Obituaries (December 1)

Warren Newton

Chenango Semi-Weekly Telegraph, December 30, 1891

 

Warren Newton

1817 - 1891

The front of the bank building of the First National of Norwich draped with emblems of mourning tells the story.  Death has knocked at its shore and sought out, within his home, the president and chief executive officer and thinking brain since its organization.  The familiar form of Warren Newton will be seen no more.  His voice is forever hushed.  It will not seem like the old bank to go into its banking room and not see his familiar figure in the chair by the window, or to hear his genial voice asking some half humorous, but puzzling question.

 

Warren Newton, Esq. died at his residence in North Broad Street, December 25th, 1891--Christmas morning.  His illness was the culmination of physical ailments which had troubled him for years.  The last and final struggle with disease was of but two weeks duration.  He met pain with patience and death with serenity.  He was born December 1st, 1817, and had nearly attained his seventy-fourth birthday.  His birth place was the Newton homestead in Sherburne [Chenango Co., NY] where his father, William Newton, had located in the first decade of the century.  Though owning an extensive farm, his father was much engaged in contracts on public works.  He helped construct the Erie Canal and later was engaged for two years in excavating the Delaware and Hudson Canal in Pennsylvania.  He also built near Bethany, in the same State, a portion of the first railroad ever constructed in the United States.  It was while his father was engaged in this work that Warren, then a lad of ten, alone drove a team and wagon from Sherburne through the woods and wilderness to Bethany.  He was always proud of this early achievement, which was a type of the courage and earnestness of his nature.  Later he became associated with his father in business and with him was engaged in constructing the Chenango and Black River Canals.

 

In 1844 he first came to Norwich, then being twenty-seven years of age.  Entering the office of the late Benjamin F. Rexford, he diligently pursued the study of law and three years later was admitted to practice.  His instructor offered him a partnership which was accepted, and the law firm of Rexford & Newton was formed.  The firm existed for six years, when his brother, Isaac S. Newton, Esq. having settled in this place, the old firm was dissolved and the two brothers formed the firm of W. & I.S. Newton which to this day is still famous in legal circles.  In 1856, in the office of this firm, the Bank of Norwich was organized.  Warren Newton was the prime mover.  When the officers were chosen he was made cashier.  He had now found his life work.  From that time till his death, thirty-five years, he devoted his energy, his time and great financial ability to the management of its every interest.  The bank has been a success from the start.  In 1857, when financial disasters swept over the entire country, the Bank of Norwich was one of two banks in the whole State which did not suspend payment.  He made it immensely profitable.  During its thirty-five years of existence, under is management, it has earned more than half a million dollars and paid the stockholders four hundred per cent upon its capital.

 

In 1851 he was united in marriage to Lydia Ann Wheeler, of Stonington, Connecticut.  One daughter was born to them, Louise M., now the wife of Joel J. Bixby, Esq. The widow and daughter and little grandson are left to mourn his loss.  He was a consistent member of the Congregational Church in this village, and one of its most regular attendants and liberal supporters.  In politics he was a Republican and took a deep interest in all public affairs.  He was never an office seeker, but consented to serve the people as village trustee and village President.  His predominant characteristics are well summed up in these words:  earnestness, vigor of intellect, sterling integrity, fidelity in all affairs and absolute temperance.

Benjamin T. Newton

Chenango Telegraph, August 26, 1903

Died:  NEWTON:  In Norwich [Chenango Co., NY], August 25, 1903, Benjamin T. Newton, aged 18 years.

 Morning Sun, August 26, 1903

A sense of bereavement came to an unusually wide circle of friends yesterday with the announcement of "Ben" Newton's death, which occurred at 4 o'clock on the morning of Tuesday, August 25, 1903, after a severe illness of ten days.  Benjamin T. Newton was the second son of Rev. J. Burdette and Phebe E. Tucker Newton, and was born in Lindley, Steuben county, April 30, 1885.  About half of his short life of 18 years was spent in Norwich.  He leaves two brothers and one sister, Earl B., who recently went to Seattle, Wash., Lewis A. and Laura K., who reside with their widowed mother in this place [Norwich, NY].  Having lost his father in early childhood, he was thrown much upon his own resources, and grew up brave, helpful and self-reliant.  He has been, successively, carrier for The Morning Sun, office boy and assistant for Dr. C.M. Dunne, night operator in the Central telephone office and has also been employed in many other ways, winning the confidence and respect of all his employers, the love and admiration of the public, and carrying on his studies at the same time.  He graduated with high standing in the class of '03, of the Norwich High school, having taken the classical course.  He was treasurer of the class and was also a member of the Glee club.  Benjamin was a favorite with both schoolmates and teachers.  To those who knew him best, his intellectual promise and charm of character need no word of eulogy.  He was a great student and deep thinker, even after leaving school, reading abstruse philosophical works for the sheer love of knowledge.  With high ambition for the future he intended to enter college soon, and his friends looked forward to his attaining great achievements.  Yet, in the loving wisdom of God, his preparation was after all, a preparation for the unknown and grander uses of the life beyond.  he was a member on probation of the Free Methodist church and had the highest regards for all that was good and noble.  The funeral will be held from the home of his mother, No. 90 Silver street, Thursday afternoon at 2 o'clock, Rev. W.R. Tamblyn of Tunkhannock, Pa., a former pastor of his, officiating, assisted by Rev. M.H. Kendrick and Rev. Wilson Treible.  Interment in Mt. Hope [Norwich, NY].

