PoliticalGraveyard.com
The Political Graveyard: A Database of American History
Politicians who Died in Insane Asylums and Mental Hospitals

Very incomplete list!

in chronological order

  William T. Haskell (1818-1859) — of Tennessee. Born in Murfreesboro, Rutherford County, Tenn., July 21, 1818. Member of Tennessee state house of representatives, 1840; U.S. Representative from Tennessee 11th District, 1847-49. Slaveowner. Died, in an insane asylum, March 12, 1859 (age 40 years, 234 days). Interment at Riverside Cemetery, Jackson, Tenn.
  Relatives: Nephew of Charles Ready Jr..
  Political family: Kellogg-Adams-Seymour-Chapin family of Connecticut and New York (subset of the Four Thousand Related Politicians).
  See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page
  G. W. Clason (d. 1881) — of Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wis. U.S. Collector of Customs, 1857; member of Wisconsin state assembly, 1860. Died in the insane asylum at Oshkosh, Winnebago County, Wis., 1881. Burial location unknown.
  John Pierson Baird (1830-1881) — also known as John P. Baird — of Vigo County, Ind. Born in Spencer County, Ky., January 5, 1830. Republican. Lawyer; member of Indiana state house of representatives, 1859; colonel in the Union Army during the Civil War; alternate delegate to Republican National Convention from Indiana, 1868. Was commander at Fort Granger in Tennessee in June 1863, when he was required to execute by hanging Lawrence Orton Williams and Walter Peter as Confederate spies; an engraving of the execution was on the front page of Harper's Weekly. Both spies were related to Gen. Robert E. Lee's wife and were descendants of Martha Washington. Baird was severely affected by this episode, and had a mental breakdown in 1875. Died in the Indiana Hospital for the Insane, Indianapolis, Marion County, Ind., March 7, 1881 (age 51 years, 61 days). Interment at Woodlawn Cemetery, Terre Haute, Ind.
  Morrow B. Lowry (d. 1885) — of Erie, Erie County, Pa. Republican. Delegate to Republican National Convention from Pennsylvania, 1860; member of Pennsylvania state senate, 1862-70 (27th District 1862-64, 29th District 1865-70). Died, in Kirkbride's Asylum, in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pa., January 20, 1885. Burial location unknown.
  Phillip S. Bolling (c.1849-1892) — of Cumberland County, Va. Born in slavery in Buckingham County, Va., about 1849. Brickmason; member of Virginia state house of delegates from Buckingham & Cumberland counties, 1883. African ancestry. Died, from tuberculosis, in the Central Lunatic Asylum, Petersburg, Va., April 18, 1892 (age about 43 years). Burial location unknown.
  Relatives: Son of Samuel P. Bolling and Ellen (Gantt) Bolling; married, March 31, 1887, to Harriet T. Jackson.
  See also Wikipedia article
  Charles William Jones (1834-1897) — also known as Charles W. Jones — of Pensacola, Escambia County, Fla. Born in Ireland, December 24, 1834. Democrat. Member of Florida state legislature, 1874; U.S. Senator from Florida, 1875-87. Died in St. Joseph's Retreat, an asylum for the insane, in Dearborn, Wayne County, Mich., October 11, 1897 (age 62 years, 291 days). Interment at St. Michael's Cemetery, Pensacola, Fla.
  See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page — Wikipedia article
  Rowland Wardwell Stewart (1866-1904) — also known as Rowland W. Stewart — of Bangor, Penobscot County, Maine. Born in Bangor, Penobscot County, Maine, December 29, 1866. Commission merchant; Vice-Consul for Uruguay in Bangor, Maine, 1894-1903; Consular Agent for Italy in Bangor, Maine, 1896-1903; Vice-Consul for Portugal in Bangor, Maine, 1900-01. Died, in Eastern Maine Insane Hospital, Bangor, Penobscot County, Maine, September 29, 1904 (age 37 years, 275 days). Interment at Mt. Hope Cemetery, Bangor, Maine.
  Relatives: Son of Thomas Jefferson Stewart and Mary Manton (Dennison) Stewart; married, November 20, 1889, to Cara Arvilla Maloney.
  See also Find-A-Grave memorial
  Edwin Bird Allen (1836-1908) — also known as Edwin B. Allen — of Wichita, Sedgwick County, Kan. Born near Oberlin, Lorain County, Ohio, March 7, 1836. Republican. Physician; Sedgwick County Coroner, 1870-71; mayor of Wichita, Kan., 1871-72; member of Kansas state house of representatives, 1872-76, 1883-84; secretary of state of Kansas, 1885-89. Member, Freemasons. Died, of a cerebral hemorrhage, in the State Hospital for Insane, St. Joseph, Buchanan County, Mo., March 31, 1908 (age 72 years, 24 days). Interment at Highland Cemetery, Wichita, Kan.
