(1841- July 15, 1900)

The people of Northern New York were surprised and shocked to learn that Loren R. Ashley had died Sunday afternoon, of a gunshot wound inflicted by himself. Temporary insanity, occasioned by illness and insomnia is assigned as the occasion of the suicide.

Mr. Ashley had become accustomed to sleep late Sunday mornings, and followed his usual custom last Sunday.

His wife brought his breakfast to his room and at 12 o’clock and called to him to take his bath and dress for dinner. He replied that he thought he would rest a little longer. Mrs. Ashley went to his room again at about 1 o’clock and found him lying on the floor with a bullet hole through his head and a revolver lying near.

Medical aid was summoned but death occurred at 2 o’clock.

Loren Ashley was a son of the late Norman Ashley, and was born in Stockholm 59 years ago last June, and has lived in Norwood 45 years.

Mr. Ashley was one of the most prominent citizens and business men of Norwood, being president of the Norwood Mfg. Co., with large lumber mills at Norwood and Tupper Lake, vice president of Norwood Bank, and having long been interested with his brother Henry Ashley in the mercantile business at Norwood, from which he retired in 1886.

Five children, Leslie L., and Anna Maud of Norwood, Mrs. Frank Collins, of Potsdam; Charles of Tupper Lake, and Mrs. H. F. Drew, of Piercefield, and a widow survive.

(From the Potsdam St. Lawrence Herald, Friday, July 20, 1900, courtesy of the Northern New York Library Network @ news.nnyln.net).

(Loren R. Ashley is buried in Riverside Cemetery, Norwood).