Obituaries (April 23)

Mary A. McNeill

Utica Saturday Globe, March 1913

 

 

Mary A. McNeill

1860-1913

Norwich [Chenango Co., NY]:  Following an illness of over a year, Mrs. Mary A. McNeill, wife of Archie McNeill, passed away Tuesday at her home on York street, aged 52.  Deceased was born in County Antrim, Ireland, August 17, 1860. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. McNeill came to this country and for 10 years resided in Buffalo, coming to Norwich 17 years ago.  Mrs. McNeill was a good wife and mother and will be greatly missed by her children and by a large circle of friends.  Besides her husband, she leaves eight children, Robert, Archie F., Daniel R., John W., Mrs. John Kearney, Mrs. Myles Redmond, Grace G., and Agnes R. McNeill, all of this place.  She also leaves three brothers and a sister in Ireland and a sister residing in Missouri. The funeral was held this (Friday) morning from the home and from St. Paul's Chruch of which deceased was a faithful member.  Burial was made in St. Paul's cemetery [Norwich, NY].

Frankie Mae Brooks

1869 - 1940

Following an illness of three years, Mrs. Frankie Mae Brooks died early Sunday morning at the home of Alex Wilson at North Norwich [Chenango Co., NY].  Funeral services were held Tuesday morning at 10:30 at the Breese Funeral Home.  Burial was made in South New Berlin [Chenango Co., NY].  Mrs. Brooks was the widow of Alfred Brooks.  She was born in the town of North Norwich April 10, 1869.  Widely known and held in deep respect by many, her  passing is a source of regret.  Three sons survive, Herbert of  Hamilton, Edwin of Norwich and Eugene of North Norwich. A sister, Mrs. Horatio Morrell of this city, seven grandchildren and two nephews also survive.

Donald Burton Brown

1917 - 1934

Grim tragedy ended a holiday jaunt for five Norwich youths Decoration Day afternoon, when one of their number, Donald Burton Brown, aged 16 years, son of Mr. and Mrs. Alvin D. Brown of 36 West Main street [Norwich, Chenango Co., NY], lost his life in the waters of Chenango Lake.  It was the first drowning at Chenango Lake in nearly 10 years, and cast a gloom over many cottagers there for a pleasant outing.  Four companions of the Brown boy, Cleon and Clarence Frink, aged 16 and 18 years respectively, sons of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Frink; Melvin Trine, 17 years old, son of Mr. and Mrs. Gerald A. Trine of Henry street and Harold Rounds, aged 14, son of Mr. and Mrs. Howard C. Rounds, survived the accident, caused when their boat overturned, and swam to shore, about 300 feet distant.  The Rounds lad was completely exhausted when he reached land, and was given treatment by Dr. Ray Peterson of Binghamton, whose father's cottage at the lake is nearby.  Cleon Frink also suffered from near-exhaustion and with the Rounds boy swam part of the distance on their backs.  Although the drowning occurred just a few minutes before 2 o'clock, it was not until 7:55 Wednesday night that Brown's body was recovered from the ice cold waters.  State troopers, sheriff's deputies, city police and firemen with private citizens had used grappling hooks in dragging the spot near where the boy sank, for many hours without result.  Darkness was just descending over the watery grave, when success came and the body was recovered in about 30 feet of water, 300 feet offshore.  Sergt. A.E.Young, Officer Ivon Morrell and Lieut. Geo. Handy of the Norwich fire department were in the boat and brought the body to the surface.  Sergt. Young and Officer Morrell were at the oars with Lieut. Handy operating the hooks when the body was located at the bottom of the lake.  Dr. E.W. Wilcox, coroner, was notified the body had been recovered and it was given in charge of the William Breese Company, undertakers.  No inquest was deemed necessary, and Dr. Wilcox gave accidental drowning as the cause of death.

The victim of the tragedy was born at Watkins Place Sept. 21, 1917.  He was a freshman at Norwich high school, a member of the boy scouts, Congregational church troop, and was well liked by associates and all who knew him. Besides his grief stricken parents he is survived by two sisters, Mrs. Clarence Simmons of Waterville, and Miss Lucy Brown of this city, two brothers, Alvin D. Brown, Jr., of Norwich and Kenneth Brown, also of this city. There also survives a nephew, Richard Simmons.  Funeral services are to be held at the Breese funeral home at 11:30 Saturday morning, Rev. D. DeBeer, officiating with interment in the Plymouth cemetery [Chenango Co., NY'.