  Relatives: Brother of Joseph P. Allen.
  Marcus M. Towle (1841-1910) — of Hammond, Lake County, Ind. Born in Danville, Rockingham County, N.H., January 12, 1841. Co-founder of the G. H. Hammond meat packing plant, and of the city of Hammond; financed and built railroads and port facilities; mayor of Hammond, Ind., 1884-88. Died, in Longcliffe Asylum for the Insane, Logansport, Cass County, Ind., September 6, 1910 (age 69 years, 237 days). Interment at Oak Hill Cemetery, Hammond, Ind.
  Relatives: Married, December 5, 1866, to Irena Dow.
  Henry Reed Rathbone (1837-1911) — Born in Albany, Albany County, N.Y., July 1, 1837. Lawyer; major in the Union Army during the Civil War; on April 14, 1865, he was seated in the box at Ford's Theater with President Abraham Lincoln; when John Wilkes Booth shot the president, Rathbone attempted to apprehend Booth, and suffered knife wounds; subsequently his mental health deteriorated; U.S. Consul in Hanover, as of 1882-83. On December 23, 1883, he killed his wife, and stabbed himself in a suicide attempt; he was charged with murder, convicted, and found insane; he died more than 25 years later, in the Asylum for the Criminal Insane, Hildesheim, Germany, August 14, 1911 (age 74 years, 44 days). Original interment at Stadtfriedhof Engesohde, Hanover, Germany; reinterment 1952 to unknown location.
  Relatives: Step-son of Ira Harris (1802-1875); son of Jared Lewis Rathbone and Pauline (Pinney) Rathbone; brother of Jared Lawrence Rathbone; married, July 11, 1867, to Clara Hamilton Harris (daughter of Ira Harris (1802-1875)); father of Henry Riggs Rathbone; second cousin once removed of Daniel Burrows; second cousin thrice removed of Ezekiel Cornell; third cousin of Lorenzo Burrows; fourth cousin once removed of Ezra Cornell.
  Political families: Cornell family of New York; Kellogg-Adams-Seymour-Chapin family of Connecticut and New York (subsets of the Four Thousand Related Politicians).
  See also Wikipedia article — Find-A-Grave memorial
Samuel L. Gracey Samuel Levis Gracey (1835-1911) — also known as Samuel L. Gracey — of Smyrna, Kent County, Del.; Pawtucket, Providence County, R.I.; Chelsea, Suffolk County, Mass.; Cambridge, Middlesex County, Mass.; Natick, Middlesex County, Mass.; Lynn, Essex County, Mass.; Boston, Suffolk County, Mass. Born in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pa., September 8, 1835. Methodist minister; served in the Union Army during the Civil War; U.S. Consul in Foochow, 1890-93, 1897-1911, died in office 1911. Methodist. Member, Grand Army of the Republic. Died by suicide, when he cut his throat with a razor, in the West Newton Sanitarium, West Newton, Newton, Middlesex County, Mass., August 19, 1911 (age 75 years, 345 days). Interment at Mt. Moriah Cemetery, West Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa.
  Relatives: Son of John Gracey and Ann Elizabeth Bartram (Leech) Gracey; married, November 21, 1860, to Leonora Thompson; married, January 15, 1900, to Cordania Elizabeth 'Corda' (Perkins) Pratt; father of Spencer Pettis Gracey and Wilbur Tirrell Gracey.
  Political family: Gracey family of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
  Epitaph: "Soldier - Clergyman - Diplomat"
  See also Find-A-Grave memorial
  Image source: Washington Evening Srar, June 25, 1911
  Andrew Jackson Clements (1832-1913) — also known as A. J. Clements — of Tennessee. Born in Clementsville, Clay County, Tenn., December 23, 1832. Physician; U.S. Representative from Tennessee 3rd District, 1861-63; member of Tennessee state legislature, 1870. Died, of pneumonia, in Central State Hospital (a mental hospital where he was confined due to senility), Lakeland, Jefferson County, Ky., November 7, 1913 (age 80 years, 319 days). Interment at Glasgow Cemetery, Glasgow, Ky.
  Presumably named for: Andrew Jackson
  Relatives: Son of Christopher Clements and Mary Clements.
  See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page
  James Sanford Patterson (1860-1917) — also known as J. Sanford Patterson — of Spray (now part of Eden), Rockingham County, N.C. Born in Davidson County, N.C., December 19, 1860. Postmaster at Spray, N.C., 1893-99, 1904-12. Died, from choking on food, in the State Hospital (now Broughton Hospital), Morganton, Burke County, N.C., May 9, 1917 (age 56 years, 141 days). Interment at Lawson Cemetery, Eden, N.C.
