#27-2020. Solo. William (Tony) Ray Lloyd--died Solo on the Prairie
William, the son of Albert Gallatin Lloyd and Lois H. Jasper, was born 10 June 1861 in Waitsburg, Washington. A. G. & Lois had moved to Waitsburg in 1859. In the family notes, it states that William was the second or third white child born in Walla Walla County.
In the census of 1900, William was in the Fort Benton Township, Choteau, Montana. He was a boarder, 39 years old. He was not married and his occupation is a gambler. The head of the house where William was a boarder was Fred Thielbar who listed his occupation as saloon keeper. The census was taken on 27th of June 1900.
What happened Tony after 1900? I have not found other information on his life until he was found Solo on the prairie.
TONY LLOYD FOUND DEAD
March 3, 1905
Mr. and Mrs. A. G. Lloyd received word Sunday that their son William R. Lloyd better known as Tony Lloyd had been found dead on the prairie about 40 miles from Harlem, Mont., on Saturday, Feb. 25. He was found by a stage driver and had probably been dead three or four days. Two jagged gashes in the neck indicated the cause of death while nearby was a dull pocket knife with blood which would indicate that Tony had met with foul play or had committed suicide. No particulars have been received but the family do not believe it is suicide. Wesley Lloyd left for Harlem Monday and will return with the body, arriving here Friday afternoon. The funeral will take place from the farm home near this city, probably Saturday afternoon. William R. Lloyd was 43 years of age and unmarried. (newspaper clipping from the "Waitsburg Times)
Milk River News-1 March 1905
Takes His Own Life
W. R. Lloyd Stabs Himself Fatally on the Prairie Near Hays
Word was brought to this city the middle of last week that a dead man was found one mile west of Hays, some forty odd miles south of here, and that the body was found on the old Mission road to Chinook, with two large gashes on each side of the throat, while an ordinary pocket knife was lying by the side of the corpse, plainly telling how the deed had been accomplished. In the absence of the county corner, Justice of the Peace G. W. Vennum, left for the scence and by driving all night reached the place of suicide early Sunday morning. The body was found by John Cochrane, while he was hunting cattle and the authorities were at once notified. At the inquest several witnesses were examined and the body was identified as that of W. R. Lloyd, better known as "Toney", who had been engaged in doing some contract work at Zortman for Harry Kellar, and who was supposed to be on his way from Zortman to Forgart's ranch in the Bear paw mountains, where he had secured employment as a ranch hand. Lloyd was 44 years of age and well known in and around the Little Rockies where had lived for some time. His folks were located at Waitsburg, Wash., and two brothers arrived yesterday evening to take the body home with them for burial. The coroner's jury composed of W. H. Granger, Jay T. Rhoads and Ernest Whetstone, all of Havre, brought in a verdict that the deceased came to his death by his own hand. The body was brought to Harlem and will be shipped from here to Washington for burial.
(Milk River Valley News, 1 March 1905)
(Milk River Valley News "Harlem", 8 March 1905)
FUNERAL OF WILLIAM R. LLOYD
March 10, 1905Wesley Lloyd returned from Harlem, Montana Friday, March 3rd bring the body of his brother, William R. Lloyd, an account of which was given in our last issue. The funeral took place at 10 o'clock Saturday morning from the farm of his parents, Mr. And Mrs. A. G. Lloyd, two miles west of town. The services were conducted by Rev. E. E. Hench of the First Presbyterian Church and the remains buried in the Odd Fellows Cemetery. A long line of relatives and friends of the family followed the remains to the grave. (newspaper clipping--and he was buried at the Cemetery Cemetery). I presume the clipping was from the "Waitsburg Times", but there was nothing written on the clipping.
William R. Lloyd Funeral Card
William R. Lloyd's headstone
His headstone his shared with his brother Charles C. Lloyd
City Cemetery, Waitsburg, Washington
Block 56, Lot 3, Space 3
Did Tony die by suicide or was he murdered?
The information and original funeral cards are in the file (which I inherited) of William R. Lloyd. The genealogy information on this family line was collected by William's sister, Angeline and given to my mother.
