years old today, and has been a resident of this city for about eighteen years, being engaged in the horse business nearly all his life.
William Sheets was one of the best known men in the county and was a man of splendid business qualifications, but he had been his own worst enemy, and he realized this fact. For many years, however, he had not drank a drop and his many friends will be shocked to learn of his sudden death.
The funeral of William Sheets occurred Sunday afternoon from the undertaking office of Carver & Carver, on North Washington Street, at two o’clock, conducted by Rev. George W. Stafford. The rooms were full of friends and relatives and after the services the body was taken to Oak Hill Cemetery for interment. = s