Morning Sun, August 28, 1903

The funeral of the late Benjamin T. Newton was held from the home of his mother, no. 90 Silver street, yesterday afternoon, and was very largely attended.  Interment was made in Mt. Hope.  Rev. W.R. Tamblyn of Tunkhannock, Pa., a former pastor of the deceased, officiated, assisted by Revs. M.H. Kendrick and Wilson Treible, who made brief fitting remarks.  Mr. Tamblyn took for the subject of his well chosen remarks words found in the 20th chapter of First Samuel:  "But truly as the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, there is but a step between me and death."  The graduating class of 1903, of which he was an honored member, attended in a body.  The floral contributions were numerous and beautiful and were from the class of 1903, the condenser, hammer factory, Free Methodist church, W.C.T.U. and many individuals.

 

Olive (Dyer) Button Thompson

Morning Sun, August 26, 1903

After nearly a century of usefulness, the worn-out machinery of life ceased to perform its functions, and Mrs. Olive Thompson passed to her rest, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Olive R. Cooley, about two miles northerly of Oxford on the Georgetown road in the town of Preston [Chenango Co., NY], Saturday, August 22, 1903.  Mrs. Thompson was the daughter of Martin and Olive Dyer, and was born in Charlemont, Mass. November 7, 1806.  She was one of seven children.  When three months old her grandmother took her to Greene to live.  Upon recovering from her serious illness, her mother, with two sons and one daughter, joined them.  Her father died in Massachusetts.  After a short residence there and in Preston they moved to Pharsalia, and purchased a farm in Preston owned by Chauncey Hammond at the time of his death.  Here she married John Button and two children were born to them, both of whom are dead.  Ryal Thompson of Pharsalia was her second husband, and eleven children were born of this union, three of whom survive; Louis, James D. and Mrs. Olive Cooley of Preston.  They resided upon the farm mentioned and one nearby, purchased by Mr. Thompson, until September, 1884, when they moved to Chautauqua county.  Here them remained 14 years.  On returning to this county, Mrs. Thompson and her husband resided in Plymouth and Pharsalia until about 1865, when their sons Louis and James D. bought a farm in Preston, which they still own.  Here Mr. and Mrs. Thompson lived with their daughter, Mrs. Olive R. Cooley for a few years, in which time occurred Mr. Thompson's death.  December 1882.  Mrs. Thompson has since made her home with her daughter on that farm and the one where she died.  Deceased received Christ into her life when but 16 years old and has ever been a devoted Christian, a kind wife and loving mother. As long as her health permitted she did a great deal for the sick.  She was a member of the Free Will Baptist church until about three years ago when she was received into the Methodist church at Oxford.  The funeral was held from her late home in Preston yesterday, Rev. Mr. Lyttell of Cooperstown, her former pastor in Oxford, officiating.  Interment was made in the Lewis cemetery [Preston, Chenango Co., NY].

 

Howard Kinney

Morning Sun, August 24, 1903

Saturday a party of fourteen young people, among whom were Misses Gertrude and Fannie Amsden, Mr. and Miss Matterson, Howard Kinney and sister of New Berlin [Chenango Co., NY], and Miss Irma Chaffee of Norwich, went to Cooperstown [Otsego Co., NY].  About noon they took the steamer for a cottage at "Five Mile Point," to spend a ten days' outing.  After dinner four fellows started out for a swim. They got into a boat and went about twenty feet out from the dock when Kinney dropped over the side of the boat.  He took three or four strokes when he sank from sight.  His companions did not anticipate trouble at first.  When they commenced to fear something wrong, Kinney not coming to the surface, the Mabel Coburn, one of the steamers, approached the dock and, no doubt, its waves sent his body some distance from the spot where he sank.  The body was recovered about 6 p.m., and taken to Cooperstown in charge of an undertaker.  The parents of the young man, Mr. and Mrs. Clark Kinney, arrived during the afternoon and took the remains home Sunday morning.  Howard Kinney was 19 years of age, and an only son.  His parents and a sister, Elsie, survive him.  Howard was a popular young man and his death was a severe blow, not only to his family and party of friends, but to many friends as well. The funeral will beheld Tuesday at 1 o'clock in the Baptist church at New Berlin, of which church he was a member and a much beloved attendant. The party of friends who accompanied him to Cooperstown, returned to New Berlin that same afternoon.