  See also Find-A-Grave memorial
  Alexander Cook Thayer (1865-1918) — also known as Alexander Thayer — Born in Cambridge, Middlesex County, Mass., June 18, 1865. U.S. Deputy Consul in Trieste, 1901-02; U.S. Vice & Deputy Consul in Venice, 1902-05; U.S. Vice Consul in Venice, as of 1916-17. Died, from dementia paralytica, in the Bellevue Sanatorium, Kreuzlingen, Thurgau, Switzerland, September 16, 1918 (age 53 years, 90 days). Interment somewhere in Geneva, Switzerland.
  Relatives: Son of Henry Thayer and Jane (Cook) Thayer; married, August 6, 1910, to Alice Bartlett Mansfield; nephew of Alexander Wheelock Thayer; third cousin once removed of John Ogden Bigelow; third cousin twice removed of Nathan Read; third cousin thrice removed of Timothy Bigelow; fourth cousin of Staley N. Wood; fourth cousin once removed of Rufus Heaton, Edward M. Chapin and George A. Dix.
  Political family: Kellogg-Adams-Seymour-Chapin family of Connecticut and New York (subset of the Four Thousand Related Politicians).
Thomas A. Embrey Thomas Allison Embrey (1861-1931) — also known as Thomas A. Embrey — of Winchester, Franklin County, Tenn. Born in Winchester, Franklin County, Tenn., February 27, 1861. Democrat. Lawyer; banker; delegate to Democratic National Convention from Tennessee, 1904, 1924 (alternate). Methodist. Member, Freemasons. Died, from a stroke, in Florida State Hospital for the Insane, Chattahoochee, Gadsden County, Fla., April 11, 1931 (age 70 years, 43 days). Interment at Florida State Hospital Cemetery, Chattahoochee, Fla.
  Relatives: Son of Alexander Simmons Embrey and Louisa Summers (Cain) Embrey; married, October 19, 1883, to Fannie Lindsay.
  See also Find-A-Grave memorial
  Image source: Chattanooga (Tenn.) Daily Times, April 17, 1931
  Frank Austin Norton (1867-1947) — also known as Frank Norton — of Ypsilanti, Washtenaw County, Mich. Born in Ypsilanti, Washtenaw County, Mich., June 1, 1867. Republican. Stonemason; florist; mayor of Ypsilanti, Mich., 1912-14. Methodist. Died, from a stroke, while hospitalized for senile psychosis, at Ypsilanti State Psychiatric Hospital, York Township, Washtenaw County, Mich., October 2, 1947 (age 80 years, 123 days). Interment at Highland Cemetery, Ypsilanti, Mich.
  Relatives: Son of Austin B. Norton and Sarah J. (Knapp) Norton; married to Lena Eisenlord.
  See also Find-A-Grave memorial
  Florence Elizabeth Smith Knapp (1875-1949) — also known as Florence E. S. Knapp; Florence Elizabeth Smith — of Syracuse, Onondaga County, N.Y. Born in Syracuse, Onondaga County, N.Y., March 25, 1875. Republican. School teacher; superintendent of schools; dean, College of Home Economics, Syracuse University; delegate to Republican National Convention from New York, 1920, 1924 (alternate); secretary of state of New York, 1925-27; in 1927, an investigation discovered her maladministration of the 1925 state census; she had paid salaries to relatives and others who did no census work, forged indorsements on checks, received money she was not entitled to, and burned state records to conceal evidence of these things; resigned her position at Syracuse University; indicted on various charges in 1928, tried twice and eventually convicted of grand larceny; sentenced to 30 days in jail. Female. Episcopalian. Member, Grange. Died, following a heart attack, in Marcy State Hospital (insane asylum), Marcy, Oneida County, N.Y., October 26, 1949 (age 74 years, 215 days). Interment at Oakwood Cemetery, Syracuse, N.Y.
  Relatives: Daughter of James E. Smith and Mary (Hancock) Smith; married to Philip Schuyler Knapp.
  See also Find-A-Grave memorial
  Ada Byron Nafew (1854-1949) — also known as Ada B. Nafew; Ada Byron McIntire — of Eatontown, Monmouth County, N.J. Born in Springfield, Sangamon County, Ill., 1854. Postmaster at Eatontown, N.J., 1897-1903. Female. Presbyterian. Died, in the Marlboro State mental hospital, Marlboro, Monmouth County, N.J., December 27, 1949 (age about 95 years). Interment at Glenwood Cemetery, West Long Branch, N.J.
