Edgar Clayton Willoughby - Shot His Heart-Suicide

On 20 March 1859 Francis Edgar Willoughby and his wife Janett Elizabeth (Root) Willoughby welcomed their second child and first son, Edgar Clayton Willoughby  into the world.  They were living near Lynnville, Ogle County, Illinois on a farm. By the time Edgar is 10 the family is living in Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois. They are farming and Edgar has 2 younger brothers.  At the age of 21 Edgar is farming with his father, he is still living in Rockford, his older sister Augusta Elizabeth Willoughby has married and he has 3 younger brothers. 

Edgar has a cheerful disposition, is well liked, he has many friends and likes to socialize. 

                               Edgar Clayton Willoughby - Photo was shot about 1873

In July 1883 Edgar heads for Colorado. 29 August 1883 he applies for a land patent in  the South East Quarter of Section 23 in Mesa County, Colorado.  In June of 1885 in a Mesa County, Colorado survey Edgar is listed as a farm hand. He is granted a 160 acre land patent in June of 1890 in Mesa County, Colorado. 

Edgar spent 9 years in Colorado and  has returned to Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois by 1892. On the morning of Thursday, 12 September 1895 Edgar's father comes to his room to wake him for breakfast so they can get started on chores.  What he finds is Edgar's lifeless body lying on the bed. He is clothed in his undergarments which are stained in blood as are his bed sheets. Lying near Edgar's body is a revolver. There is a bullet hole in his right temple and another bullet hole over his heart. 

 The County Coroner, Mr. Angessen  is called in and a jury impaneled.  His father is questioned and reports that his son was despondent  on Wednesday morning not coming down from his room until almost noon. He went out to the barn where they worked together until about 12:25 when they went up to the house for dinner. After eating they went back to the barn and continued working.  Sometime after 2 and before supper, Edgar returned to the house.  His father called him down for supper several times and received no response. He went up to Edgar's room where in the dim evening light he saw Edgar lying in bed and assumed he was asleep.  He left him alone and did not return to his room until Thursday morning when he discovered his son's body. Edgar's mother also said her son had been despondent and his health was frail since his return from Colorado. He came down late on Wednesday and went straight to work in the barn but was back in the house for supper with his father. They both went back to the barn. She had left the house at 2:00 to visit Mrs. Woodward, a neighbor.  She did not see Edgar the rest of the day and he did not respond or come down to supper when she called him down. 

After a jury hears all the evidence the death of Edgar Clayton Willoughby is ruled a suicide. The funeral was held on Friday 13 September 1895 at Edgar's home with Dr. W.O. Shepard presiding over the service.