Stumbled upon a quite remarkable site just now, GenDisasters, "Events that touched our ancestors' lives", browsing the Massachusetts section.

"Otis Skeele, of Chicopee, Mass., 79 years of age, was instantly and accidentally killed Friday evening by falling from the scaffolding of his barn, whither he had gone to catch some chickens.

The New Hampshire Patriot, Concord, NH 13 Apr 1870"

Western Mass. is a bit underrepresented, should perhaps start combing through the paper's archive.