Obituaries (August 26)

The funeral services of Mrs. Mary Webster Fisher, seventy-three, whose death occurred Tuesday, September 4 at Newtonville, Mass., will be held at the Nineveh Church Friday afternoon September 7, at three o'clock, with Rev. Clifford E. Webb, minister of the church officiating.  Burial will be at Nineveh [Broome Co., NY].  For many years a resident of Nineveh until ill health lately made it necessary to give up her home there, Mrs. Fisher had taken an active part in the affairs of the community.  She served for a long period of time as Librarian of the Nineveh Public Library and for many years was treasurer and organist of the Nineveh Presbyterian Church where she was a member.  [Afton Enterprise, Sept. 6, 1945]

Mrs. Mary E. Webster Fisher, daughter of the late Sidney S. and Jane S. Webster, died Tuesday, September 4, at twelve o'clock noon, at a nursing home in Boston, Mass., where she had been for the past year and a half.  The funeral was held at the Presbyterian Church in Nineveh on Friday, September 7, at three in the afternoon, with the Rev. Clifford E. Webb, pastor of the church officiating.  The pall bearers, all of whom were sons of old-time friends of the Webster family, were:  Arthur Wasson, Arthur Fowler, Leo Pixley and Floyd Bunce.  Burial was made in Nineveh [Broome Co., NY].  With the exception of her school years when she graduated from the Gilbertsville Academy, all of Mrs. Fisher's life was spent in Nineveh.  She was an active member of the Presbyterian Church there, having been church treasurer for a period of over twenty years, church organist for over thirty years, and for an equally long time a teacher in the Sunday School.  She is survived by three nieces and two nephews:  Mrs. Minnie Corbet and Mrs. Emma Youngs of New York City; Mrs. Helen Stuart of West Newton, Mass; Sidney Webster of Los Angeles Calif. and Charles Webster of Maplewood, N.J.  [Afton Enterprise, Sept. 13, 1945]

 

Funeral services for Fred A. Smith, state road patrolman and a resident of Rockdale [Chenango Co., NY] for more than 40 years, were largely attended Thursday afternoon at Colwell's Chapel at Bainbridge, with the Rev. Clayton W. Hoag, Methodist pastor of Unadilla, officiating.  Serving as bearers were Foster Beach, R.D. Ryan, Samuel Arden and Max Whitney, all of Oxford, Harley Moffatt, of New Berlin, and Niles Palmer, of Rockdale.  Burial was in the Mt. Upton Cemetery.  The death of Mr. Smith occurred Monday, Sept. 3, at the family home.  Although in failing health for several years his condition did not become serious until over the week-end.  He had followed his usual duties as late as last Thursday.  For the past 32 years he had been employed as a state road patrolman.  Born Aug. 17, 1890, at Elmwood, Mich., he was the son of the late Morrell A Smith and Mary M. Sutton Smith.  Since the age of 12 years when the family came to Rockdale, Mr. Smith had resided there.  He was educated in the Mt. Upton school.  A devoted father, Mr. Smith was held in deep affection by neighbors and friends.  His associates in his employment held a high regard for him and he marked his life by loyalty to his friends.  His passing finds a large circle of friends uniting with the family in sorrow over his death.  His marriage to Jessie Hackett, of Norwich, occurred Jan. 10, 1921.  She survives with three sons, Richard, Carl and Harry Smith; his mother, Mrs. Mary Sutton Smith, all of Rockdale; three brothers, Harry and Clarence, of Rockdale, and Ray, of Mt. Upton; also two sisters, Mrs. Clara Carnahan and Mrs. Jessie Howland, both of Norwich.  Several nephews and nieces also survive.  [Bainbridge News & Republican, Sept. 13, 1945]

 

