Ontario County
Canandaigua, Ontario County, New York.
Journal 17 June 1892

Cora E. Ashley, a young lady about 24 years of age, committed suicide by drowning herself at the foot of Honeoye lake last Sunday evening. She was the daughter of Clinton S. Ashley, an old resident of the village of Honeoye. That morning she had attended service at the church in Honeoye, and had spent the remainder of the day at the residence of her father. She seemed unusually bright and cheerful during Sunday and no cause can be assigned for her mysterious action. About 9 o'clock Sunday evening Mr. Ashley took his daughter to the farm where his son resides. She had been living with her brother for some time past. In the morning, she was missing and search was immediately instituted. Two notes were found in her room. The first note was found upon the bureau and read as follows:

"Father, come for me on the north side of the lake."

The second note was found inside of the bureau and related to the disposition of her personal property. It concluded with an affectionate farewell to her father. The searching party immediately proceeded to the foot of the lake and found the body kneeling in about three feet of water. The coroner was immediately summoned and word was sent to her brother, who was in the village. Coroner Beahan immediately drove to Honeoye and impaneled the following jury: E. W. Gilbert, foreman; L. F. Wilbur, Ira N. Deyo, F. L. Plimpton, Thos. R. Reed, John P. Abbey, R. H. Knapp, A. C. Bishop, John Litzendorf, O. H. Hamilton, Chas. N. Struble and Wm. H. Bartlett. The jury rendered a verdict that she came to her death by voluntarily committing suicide in Honeoye lake. The funeral services were held from the Congregational church Tuesday afternoon at three o'clock, Rev. Mr. Day (who postponed his journey west), officiating. A singular circumstance is that the girl's mother committed suicide in about the same manner some thirteen years ago. The mother drowned herself in the creek near the Ashley house. Although no evidence of insanity was developed at the inquest, it is thought that the suicidal mania may possibly have been inherited.

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