Obituaries (April 14)

Emma Blenco Hutchinson, widow of the late Emmet Hutchinson, passed away at the home of her son, Howard Hutchinson, late Thursday afternoon, Feb. 24.  Death was due to old age.  Mrs. Hutchinson was the daughter of the late John and Sarah Jackson Blenco.  She was born Nov. 26, 1850 in Guilford, having reached the extreme age of 87 years.  Most of her married life has been spent in Guilford [Chenango Co., NY].  She was a kindly neighbor and an earnest worker in the M.E. Church as long as her health permitted.  She had enjoyed unusually good health, able to be about and call on her friends until within the last month.  Less than a month ago she attended the funeral for her only remaining sister, Mrs. Jane Burdick of Masonville.  The shock of her passing remained very close to Mrs. Hutchinson during her last days.  Surviving are one daughter, Mrs. William Reynolds of Mt. Vision; a son Howard Hutchinson at whose home she had lived for some time; a granddaughter, Mrs. Clare Fernald, of North Afton, and grandson, Jack Hutchinson, of Ithaca, N.Y.  The funeral was held Monday afternoon at the Guilford M.E. Church.  The Rev. Z.T. Hall, a former pastor, now in Coventry, officiated, assisted by Rev. Leon Bouton of Oxford and the Rev. Wood of Guilford.  Burial was in Yaleville Cemetery [Guilford, NY].  Colwell Brothers in Bainbridge were in charge of the service.  Many beautiful floral pieces spoke of the lasting place Mrs. Hutchinson held in the hearts of her family and friends.  [Bainbridge News & Republican, Mar. 3, 1938]

 

Funeral service was held Saturday afternoon for Wallace May, who died Feb. 23, at the home of Mrs. Elizabeth Sweet in Norwich.  The service was held in Colwell Brothers' Chapel in this village with the Rev. George D. Callender, pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Norwich, officiating.  Interment was made in St. Peter's Episcopal Cemetery.  Mr. May was born May 27, 1846, the son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Jabez May.  He spent most of his life in Bainbridge and as a young man was employed at the Newton Grist mill.  He retired to the farm in Guilford street in 1897.  Following the death of his wife, Mrs. Edna (Scott) May, in 1933, he sold the farm and has since resided at Mt. Upton and Norwich [Chenango Co., NY].  He is survived by brother, Walter May of Okonogan, Wash.; a niece, Jennie Clifford of Auburn, Wash., and four cousins, Emma Beadeau of Sidney, Mrs. Frank Hamm of Woods Corners, Mrs. H.D. Pierce of Binghamton and Richard Curtis of Norwich.  [Bainbridge News & Republican, Mar. 3, 1938]

 

Frank Haskell Bird, 45, of Norwich [Chenango Co., NY], brakeman for the New York, Ontario and Western Railroad, was stricken at Randallsville shortly before noon on Saturday, while on duty.  He was brought to the hospital in Norwich, where he died at 6:20 p.m., death resulting from natural causes, according to the report of Coroner Leslie T. Kinney.  Mr. Bird was the son of the late Arthur Bird, of Sidney, publisher of the Sidney Record for 53 years, who in 1877 served as United States vice-consul at Port-au-Prince, Haiti.  Mr. Bird had been employed for the past 25 years by the O.&W.  He served on patrol duty with the Navy during the world War.  He was a member of the Railroad Trainmen, the American Legion and the Fraternal Order of Eagles.  He is survived by his wife, a step-mother, Mrs. Arthur Bird; a brother, Clarence E. Bird, now editor of the Sidney Record; a sister, Mrs. Charles Law of Sidney, and an aunt, Mrs. Charles Hoyt, of Endicott.  The funeral service was held at his late residence in Norwich, Tuesday afternoon, followed by interment in Sidney [Delaware Co., NY].  [Bainbridge News &  Republican, Mar. 3, 1938]

 

