World War II Vet kills wife then Suicides
Special to Times from Villa Rica Correspondent
Corbett Kirby a world war veteran age 37 shot his wife
Jewell Stovall Kirby age 24, four times through the head and body
with a 22 caliber pistol, killing her instantly, while visiting at the
home of his father, Mr. B H Kirby, Sunday March 18 about 2pm.
Shortly afterward, he shot himself in the heart and died immediately in the yard of his father's home, while chief of police Joe Taylor and deputy Will Sheats advanced toward him.
The explanation of the double tragedy seems to be that he was seized by insanity as he was subject to spells of derangement since the war. He had been treated at one time in a government hospital and his parents had been advised to place him in an institution.
The Kirbys lived on Route 2 near Villa Rica; they had one daughter aged 6 Dorothy Louise who was in the house as were other family members at the time of the shooting. Neighbors also witnessed the death of Mr. Kirby.
The deceased are survived by their daughter and their parents, Mr. and Mrs BH Kirby of Villa Rica and Mr and Mrs. JC Stovall of Atlanta.
Funeral services were held Saturday at 230 at Friendship Bapt Church near Hulett. Rev RW Green officiating, burial in the church cemetery.
research 8/18/2022 by cmduffey..................................
A World War I Veteran, Corbett was a farmer.
His final breath was taken at the home of his father. He took the life of his wife, then took his own life with a gun shot through the right side of heart, instant death. (pistol) Physician BC Powell noted that time of death on the death certicate was 3:30pm. (location of death at Northside Drive and Elm Street) in his father's yard B H Kirby.
Survived by a nine year old daughter named Dorothy. She went to live with her mother's parents (Pearl and Cosby Stovall)
Predeceased by a stillborn child that they buried in a shoebox in the country.
The family thought he experienced shell shock (now known as PTSD) from World War I. Buried in Friendship Baptist Church Cemetery. Undertaker Cleghorn Brothers.
Death certificate says 1895 37 years
buried at Friendship
Corbet Kirby
I learned from the record keeper of the church that back in the day the church cemetery records were kept at the Douglas County courthouse and the courthouse burned in the 1956.
I visited the cemetery again today 7/26/2017
still no luck on location of grave, it was never marked.
World War II Vet kills wife then Suicides
Special to Times from Villa Rica Correspondent
Corbett Kirby a world war veteran age 37 shot his wife
Jewell Stovall Kirby age 24, four times through the head and body
with a 22 caliber pistol, killing her instantly, while visiting at the
home of his father, Mr. B H Kirby, Sunday March 18 about 2pm.
Shortly afterward, he shot himself in the heart and died immediately in the yard of his father's home, while chief of police Joe Taylor and deputy Will Sheats advanced toward him.
The explanation of the double tragedy seems to be that he was seized by insanity as he was subject to spells of derangement since the war. He had been treated at one time in a government hospital and his parents had been advised to place him in an institution.
The Kirbys lived on Route 2 near Villa Rica; they had one daughter aged 6 Dorothy Louise who was in the house as were other family members at the time of the shooting. Neighbors also witnessed the death of Mr. Kirby.
The deceased are survived by their daughter and their parents, Mr. and Mrs BH Kirby of Villa Rica and Mr and Mrs. JC Stovall of Atlanta.
Funeral services were held Saturday at 230 at Friendship Bapt Church near Hulett. Rev RW Green officiating, burial in the church cemetery.
research 8/18/2022 by cmduffey..................................
A World War I Veteran, Corbett was a farmer.
His final breath was taken at the home of his father. He took the life of his wife, then took his own life with a gun shot through the right side of heart, instant death. (pistol) Physician BC Powell noted that time of death on the death certicate was 3:30pm. (location of death at Northside Drive and Elm Street) in his father's yard B H Kirby.
Survived by a nine year old daughter named Dorothy. She went to live with her mother's parents (Pearl and Cosby Stovall)
Predeceased by a stillborn child that they buried in a shoebox in the country.
The family thought he experienced shell shock (now known as PTSD) from World War I. Buried in Friendship Baptist Church Cemetery. Undertaker Cleghorn Brothers.
Death certificate says 1895 37 years
buried at Friendship
Corbet Kirby
I learned from the record keeper of the church that back in the day the church cemetery records were kept at the Douglas County courthouse and the courthouse burned in the 1956.
I visited the cemetery again today 7/26/2017
still no luck on location of grave, it was never marked.
Inscription
unmarked grave
Family Members
-
![]()
Arelia S. Kirby Eller
1890–1963
-
![]()
David Terry "Big Daddy" Kirby
1892–1959
-
James J Kirby
1894 – unknown
-
Infant Son Kirby
1898–1898
-
![]()
Charles Dewey Kirby
1899–1928
-
Audrey Kirby
1900 – unknown
-
Hermice Kirby
1900 – unknown
-
![]()
Bernice Welcome Kirby
1901–1981
-
![]()
Dollie Viola Kirby Camp
1906–1991
-
![]()
Floyd Tollison Kirby
1909–1967
-
![]()
Annie Mae Kirby Maiden
1911–1995
-
![]()
Wilson Greer Kirby
1914–1977
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Advertisement
