Obituaries (November 11)

Miss Zilpha Bruce

The going of Miss Zilpha Bruce is deeply felt by the members of the W.C.T.U. in which organization she has always been ready to serve in any way she could.  For several years she carried the responsibilities of president, secretary and treasurer and so saved the life of the union.  At the last meeting, the following tribute to her memory was read by Miss Ensworth and it was voted that copies of the same be sent to Miss Bruce's sisters and to the Bainbridge Republican. 

Zilpha Bruce is dead.  No, she is not dead; only her earthly abode has passed its day of usefulness.  The prison bars have been broken and the spirit is set free.  And while we can no longer look into her face and feel the clasp of her hand, still we can hear her challenge, "Carry on!"  "She hath done what she could" and we can pay her no higher tribute than to grasp the torch from her Master and ours.

We sought to express in some measure our feeling of loss and appreciation with flowers.  But the flowers will wither and die, even as the earthly body we had learned to love because of the soul which it housed.  They must all pass away, but the deeds we do shall bear fruit and live even as the soul.  And so we can pay her no greater tribute than to promote the work which was so close to her heart.  Nothing would give her greater joy than for us to erect to her memory a living monument of membership in the W.C.T.U., in this union which owes its life to her in the years when there was no one else willing to shoulder the responsibility necessary to keep it alive.  Surely we can, we will each one of us step forth with willingness to do our little part of that work which she has more than once attempted to do alone.  [March 7, 1929]

Emma Cole Fosbury

Emma Cole was the eldest daughter of Albert and Hannah Bentley Cole.  She was born September 18, 1841, at the Cole homestead in the town of Guilford [Chenango Co., NY], now owned by Walter Weeks.  She was married Oct. 12, 1864, to Franklin B. Fosbury, of Bainbridge, who passed away January 17, 1920.  Their entire wedded life, except one year in Charles City, Iowa, was spent at West Bainbridge [Chenango Co., NY], on the F.B. Fosbury farm.  Since his death, she had lived with the two daughters, who tenderly cared for her in her feeble health and declining years.  Besides the two daughters, Mrs. Ransom Herrick and Mrs. Walter Hamilton, she is survived by one sister, Mrs. G.L. Pratt, of Cooperstown, besides nieces, nephews and cousins.  her last sickness was of short duration, but severe--grippe, pneumonia and at last the heart.  She passed away October 26, 1929, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Walter Hamilton.  Funeral services were held at the home of Mrs. Ransom Herrick Wednesday, October 30th, with burial at Union Valley cemetery [West Bainbridge, NY], beside her husband.  Services were conducted by her pastor, Rev. Ernest Colwell, assisted by a former pastor, Rev Arthur Landmesser, of Crescent, N.Y.  She was a member of the Union Valley Methodist church for many years.  Her faith was strong in her Saviour, who doeth all things well.  Since the death of her husband, she had just been waiting the summons to meet the loved ones.  The large attendance at the funeral and the beautiful floral tributes showed the esteem in which this aged lady was held. 

Diana Sulley Priest

Mrs. Augustus Priest, oldest resident of this village, passed quietly away on Monday morning, November 5th [1934], at her home in Kirby street [Bainbridge, Chenango Co., NY], at the advanced age of 96 years.  Diana Sulley Priest was born on Oct. 6, 1838, in Madison county, and when she was a young girl her parents moved West, leaving her in the care of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Neff, of Hamilton.  As a young lady, she went to live at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Stiles Curtis, of Solsville, and it was there she met and married Augustus Priest, of Masonville, in the year 1861.  Mr. and Mrs. Priest then lived for about a year with his parents in Masonville, coming to Bainbridge in 1865, and since that item Mrs. Priest has been a resident of this village.  To Mr. and Mrs. Priest were born three sons, Charles, Herbert and Curtis.  Both Charles and Curtis passed away several years ago, leaving Herbert, with whom she had always lived, the only survivor of the family.  Mrs. Priest was known by her friends as a kind neighbor, always willing and ready to serve in times of need, and to her family she was a devoted wife and mother, her chief interest in life being the care of her home.  While during the past few months she had failed in health, she was always pleased to receive the calls of her close friends and was interested in the happenings of the day.  A kind and worthy citizen has completed her life, leaving behind friends and family to mourn their loss.  The funeral was held Wednesday afternoon at 2 o'clock at her late home, Rev. Jesse Dickerson, pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church, officiating.  Interment was made in Greenlawn cemetery [Bainbridge, NY]

Harvey Westcott, Jr.

