Beardmore Ellen01
Waupaca Republican Post
February 18, 1881
Ellen M. Ross was born in Waupaca County, Wisconsin in July of the year 1856, and was, therefore, 24-1/2 years old at the time of her death, which took place on Sunday morning, February 13th. She was married to Francis J. Beardmore a little over 5 years ago. Her husband gives loving testimony to her fidelity to him and to the happy life they lived together. Two children have been born to them, only one of whom, an infant of six weeks, survives its mother. Not only do relatives and friends, but the community at large also, bear testimony to the excellent character of Mrs. Beardmore. In the brief time that has passed since her death a large number have testified unasked to her even temper and gentle and loving disposition. It affords us additional satisfaction to speak of these things in view of the mysterious manner of her death. As to that sorrowful event, it is sufficient to say that more than a year ago Mrs. Beardmore began to show signs of mental aberration. These symptoms increased up to the time of her death. Her disease took the form of settled melancholy, and began about the time of the death of Mrs. Amasa Ross, a brother’s wife, which event happened a year ago last October. The story of her tragic death has become familiar to our readers, but the fact that she was driven by dangers, wholly imaginary, to end her life and thus leave her husband and little child to sadness and desolation, and leave a home that she had made delightful by her presence, and in which she was prized as its chief joy, and go out from the midst of friends who loved her, without any reason whatever shows conclusively, without any other evidence, that her mind was unsettled and that there was no responsibility in the act that ended her life. He destiny will be fixed in the future by the kind and faithful life she lived and which shed so much light and joy in the home where she lived and upon the circle in which she moved, and the deep and tender regard in which she was held by all who knew her, will be the prophecy to them of the rest into which her weary spirit has passed.