Henry Brien's Obituary
Middletown Daily Times Press,
Monday, March 28, 1910, pg. 8
HENRY BRIEN'S
FATAL FALL
DOWN STAIRS
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Tinsmith's Skull is
Broken in Peculiar
Accident
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MEDICAL AID FUTILE
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Loose Carpet on Stairs, Following House-cleaning, Probably Caused Aged Man to Tumble Full Length of Flight.
Henry Brien, a well known tinsmith of this city and a citizen who enjoyed the respect and esteem of many friends, met sudden death by an accident, at his home, 39 Wallkill avenue, at about 6:30, Saturday afternoon. The news of his sudden death was a great shock to his many friends.
Mr. Brien had been for many years employed as tinsmith by Galloway & Ayres and its preceding firms, Galloway, Ayres & Galloway, Galloway & Son and Armstrong & Lyon. for the past week or so he had been suffering from a severe cold, which rendered him a semi-invalid, and Mrs. Brien insisted on his abstaining from work. Therefore he had remained at home, nused his cold and had got much better.
On Saturday he was doing some work in the second story of the house. He left to do down town at half-past four, and Mrs. Brien went to the bath room on the same floor, soon thereafter. Soon thereafter she heard Mr. Brien at work on the repairs and then heard him start down stairs. Then came a crash as his body went from top to bottom of the narrow staircase. Mrs. Brien at once knew that something dreadful had happened, and hastened to the scene of the accident to find her husband lying at the foot of the stairs, in a crumpled heap, in a pool of blood.
She sent a phone to Dr. T. D. Mills, who at once responded, finding that the skull had been crushed. He breathed in an unconscious state for three quarters of an hour and then died.
Mrs. Brien had been housecleaning and had taken up the stair carpet for a beating. That afternoon she had tacked it down loosely, three tacks to a stair, and this left some bulges or loops. This she did because they desired to lease the house and anticipated taking up the carpet again soon.
Mr. Brien, as a boy, had thrice broken his leg, and had to wear a shoe with high heel and sole, because the shortening of the leg consequent upon the accidents. The supposition, therefore, is that he caught this foot in the stair carpet and was thus precipitated to his death.
He was the son of Walter and Jane Porter Brien, natives of Ireland, who came to this country many years ago and settled in New York city, where Mr. Brien was born sixty-two years ago. His parents finally moved to Newton, N. J., and thence to Warwick, and from the latter place Mr. Brien came to Middletown forty years ago. Having previously learned the tinsmith's trade, he had engaged in it here ever since, becoming well known to many people. His father died fourteen years ago in Newton, and his mother, at an advanced age, in Jersey City, four years ago.
Walter and Jane Porter Brien, natives of Ireland, who came to this country many years ago and settled in New York city, where Mr. Brien was born sixty-two years ago. His parents finally moved to Newton, N. J., and thence to Warwick, and from the latter place Mr. Brien came to Middletown forty years ago. Having previously learned the tinsmith's trade, he had engaged in it here ever since, becoming well known to many people. His father died fourteen years ago in Newton, and his mother, at an advanced age, in Jersey City, four years ago. He was first married to *Sarah Ann Babcock, at Warwick, and she died about eleven years ago.* She bore him nine children, only two of whom survive: Henry, a tinsmith, and Edward, a plumber, both of Warwick.
*Sarah Ann Babcock, at Warwick, and she died about eleven years ago.* She bore him nine children, only two of whom survive: Henry, a tinsmith, and Edward, a plumber, both of Warwick. On the 28th of September, 1904, he was married to Miss Florence Mason, of New York city, a native of Halifax, N. S. The marriage took place in Middletown, and Rev. Charles Howland Cookman, of St. Paul's M. E. Church, officiated. Of that union, two daughters were born, Innes, aged four and a half years, who survives, and Louise Jane, who died in infancy. One brother, William, died in Warwick two years ago, and Mr. Brien was thus the last of his father's family.
Louise Jane, who died in infancy. One brother, William, died in Warwick two years ago, and Mr. Brien was thus the last of his father's family. Mr. Brien attended the first Baptist Church. He was a member of Middletown Lodge, No. 112, I. O. O. F., and the lodge will have charge of the services at the family plot, in Hillside Cemetery, Tuesday afternoon, following the funeral services a the house, at 2 p. m.
Middletown Daily Times Press,
Tuesday, March 29, 1910
Funeral of Mr. Brien
The funeral of the late Henry Brien was held at 2 o'clock this afternoon, from his home, 39 Wallkill avenue, Rev. John A. Courtright, pastor of the Calvary Baptist Church officiating. There were many floral evidences of the esteem and respect, in which he was held. The pallbearers were: George Drake, A. N. Springstead, Peter Yonker, E. C. Strack, F. O. Grover, and Amos Fryer, Middletown Lodge, I. O. O. F., No. 112, had charge of the committal services at the family plot in Hillside Cemetery.
Amos Fryer, Middletown Lodge, I. O. O. F., No. 112, had charge of the committal services at the family plot in Hillside Cemetery.*There is an Annie Brien listed in the 1900 census living at 33 Wallkill Avenue.Henry Brien's Obituary