The five youths had gone to the lake about 11 o'clock Wednesday morning.  They ate their lunch by the shore and after waiting nearly an hour donned bathing suits, and obtaining an old steel, round bottom boat, the property of William Saunders, rowed out into the lake probably 300 feet from the shore.  Using the boat as a center of short swims the boys had been out on the water perhaps an hour before the tragedy.  Details as to what caused the boat to overturn and sink are indefinite.  Even the survivors of the tragedy do not agree as to the cause of the accident.  One of the youths is of the opinion that the waves may have caused the boat to overturn.  Another one of the youths declares that two of the boys jumped into the water from one side of the boat. This caused the boat the rock and it partly filled with water. This boy says these two youths then swam to where the boat was and began to rock it back and forth with the result that it soon filled with water and started to sink.  There were no air chambers in the boat.  All the boys except Clarence Frink were in the boat when it started to go down, and they were thrown into the water.  All were good swimmers, with Brown regarded as an exceptionally fine swimmer, and all struck out for shore.  Suddenly, without warning, Brown went down out of sight, and Cleon Frink went to his rescue bring him to the surface. Frink seeing that the Brown and Rounds boys were getting tired, shouted to them to get on their backs.  Rounds did so, but Brown either from fright or exhaustion was not able to turn over. Frink was forced to abandon efforts to help Brown further, when the latter's struggles nearly pulled both of them under. Brown was heard to shout "For God's sake, help me."  He then disappeared not to be seen alive again.  Nearly exhausted Frink was forced to continue shoreward floating on his back. Brown's other companions were apparently a little nearer shore and did not hear the cry or else felt the boy might have been fooling.  Rounds and Frink were exhausted when they reached land and the former was given medical aid.  Two fishermen, nearby shore, heard the cries, but also felt no alarm as they had heard yells for some time before. Realizing the call was one of distress they pulled up anchor and hastened to the spot where the boat overturned but were unable to locate the body.  Cottagers who first heard the cries did not pay much attention as the boys had been yelling during the hour or more they had been on the water, and when they finally sensed something was amiss, it was too late to render immediate assistance.  The accident happened about 1:45 on the west side of the lake and a little to the north of the L.H. Burnside cottage. Mr. Burnside and his family were at the lake and were among those attracted by the screams.  Word was immediately sent to the sheriff's office and police headquarters.  Sheriff Charles W. Dunckel and Deputy Frank J. Machio responded as did Officer Ivon Morrell and Lieut. Geo. Handy of the fire department.  Police Chief Lelan Brookins, also joined the part of searchers, as did Sergt. AE. Young, Trooper Frank Maish and numerous citizens.

Four Norwich boys, Nick Annesi, Gerald Rudd, George Biviano and Dominic Ruffo, also lent valuable assistance in the early search for the boy when they appeared with two home-made diving helmets which appeared to work satisfactorily.  The boys took turns in going to the bottom of the lake, one reporting that the mud was nearly up to his knees.  Evidently early searchers at the scene were a little too far out into the lake and also too far south of where the boy sank.  L.H. Burnside and daughter, Mrs. Ruth Belden believed they could almost designate the spot, and a boat containing Police Chief Lelan Brookins and Carl Morehouse was then spotted by Mr. Burnside at a point about where he believed the tragedy took place. Sergt. Young, Officer Morrell and Lieut. Handy then went out with grappling hooks in another boat and within about 10 feet of the spotted boat located the missing body a little to the northeast.  None of the four companions of the victim suffered ill effects from their thrilling experience aside from the Rounds boy, who remained at home Thursday.  He is being attended by Dr. E.F. Gibson.  News of the drowning spread rapidly Wednesday afternoon, and brought many to the lake. The tragedy sent a spell of gloom over all visitors, however, and brought to an end an otherwise happy holiday outing.

Death Notices
Chenango Union, March 4, 1875

MITCHELL:  In Greene [Chenango Co., NY], Feb. 20th, Sarah A. [Mitchell], Wife of Rodolphus Mitchell, aged 82 years.

JOHNSON:  In Bettsburg Corners [Afton, Chenango Co., NY], Feb. 20th, Mr. Henry Johnson, aged 75 years.

MOORE:  In Afton [Chenango Co., NY], Feb. 23, Mrs. Oscar Moore, aged 26 years.

NORTON:  In Sidney Plains [Delaware Co., NY], Feb. 25th, Mr. Samuel Norton, formerly of Guilford [Chenango Co., NY], aged 53 years.

NICHOLS:  In Cincinnatus [Cortland Co., NY], Feb. 16th, Mr. Samuel Nichols, aged 80 years.  One of the earliest residents of that town.

BREWSTER:  In Mexico, Oswego Co., N.Y. Feb. 10th, Miss Nellie M. Brewster, aged 24 years.