Mrs. Mary Ann Chandler, relict of Lockwood Chandler, died Saturday after noon at the home of her grandson, Frank L. Smith, of Bainbridge [Chenango Co., NY], aged ninety-five years and seven months. Her death was due to old age principally. Mrs. Chandler was born in Providence, Rhode Island, and came with her parents to Unadilla [Otsego Co., NY] to live when three years of age. She was married 73 years ago to Lockwood Chandler and the two became identified afterward with the interests of this town by way of residence, civic relationship and church connection. Fifty and sixty years ago in Bainbridge upon the east side of the river there were many of the widely respected and substantial citizens of the place, and in that number none were more highly esteemed than Mr. and Mrs. Lockwood Chandler. All of these people passed away a long time since with one exception, Mrs. Chandler, who by kind Providence was permitted to nearly complete a century. Her husband died in 1870. Mrs. Chandler was strongly attached to the Baptist church and attended services of that denomination in Bennettsville until a society was formed in Bainbridge some thirty years ago and a church was built. She was one of the charter members. After her removal from the farm to the village she esteemed it one of her greatest privileges to be able to attend church regularly and her aged form with tottering steps was seen every Sunday morning entering the church doors until prevented by her infirmities. Mrs. Chandler's longevity was attended by no failing intellect, but rather to within two months of her decease her mind was clear and active. She was by nature cheerful and happy and in consequence her last years were an enjoyment. She was interested in whatever occurred and loved to contrast the present and past. Her recollections of time and events were entertaining and instructive. Mrs. Chandler fulfilled the duties of life well. In home, in neighborhood, and wherever called, she was loving, kind, earnest and conscientious. The last three years she was cared for by her grandson, Frank L. Smith, and his wife, who watched over her with affectionate solicitude. The deceased is survived by three daughters; Mrs. Adaline Douglass of Bainbridge; Mrs. Sarah A. Smith of Sedalia, Mo., and Mrs. Jane A. Sill of St. Petersburg, Fla. The funeral was held Tuesday afternoon at 1:30 o'clock at Mr. Smith's home, the Rev. J.E. Vassar officiating. Burial was in Green Lawn cemetery [Bainbridge, NY]. [Notation: 1898]
At the home of her daughter, Mrs. A.L. Bevier, Park Hotel, Mrs. Mary J. Corby passed away Monday morning, after an illness of a few weeks caused by successive strokes of paralysis. About six weeks ago she received the first intimation of paralysis menacing her life, and her friends hoped by care and watchfulness to ward off pending danger, but two weeks since further attacks prostrated her, rendering her unconscious for days preceding her death and oblivious to the presence of her anxious friends. Mrs. Corby was 68 years of age. She was a descendant of the Huguenots, her ancestors coming from France and settling in Binghamton and at that time purchasing and for years afterwards owning large tracts of land in what is known the best part of the city of Binghamton. Mrs. Corby's maiden name was Bevier. She was one of several large families of Beviers who emigrated from the old country at the same time and made a part of the same settlement in and about Binghamton. The early history of Binghamton is the early history of this family. The Beviers intermarried and ever since the relatives, living, have been inseparable. Mrs. Corby was born in Port Dickinson and lived in and about Binghamton through her early life. She was twice married, her first husband being James B. Russell of Bradford, Ill., whom she wed in 1858, and who died in 1868. He was the father of Mrs. Bevier. The second union of the deceased occurred in 1879 with Mr. Wheelock Corby of Binghamton, who died in 1889. Nine years ago Mr. and Mrs. Bevier came to Bainbridge to reside and Mrs. Corby has been with her daughter more or less through the time. Several years ago she purchased an estate at St. Andrews Bay, Florida, living South winters and passing the summers in Bainbridge. Last May Mrs. Corby came north in good health. Her demise at this time is particularly sad as she was preparing to go back to her winter home in Florida. Mrs. Corby was well known in this vicinity, and highly esteemed. She was a woman of culture, benevolent, kind, and in a quiet way constantly befriending people in need. In the home circle her love was intense and shone upon all about her. She is survived by one child, Mrs. Bevier, and the loss of the mother is equally felt by Mr. and Mrs. Bevier. She was a member of the First Baptist church in Binghamton and the funeral services at the hotel today, at 12:45 o'clock, were conducted by Rev. J.E. Vassar of the Bainbridge Baptist church. Her remains were taken to Binghamton this afternoon on the 1:30 train for interment in the Chenango valley cemetery. [Notation: 1898]
