Saturday, June 4, 2016

Charles Dutton, 1823 - 1899

Charles Dutton
The Durant Star, April 4, 1899

Chas. Dutton died Sunday, April 2, at the home of his son, H.G. Dutton.  Mr Dutton had been quite feeble all winter and had been very low for the past four weeks, and Sunday the end came peacefully.  He was born in Chenango county, New York, September 17, 1828, and was therefore 75 years of age at the time of his death.  He came to Iowa with his father and three brothers in April, 1839, locating in Clinton county and lived there till his removal to Durant.  The funeral services will be conducted by Franklin Steiner, of Des Moines, at Mr. Dutton's old home in Clinton county Tuesday, April 4, at 2 p.m. with interment at the Union cemetery.  During the residence of Mr Dutton in Durant, which dates back about a year, he has won many friends, who were pained to learn of his death.  The bereaved family have the sympathy of the entire community.
 
Clinton County Advertiser, April 4, 1899
 
Charles Dutton, one of the very early settlers of Olive township, and well known to many of our readers, died at his home in Durant, Cedar county, at 4 o'clock yesterday morning, as announced by a telegram, received a little later by Mrs. Alex. Barr, a relative of the family by marriage.  Mrs. B. took the 10 o'clock train to Durant by way of Davenport.  She informed us that Mr. D. died from dropsy from which he suffered some two months.  The funeral will be held at 2 o'clock today at the former home of deceased in Olive township, with interment in the family burying ground.  Deceased was quite prominent as a leader of the Greenback and Peoples party, and a few years ago was the candidate of the latter party for congressional honors.
 
Wheatland Gazette, April 5, 1899
 
A brief message to relatives at his place received the 3rd last, announced the death of Charles Dutton at his late home in Durant, Iowa.  Certain information is not at hand at his writing, but it is supposed his death occurred April 2, 1899.  His health had been gradually declining for several months, and his demise was not unexpected.  There are few who passed so many years of continuous residence within the boundaries of Clinton county as did Charles Dutton.  Sixty years ago this spring, at a period less than a year after the establishment of the territory of Iowa and more than a year before the organization of Clinton county--when all the region hereabout was an unsettled wilderness, he came here with his father and brothers and with them established his home in what later became the southeast corner of Olive township.  There his home continued until one year ago, when, with his son, he moved to Durant.  Of the five Dutton brothers who came to the state at the early period named, his death marks the passing of the last.  He was born September 17, 1823, near the village of South Bainbridge (now Afton) Chenango County, N.Y.  In the fall of 1837 he, with his father and brothers, came down the Ohio river by raft to Madison, Ind.  One year later they proceeded by boat down the Ohio and up the Mississippi river to Alton Illinois.  In the spring of 1839 they continued their up river journey to Camanche, and thence a short overland trip brought them to the spot where three of them dwelt for so many years after.  He was married Oct. 6, 1845 to Hannah Grace, whose death occurred in 1896.  Four children were born to them, of whom but one,  H.G. Dutton, survives.  He possessed an earnest and steadfast interest in the betterment of his kind, and years of careful reading had made him thoroughly versed in the study of economics. To the advanced journals in this branch of inquiry he had, during a score of years past, been a frequent and able contributor.  He had convictions, and the courage of them.  His life was in consonance with nature, his thought and effort always in aid of progress and enlightenment, himself a constant influence urging to investigation and inquiry, and thus his career fulfilled the best and truest purpose by being, to the degree that destiny and circumstance allowed, a factor in evolution and advancement. Among his relatives his death has caused particular sorrow being as he was the last family representation of his generation. the funeral occurred at 2 o'clock the afternoon of the 4th last, at the old home southeast of Calamus.
 
