Noah Clark Ventres

The Mountain Democrat

Saturday, December 17, 1870

FOUND - William Noah Venters who had been missing from his house on Gaddis creek since the 1st, was found dead on Friday last, about six miles from his residence. He went out hunting and his dog stayed with him till Friday last when he came home and piloted friends back to the body.

The Mountain Democrat

Saturday, December 24, 1870

In our last issue we made mention of the finding of the body of a man near Brush Creek, Kelsey Township, and gave his name as William Noah Venters, which was wrong. This week we met Mr. E. Woodford, who lived with deceased, and has for a number of years on Gaddis Creek, who placed us in possession of the following facts: The name of deceased was Noah C. Ventres, a native of Haddan, (Haddam) Conn., and was fifty-four years old. On the 1st day of December he left the house occupied by himself and Mr. Woodford, for a day's hunting on Lost or Texas Canon. This was the last ever seen of him alive. Not returning that night, his partner supposed he had gone to Mosquito. Learning shortly that he had not been seen at the above place, the neighbors turned out to search for him. No trace was found till Friday, 8th inst. when deceased's dog, which had accompanied him, came home. This was about two or three o'clock in the afternoon. Parties immediately started on the track of the dog and followed it till night. Next morning they again started and followed it a distance of about four miles from Gaddis Creek and his cabin where the indications were that the dog had stayed but a couple of days. From this point it was almost impossible to follow the trail with certainty owing to the fact of having failed and the number of tracks of animals. They persevered, however, and about two miles further on were rewarded by finding the body, nearly covered with snow. There were no marks of violence about his person, and the verdict of the Coroner's jury, which convened on the 12th, was that deceased came to his death from strangulation, he having for a long time been troubled with disease of the throat which had unfrequently brought on severe coughing spells and strangulation. Deceased was brought to Mosquito and buried by the members of the Masonic Fraternity, he having been a highly respected member of Viola Lodge No. 138, located at Spanish Flat. Deceased was a single man, and leaves a list of friends, but no relatives. In this we are required to return the sincere thanks of his partner and personal friends, to those gentlemen who so kindly their services in hunting for the body and assisted in bring it in and giving it burial.