A distressing occurrence took place in Coventry [Chenango Co., NY] early last Saturday morning. The dwelling house of Edward Roe caught fire and burned down and his father aged over 90 years was so badly burned that he died soon after being rescued from the building. A fire was usually kept in the father's room during the night, and carelessness on his part is said to have caused the fire. The flames had gained great headway when discovered and were first seen issuing from the room occupied by him. The house was insured for $1000 in the Grange. [Notation: 1898]
In the Republican of last week appeared the notice of the death of Gustaf Anderson Hugo, of Troy, N.Y. which occurred Friday, March 4th, at the home of Gaylord S. Graves of this village. A brief synopsis of his life was given, but from friends who knew him intimately for years, we have gathered additional interesting details that exhibit a young man of such perfect rectitude, who lived a life so unsullied, and died such a beautiful death, that we desire to give further space to his memory. Mr. Hugo was born in Stockholm, Sweden, 29 years ago. His parents were in good circumstances and he received the benefit of excellent schools until he was sixteen years of age. He then began learning the trade of watch making at which he worked for five years, gaining a thorough knowledge of the jewelry business, becoming also a skilled engraver. Mr. Hugo's mind was of a thoughtful, reflective cast and as he neared the completion of his apprenticeship feeling his ability to rise in the world and ambitious to do so, conscious too, how inadequate were the resources of his own country to that end, he began to put into resolve the project he had been slowly maturing, that of coming to the United States. he had read of the ample opportunities open to every nationality in America, and to render success more speedy and sure he had studied the English language for a year, and upon his arrival in New York at the age of twenty-one, he was equipped with a trade of which he was master, a command of our language, a spirit of thrift and excellent habits. The young man found no difficulty in securing a good situation in New York where he remained two years. At the expiration of that time he came to Bainbridge and was associated with Lewis Hovey in the jewelry business, and later with Mr. Pearce, the store being the one now occupied by Chas. B. Humphrey. During Mr. Hugo's entire stay in Bainbridge which was two years, he boarded with Gaylord S. Graves. His upright conduct, his kind gentlemanly ways, and his isolation from kindred, soon established a bond of affection with the family broken only by death. After leaving Bainbridge, Mr. Hugo spent a few months in Sidney and [then moved} to Troy, N.Y. where he entered the prominent jewelry firm of Alexander & Williamson. He had been with this firm four years. They knew his worth as a skilled member of their business and they appreciated his sterling honesty of character and manifested a very marked regard for him when it was apparent that his health was failing. While in Troy he had several lapses of sickness but would recover and consider himself well. Last summer he made a visit to his old home in Sweden. He enjoyed it beyond expression, and said that his health was never better until upon his return trip in October when he was seized with hemorrhage of the lungs two days before landing in New York. Strange to say, he recovered from this attack with ease and worked at his business with vigor through the winter. Four weeks ago when he could be spared for a vacation he wrote Mr. Graves' People on Monday that he would be with them the following Saturday to spend a week. Wednesday night while going to his home feeling as well as usual, he was taken with hemorrhage again. The next day he came to Bainbridge instead of waiting until Saturday. Mr. and Mrs. Graves, with considerate kindness, had repeatedly urged Mr. Hugo to come to them in case of sickness and he had come. He was warmly welcomed and cared for with every demonstration of family regard. Dr. Evans was called and attended him through his three weeks of remaining life, but his skill and the unceasing care of his kind friends were of no avail. Mr. Hugo's decline was rapid from the first day. He was hopeful of his ultimate restoration to health until the last week, when his dissolution seemed but a matter of a few days, and then shone forth the magnificent resources of his noble nature. The prospect of immediate death brought no terror to him, and his only solicitude was for the friends he was to leave. His fondest thoughts were for his mother and with tender concern