[Source Unknown] April 6, 1899
 
The mortal remains of the late Charles Dutton, whose death at Durant was briefly noted in our last, arrived at the old homestead in Olive township at about eleven o'clock on Wednesday forenoon.  At two o'clock the funeral service was held, conducted by Franklin Steiner, "Liberal" of Des Moines, who read Austin Holyoake's Free Thought Burial Service, a portion of Bryant's Thanatopsis and then delivered a brief address in which he dwelt upon the character and opinions of deceased.  There was a good attendance at the funeral. The interment was in the Union cemetery, Olive township, in the family lot.  The pall bearers were W.R. Barber, Richard Harrington, Eugene A. Barber, Claus Kuehl, Henry Peterson, and John Kallenbath.  Charles Dutton was born in Chenango county, New York, Sept. 17th, 1823, therefore at the time of his death was  75 years, 6 months and 17 days old.  He came to Iowa with his father's family about April 1st, 1839 and was among the first settlers of Olive township, that portion of the township being known for many years as the "Dutton Settlement".  Deceased was active and energetic in whatever he undertook.  He held the offices of school director and trustee and was president of the board of school directors for his township and was always honest and straightforward in his duties. A few years ago he was the People's party candidate for congressman for this district, and at the time of his death was one of the vice presidents of the Old Settlers society, of Clinton county.  Deceased leaves one son, H.G. Dutton, whose home is in Durant, Cedar county, his wife and three children having previously passed to the spirit land.
 

Obituaries (June 4)

Merton E. Gray
Utica Saturday Globe, February 1914

 
Merton E. Gray
1867 - 1914

Norwich [Chenango Co., NY]:  After a brief illness of neuritis, Merton E. Gray, a leading Norwich merchant, passed away suddenly at his home on Elm street Monday evening.  While partaking of his supper in bed, his heart became affected and he passed quietly away without regaining consciousness.  Mr. Gray was the second son of Ezekiel D. and Elizabeth Gray and was born at Hanover, N.H., May 17, 1867.  When he was a lad of 12 years his mother died and he was early thrown upon his own resources.  By close application and hard work, coupled with sagacity and unfailing will force,  he mastered great difficulties and became a successful traveling salesman, representing some large business concerns.  In 1899, he formed a partnership with R.D. Eaton, of Norwich, for the sale of a line of veterinary medicines in New York State.  He also handled rubber goods.  About eight years ago he quit the business in Norwich, succeeded W.H. Brown at the old Goodrich stand on North Broad street.  This store was burned in the fire of February 6, 1911.  While the embers were still smoking Mr Gray with characteristic enterprise purchased the grocery of W.D. Southworth in the Flanagan Block on East Main street where he continued  to conduct the business until his death.  On March 20, 1900, Mr. Gray married Miss J. May Clute and the same year came to Norwich to reside.  On November 6, 1904, he united with the First congregational Church.  For nearly nine years he was superintendent of the Bible school.  During this period the regular attendance had nearly doubled and the school was put upon a good business and working basis.  He was always deeply interested in the welfare of the community.  By his death Norwich loses an excellent and enthusiastic citizen.  Besides his widow and one daughter, Marian, Mr. Gray is survived by his father and a half-brother.  Funeral services were held from his late home on Elm street Thursday afternoon, Rev. Paul Riley Allen officiating.  As a mark of respect the groceries generally and a number of other business places were closed during the hour of the services. The deceased was a member of the Norwich Club and of the various local Masonic bodies.

Ellen A. Chappell Post
Utica Saturday Globe, January 1914
Norwich [Chenango Co., NY]:  At her residence in Mitchell street occurred recently the death of Ellen A. Chappell, wife of Edward S. Post, following a brief illness of pneumonia. The deceased was 64 years of age and was a daughter of Thomas and Anna Chappell.  She was born at New Berlin [Chenango Co., NY] July 13, 1849.  In 1873 she married Edward S. Post, of Norwich and had since been a resident here.  Besides her husband, deceased is survived by one son, Arthur Post, of Norwich; one daughter, Mrs. Arthur Arrow, of Washington, D.C.; another daughter, Beatrice Post Martin, died July 16, 1901; one sister, Mrs. Jennie Elefresh, of Washington, D.C., and one brother, Charles Chappell, of Milford, Ohio, also survive.  Private funeral services were held from the residence Saturday afternoon, Rev. H.W. Foreman, rector of Emmanuel Church, officiating.

