John G. Beeker ^{1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8}

   FamilySearch ID: LRD2-6PR.

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Cause of Death: From death certificate: "wounds from shot gun in his own hand with suicideal intent", 12 Dec 1931, Saint Louis Crossing, Bartholomew, IN. ⁴

2. Obituary: Columbus Republic: John Beeker Ends His Life Early Today on 12 Dec 1931 in Columbus, Bartholomew, IN. ³ John Beeker Ends His Life Early Today
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Worry Over Recent Lawsuit Causes Well Known Farmer's Suicide
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Fires Shot Into Head
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Arises Early and Goes Into Shed Alone - Leaves No Explanation
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Worry and despondency over a lawsuit which involved himself, his aged father and other members of the family is believed to have been the cause of John Beeker, 48, prominent farmer of Flatrock township, taking his own life this morning. He shot himself through the head with a shotgun, and his body was found in a pool of blood in an outbuilding near his home. Dr. C. M. Jackson, of Elizabethtown, county coroner, who was called to investigate, gave his verdict as suicide.

Mr. Beeker was one of the leading farmers of the county and was well known and highly esteemed throughout this and adjoining counties. His death came as a profound shock to his scores of friends, as well as to his family and relatives.

He had given no indication that he intended to take his own life, although it was known he had been greatly worried over the suit which was tried in circuit court here last week. In the suit, grandsons of Frederick Beeker, 87, his father, asked that a guardian be appointed for the grandfather, on the allegation that he was unable to take care of his financial affairs. The elder Mr. Beeker is quite wealthy, and approximately $40,000 and a large tract of land were involved in the case.

Leaves Wife and 8 Children.

According to members of the family, Mr. Beeker rose this morning shortly before 4 o'clock and, after dressing, left the house, taking his shotgun with him. After some little time, the report of the gun was heard and he was found by members of the family on the floor in the shed. He evidently had stood up with the barrel of the gun pointed towards his head, and had pushed the trigger with the handle of a broom. The shot penetrated his head and the entire top of it was blown off. He left no note or statement of any kind, members of the family said.

Mr. Beeker was born and reared in the neighborhood where he died. His death is the second in the family within a little more than a year, his step-mother having passed away a year ago last September. Surviving are his father, his wife and eight children, Mrs. Bernice Snapp, of St Louis Crossing; Mrs. Helen McNeeley, of Hope; Mrs. Jeannette Hawkins, of Shelby county; Glenn Beeker, of near St. Louis Crossing; Robert, Harold, Martha and Edith Beeker, at home. There are also a sister and brother, Mrs. Anna Dinkens, and Louis Beeker, of this county.

John married Mae Gonce, daughter of John Gonce and Mary Wade, on 9 Jan 1899 in , Bartholomew, IN. (Mae Gonce was born on 1 Jul 1881 in , Bartholomew, IN,^{9 10} died on 18 Aug 1967 in Saint Louis Crossing, Bartholomew, IN ⁹ and was buried on 21 Aug 1967 in Hope: Moravian Cemetery, Bartholomew, IN ⁹.)