Obituaries (March 12)

Mary Reese Calkins

Utica Saturday Globe, October 7, 1905

 

Mrs. Mary Reese Calkins

Had she lived another month Mrs. Mary Reese Calkins, widow of Warner Calkins, who died at her home, 11 Aiken street, Utica [Oneida Co., NY], Wednesday, would have been 100 years old.  Despite her advanced age she was remarkably preserved, her last illness being due to a fall she sustained in July, when she fractured her hip.  Once before--several years ago--she met with an accident, falling out of a second story window upon a porch. Though she was 95 then, she recovered fully from the injuries which she sustained.  Mary Reese was born in Sherburne [Chenango Co., NY], November 11, 1805, and spent most of her life there, the family being among the oldest settlers.  Her mother, whose family name was Gillette and who was a descendant of a Mayflower pilgrim, lived to be 107.  Mary attended district school and at 16 taught in the first ladies' school established in Oswego county.  In 1925 she married Warner Calkins and for 53 years they lived happily together, he dying in 1878.  then she moved from Sherburne to Earlville, remaining there several years and coming to Utica in 1882, to live with her -?- who died in 1898 the age of 60.  Here she joined Tabernacle Church, continuing in the faith in which she was baptized at the age of 14.  So long as health permitted she was a regular church attendant.  She was well-read and had traveled extensively, possessed a clear mind and even in late years could converse intelligently and interestingly about the changes which have taken place in central New York since her girlhood.  Mrs. Calkins had three children--Livingston J. Reese and O.H. Calkins, all of whom are dead.  She lived with her daughter-in-law.  Mrs. Addie Calkins, who gave her most devoted care.  She leaves a grandchild, Gail L. Calkins, and two great-grandsons, Ray and Paul Calkins.

 

David Coye

Bainbridge Republican, October 3, 1878

 

Unadilla [ Otsego Co., NY]:  We miss Uncle David Coye.  Yes, we miss the bowed form with cane and basket.  For many years he lived among us as a hermit.  He loved his life and was happy even if no other society was afforded him.  He had many kind friends who wished him to share their home, but from choice he lived alone, and thus he died, suddenly, on the morning of the second day of the fair after carrying corn and other things to exhibit.  Kind friends carried him to his home, and he lived but a few minutes after reaching it. The Cornet band played a dirge over his remains and friends from abroad took him to a distant place for interment.  He was 77 years of age.  [Buried in Prentiss Cemetery, Butternuts, Otsego Co., NY]

 

Mrs. Elijah Lewis

Chenango Union, January 14, 1892

 

Mrs. Elijah Lewis, one of the oldest residents of Norwich [Chenango Co., NY], died at the residence of her daughter, Mrs. Mary Oviatt on South Broad street, Thursday morning, aged 94 and six months.  She came to this village from Stonington, Conn., in 1809 and has resided here continually since.  She remembered the first preaching service ever held in Norwich, a barn on the Barber farm near the Half-Way House being used for the meeting.

 

To the interesting notice of the life and death of Mrs. Elijah Lewis it seems appropriate to add a tribute to her self-sacrificing labors for those in need of assistance in sickness and bereavement, in those days when the services of trained nurses, and professional undertakers, were not available as at the present time.  When others shrank form exposure to contagious diseases, Mrs. Lewis was the friend at hand, to bestow the needed care, and where death came, she robed the body and helped place it in the coffin in readiness for its final resting place. This was but one of the various ways in which she was an eminently valuable member of society.  For several years past on account of blindness she has been unable to continue the former activities of her long and useful life.  And now came an opportunity for those to whom she had so faithfully ministered, to return her kindness in other ways.  Sitting in darkness day after day and year after year but with mind unclouded by age Mother Lewis highly appreciated the little attentions so easy to bestow by those in the enjoyment of the privileges of which she was deprived.  Especially did she enjoy having read to her her church paper of which she said, "I have always taken the Examiner from the time it was the Register, as long as I could see to read it."  After listening to the minutes of the last association in which she was deeply interested she said, "You will not have to read the minutes to me another year."  At another time she remarked, "If I had my life to live over I should search out the blind and read to them."

 

Would it not be well for all to whom it is possible to act upon this as a suggestion to diligence in trying to comfort the aged and infirm?  The effort to thus cheer her lonely hours always proved a mutual benefit in the happiness it gave her, and the pleasure received, in listening to the interesting incidents of early times which she loved to relate, and also in the parting expression of gratitude, and the earnest craving of the divine blessing on those who thus sought to throw a gleam of light on her darkened pathway.  Verily a cup of cold water given in the name of a disciple does not lose its reward.  Goodbye, dear Mother in Israel, till we meet in the glorious lights of that city which has no need of the sun, where "Thine eyes shall see the King in His beauty."

 

Long she waited in darkness of natural sight,

But her soul's vision reached blest realms of light;

For she really learned the glad new song.

Which has cheered her heart all these years long,

And her faithful life proved how true her love,

As she kept close step with her Lord above.

 

William E. Hubbard

Bainbridge News & Republican, December 26, 1946

 

William E. Hubbard, prominent dairy farmer of the Brackett lake area [Chenango Co., NY] for more than 40 years, died suddenly Dec. 16, at his home.  Mr. Hubbard was stricken during the early hours of the morning although he apparently had been in good health.  he was the oldest son of Miles and Cora Hubbard, born Oct. 7, 1881, in Smithville Flats [Chenango Co., NY]. On Feb. 16, 1910, he was united in marriage to May Bolt, of German.  He leaves to mourn his loss, his widow, Mrs. May Bolt Hubbard; two sons, Lloyd Hubbard, of Plymouth, and Lynn Hubbard, of Bainbridge; a nephew, Llwellyn Hubbard, of Bainbridge; and one brother, Arthur Hubbard, of Herkimer.  Funeral services were held on Wednesday, Dec. 16 at 2 o'clock, at Fisher and Sherman Funeral Chapel, with the Rev. Howard Willets officiating.  Burial was in Greenlawn Cemetery [Bainbridge, NY].