Edward G. Pratt
Utica Saturday Globe, December 1910
Edward G. Pratt
1878 - 1910
Norwich [Chenango Co., NY]: Edward G. Pratt, an Ontario & Western Railway conductor, was fatally injured by falling under a moving train near the East Branch station on Sunday night. The train was southbound and as it approached the station at East Branch, Conductor Pratt stepped from the caboose and slipped on the ice, falling in such a way that an arm and one side of his head were crushed. Mr. Pratt was born in Norwich 32 years ago, the son of George and Flora Pratt. He entered the employ of the Ontario & Western as a trainman about eight years ago and a year later took up his residence in Middletown [Delaware Co., NY]. He had been promoted to the position of conductor about a year ago. He was well liked and popular among his fellow employees and was a member of the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen and of the Loyal Lodge of Moose. Deceased is survived by his widow and a daughter, aged 7 years. His mother also survives him and one brother, C.W.Pratt, of Norwich, and four sister, Mrs. J.J. Sherman, of Middletown; Mrs. D.W. Allen, of Rochester; Mrs. Ernest Spenser, of Middleport, and Mrs. O.A. Burke, of McDonough. He was a nephew of Walter Pratt and of Mrs. L.C.Wagner, of Norwich. Funeral services were held from his late home in Middletown on Thursday afternoon.
Periander Vorce
Northern Christian Advocate, November 19, 1851
Periander Vorce died in Rushville, Yates county, N.Y., Aug. 24, 1851, in the 47th year of his age, leaving a wife, two sons and a daughter (recently married) to mourn their irreparable loss. Brother Vorce was a subject of the revival which occurred in Penn Yan, under the labors of Elder Knapp, in 1834. Preferring "more grace" to "much water," he received baptism by affusion, and immediately united with the M.E.Church, of which he was an active and useful member to the day of his death. After adorning his profession in Penn Yan four or five years, he removed, with his family, to Rushville eleven years since, where his Christian virtues were exercised with increasing luster, till he entered his heavenly rest. With slender health, he was "faithful in little things," ever at his post, and liberal in sustaining the Church at home, and ready to respond according to his means, to every call of benevolence abroad. His business, that of silversmith, gave him a central position in community, where his urbane and courteous bearing won for him the love and esteem of a very extensive circle of acquaintances, beyond the limits of the Church. In him politeness was personified, not, indeed, under the training of artificial rules, but in accordance with the higher "law of kindness" to all, and was the natural effusion of a heart imbued with the love of God. The remembrance of Periander Vorce will long live to rebuke the moroseness of the cynic, and the pride of a "sour godliness." As a living epistle, he exemplified the temper of the beloved disciple, and in dying, testified the sufficiency of divine grace to save to the uttermost. While the Rev. Mr. Gelston, Pastor of the Presbyterian Chruch in the place, was praying with him, the day before his death, he made several efforts to respond to expressions of trust in the Redeemer; and in answer to questions put to him just before he took leave of time, he assured his family that his prospect was "without a cloud." On Sabbath morning, the 24th of August, after a confinement with a bilious fever of nine or ten days, while the bell of his favorite sanctuary was calling his fellow worshipers to the house of prayer, he obeyed the summons of his divine Master, and entered the door of the upper temple, to be forever with the Lord. The writer improved the occasion of his funeral before a summons and deeply affected concourse, from Matt 25:21--"Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things and will make thee ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." Canandaigua, Oct. 31, 1851. M. Tooker.
Gilbert Russell Lyon
Gilbert Russell Lyon
Died June 1948
Gilbert Russell Lyon, 54, superintendent of the Norwich [Chenango Co., NY] public schools since 1938, widely known in the field of education, died suddenly Sunday morning at 6 o'clock at the family residence, 122 South Broad. News of his passing stunned the community. Mr. Lyon was scheduled to be the principal speaker at the seniors' banquet Monday night and was to have presented the 1948 class of 107 members for graduation Tuesday night. A community leader, highly regarded in the councils of the state department of education his untimely passing takes one admired by many and held in deep affection by legions. A veteran of World War I, Mr. Lyon served as a lieutenant in the army air corps, assigned to an observation squadron. As a result of his distinguished war record he maintained his affiliation as a member of the lieut. Warren E. Eaton post 189 of the American Legion. In the field of education he served on various special committees of studies and investigations under the direction of the state department of education. He was a member of the Elementary Education Committee and of the New York State council of School Superintendents.
