Beatrice Helen Sherwood was born on 12. Sep. 1881 at Edmore, Montcalm County, Michigan. She was the daughter of
Adial Sherwood and
Nettie Barry. Beatrice Helen Sherwood married
John Wesley Gearhart Sr., son of
Lansing Hivner Gearhart and
Sarah Rosina Dunlap, on 26. Jun. 1906 at Stanton, Montcalm County, Michigan. Beatrice Helen Sherwood died on 30. Dec. 1907 at Phoebus, Elizabeth County, Virginia, at age 26.
Stanton Weekly Clipper, Stanton, Michigan, Friday, January 3, 1908
She Took Her Own Life
Young married Lady Shot Herself with a Revolver
Tuesday morning Mr. and Mrs. A. M. Sherwood of this city, received a telegram informing them that their daughter, Mrs. John W. Gearhart, was dead at her home in Phoebus, VA. The remains arrives in this city yesterday morning.
"Mrs. Beatrice Helen Gearhart, the wife of John W. Gearhart, book keeper for the Weidman Brewing Co., committed suicide in her home in Hope Street, Pheobus, shortly after 10 o'clock yesterday (Monday) morning by firing a bullet into her brain.
"Mrs. Gearhart carefully arranged every detail for her ending and the fatal shot was fired within hearing of her husband. She died within a few minutes. She never regained consciousness after the shot was fired. Mrs. Gearhart placed herself on a sofa which was in the dining room and which adjoins the office in which Mr. Gearhart was at work. There is a hallway leading into the dining room from the office and when Mr. Gearhart heard the report of the revolver he ran into the room to find his wife dead with an ugly looking hole in her face, just under the right eye. The revolver was tightly clasped in the dead women's hand, which was lying across her breast."
"Mr. Gearhart hurriedly summoned Dr. Thos. H. Massey, who pronounced Mrs. Gearhart dead as soon as he looked upon the sofa. Dr. Massey advised that the coroner be informed of the tragedy and Town Sergeant William R. Williams, who accompanied Dr. Massey to the homes of the Gearhart's, sent for the coroner."
"Dr. Vanderslice made a careful investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Mrs. Gearhart and became convinced that it was a clear case of premeditated suicide. He deemed an inquest unnecessary and gave a certificate of death by suicide."
"__________________told the coroner by Mr. Gearhart are clothed in mystery. Mrs. Gearhart would have become a mother within a few weeks although she did not brood over her condition. Sunday she suffered from a severe toothache, but seemed to be in the happiest frame of mind Monday morning up to the time of the tragedy."
"Mrs. Gearhart was Miss Beatrice Helen Sherwood before her marriage two years ago. She was a school teacher and a woman of _______. She returned from a visit to her parents in Michigan only about a month ago and seemed to be happy in the thought that she was back with her husband."
"It is said that Mr. and Mrs. Gearhart got along nicely together and that their home life was perfectly happy. Mr. Gearhart said that since his wife's return home she had not seemed as cheerful as she had before going to Michigan but he attributed this to her condition. Mrs. Gearhart was 26 years old."
"Mrs. Gearhart was very popular and much liked by those who knew her in Phoebus and the announcement that she had ended her own existence caused considerable sorrow to her acquaintances."
"Mrs. Beatrice Helen Sherwood Gearhart was born in Edmore, September 12, 1881 and died at Phoebus, VA, December 30. She came to Stanton when she was one year old. She was a graduate of our high school and then studied one year at Alma College. She taught three years in our district schools. For two years she was under the commission of the American Missionary Association of the Congregational denomination, teaching one year in the Emmerson (sic) Institute and one year in Wilmington, N. B.
She was married, June 26, 1906, to John W. Gearhart of Crystal, who was then residing at Fortress Monroe, VA., being a non-commissioned officer in the quarter master's department. After their marriage they went to Phoebus, VA, where they have resided since. She was here on a visit to her parents for two months and had returned to her home five weeks ago. The news of her death came as a great surprise to all of her relatives and friends.
She was a member of the M. E. Church in good and regular standing, uniting when she was 13 years of age.
She leaves a husband, father and mother, one sister, two brothers and many other relatives and friends to mourn her departure. She is known in this community as a good Christian__________. She was buried at Garden of the good Shepard Park Lawn Memeoria Park, Stanton, Montcalm County, Michigan.