Isaac Dalrymple
Utica Saturday Globe, February 1914

 
Isaac Dalrymple
1860 - 1914

Isaac Dalrymple died at his home near North Otselic [Chenango Co., NY], aged 54.  Death was due to pneumonia, contracted through exposure while fighting fire at the home of a neighbor. The deceased was the son of Charles C. and Caroline Marden Dalrymple and was born in the town of Otselic August 21, 1860.  His grandfather, Eli Dalrymple, was one of the pioneers of the Otselic Valley, coming from Massachusetts in 1833.  Mr Dalrymple was educated in the district schools of Otselic and at the Norwich Academy.  He was a youth of 17 years when, in 1877, his father died, leaving upon his shoulders the responsibility as head of the household on a home farm heavily mortgaged.  He applied himself to the task with the same faithful devotion that ennobled his whole life and made him eminently successful.  In politics, Mr. Dalrymple was a Democrat, but had always kept aloof from factional differences.  His political creed was faithful and efficient service.  He gave to his public duties the same scrupulous attention as to his private affairs. Thus he earned the confidence of the community and in 1883, when only 23 years of age, he was elected supervisor of Otselic and served three terms, overcoming big adverse majorities.  Again in 1896 he was elected  to the same office and served continuously until 1908 when he was elected county superintendent of [the] poor which position he held until January 1913.  He also served his town as railroad commissioner for many years and for a long term was postmaster at North Otselic, maintaining the office for the accommodation of his neighbors and at great inconvenience to himself.  In 1913, Gov. Sulzer appointed him to the Board of the State Industrial Farm Colony and it was expected that when the board organized, Mr. Dalrymple would become the secretary.  He was a member of Otselic Grange, Patrons of Husbandry, Georgetown lodge, I.O.O.F. and Georgetown lodge, F.&A.M., being a past master of the last named.  In all of his dealings, private and public, sincerity was pre-eminently the keynote.  January 3, 1882 he married Rosa M. Hagerity, daughter of Richard Hagerty of Otselic, who with two sons, Charles C. and David B.  Hill Dalrymple, survive.  Funeral services were held from the church in north Otselic on Monday afternoon and were largely attended by neighbors and friends notwithstanding the intense cold.  His death is a distinct loss to the county as well as the community in which he lived. To both he gave the best that was in him and both are better for the unselfish services he rendered.

Death Notices
Chenango Union, April 1, 1875

EVANS:  In Plymouth [Chenango Co., NY], March 31, Mr. Ezekiel Evans, aged 86 years 9 months.

STRATTON:  In South Oxford [Chenango Co., NY], March 27, Charlotte [Stratton], widow of John Stratton, aged 87.

KINSMAN:  In Greene (Page Brook) [Chenango Co., NY], March 19, Sally [Kinsman], wife of David Kinsman, aged 73 years 4 months.

LENOX:  In Greene [Chenango Co., NY], march 7, Clara A. [Lenox] , daughter of John and Mary Lenox, aged 1 year 5 months.

FOOTE:  In Coventry [Chenango Co., NY], March 23, Minnie B. [Foote], daughter of E.N. and Harriet E. Foote, aged 16 years 6 months 19 days.

CARVER:  In Bainbridge [Chenango Co., NY], March 19, 1875, Mary E. [Carver], wife of George h. Carver, aged 21 years.

TRACY:  In Plymouth [Chenango County, NY] March 5, 1875, Mr. Charles B. Tracy, aged 43 years.

WOOSTER:  In Guilford Centre [Chenango Co., NY], March 24, Eliza [Wooster], wife of Aaron Wooster, aged 42.