  Relatives: Daughter of Benjamin McIntire and Roxanna (Stearns) McIntire; married to James Weed Nafew.
  See also Find-A-Grave memorial
  Francis Fisher Kane (1866-1955) — also known as Francis F. Kane — of Germantown, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pa. Born in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pa., June 17, 1866. Democrat. Lawyer; candidate for Pennsylvania state house of representatives, 1890; candidate for mayor of Philadelphia, Pa., 1903; delegate to Democratic National Convention from Pennsylvania, 1904; U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, 1913-19. Episcopalian. Member, Phi Kappa Sigma. Died, in McLean Hospital, Belmont, Middlesex County, Mass., May 27, 1955 (age 88 years, 344 days). Burial location unknown.
  Relatives: Son of Robert Patterson Kane and Elizabeth Francis (Fisher) Kane; grandnephew of John Izard Middleton and Williams Middleton; great-grandson of Henry Middleton (1770-1846); second great-grandson of Arthur Middleton; second great-grandnephew of Thomas Willing; third great-grandson of Charles Willing and Henry Middleton (1717-1784); third great-grandnephew of Edward Shippen (1703-1781) and William Shippen; fifth great-grandson of Edward Shippen (1639-1712); first cousin twice removed of John Brown Francis and John Middleton Huger; first cousin thrice removed of Charles Willing Byrd; first cousin four times removed of Edward Shippen (1729-1806); second cousin of Benjamin Huger Rutledge; second cousin once removed of Daniel Elliott Huger Smith; second cousin twice removed of John Drayton; third cousin once removed of Edward Overton Jr.; third cousin twice removed of Edward Shippen (1823-1904); fourth cousin of James Rieman Macfarlane; fourth cousin once removed of Bertha Shippen Irving.
  Political families: Shippen-Middleton family of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Harrison-Randolph-Marshall-Cabell family of Virginia (subsets of the Four Thousand Related Politicians).
  Wythe Leigh Kinsolving (1878-1964) — of St. Louis, Mo.; Winchester, Franklin County, Tenn.; Chattanooga, Hamilton County, Tenn.; Jackson, Jackson County, Mich.; Manhattan, New York County, N.Y.; Oakland, Garrett County, Md.; Charlottesville, Va.; Stanardsville, Greene County, Va. Born in Halifax, Halifax County, Va., November 14, 1878. Democrat. Episcopal priest; rector of Epiphany Episcopal Church, Barton Heights, Va., until 1908, when he resigned following a widely reported fist fight with his father-in-law, Rev. Dr. E. H. Pitt; composer; poet; translator; prolific writer of opinion pieces for newspapers, expressing moderate pacifist views, along with strong support for the League of Nations; offered prayer, Democratic National Convention, 1924 ; in 1928, he toured the country giving speeches in support of Democratic presidential nominee Al Smith; initially supported President Franklin Roosevelt and the New Deal, but in the late 1930s turned toward isolationism and anti-Communism. Episcopalian. Died, from cerebral vascular accident, while suffering from chronic brain syndrome due to cerebral arteriosclerosis, in DeJarnette State Sanatorium, a mental hospital, in Augusta County, Va., December 21, 1964 (age 86 years, 37 days). Interment at Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, Va.
  Relatives: Son of Ovid Americus Kinsolving and Roberta Elizabeth (Cary) Kinsolving; married, December 27, 1906, to Annie Laurie Pitt; granduncle of Charles McIlvaine Kinsolving Jr.; great-grandson of John Mathews; great-grandnephew of James William Mathews; second cousin once removed of Peter Johnston Otey; second cousin twice removed of Neal Arlon Kinsolving.
  Political family: Kinsolving-Mathews family of Virginia.
  See also Wikipedia article — Find-A-Grave memorial
  Grover C. Richman Jr. (1911-1983) — of New Jersey. Born in Wenonah, Gloucester County, N.J., October 1, 1911. Democrat. U.S. Attorney for New Jersey, 1951-53; New Jersey state attorney general, 1954-58; delegate to Democratic National Convention from New Jersey, 1956. Died, from a heart ailment, at the New York Hospital Westchester Division mental hospital, White Plains, Westchester County, N.Y., May 6, 1983 (age 71 years, 217 days). Interment at Siloam Cemetery, Vineland, N.J.
  Presumably named for: Grover Cleveland
  Relatives: Son of Grover C. Richman, Sr.
  See also Wikipedia article
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The Political Graveyard is a web site about U.S. political history and cemeteries. Founded in 1996, it is the Internet's most comprehensive free source for American political biography, listing 320,919 politicians, living and dead.
 
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