Harvey Westcott, Jr., 29, son of Harvey Westcott, Sr., of Unadilla [Otsego Co., NY], was drowned in the Chenango River, just north of the Court street bridge in Binghamton, early Wednesday morning.  The body was taken from the river at about 10:30.  Face down, his unconscious form was discovered by five small boys who reported it to police, who with firemen worked for some time in a vain attempt to revive him.  Dr. John J. Breivis, of Binghamton, Broome County coroner, pronounced him dead, but gave no verdict as to the cause.  Westcott, almost totally blind, had been living at the Binghamton Y.M.C.A. and working at the I.B.M. plant.  He suffered injuries to his head and right hand when he fell or jumped into the river, but detectives had discounted the theory that he may have been the victim of foul play.  He was not seen as he entered the river.  The body was taken to the Joyce Funeral Home in Unadilla, where services were held Saturday.  He is survived by his father, stepmother, three sisters and two brothers.  [Bainbridge News & Republican, Dec. 16, 1943]

Howard Best

Howard Best, 31, was instantly killed Tuesday night near Pittsfield, when en route to his home in Edmeston [Otsego Co., NY] from New Berlin.  the crash was heard by Mr. Medbury, who hurried to the scene, where he found Mr. Best lying in the road.  He breathed his last as Mr. Medbury reached him.  The car was 150 feet from the body and had turned over several times.  The car was badly damaged.  How the accident happened is not known.  Dr. William P. Elliott, new Berlin, and Dr. E.C. Granger, coroner, were called and the coroner said death was accidental, caused by a broken neck.  [Bianbridge News & Republican, Dec. 16, 1943]

Ronald A. Baker

Ronald A. Baker, 35, of Chenango Bridge [Broome Co., nY], employee of the New York State Electric & Gas Corporation, was killed Wednesday afternoon in the collision of the company car he was driving and a 12-ton tractor-trailer loaded with coal on Route 12, in Chenango County, about one-fourth mile form Chenango Forks.  Trooper Heath said Mr. Baker was traveling toward Binghamton, and the coal truck proceeding toward Greene.  Two left wheels of the trailer were ripped off in the crash, he said.  Mr. Baker was pinned in his vehicle and was pulled out by sheriff's men, assisted by Corp. Floyd Allen, Endwell State Police.  Taken to the Binghamton City Hospital in the sheriff's ambulance, the victim was pronounced dead on admission.  Dr. John J. Breivis, county coroner, said injuries include multiple fractures of facial and jaw bones, a broken neck and punctured lung.  He is survived by his widow, Mrs. Jeannette Baker; three children, all living at home, and his mother, Mrs. John W. Baker, of Port Dickinson.  [Bainbridge News & Republican, Dec. 16, 1943]

Thomas Ballantyne

Thomas Ballantyne, 83, for most of his life a resident of Walton [Delaware Co., NY) where he was a contractor and builder, died Saturday at a Binghamton hospital where he had been a patient for a month.  Death was caused by lobar pneumonia.  He was born in Hamden [Delaware Co., nY] Sept. 22, 1860, a son of Robert and Christine Ballantyne, and Jan. 20, 1898, married Miss Jennie Ganoung at Hamden.  She died about 15 years ago.  He came to Delhi nine months ago to make his home with his daughter, Mrs. Ellsworth Bell.  [Bainbridge News & Republican, Apr. 6, 1944]