HARRINGTON:  In New Berlin [Chenango Co., NY], March 15, Merritt M. [Harrington] aged 6 years 7 months; March 20, Samuel W. [Harrington], aged 3 years 4 months, children of Henry H. and Maria T. Harrington.

 

Friday, June 3, 2016

The Life of Mary Sprague of Smyrna, Chenango Co., NY Part 4

Some Interesting History Connected with
The Life and Death of Mary Maria Sprague
 
Continued from posting of June 2, 2016
 
A woman of courage to the nth degree, Mary, always ready to slave for her children, has been known to take a horse and cutter and travel over across the hill and through the woods to Stowell's on a sick call in a blizzardy night alone when it would have been tough for a strong man.
 
Frailties of age have been growing in Mary for several years.  But work was her motto and work she did to the last hour of consciousness..  Just at dark, Thursday night, Oct. 25, 1945, at the close of an active day, the old machine broke down in a crash with a strong despairing "Oh dear."  The only words that Fred could make out of her following talk were "Gon On." Camphor would not revive her this time.  Soon her lights went out in her first born's arms, her daughter sat up all night of the 25th with her unconscious form and her youngest child was nearest to her when the last flutter of life ebbed away about eleven p.m. Oct. 26, 1945.  Other members of the family and friends did their parts, big and little, most willingly.
 
Think of the changes on the Hill and elsewhere since Mary Sprague came to Smyrna eighty years ago.  Gone is the old log cabin that she remembered on the Bartlett farm and gone from the Hill are all the first settlers and their descendants.  Followed in line in the next generation by her first son, she, by her passing removes from Smyrna Hill the last member of her generation and Burt Taylor of Smyrna is the only one left who is known by the writer to have gone to school with her in the school of fifty at the Bartlett schoolhouse in the dozen years after the Civil war.  Her life span took in the change from the tallow candle by which her mother read a letter from the soldier husband and father to the hovering children to the kerosene lamp and from the lamp to the incandescent bulb. She saw the coming of the garden strawberry, the advent of the potato bug which was to stay only a few years. She saw the coming to town of the railroad, the coming and passing of the rubber tired buggy, the advent of the horseless carriage and the automobile. She saw the pathmaster road system with little horse tools give way to the developing machinery system.  She saw grain harvesting turn by degrees from the cradle to the combine.  She saw weapons change from the muzzle loading gun to the atomic bomb.  And what else did she not see?
 
Mary has now had her expressed wish.  She has started down the long, long trail just as she and her friends could have wished.  Everything seemed to have been mapped out by Providence to please everybody.  Her friends rejoice that she has escaped from further suffering without a lingering bed sickness or terrible violence.  Her son and her daughter-in-law no longer sometimes hear the shuffling tumbling footsteps or sometimes see "mother" step off like a girl of sixteen.  Gone is the willing, loving help of the weakening body and hands, and gone are the irritations.  Gone are the watching and the worry.  But she is mourned by the ardor of fond memories.    --F.B. Sprague
 
The End
 
Mrs. Mary Sprague
Utica NY Daily Press, October 1945
 
Mrs. Mary Sprague, 84, lifelong Smyrna resident, died Oct. 26, 1945, in her home following a critical illness of one day.  Funeral services are to be held at 2 p.m. today from the Beecher Funeral Home in Earlville.  Two sons and a daughter survive. They are:  Fred Sprague of Smyrna; Herman of Tully and Mrs. Harlie Stowell of Smyrna.

