Obituaries (January 20)

Willie Baker

Utica Saturday Globe, November 16, 1907

 

 

Willie Baker

 

What was planned to be an afternoon full of fun was suddenly turned into a day of deep sadness by a fatal shooting accident that occurred on Saturday.  Shortly after noon two lads, Willie Baker, 14 years of age, and his companion Lewis Cook, aged 13 years, went to a store to purchase Flobert rifles.  The boys had been saving up their odd earnings for some time for just this purchase, but the storekeeper refused to sell these without the knowledge and consent of their parents.  So a note from the Baker boy's mother was obtained and satisfied the storekeeper who let them have the guns and they started out. 

 

They didn't wait long after leaving the store before loading the guns and passed along Mechanic and Gold streets to the Ontario & Western Railroad and then up the tracks on their way up the river.  When midway between Gold and Rexford streets, one of the guns was in some manner discharged and the ball entered the Baker boy's head back of the right ear, penetrated the brain and caused almost instant death.   Both boys were well behaved and had been friends for years.  The Cook boy was so shocked and excited by the shooting that he can not give a clear account of what happened. The coroner exempted him from all blame.

 

The funeral of Willie Baker, who was the son of Mr. and Mrs. George Baker, was held from the home on Monday afternoon at 2 o'clock and from A.M.E. Zion Church at 2:30.  Rev. Wilson Traible and Rev. M.H. Howe officiated.  The grade of pupils in the public school of which deceased was an apt member attended in a body accompanied by their teacher.  Among the many beautiful flowers was a wreath from the grade and another wreath and star from the Sunday school class.  Music was furnished by a quartet composed of Messrs. Blackman and Brown, Mesdames Roper and Pike.  The remains were escorted to the last resting place by six lads of the class of the deceased, among them the grief stricken boy with whom he was on the day of his untimely death.  Deceased was born in Norwich, June 14, 1893.

 

Col. Benjamin Birdsall

Antimasonic Telegraph, October 14, 1829

 

Died, at his residence in the town of Greene [Chenango Co., NY], in this county, on the 14th instant, Col. Benjamin Birdsall, in the 87th year of his age.  Col. Birdsall was an early and substantial patriot of the revolution.  He was born in Dutchess county in the year 1743, and though educated a Quaker, yet when the crisis came which tried the patriotism and the hearts of our fathers, he abandoned the principles of non-resistance, and, in opposition to a majority of his connexions and early friends, declared for his country.  His known ability and undoubted integrity at once procured him the commission of a colonel in the militia, under which he was frequently called to the defense of his country in the most perilous times, and suffered, in common with the heroes of liberty, the privations and hardships peculiar to that eventful period.  Perhaps few individuals of that day suffered more from the malicious ravages of the tories than did the subject of this notice.  They not only pillaged his stables, drove and butchered his cattle to feed the enemy, but pursued his life with an avidity that required his utmost vigilance to elude.  A few years after the termination of that struggle which eventuated in the establishment of our national independence, he removed to Columbia county, where he was repeatedly honored by the suffrages of his fellow citizens with a seat in the state legislature, and other offices of trust, which he filled with credit to himself and satisfaction to his constituents. about fourteen years ago he removed to the town of Greene, where he lived beloved and respected until worn out by age and infirmities of nature, he closed his active and useful life, leaving a progeny of children, grand children and great grand children, amounting in all to about 120 souls.

 

Polly Manning

Antimasonic Telegraph, December 23, 1829

 

Died, on Friday, last, of a short illness, Miss Polly Manning, aged 19, daughter of Mr. Joseph Manning, of this village, Her funeral was attended on Sunday last, and an appropriate sermon preached at the Methodist chapel, by the Rev. Mr Shipman to a solemn and crowded assembly.  Binghamton Republican,

 

Leonard Stockwell

Antimasonic Telegraph, January 27, 1830

 

On the 18th ult. Leonard Stockwell, son of Mr. Aaron Stockwell, of Guilford, Chenango co. after a very short illness, aged 33 years, 2 months and 16 days.  He has left a wife and two children to mourn his loss, which is severely felt by all his connexions and friends, as he has ever been a dutiful son, an affectionate husband, a tender parent, and a useful member of society.

 

Death Notices

Bainbridge Republican, July 11, 1878

BENTON:  In Dacota, Iowa, June 30, 1878, Mrs. Esther Benton aged 61 years.  At East Hebern Penn., June 11, 1878, Polly Lourie, aged 54 years.  The above persons were formerly of this place and were daughters of the late James Landers of Afton [Chenango Co., NY].  They died within a short time of each other, and of the same disease, typhoid fever, although they had not seen each other for years.

 

Bainbridge Republican, August 15, 1878

DAVY:  In Oneonta [Otsego Co., NY], Aug. 3d, 1878, Lena J. Davy, daughter of Eva M and Albert S. Davy aged 1 year, 3 months.

Lovely innocent fare thee well,

All our pleasing hopes are oer,

Formed in person to excel,

Thee we call our own no more,

Death hath snatched thee

From our arms,

May heaven bless thee

And give thee brighter charms

 

Bainbridge Republican, September 5, 1878

DEAN:  In Afton [Chenango Co., NY], Aug. 17th, Nancy, wife of Reuben Dean, aged 71 years.

 

BELDEN:  In Guilford [Chenango Co., NY], Aug. 20th, Mr. Lorenzo Belden, aged 67 years.

 

BRISTOL:  In Walton [Delaware Co., NY] Aug. 16, John Bristol, aged 92.  The Walton Chronicle says he was probably the oldest Mason in the country, having joined the brotherhood in that village in 1809.