Monday, October 21, 2013

Obituaries (October 21)

While watching the fire at the plant of the Dairy Products company at South Coventry Monday night, Charles Ostrum, a well-known citizen of Coventry [Chenango Co., NY], dropped to the ground from an attack of heart disease, superinduced by the excitement caused by the fire and soon died.  The fire destroyed the entire plant of the Dairy Products company, including factory building, storage building and barn.  All the valuable machinery and the engine were destroyed.  The origin of the fire is unknown.  [Bainbridge Republican, July 19, 1906]
 
The Republican published at Delavan, Wis., July 12th, 1906, gives the following account of the death of Charles B. Sumner, a former Bainbridge [Chenango Co.,  NY] attorney:  "While the family were seated about the supper table at half past six o'clock on Sunday evening, encouraged by the fact that the father was showing great signs of improvement, Chas. B. Sumner was stricken by a severe shock of heart disease and death was the immediate result.  For the past year Mr. Sumner has not been well and about a month ago he was compelled to give up his active practice and was confined to his home till the end came on Sunday evening.  Charles Bennett Sumner was born in New Berlin, New York [Chenango Co.], August 18, 1847.  He was the only child in the family.  While a young man he taught school before taking up the study of law in the office of his uncle.  He was admitted to the bar and removed to Bainbridge, N.Y., where he practiced till 1885.  In December, 1872, Mr. Sumner was married to Miss Alice Johnstone, of New York city, and in the fall of 1885, with their four children, they removed to Delavan, Wis., where the family have resided ever since.  The decedent was a member in good and regular standing of the Walworth County Bar Association for the past twenty years.  During those years of continuous service he has formed a wide acquaintance with the members of the bar and also a large circle of professional friends who are pained to learn of his untimely end.  During his practice he served two terms as District Attorney.  Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Sumner, all of whom were with Mr. Sumner at the time of his death.  they are Charles J. Sumner, who is a member of the Walworth County Bar and Superintendent of the Document room in the House of Representatives, Washington, D.C.; Mollie J. Sumner, teacher in the Delavan High school; Elizabeth Sumner, principal of the kindergarten department, Ironwood, Mich., and Mrs. Alice Fisher, of Delavan.  Ever since Mr. Sumner came to Delavan, he has been closely identified with the life of the city and has always taken an active and progressive part in civic matters.  Whenever a public meeting was held or a public policy to be discussed, Mr. Sumner invariably was found there ready to assist in a legal capacity or as any other private citizen who felt the progress of the past twenty years.  Especially has he always been prominent in fostering the best school system of the city.  As a churchman Mr. Sumner was one of the most regular in attendance.  He took great pride in Christ's church of which he was a vestryman for many years and where he was noted for his regularity.  If it is true that the character of a man is best gauged by his home life, Mr. Sumner can be accorded the highest praise.  He was ever an indulgent father devoted to his home and children on whom the blow falls heaviest in the hour of his sad demise.  The funeral was held on Wednesday afternoon at three o'clock from the house and later from Christ's Episcopal church.  The Rev. John White conducted the service.  [Bainbridge Republican, July 19, 1906]
 
George F. Williams died Wednesday, July 11th, 1906, at his home on Kirby street in this village [Bainbridge, Chenango Co., NY].  The direct cause of his death was a paralytic stroke.  About a month ago he was very sick from an attack of heart and stomach trouble.  He remained in a critical condition for several days and then began to improve.  He recovered so as to be about again as usual, excepting a feeling of exhaustion which he could not overcome.  On the day that he died he went to his hay field to work.  He became dizzy and at once was taken home.  Medical aid was summoned but he could not be revived and he passed away that night.  Mr. Williams was 68 years old.  Born in Sanford in 1843, he came to Bainbridge to reside about twenty-five years ago and became a prominent citizen of the town.  He had been a Justice of the Peace for twenty-two years which office he held at his death.  He had at various times engaged in business here having been a merchant and later a stock buyer.  He was a member of the H.H. Beecher Post G.A.R., having enlisted in the 114th Regiment, N.Y. State volunteers, serving in the civil war.  For forty years he had been a member of the Masonic fraternity and had held high offices in the Susquehanna lodge in this village.  He is survived by a wife, who was Mary Cartledge before marriage, two sons, Bret Williams, of Troy, and Arthur Williams, of Sidney, and one daughter, Lena Williams, of Bainbridge; also four brothers, Frank Williams, of Seaford, De., E.D. Williams, of Oklahoma, William Williams, of Afton, and J.B. Williams, of Bainbridge.  The funeral was very largely attended at the house Saturday afternoon at 2 o'clock.  Beside friends and relatives there were nearly a hundred Masons present, representatives from the Sidney, Afton and Bainbridge lodges.  Rev. G.E. VanWoert, of the Methodist church, this village, officiated.  The bearers were I.J. Tillman, H.B. Davenport, Joseph Hirt, Harry Garman, George S. Cook and Sylvester Clark.  Interment in Green Lawn cemetery.  Among the floral contributions of flowers was a floral square and compass from the Susquehanna lodge and a floral star from the local order of Eastern Star.  [Bainbridge Republican, July 19, 1906]
 
The body of Miss Grace Brown of Otselic [Chenango Co., NY], was found in Big Moose lake, in the Adirondacks, last Thursday morning.  The appearance of the body indicated that she had been murdered.  An investigation was made and it was found that she left her home, met a young man by the name of Chester Gillette from Cortland, at DeRuyter, and together went to the Adirondacks on what was supposed a vacation trip.  Gillette and Miss Brown went out in the boat together on Big Moose lake last Wednesday.  The boat was later found bottom side up.  A search revealed the body of Miss Brown.  Gillette was found at Eagle Bay and arrested charged with murder.  Miss Brown was a daughter of Frank Brown, of Otselic, and was employed in a shirt factory in Cortland where she met Gillette who was employed in the same business.  Miss Brown was urging young Gillette to marry her as he had promised and it is thought he lured her to this lake and committed the murder to free himself.  [Bainbridge Republican, July 19, 2906]
 
Miss Ella Irene Meacham, daughter of the late Dr. I. Meacham, died at the home of her mother, Mrs. Sarah Meacham, No. 35 Eldridge street, Binghamton [Broome Co., NY], at three o'clock Monday afternoon.  She is survived by her mother, two sisters, Mrs. C. Fred Gale and Miss Pearl Meacham, and one brother, Charles Meacham, all of Binghamton.  Miss Meacham was very well known in this village, having resided here.  Her father was a practicing physician in Bainbridge for many years prior to moving to Binghamton.  [Bainbridge Republican, July 26, 1906]

No comments:

Post a Comment