Home > United States of America > South Dakota > Union County > Elk Point > Elmwood Cemetery > Lucy Pond

Lucy Pond

Birth	:	1887
Death	:	5 Jul 1904 Union County, South Dakota, USA
Burial	:	Elmwood Cemetery, Elk Point, Union County, USA
Coordinate	:	42.6036700, -96.6881900
Description	:	17 years old. Suicide with Oliver Gray. From the Union County Courier, July 7, 1904, page 8: "United in Death. Lucy Pond and Oliver Gray Die Together Rather than be Parted by Death. At an early hour Tuesday morning Oliver Gray and Miss Lucy Pond committed suicide by taking strychnine at the home of Miss Pond's parents, Mr. and Mrs. George W. Pond, who reside about three and one-half miles southwest of Elk Point. Young Gray and Miss Pond had been sweethearts for some time and, while no opposition was made by the parents of the... Read More	17 years old. Suicide with Oliver Gray. From the Union County Courier, July 7, 1904, page 8: "United in Death. Lucy Pond and Oliver Gray Die Together Rather than be Parted by Death. At an early hour Tuesday morning Oliver Gray and Miss Lucy Pond committed suicide by taking strychnine at the home of Miss Pond's parents, Mr. and Mrs. George W. Pond, who reside about three and one-half miles southwest of Elk Point. Young Gray and Miss Pond had been sweethearts for some time and, while no opposition was made by the parents of the girl to the young man, other than that of extreme youth, Gray became despondent on account of his tendency toward consumption and feared that he would die before consent would be given to their marriage. He was ill Monday and told the girl that he was going to get poison and get rid of his misery. In letters which the girl wrote and then tore up, but which were afterwards picked up by members of the coroner's jury and pieced together, the story is told. The letters follow: Mrs. Maud Friend: I will write you a line to tell you that I have forgiven you for anything you did and I hope you have done the same by me. Good bye. Lucy. SARAH: We were going to town for the poison when you wanted to know where we were going. MA'AM: We want to be buried together, so don't say anything against it. Good bye. DEAR FATHER AND MOTHER: It is with a sad yet peaceful heart I write to tell you - but for God's sake don't take it too hard - that I and Dave are going to die together tonight, and this is how it was: Dave was sick today and he said he was going to put himself out of his misery, and I told him I wanted to die with him. So I wrote a note to the drug store and signed Mrs. Gray's name to it, so we could get some strychnine. So we went to town afoot and got it, but don't blame the drug store man for he was afraid to let it go. I want you to take the trinkets in that little box of mine and keep them and everything else of mine, only the little locket with the lock of hair and his picture in, and that I want buried with me, and I want my engagement ring on my finger. Now we are going to die together. It is the wish of both of us to be buried together. Please bury us in the same grave. No matter where they take Dave bury me by his side as close as you can. I could live in misery without him or die in peace with him and I took my choice. So good bye. Now forgive and forget if you can and don't ever blame Dave, for he was not to blame. God bless him. Good bye. LUCY ANNIE Gray made two attempts to procure strychnine in town and was finally successful. He went back to his sweetheart's home and remained there. Lewis and Charles Pond, brothers of the girl, came home and after speaking pleasantly to the couple, retired. At five o'clock Tuesday morning they were awaked by Gray, who rapped on the door and told them that Lucy was dead and that he soon would be. The brothers hurried downstairs only to find that it was too true. Life was gone from the girl, and Gray was writhing in agony upon the floor. One of the brothers hastened to town for a doctor and Dr. A.C. Philips hurried to the scene but was too late to be of any assistance. Mr. and Mrs. Pond spent the Fourth at Chatsworth, Iowa, and were not at home when the tragedy occurred. They were notified and drove home, arriving about noon. Both were completely prostrated by the sad occurrence and said that there was no objection on their part to the union of the lovers except that they wanted them to wait until they were some older. Gray was 19 years of age, while Miss Pond was but 17, Coroner Pinard was notified and impanelled a jury consisting of County Attorney Ira L. Nichols, Uriah Wood and Daniel Ballinger, who went to the scene and after taking the testimony of witnesses returned a verdict saying that the deceased came to death of their own free will and by their own hands. The funeral was held from the Pond home at noon yesterday, Rev. J.M. Hupp officiating. The quartette from the Industrial School had charge of the singing; The caskets, which were alike, were placed side by side in the grove of trees surrounding the house, where they remained during the services. Rev. Hupp used as a text Job 5: 6-7, "Although affliction cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground, yet man is born unto trouble, as sparks fly upward". In brief outline Rev. Hupp stated that the source of all trouble was sin. We cannot tribute our sins to fate, for they are from ourselves. Every groan, every sorrow is this result of sin. There is but one panacea for sin, namely, Christ. For this purpose was the Son of God manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil. We determine our future, we sin and invite destruction, we obey and avoid it,. At the close of the sermon, at the request of the parent. Rev. Hupp read to the congregation the communications written by Miss Pond before taking the poison. The bodies of the lovers were then placed in two separate hearses and the large funeral procession wended its way to the cemetery near the Ponca ferry, where, in compliance with their last request the two lovers were placed side by side in one large grave, the boxes containing the caskets touching each other. The grief stricken relatives have the heartfelt sympathy of the entire community."

