Obituaries (October 8)

The remains of Robert Queal Meaker, a student in Syracuse University, who was killed by the cars at Carbondale last Friday morning, were brought to Bainbridge Monday morning and conveyed to West Bainbridge [Chenango Co., NY] where funeral services were held at two o'clock at the residence of Justice Melvin Herrick and burial was made in the local cemetery where now the four generations of the families of Queal and Booth [are buried].  Rev. J.S. Crompton of the Bainbridge M.E. Church officiated, and other clergymen present were:  Rev. Mr. Chaffee of Carbondale, Rev. Dr. Moore of Binghamton and Rev. Mr. Frisbie of Sidney.  The event was of unusual interest in this section.  The sudden and violent death of the deceased, news of which was telegraphed here, his relationship to many prominent families in the vicinity of Bainbridge, and the fact that his grandfather, Rev. Wm. G. Queal, was over fifty years ago, an esteemed pastor of the Bainbridge circuit, and that during his pastorate he married the daughter of Aaron Booth, who was one of the first settlers of Searles hill, all tended to create an earnest and affectionate solicitude for the family who had experienced this great sorrow.  Of the cause of death a Scranton dispatch, Friday June 20, to the Syracuse Herald says:  "Believing he was jumping to a place of safety, Robert Queal Meaker of Syracuse University, a freshman, leaped in front of a locomotive this morning and was ground to death.  The young man was a student at the Syracuse university and had come here to attend the commencement exercises at the Carbondale High school of which institution he was a graduate of the class of 1901."  Meaker lived at No. 702 South Crouse avenue, Syracuse, with his mother, who came here to make her home while her only son entered college.  The unfortunate young man was nearly eighteen years of age, a bright student and popular in the university.  He had made plans to visit Bainbridge this summer.  The father, Prof. Meaker, who had followed teaching as a profession for many years, died in Carbondale in 1885.  Six classmates of Robert Meaker came to the funeral and imbedded and studded the grave with laurel.  There was a profusion of other flowers in many designs, roses predominating.  The singers were from Bainbridge and were Daniel Banner, Fremont Bentley, Bert Wilcox and William Darlin.  Among the friends in attendance at the funeral were, besides the mother, the grandmother, Mrs. Wm. G. Queal of Syracuse; Dr. and Mrs. Meaker of Carbondale, with whom the young man was visiting when killed, Miss Mary Queal of Elmira, and Miss Maude Bartlett.  [Robert Queal Meaker, b. 2 Dec. 1884, d. 20 June 1902]

 

Tuesday morning, March 13th, 1906, after a brief illness, Wm. Hovey, a highly respected citizen, of Guilford [Chenango Co., NY], passed to his eternal reward.  Mr. Hovey was the son of John Tyler Hovey, who with his family, consisting of two sons, William and George and one daughter, now Mrs. Geo. Webb, came into the town of Guilford about Dec. 1st, 1868, and settled upon the farm, about one mile east of Guilford Center, where they have since resided.  October 2, 1875, Wm. Hovey was united in marriage with Ellen Nash, Guilford.  Three children blessed this union, Mrs. E.M. Evans, of Mt. Upton, Mae, of Brooklyn, and Robert, who has always resided at home.  Mr. Hovey was for over forty years a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, having united in its fellowship when only eighteen years of age.  At the time of his death he was a trustee of the church at Guilford.  In his departure the church has lost a faithful, consistent member, one who was always loyal to her holy institutions.  The community has lost a kind and obliging neighbor and a good citizen; the family a devoted husband and father.  The funeral services were held from the church in Guilford and were conducted by his pastor.  The remains were laid to rest in the Maple Grove cemetery at Guilford, N.Y., there to await the resurrection of the just.

 

HOVEY:  At Binghamton, Sept. 1916, Rob't. Hovey of Guilford [Chenango Co., NY], age 35 years.  Funeral Sept. 12 and interment at Guilford Center.  After more than three years of continued suffering from mental trouble and the past few months of tuberculosis, Robert Hovey passed away Sunday evening, September 3rd, about eight o'clock at the Binghamton State Hospital.  He was born in Guilford Center, March 2, 1879, and had always lived there until he was removed to Binghamton February 28, 1915, where he has gradually failed ever since.  He was a well read fellow and was always ready to discuss any subject any one might bring up  He was the only son of Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Hovey, his father dying over ten years ago and since that time he remained with his mother on the farm and proved a loyal and devoted son.  He was a member of the M.E. church at Guilford.  He leaves besides his mother, two sisters, Miss May Hovey, a trained nurse in New York who was with him at the time of his death and Mrs. Bert Evans, of East Guilford.  His funeral was held at his late home Wednesday, Sept. 6th.  Owing to the absence of the deceased's pastor, Rev. Mr. King, Rev. Mr. Sibley, of Jamaica, a brother of David Sibley of this place, officiated.  Interment in Guilford Center cemetery.