Obituaries (June 3)

Owen N. Mathewson
Utica Saturday Globe, February 1914

 
Owen N. Mathewson
1884 - 1914

The death of Owen N. Mathewson, of Hamilton [Madison Co., NY], formerly of Norwich [Chenango Co., NY], was a shock to his many friends.  He died at a  hospital in Utica [Oneida Co., NY] Saturday, following an operation for abscess of the ear.  The deceased was a son of Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Mathewson, who reside near the reservoir, east of this village.  He was born in the town of Norwich May 17, 1884.  He was an expert telegraph operator and had held positions in several towns on the line of the D.L.&W. Railroad, including Norwich, Greene and Earlville, and was for some time relief operator on this division of the road.  About two years ago he engaged in the shoe business in Hamilton, and was also the agent for the Western Union Telegraph Company and the Bell Telephone company in that place.  Mr. Mathewson married Miss Lucile Crandall, of Greene, about seven years ago.  She survives with a little son, Robert.  He is also survived by his parents, one brother, Oscar F. Mathewson, and two sisters, Misses Maude and Lydia Mathewson, all of Norwich. The remains were brought to Norwich and taken to the home of his parents, where the funeral was held on Tuesday, Rev. Paul Riley Allen officiating.  The bearers were Charles Pudney, Ray Wells, Daniel Anderson and Burr McNitt, of Norwich; James Wells, of Oxford, and Truman Wedge, of Hamilton. The body was placed in the vault at Mt. Hope Cemetery awaiting burial later.
 
Catharine M. Richards
Bainbridge Republican, July 11, 1878
From the Utica Herald we take the following:  The body of Catharine M. Richards of Plainfield Centre, in the northern part of Otsego Co., was found in a cow barn Tuesday afternoon of last week.  The deceased was aged 14 years, 9 months and 10 days, a comely, well-developed young woman.  She was the daughter of William C. Richards, a well-to-do farmer, and one of the leading men of the Welsh settlement of Plainfield.  She was supposed to have been gored to death by a young bull, whose stand in the barn was directly upon the spot where the body was found.  The ugly wound on her cheek and the contusions of the other parts of the body were supposed to have been caused by the horns of the animal which was found loose in the barn yard, although left fastened in the barn. That theory exploded and suspicion point towards Myron Buell, a young man employed by Mr. Richards who was known to be an unfavored suitor for the company of the girl.
 
The theory of the tragedy as far as it can be formed, is this.  While at work in the field, Buell remembered that Catharine's parents were away, and no one but Miss Jones was with her.  He left the field hoping to meet her by chance.  He found Catharine in the cheese house, which he entered for the ostensible purpose of changing his boots.  In the cheese house were kept old clothes, harness, etc. and there the girl went several times a day to play with the kittens.  It is believed that Buell quietly slipped up behind the girl, threw a strap over her head and tightened it quickly to prevent her from crying out....He probably did not intend to kill.  The strap was pulled too tightly probably in the excitement or by the girls' struggles, and she undoubtedly died from the effects of strangulation combined with fright   The testimony of the examining physicians as to the exact cause of death was too indefinite to be satisfactory, as no one of the three would certify positively as to the real cause.
 
Dismayed by the result of his devilish intent, Buell immediately set about the task of concealing his crime.  Within fifteen feet, in the cow barn, there was a young bull.  It was but the work of a moment to grasp the body of the girl, enter the cow barn, release the bull from the stanchion, drive him into the yard, place the body of the girl on the spot where the bull stood, mangle her dead face with the edge of the milking stool, put the stool into the box with the strap which  had already shut out her life, and then hasten back to the hop yard, where he rejoined Bowen and remained there until the supper horn was blown at 5 p.m., the time when Bowen and he found the body.
 
Buell--if he committed the crime--was too careful in his arrangement of the body of his victim to sustain the theory of accidental death.  The girl laid as straight as if the body had been arranged by an undertaker, with clothes in their natural position and her arms carefully placed close to her sides.  If the bull had gored the girl, her body would not have been in an orderly position, the wound on the right cheek would not have been sharp cut, but ragged, no purple mark would have encircled the neck and the clothing would probably have been torn or disarranged.
 
