Richard Coleman

The Late Richard Coleman

taken from

The Brockville Recorder – April 30, 1868

Last week we had only time to announce that the above named gentleman had been shot dead, but how, the particulars had not reached us. We may now briefly state that he put an end to his existence by his own hand, while labouring under a temporary fit of insanity. He took his rifle from his own residence and carried it to a shed only a very short distance from his house. He applied the muzzle of the rifle to his forehead and pulled the trigger with his foot. The ball entered his brow and passed out at the back of his head. These are the facts and we have no desire to dwell on minor particulars. No man who knew Mr. Coleman but sincerely regrets his death. The writer has known him for nearly twenty years, and knew him only to respect and esteem him. Some time ago it is well known he became, with his brother, peculiarly embarrassed. His whole property went from him and we know how these unfortunate circumstances weighed upon his mind. He had taken special pains to render his house and grounds a most pleasant locality, where he expected to look out, as from a secure loophole, upon the world and its joys and sorrows. But, alas, how deceitful and fleeting are all earth’s treasures – They take unto themselves wings and flee away and the soul-now take-thy-ease-spirit which has been nursed is often rudely shaken and shattered, and hopes, like the sandy-foundation house, falls, and sometimes, as in the case of our respected and departed friend, great is the fall thereof.

Lyn was very much to the deceased Richard Coleman. His energy and enterprise —- the village and it has not the character of a most important manufacturing locality – His whole mind was often engrossed with the progress of Lyn, which, for many years, was known as Coleman’s Corners, his father having settled in the locality, and from whose resident the corners derived their name.

As we have stated, the first financial difficulty of the firm and the loss of property severely affected Mr. Coleman’s mind but it was hoped that the dark cloud had begun to show its silver lining and that ere long all would again be well. It was, however, so ordered that those hopes were to be dashed to pieces, gloom enshrouded him once again on the failure of the Messrs Chaffey, who, we are led to believe, had kindly aided him in his struggles to free himself from his former embarrassments. There was nothing in the failure, however, which should have caused him alarm, but his mind was not what it once had been, and a slight shock, even where the evils anticipated were imaginary, prostrated him. His intellect gave way, and thus, under a dread of coming earthly evils, aberration of mind followed and the recorded sealed the earthly sojourn o f one whom we had ever esteemed as a brother, and as a most consistent Christian. Peace be to his ashes, and may God give his promised consolation to the bereaved family.

We have been requested to state that the Rev. Mr. Burton will preach a funeral sermon in the Wesleyan Methodist Church, Lyn, at three o-clock on Sunday afternoon next. We have no doubt there will be a large turn out.

R. Coleman Shot

taken from the

Brockville Recorder – Thursday, April 30, 1868.

Just as we were preparing for press, the melancholy intelligence reached us that R. Coleman, Esq., of Lyn, was found in a tool house adjoining his residence dead, with a bullet hole through his head. Whether shot accidentally or otherwise he have not learned.