 

Some time during Thursday night or in the early hours of Friday morning last our aged townsman, Oliver C. Bentley, passed away at his home in this place.  While of late he had been quite feeble, owing to his advancing years, he had not been ill or complained and had been about every day, even on Thursday being down to the post office and on the streets.  He retired at the usual time and was not heard from during the night.  Friday morning his son, Carleton, went into his room and placing his hand on his forehead found that he was dead.  He lay as though sleeping, no indication that he had been in distress, and he had evidently passed quietly away while asleep without a struggle, just as he had desired and hoped for.  The death of Mr. Bentley calls for more than passing mention as he was one of the oldest men in the valley and had passed the greater part of his life in this village.  He was born in the city of Albany, June 11, 1826, and came with his parents when a small child to Gilbertsville [Otsego Co., NY].  He was educated here and was one of the first students in the old Gilbertsville Academy and Collegiate Institute.  He studied law with his father, the late Hon. William C. Bentley, and was admitted to the bar in 1844.  Shortly after he went to the South land with Edson Kellogg, also of this town, and for several years taught schools in various states in the South.  He later secured a position in the navy as purser on the old C.S. war vessel "Powhattan" and for some years travelled extensively.  He spent much time in foreign lands, visiting nearly all parts of the globe, Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Russia, France, Italy, Arabia, Spain, India, China and Japan, South Africa and many other countries.  On his return he prepared a course of lectures on manners and customs of the foreign people and delivered them in may places throughout this and adjoining states.  These lectures received flattering notice in the daily press.  He wrote many poems, some of them possessing great merit, which were published.  Perhaps his most important production was "The Flower of Roussillon" which was published in book form in 1866.  It covered about 100 pages, was dedicated to his parents and copyrighted.  Others were "The Nun," "The Outlaw's Cross," "Rejected Realisms," etc.  Many others of less length were published from time to time of which we have not space to mention, but all giving evidence of a rare poetic mind.  He represented the Associated press in the Senate Chamber at Albany for a long period in the sixties and seventies, and was personally acquainted with all the public men of his time.  A poem that probably many of our readers well recall, "the Old Meeting House," was printed in the Albany Sunday Press in 1884.  It was dedicated to the "old time, worn and abandoned Presbyterian Meeting House at Butternuts, Otsego county, N.Y." An article on the death of William Lathrop, printed in this paper in 1892, will be remembered.  It was a rare tribute, clothed in beautiful language, one of the best written articles we ever printed.  For the past twenty-five years Mr. Bentley has lived quietly and unobtrusively among us, passing far the allotted time of man.  He was a good citizen, not always understood or appreciated, but one of whom no man can say he willfully did him harm.  He is survived by his wife, who was Miss Phoebe Nash, of Guilford; two daughters, Mrs. Walter E. Bunnel, of Pelham, N.Y.; and Mrs. Dr. Edward Cook, of New York city, and one son Carleton C. Bentley, of Gilbertsville.

Oliver C. Bentley passed away at his home in Gilbertsville [Otsego Co., NY], April 23d. Mr. Bentley was one of the oldest men in the Butternut valley and had passed the greater part of his life in Gilbertsville. He was born in the city of Albany, June 11, 1826, and came with his parents when a small child to Gilbertsville. He was educated there and was one of the first students in the old Gilbertsville Academy and Collegiate Institute. He studied law with his father, the late Hon. William C. Bentley, and was admitted to the bar in 1844. Shortly after, he went to the South with Edson Kellogg, also of that town, and for several years taught schools in various states in the South. He later secured a position in the navy as purser on the old U. S. war vessel "Powhattan" and for some years traveled extensively. He spent much time in foreign lands, visiting nearly all parts of the globe, Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Russia, France, Italy, Arabia, Spain, India, China and Japan, South Africa and many other countries. He is survived by his wife who was Miss Phoebe Nash, of Guilford; two daughters, Mrs. Walter E. Bunnell, of Pelham, N. Y.; and Mrs. Edward Cook, of New York city, and one son, Carleton C. Bentley of Gilbertsville. Samuel, another son, died in 1904. The funeral was private and held on Sunday from the house at 3:30 p. m., the Rev. George McCulloch officiating, with interment in Brookside cemetery.  [The Otsego Farmer & Republican, Cooperstown, NY, May 7, 1915]