The weekly Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1911-1922, 1912-01-25
OBITUARY :
e = = =
Joshua N. Orr.

Oh hOcneSter, w edneSudy alter-
noon. The circumstances surround
ing his death are peculiar and diff
ference of opinion exists as to the
cause. About 4 O'Clock Mrs. Orr
returned to her home, after a shop
ing trip to this city, and discovered
Mr.. Orr lying on his face under
meath the telephone. She at once call
ed Lon Rowe, the nearest neighbor,
for assistance and DR.. ]. n. Ranpells
was summoned. An investigation re-
vealed the fact that Mr.. Orr was
dead when Mrs. Orr discovered him,
although first reports from the
home brought the news that he was
stricken with paralysis and was
thought to he dying. DR.. Rannells
pronounced the death due to apoplexy
but members of the family hold the
opinion that ptomaine poisoning was
responsible. Mr.. Orr had removed
his false teeth, a thing he did only
when sick, and nd evidently started
for the telephone to summon assist
ance when stricken, as he was lying
face down underneath the telephone
with both hands pressing against his
stomach. He had eaten canned corn
Tor dinner, and the circumstances
surrounding the sudden death point
so strongly to ptomaine poisoning
that the family will send the remain
der of the corn to the state board
of chemistry for analysis.
Joshua n. Orr was born in Full
ton county, April 6, 1853. and resid-
ed on a farm until 1890 when he
moved to Rochester and became
assistant editor of The Sentinel.
When the legislature of 1891 created
the office of county assessor, the
county commissioners, by a unani-
nous voice, called him to fill that
position. At the general election of
1892 the people endorsed his work
by giving him the largest majority
received by any candidate On the
ticket, and in the performance of his
official duties he instituted benefi-
eial reform which effect every coun-
ty in the state.
After the expiration of his term
of office, Mr.. Orr again took up news
paper work, but the call of farm
work again claimed his attention and
he purchased a farm southwest of
this city, where he has since resided,
devoting considerable attention to
breeding fancy dairy cattle.
On Dec. "a, 1880, Mr.. Orr was
united in marriage with Rose F.
Calvert, who, with two daughters,
Mrs. Q. A. Vandegrift, of the city.
and Dorothy, at home, survive.
Mr.. Orr was a popular citizen, an
pctive member. of the Methodist
church, and deep thinker and
scholar. He was one of the best
newspaper men In the county, and
acted as correspondent for several
city newspapers. He was a farmer
who farmed with his head as we'll
as his hands. and he took an active
interest in everything effecting the
moral and commercial interests of
the community.
The foregoing account of the
death of a Rochester man, taken
from the Rochester Sentinel of Jan.
19, is local Importance because of
the relationship with a prominent
Plymouth family. Joshua N. Orr
was a cousin of the late Joseph
bennett, whose widow AMI sons still
live in Plymouth at the old horne
near the Zehner mill. His uncle,
old Doctor Bennett was for many
years a practicing physician in
Plymouth, and where Bert Yockev
now lives Oh north Michigan street
As known yet as the cold Bennett
place" Joshua n. Orr was named
for his uncle DIR. Joshua Bennett,
and was Familiarity called "Doc''
because he had the same name as
his uncle.
Mr.. Orr was a brother of Frank
Orr who died a. few years ago. He
was for a long time a well known
man about Plymouth, living in the
house now occupied by Ben Seybold
on Michigan street. Before leaving
! Plymouth, Frank Orr was for years
employed at the old Thayer elevator
that burned last July, and was
known to every farmer and business
man In and around Plymouth. His
J widow lives in South Bend, and
; visited with Mrs. Bennett here last
} summer for several days.
A good many people in Plymouth
know Doc Orr we'll, as he has beer
here many times. The family have
the svnlpaf hv of biS friapdc hare