The body of Mr. Lyon rests at the Robert J. Fahy Funeral Home where friends may call at any time. Services are to be held Wednesday with a prayer service at 1:30 at the funeral home to be followed by services in Emmanuel Episcopal church at 2 o'clock. Rev. Lloyd S. Charters, rector, will officiate. Committal services will be held at Mt. Hope chapel. Burial will be made in Albany at a later date. Besides his wife, the former Mary J. Haney of Oneonta, with whom he was united in marriage in New York, August 18, 1923, two daughters survive. Miss Judith M. Lyon of New York and Mrs. Barna Male (the former Joan Elizabeth Lyon) of Albany. Other survivors are a sister, Mrs. Mary Hetherington of Chicago; two uncles, Bishop Charles K. Gilbert of St. John's church, New York, and A.F. Gilbert of New York; one aunt, Mrs. Frank R. Lyon of Binghamton and a cousin, Walter Lyon, of Binghamton, the latter editor of The Binghamton Morning Sun.
Mr. Lyon was born February 13, 1894, in Binghamton [Broome Co., NY], son of Frank and Mary (Gilbert) Lyon, both natives of Bainbridge, Chenango county, where the former was born in 1865 and the latter in 1864. On both sides of his family he was descended from old and distinguished American stock, Both of his grandfathers, Thomas Jefferson Lyon and Don Alonzo Gilbert, were natives of Bainbridge and the latter served as a supervisor of Chenango county at one time. His maternal uncle Frank B. Gilbert was a deputy commissioner of education of New York state and head of the legal division of the state of new York. During the course of his career he was the author of several law books including the "Gilbert Code."
The late Gilbert R. Lyon was educated in the public schools of Manistee, Michigan, completing that part of his education in Hyde Park high school in Chicago. He than matriculated at Hamilton college, Clinton and was graduated from there in 1917 with his bachelor of arts degree and from Teachers college, Columbia university in 1929, with his master's degree. Honorably discharged from military service in December 1918, Mr. Lyon entered the teaching profession in 1919 as a faculty member at the Hudson Falls, N.Y. high school, for a year and a half. He then became supervising principal of the Pierson high school at Sag Harbor, L.I. From 1922 to 1928 he served in a similar capacity at East Hampton, L.I., high school and from 1928 to 1938 as supervising principal of the high school at Smithtown Branch, L.I. He was appointed to the superintendencey of the Norwich schools in 1938, succeeding Dr. E.R. VanKleeck, now a deputy commissioner of education.
An able school administrator he was a leader in his profession. Devoted to his family and his home, his life was an example to the young people whom he served and aided. No eulogy is better voiced that his own creed for living, one in which he stressed fairness, and sportsmanship in all things. He believed in community service and gave freely of his time and his talents to Norwich, the many organizations with which he affiliated and to the city at large. Mr. Lyon was prominent in the membership of the Elementary Education Committee of the state and the New York State Council of School Superintendents. While at Hamilton college he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa honorary society and Chi Psi fraternity. A member of Emmanuel Episcopal church here he served as a vestryman from 1941-'43. Affiliated with the Masonic orders for 25 years Mr. Lyon was master of Norwich lodge F. and A.M., 302 in 1946 and high priest of Harmony Chapter, 151 in 1943. A member of the American legion he was affiliated also with Norwich Rotary, serving as a president 1940-'41. During World War II Mr. Lyon served as a member of selective service board 444 of Chenango county with a distinguished record. He was cited for leadership in education early this month by the Norwich Parent-Teacher Association Council and was elected to an honorary life membership. He was active also as a member of the Chenango County School Administration Association.
From all sides, messages of condolence are being expressed to his family. Although not in the best of health in recent months, his sudden passing came as a distinct shock. Tributes to his school and community leadership were paid by countless numbers. Mr. Lyon had remained at his home Friday of last week because he did not feel as well as usual. He was feeling fine again Saturday and passed some time in his garden at is residence. He discussed with Mrs. Lyon Saturday night, plans for the summer vacation season from his school administrative duties and retired in fine spirits. School authorities announced that the commencement program of the 1948 class will be followed out as scheduled and that at the request of family members none of the activities will be eliminated form the calends of graduation events for the year's class.
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