and infinite love he would write her, while supported by others, message of comfort assuring her that the joys of an immortal life were already his. His last days and hours were a shining example of the sustaining power of Christ's love. With illumined face and joyous words he described the delights and bliss of the far away land he was nearing, beseeching the bystanders in graphic language and intensity to meet him there. He died at 4 o'clock Friday afternoon, but his death was robbed of all that awe that usually attends the event. It was the passing of a sprit that had left a divine and radiant halo behind. His funeral services were held at Mr. Graves' house the following Sunday, and a large throng of people, who knew and esteemed the young man, were in attendance. Mr. Hugo became allied with the Methodist church while living here, and the Rev. C.H. Sackett of the church officiated at the obsequies. His remains were interred in St. Peter's burying ground in Mr. Graves' lot [Bainbridge, Chenango Co., NY]. He is survived by his parents in Sweden and a brother and sister. He has a brother in this country, living in Rochester, who came to Bainbridge before his death and was present at the funeral. The firm of Alexander & Williamson of Troy sent a representative to the funeral who brought a beautiful tribute of flowers. Mr. Hugh experienced none of the rebuffs of a foreigner but met kindness everywhere. To Mr. and Mrs. Graves his gratitude was unbounded, which was merited, for in the generosity of their hearts they lavished upon him the same care and affection as would be given to a member of their family. [Bainbridge Republican, Mar. 16, 1898]
As whatever pertains to people who resided in Bainbridge a long time ago is interesting to those contemporary and living now in our town, we publish the following fine notice of the late William L. Bigelow of Englewood, N.JU., taken from the Englewood Press of March 5: "William L. Bigelow, whose sudden death on Sunday afternoon, February 20th, so shocked the residents of Englewood, was a man to whom no ordinary tribute is due. Strict integrity of character, love of justice and loyalty to friendship, joined to a singularly kind and sympathetic nature present the prominent characteristics of a life in which there is small danger of overdrawn eulogy. Born in the village of Bainbridge [Chenango Co., NY], in central New York, he inherited from his father, the late Judge Levi Bigelow (a leading man in Chenango Co. sixty years ago) many of the admirable traits which so distinguished his life. Entering the office of the Home Fire insurance Company in 1867, he had for thirty-one years been one of the prominent men in that institution, occupying, at the time of his death, the position of Secretary of the Company. There, as in all other walks of life, he enjoyed the friendship and perfect confidence of both the directors and his fellow officers. He married in in 1854 Harriet Mallory, daughter of the late Laurance Mallory, of Corning, N.Y. and [in the years] when Englewood was yet in its infancy, they came here to live. Three beautiful children have blessed for a few short years their lives; but God in his inscrutable providence called them back to him, while yet their white garments were untarnished, their souls unspotted by the world--as 'Tis sorrow builds the shining ladder up' so the sweet example of their childish feet left its influence on the spiritual life of Mr. Bigelow, and the little beckoning hands have led him on and upward until at last the pallid messenger with the inverted torch came for him, and he has crossed to that undiscovered country from which no traveler returns. Mr. Bigelow was an ardent Episcopalian and had been for many years a vestryman of St. Paul's church. He was public spirited and interested in all things tending to promote the welfare of his adopted home. Passionately fond of nature he found in her recurring seasons an object lesson of his belief in immortality, and need we doubt that when the summons came this man, so strong in faith, so pure in heart, passed through gates of pearl into 'The calm of Paradise the Blest.' " [Bainbridge Republican, Mar. 16, 1898]
John S. Gaskin, the veteran hotel keeper of Central New York, died Wednesday morning of last week at his home in Edmeston aged 75 years. Mr. Gaskin was born and bred in a hotel, and passed all of his life in one with the exception of one year. He personally conducted a hotel for 53 years at Oneonta, Gilbertsville, New Berlin, Laurens, Morris, Unadilla and latterly at Edmeston. He was very popular as a landlord. There are elderly people living in Bainbridge today who used often to visit the famous Gaskin House of New Berlin. His hotel was always the favorite stopping place for lawyers. [Bainbridge Republican, Mar. 16, 1898]
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