Baldwin, Nancy Vilena Barker – d. 1900

BALDWIN, BARKER, HAMILTON

Posted By: Diana Wagner
Date: 1/19/2025 at 13:41:35

Another Suicide – Scarcely has the horror produced by the sensational suicide of Carl Cummings subsided ere another similar and more dreadful deed is committed in the same township, less than five miles from the spot, and less than a month having elapsed. In this last case the victim is Mrs. Nancy Vilena, wife of T. H. Baldwin, and daughter of Mr. Taylor Barker. The circumstances of the lamentable affair are as follows: Mrs. Baldwin was 31 years, 8 months and 29 days old, and became the wife of the man who survives her only last September. She had been previously married to David Hamilton, who died some four years ago. The latter union had been as pleasant as each could make it for the other, but Mrs. Baldwin, who was a large, pleasant faced woman, had been ill and so greatly depressed for several months past that she had frequently remarked to her father and friends that life was not worth living. Her husband is a carpenter, - a poor but estimable man, - and was away from home most of the time. Their home was quite near to that of her father and, although many claimed it was illy furnished, she made it clean, tidy and attractive. Last Monday morning Mr. Baldwin assisted his wife about doing the washing. She complained of a severe pain in her head and side, and her husband remained at home until near 2 o’clock. Returning about 5 and observing the air of quiet about the premises he thought his wife must have lain down for a rest and went upstairs to see. The sight he encountered was the form of his companion lying dead beside their bed in a pool of blood that flowed from a wound in her right temple, a revolver clutched in her right hand too clearly indicating the means of her destruction, which seemed to have been planned and accomplished with the utmost deliberation.
Indications were that she had taken a bath, changed her clothing completely – robed herself in a red wrapper which she had barely completed – in preparation for the sacrifice, of which she left no word of explanation to father, husband or friends.
The home is two miles or so northwest of Valeria, and there the inquest was held by Coroner Reynolds; the jury consisting of F. G. Pease, J. M. Lacey and A. T. Hand, returning a verdict of suicide in accordance with facts above shown. The funeral, on Wednesday from the Methodist church in Valeria, was conducted by Rev. Bartholow, of Mingo, and was attended by an immense throng nearly all of whom accompanied the remains to their last resting place in the Sams cemetery. Deceased was a native of Jasper county, of which she had been a resident all her life, except two years. The blow to her husband, father and other relatives is a terrible one indeed and elicits the deserved sympathy of all who know them.
Source: The Colfax (IA) Clipper; Friday, August 10, 1900, page 1, col. 5