Rensselaer Republican, Volume 25, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 May 1893 — Another Aged Man Drops Dead. [ARTICLE]

Another Aged Man Drops Dead.

Tuesday afternoon, about four o’clock, the venerable Rial Benjamin, one of Jasper county’s oldest, best known and best esteemed citizens fell unconscious to the floor, at the home of his son, Rial P. Benjamin, and expired almost immediately. He had long been in very feeble health, but had been up and about all of the day, and in the forenoon had walked to the home of his daughter, Mrs. J. T. Randle. He had complained all day of severe pains in his chest, and had frequent applications of liniment,and other remedies,but without any relief. Just at the time of his death there was no one about the house except his son, who had been doing work in his garden. He desisted from this work at his father’s special request. Philander had finished his work and stepped upon his back porch, when his father came out and requested his son to come inside as he wished to speak with him, seeming strangely anxious about the matter. Philander promised to come iff at once and his father re-entered the house, shutting the door. Not to exceed two minutes later Philander entered the house and found his father unconscious upon the floor. He gasped a little for a few minutes, but never regained consciousness. His age was 83 years, 4 months, 25 days. He had lived in Jasper county since 1840. His wife died seven weeks before, to a day, and just as suddenly, and at nearly the same age. Tlie'funeral was held yesterday af-ternoon,-at the M. E. church.