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is Lucy Pond's memorial?
Lucy Pond's memorial is located at: Elmwood Cemetery, Elk Point, Union County, USA.
When did Lucy Pond death?
Lucy Pond death on 5 Jul 1904 in Union County, South Dakota, USA
Where are the coordinates of the Lucy Pond's memorial?
Latitude: 42.6036700
Longitude: -96.6881900

Family Members:

Parent

George Wooster Pond

(1851 - 1933)

Adell Townsend Pond

(1854 - 1951)

Siblings

William Hall Pond

(1872 - 1950)

Matilda Mae Pond Soester

(1876 - 1954)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Elmwood Cemetery
Elk Point, Union County, USA
Coordinate: 42.6036700, -96.6881900

2. Ponca Cemetery
Ponca, Dixon County, USA
Coordinate: 42.5689011, -96.7130966

3. Dewitt Cemetery
Ponca, Dixon County, USA
Coordinate: 42.6248000, -96.7437500

4. Civil Bend Cemetery
Jefferson, Union County, USA
Coordinate: 42.5769005, -96.6061020

5. Holmes Family Cemetery
Ponca, Dixon County, USA
Coordinate: 42.5389300, -96.7316200

6. Saint Joseph Cemetery
Elk Point, Union County, USA
Coordinate: 42.6794014, -96.6797028

7. Elk Point Cemetery
Elk Point, Union County, USA
Coordinate: 42.6794586, -96.6794586

8. Salem Lutheran Cemetery
Dixon County, USA
Coordinate: 42.5251900, -96.6938800

9. Southcreek Calvary Catholic Cemetery
Ponca, Dixon County, USA
Coordinate: 42.5264100, -96.7563300

10. Saint Peters Cemetery
Jefferson, Union County, USA
Coordinate: 42.6045799, -96.5594025

11. Silver Ridge Cemetery
Ponca, Dixon County, USA
Coordinate: 42.5685997, -96.8189011

12. Mills Family Cemetery
Westfield, Plymouth County, USA
Coordinate: 42.7188460, -96.6019280

13. Ionia Cemetery
Newcastle, Dixon County, USA
Coordinate: 42.6893997, -96.8300018

14. Trinity Lutheran Cemetery
Martinsburg, Dixon County, USA
Coordinate: 42.5127983, -96.8336029

15. Newcastle Cemetery
Newcastle, Dixon County, USA
Coordinate: 42.6550500, -96.8708700

16. Saint Peters Calvary Cemetery
Newcastle, Dixon County, USA
Coordinate: 42.6533800, -96.8744700

17. Martinsburg South Cemetery
Martinsburg, Dixon County, USA
Coordinate: 42.5038986, -96.8383026

18. Hancock Township Cemetery
Millnerville, Plymouth County, USA
Coordinate: 42.6124970, -96.4813510

19. Gibb's Cemetery
Newcastle, Dixon County, USA
Coordinate: 42.6985100, -96.8518400

20. McCook Cemetery
North Sioux City, Union County, USA
Coordinate: 42.5538460, -96.4886070

21. Saint Johns Cemetery
Jackson, Dakota County, USA
Coordinate: 42.4706001, -96.5658035

22. Saint Paul Cemetery
Elk Point, Union County, USA
Coordinate: 42.7641983, -96.7061005

23. Union County Poor Farm Cemetery
Union County, USA
Coordinate: 42.7649210, -96.7077580

24. Westfield Township Cemetery
Westfield, Plymouth County, USA
Coordinate: 42.7510986, -96.5914001