On Friday, Aug. 31, 1945, at his late residence on Kirby street [Bainbridge, Chenango Co., NY], occurred the death of William Adelbert Davis, for more than 25 years a resident of Bainbridge village.  Mr. Davis was born in Guilford [Chenango Co., NY] on Jan. 9, 1860, the son of Abram and Mabel Davis.  He was united in marriage to Aliph C. Lyon on Dec. 5, 1888.  For many years the couple occupied a farm in the Union Valley section of the township, moving to this village somewhat over a quarter of a century ago. They had no children.  They both united with the local Methodist Church by letter from Union Valley in 1919 under the pastorate of the Rev. O.L. Buck.  Mrs. Davis passed away Oct. 30, 1934 leaving the husband in a lonely situation.  His quiet and sudden passing away without protracted illness brought him that release which he often longed for.  His faith in the future life was firm and the hope of a reunion with his deceased loved ones was confidently anticipated.  The funeral services were held at the Colwell parlors on Tuesday afternoon, Sept. 4, at 2 o'clock, the Rev. Harry E. Brooks, of the Methodist church, officiating and preaching on the text found in St. John's Gospel, Chapter 8, verse 29:  "The Father hath not left me alone."  Burial was made in Greenlawn Cemetery [Bainbridge, NY] in the family plot, Mr. Davis being laid beside his wife.  Mrs. Davis was survived by eight nephews and six nieces, Fred Davis, Mrs.  Mable Doolittle, Joseph Herrick, Earl Davis, Mrs. Pearl Luckenbach, all of Bainbridge; Mrs. Bertha Rhodes and Mark Doolittle, both of Binghamton; Frank Davis and Floyd Doolittle, both of Sidney; Howard Davis, of Cohoes; Perry Doolittle, of Cooperstown; Mrs. Ray Weeks, of Afton; and Mrs. Alta Lapp and Mrs. Ina Steinmetz, both of Schenectady.  [Bainbridge News & Republican, Sept. 13, 1945]

 

Undeterred by the fatal accident which cost the life of Jack Perry Saturday night at the Afton Fair, when the car he was attempting to "leap frog" over other machines, lost a wheel and nosedived 50 feet, his fellow troupers will stage the same show at the Delaware County Fair this week.  The same stunt will be tried again with others jumping an automobile completely over a bus and landing on four cars parked on the race track.  Other troupers in the outfit are Sgt. Joseph Montford on leave from the army and for 10 years with the show, and Ray Stone.  Stone went on with the stunt after Perry was extricated from the wreckage in Afton and taken to the Binghamton City hospital where he died early Sunday morning.  [Afton Enterprise, Aug. 23, 1945]

 

Miss Alura Pierce, 42, formerly of Afton [Chenango Co., NY], and recently of Escabana, Michigan, died suddenly on August 9th at her home in that place.   Funeral services were held at the Tabor Funeral home Tuesday afternoon with Rev. Alan Douglas of the Baptist Church officiating.  Burial was in Glenwood Cemetery [Afton, NY].  Survivors are her mother, Mrs. Carrie Pierce Cronin, Benjamin E. Pierce, and family, Ivan Pierce and family, Mrs. Fred Young and Mrs. Clyde Swarner.  [Afton Enterprise, Aug. 23, 1945]

 

Funeral service for Jesse Burgess, 60, of Brisben [Chenango Co., NY], a victim of a tractor accident Saturday night, was held at the Root Funeral Home Greene, at 2 p.m. Wednesday with the Rev. Halsey Morgan of the Central Baptist Church officiating.  Burial was in the Sylvan lawn Cemetery in Greene.  Mr. Burgess was killed when he was pinned by a tractor which overturned on an embankment throwing him underneath the vehicle.  At the time of the accident Mr. Burgess was riding the tractor with his wife Bessie.  Mrs. Burgess, also caught under the overturned tractor, suffered minor bruises.  The deceased had been a justice of the peace in Greene for more than 20 years although he resided in nearby Brisben.  In that village he attended the Brisben Central Baptist Church where he was a deacon.  He was a member of the Green Lodge F.&A.M. and a former member of the central school board.  Mrs. Burgess was reported recovering from her injuries.  She also suffered shock in the accident, seeing her husband fatally pinned under the heavy machine.  Mr. Burgess was a brother of Mrs. Hugh Swart of this place [Afton, Chenango Co., NY]  [Afton Enterprise, Aug. 23, 1945]