- Daughter of Herman Engelhardt
and Liesette
Step daughter of Ottilie
Married Louis Milton Nichols
on June 20, 1900 in Madison Co, IL
s/o Sam and Martha Nichols
Local legend from Bluff Street, Alton, IL
Husband was abusive, she committed suicide
Was declared dead by Dr. J. N. Shaff
Family was from Brighton, so they buried her
in Brighton Cemetery, but suicides were (then)
considered a shame and usually not allowed a
church burial or were allowed, but done without
a gravestone.
Minnie was buried, without a stone
Burial was confirmed by cemetery sexton
Burial was confirmed by funeral director from
Targhetta & Wooldridge Funeral Homes, Inc*.
(*FB story on 06 Oct 2016)
Alton Evening Telegraph articles concerning (% emphasis mine):
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NICHOLS, MINNIE (nee ENGELHARDT) Aged Twenty, Kills Herself
Mrs. Lewis Nichols, 20 years of age, living with her husband %AT HIS BROTHER"S HOME ON BLUFF STREET, committed suicide shortly before noon by drinking three tablespoonfuls of carbolic acid. Her mouth and throat were burned in a horrible manner, and she died in less than fifteen minutes after she swallowed the poison. Dr. J. N. Shaff was called as soon as it was discovered that she had taken the acid, but she was dying before he reached her bedside. She had been in bad health for some time, and was subject to spells of depression, despondency and melancholia. This morning she determined to have death end it all. Mr. and Mrs. Nichols have not been married many months, it is said, and came here from Brighton where the parents and other relatives of the deceased live. An inquest will be held this evening, and the body will probably be sent to Brighton for burial. (Alton Evening Telegraph, June 19, 1902)
The jury impaneled by Deputy Coroner Streeper to hold an inquest over the body of Mrs. Minnie Nichols, who committed suicide Thursday morning by taking a dose of carbolic acid, reported a verdict that she came to her death by suicide, and that her action was due to domestic troubles. The body of Mrs. Nichols will be taken to Brighton Saturday morning. The father of the unfortunate woman, Herman Engelhardt of Brighton, arrived in Alton this morning and claimed the right to care for the body of his daughter. The husband gave his consent, and Mr. Engelhardt will take the body home in the morning. (Alton Evening Telegraph, June 20, 1902)
GHOST ... CAUSES FAMILY TO FLEE HOME
The family of Fred Nichols on Bluff street was driven from its home Wednesday night by what they supposed to be the specter of Mrs. Minnie Nichols, who committed suicide in the house a few weeks ago. Late in the night the neighbors were aroused by the members of the family who said they could not stay in the house, and left the place in alarm. Their imagination had led them to believe that the place was haunted, and they were so frightened that the father, mother and five children left the place. The frightened members of the family said that they were sure the disturbance in the house was caused by something ghostly, until after a careful investigation of the place had failed to reveal anything uncanny or otherwise. (Alton Evening Telegraph, July 11, 1902)
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