Aaron Hitchcock, 69, well known resident of Bainbridge [Chenango Co., NY], died at his home in Bixby street, Thursday, after a short illness.  The funeral service was held Sunday afternoon at the Chapel of Colwell Brothers, West Main street, The Rev. G.H. Orvis, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church officiated.  He was assisted by the Rev. M. DeForest Lowen, pastor of the First Baptist Church.  The body was placed in the receiving vault at Greenlawn Cemetery [Bainbridge, NY] for later interment.  Mr. Hitchcock was born in the town of Smyrna [Chenango Co., NY] on Nov. 30, 1868, the son of the late Daniel L. and Ellen (Colman) Hitchcock. As a young man, he learned the trade of butter and cheese making, an occupation he followed throughout his life with the exception of about five years, 1910-1915, when he owned and operated a farm in the Town of Oxford.  He came to Bainbridge in 1917 to work for the John Wildi Creamery Co. and until Nov.  1937, when failing health caused him to give up active work, he has been employed in local creameries.  He married Marry Emma Fredmore of Guilford, Dec. 25, 1895, who survives him.  Other survivors include a daughter, Mrs. Martin Roehlk, of Bainbridge; a son, Floyd Hitchcock of Bridgeport, Conn.; a sister, Mrs. Lewis Predmore of Arkport, and two brothers, Frank Hitchcock of Sherburne and Joseph Hitchcock of Bainbridge.  [Bainbridge News & Republican, Mar. 3, 1938]

 

An unexplained accident resulted in the death of George Clark, 66, Bainbridge street commissioner, Monday afternoon, while he was employed in covering the treacherous Mt. Pleasant highway with cinders.  Clark, who was alone at the time, was found with his head crushed between the dump truck body and the chassis.  From the tools which were found beneath the truck, it is thought that something had gone wrong with the hydraulic mechanism and, with the body in a tilted position, he had attempted to make some adjustment when it gave way and crushed him to death.  The accident was first discovered by LaVerne and Wells Stanton, Mt. Pleasant residents who were driving toward the village.  They came upon the truck parked in the center of the roadway, with the motor running.  Seeing Mr. Clark apparently at work at the side of the truck they waited a short time and then investigated further to find his head pinned beneath the truck body.  They hurriedly returned to the Payne residence, a short distance, and phoned Supervisor George Fisk.  Mayor Orson Thorpe was then notified.  With Minor Throop and Dr. Edward Danforth, local health officer, he went to the scene of the accident.  The body was released and later brought to the undertaking rooms of Colwell brothers.  Dr. Danforth stated that death must have been instantaneous.  Mr. Clark, who received the appointment of street commissioner three years ago, had previously been employed in construction work by Frank Lewis and Sons, Inc., local contractors.  He had been considered a very careful and efficient workman.  His knowledge of machinery and road building had made him a valuable employee of the village, village officials state.  Mr. Clark was born at Honesdale, Pa., on April 4, 1872, the son of James and Katherine (Lawrence) Clark.  When a young child, his parents moved to a farm below Afton [Chenango Co., NY].  On April 4, 1893, he married Mary Luther, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Luther of Afton.  Upon their marriage they took up farming in that vicinity, an occupation he followed for about 27 years.  Then, the family took up residence in Afton village. Eight years ago, the Clark's moved to this village where they have since made their home.  The immediate survivors include Mrs. Clark and two daughters, Mrs. Harold Nicholson of Oneonta, and Mrs. l.F. Herr of Alcron, Ohio.  Funeral service will be held this Thursday afternoon at 2 o'clock in Colwell Brothers' Chapel.  The Rev. G.H. Orvis, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, will officiate and interment will be made in Glenwood Cemetery, Afton.  [Bainbridge News & Republican, Mar. 10, 1938]

The funeral service for George Clark, Bainbridge [Chenango Co., NY] village street commissioner who was killed March 7 when his head was crushed by a truck, was held Thursday afternoon in the Colwell Brothers' Chapel which was filled to capacity.  Flowers were banked high around the casket.  Bainbridge Odd Fellows attended in a body.  The bearers were village official, including:  Mayor Orson Thorpe; Homer D. Owens, clerk and attorney; Trustees James Ireland, George Flanigan and Arthur Clark, and Water Commissioner Herman C. Newell.  A business conference unavoidably prevented John A. Parsons, village trustee, from being present as one of the bearers.  The service was conducted by the Rev. G.H. Orvis, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church.  Interment was at Glenwood Cemetery [Afton, Chenango Co., NY].  [Bainbridge News & Republican, Mar. 17, 1938]