Obituaries (November 30)

Cora B. (Rose) Crumb

Utica Saturday Globe, March 1919

 

Cora B. (Rose) Crumb

1869-1919

Norwich [Chenango Co., NY]:  Private funeral services for Mrs. William P. Crumb were held from her late residence on Guernsey street at 2:30 o'clock on Sunday afternoon.  Mrs. Crumb passed away on Thursday evening after a two weeks' illness of pneumonia.  Mrs. Crumb was born March 7, 1869, near Manlius, and for a score of years had been a resident of this city.  She was a member of the Broad Street M.E. Church, of the W.C.T.U. and of the Grand Eagles, in all of which organizations she maintained an active interest. During the several local option contests in Norwich, she was an ardent advocate of prohibition. Besides her husband, she leaves two sisters, Mrs. Eva Helfer, of Daytona, Fla., and Mrs. George Price, of Syracuse, and also one brother, Wesley Rose, who resides in Syracuse. The body was placed in Mount Hope [Norwich, NY] receiving vault awaiting burial.

 

Sophronia Sumner Bixby

1860 - 1901

The illness of Mrs. J.E. Packard, which was so serious as to cause regretful chronicle in the Press of last Friday, met with fatal termination in the early hours of Sunday morning, at which time her spirit passed to life's fruition--the Great Beyond.  Funeral services, conducted by Rev. Charles Broughton of St. Paul's Episcopal church, were held at the house Wednesday morning at ten o'clock, after which the remains were taken to Bainbridge [Chenango Co., NY] for interment in the Bixby family plot in accordance with her expressed wish.  None but the family circle can fully measure the loss sustained by Mrs. Packard's demise.  To a large number of friends and acquaintances she was known as an amiable companion and a gracious hostess; but in the associations of the home life she filled with rare acceptance the more exalted position of a true wife and loving mother.  Her taking away at a time when her prospective view seemed brightest and when she was, as ever, enthusiastic in plans for the future, affords only a fresh manifestation of the mysterious ways of an all seeing God. The greater part of Mrs. Packard's life was spent in Norwich [Chenango Co., NY], her native town, as told by the following quotation from the Morning Sun of Monday last:  "Sophronia Sumner Bixby was the daughter of Joel J. Bixby and Sophronia Sumner, and was born in Norwich, July 1, 1860. Three years later her parents removed to Bainbridge, where her girlhood and youth were passed.  In 1880, after the death of her father, she returned to this place with her widowed mother, to make her home.  Possessed of a remarkably active, imaginative and inventive mind and a peculiar adaptability for interesting and inspiring children, as well as by a great love for them, she determined to fit herself for kindergarten work.  With this object in view, she entered Miss Simons' kindergarten training school in Boston, one of the very best then in existence, where she spent two years.  Returning to this village, she established the first kindergarten in Norwich in 1883. From the first her school was a success and she was recognized as an exceptionably able teacher. She brought to her work untiring energy and zeal and limitless enthusiasm.  It gave full opportunity for the employment of her remarkable inventive faculty, especially in the matter of games, which she could originate on the spur of the moment with a readiness that amounted almost to genius.  In connection with her school work, she wrote many songs, which were published in kindergarten magazines and some of them, set to music, were printed in book form by a Chicago firm. She also wrote many more pretentious poems.  two of which, "The Easter lily" and "The Gold and Brown," had a wide circulation in the newspaper press.  Her kindergarten work in Norwich will long be remembered, especially by her pupils and their parents.  In 1891 she gave up her kindergarten work, and on October 11th of that year, was united in marriage to Joseph E. Packard, Esq., of Oxford, and removed to that village where she resided till her untimely death."  There survives her, her husband, Joseph E Packard, and his three children--Edith, Guthrie, and Catherine--and one brother, Joel J. Bixby, of Norwich.

 

Rachel S. Brown

Chenango Union, September 6, 1900

Otselic [Chenango Co., NY]:  Once more the people of Otselic are called to mourn the loss of one of its oldest and most respected citizens, in the person of Rachel S., wife of Isaac C. Brown.  Mr. and Mrs. Brown were among the early settlers of Chenango county, having lived in the same for 57 years, or since their marriage.  their home for the last 11 years has been at Otselic.  They commenced their married life like others of their day, by building a log house and living in the same for nine years, with none of our modern conveniences, yet by patient toil, spinning and weaving home spun carpets and blankets, they made their home one that might be envied by those of our modern times. During the 57 years of their married life they were blessed with only one child, a boy who only lived two years.  Mrs. Brown had one brother, nine sisters and two half sisters, none of whom are living, except one half sister, besides whom she is survived by her husband, Isaac C. Brown, and several nieces and nephews.  She experienced religion at the age of 13, and has been a devoted worker and a prominent member of the M.E. Church at this place ever since.  Her last illness of cancer, has caused her much and prolonged suffering, yet she bore it like the brave Christian that she was, and although she was past 82 years old, she retained her reason and self possession almost till the last.  Few couples can boast of an unbroken married life of 57 years, and the separation at this ripe age strikes deeply at the heart of her companion, who is left to mourn the loss of one who has been near and dear to him, smoothing the pathway of age and loving as only devoted wife can love. The sympathy of the community is with the bereaved husband.

 

Susan Austin Hubbard

Chenango Telegraph, September 5, 1900

The many friends of Mrs. Susan Hubbard of this village [Norwich, Chenango Co., NY] were shocked to learn of her death at the home of her daughter, Mrs. M.A. Schermerhorn of Cortland. The news was received by a telegram which conveyed no further particulars.  Mrs. Hubbard left Norwich about three weeks ago in her usually good health for Skaneateles, where she attended a reunion of the Austin family.  Afterwards she went to Cortland to visit her daughter.  No word that she was ill had been received by her Norwich friends and they were not prepared for the sad news of her death.  She was in her 79th year.  Deceased was the widow of the late Harvey Hubbard and had lived in Norwich for nearly sixty years, coming to this place from McGrawville in 1842.  She was a teacher in the old Norwich academy for several years, being a member of the faculty of that famous institution of learning, when it first opened it doors to the public in November 1849.  She became the wife of Harvey Hubbard in 1844, and for eighteen years their married life was very pleasantly continued, until separated by the death of her husband in 1862.  Six children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Hubbard, two of whom, Mary and Julia, preceded her into the life beyond the grave. Those who survive are Helen, wife of Professor Hoose of Pasadena, Cal., formerly of Cortland, Myra, wife of Merton Randall of Pasadena, Cal., Frances, wife of M. A. Schermerhorn of Cortland and Harvey Hubbard, editor of the Kittanning, Pa, Globe.  One sister, Mrs. Mary Phelps of Morrisville, also survives.  Mrs. Hubbard was a cultured, Christian lady, highly respected and deeply beloved by a wide circle of friends. Quiet and unassuming in her everyday life, she was ever ready with heart and hand to do her part for the improvement and betterment of the community in which she lived so long and the sweet remembrance of her noble womanhood will be cherished by all who knew her so long as their lives shall last.  The remains of Mrs. Hubbard will arrive in Norwich at 4:39 p.m. Wednesday and will be taken to her late home No. 2 Hubbard avenue.  The funeral will be held from the house at 2 p.m., Thursday, with burial in Mt. Hope [Norwich, NY].