Buell was arrested Friday, on a warrant sworn out by the girl's father, and his examination was commenced Saturday.  The body was exhumed Monday, and a second post mortem examination took place.  [Buell is supposed to have] probably killed her, pounding and choking her to make her insensible before he was aware of it.  Buell has retained Hon S.S. Morgan of West Winfield as counsel.  Buell has been held to await the action of the grand jury, which meets next September.  He is in jail at Cooperstown.
 
Death Notices
Chenango Union,  March 25, 1875
 
CHASE:  In North Afton [Chenango Co., NY], March 12, Ada [Chase], daughter of James W. Chase, 4 years.
 
WETMORE:  In Butternuts [Otsego Co., NY], March 13, Mr. John Wetmore, aged 81 years.
 
PLACE:  In Cincinnatus [Cortland Co., NY], March 6, Mr. Thomas Place, age 86 years.
 
Chenango Union, April 1, 1875
 
CRANDALL:  In Norwich [Chenango Co., NY] March 26th 1875, Julia [Crandall], wife of William B. Crandall, aged 61 years.
 
GILBERT:  In Norwich [Chenango Co., NY], March 30, Betsey [Gilbert], widow of the late Abner Gilbert, 2d, aged 83 years.
 
MYGATT:  In Oxford [Chenango Co., NY], Hon. Henry R. Mygatt.

Thursday, June 2, 2016

The Life of Mary Sprague of Smyrna, Chenango Co., NY Part 3

Some Interesting History Connected with
The Life and Death of Mary Maria Sprague
 
Continued from posting of June 1, 2016
 
Just before Thanksgiving, 1903, Fred accompanied his father and his deeply worried mother to Ithaca where a doctor who used electrical massage greatly improved Will's condition.  Persecuted Mary left  her three children in Smyrna to see to things.  The next year, 1904, to be near Dr. Hamlin and let Fred resume school, the family auctioned off most of the farm things, share-leased the farm to John Haggerty and moved to Ithaca about Sept. 1.  Mary scrubbed her life away on the washboard to make ends meet while Fred and Hermon attended Ithaca schools and Bertha took in a few classes in Cornell.
 
In 1905 massage became unsatisfactory and Mary saw Will have an operation for enlarged stomach and she saw her little boy, almost dead, go to the hospital for appendicitis.  But both operations were successful, and Will was so revived that the rest of the family moved back to the farm in the spring of 1906, leaving Fred in the College of Agriculture.  It should be noted here that Mary had seen her daughter suffer nervous trouble in Ithaca and had seen her older son, through an operation in the late fall of 1905.
 
Things went along fairly well for Mary back on the farm for a while.  Fred was home for the 1906 vacation and helped fix up an ice pond, build a milk house, put in a concrete barn floor and dig an eighteen foot well and pipe the water to the barn.  In 1909 Bertha moved away and Fred got through college and came home to stay.
 
But, as the years passed Mary saw Will through three more major operations.  His health continued to decline as Hermon was growing up and spending his fancies on poultry, came home from war and married Myrtle Rice Nov. 1, 1922, and celebrated the birth of two daughters, one of them now married to a service man and as Fred and his mother teamed it together with purebred cattle and other things.
 
One of Mary's great trials came early in 1929.  Will drove the black mare to Earlville one early January day, fell on the ice and broke his hip. She stuck by him abed for some six long weeks till he got out of bed on the 17th of February and shaved, only to suffer a burst intestine upon returning to bed and quickly giving up the ghost.  Mary was about worn out.
 
The farm business continued as before.  Mary still had her older son with her and her daughter and younger son within reach.  She patched and darned and scrimped to pull herself and Fred through the hard times around 1932. But in September, 1933 a cow sale was made and things began to pick up.
 
Nov. 20, 1935, Fred brought a wife home who had been a farm girl, Viola Colwell, near Chenango lake.  For nearly ten years, in-law friction has clouded the home atmosphere, but otherwise Mary's burdens may have been eased.
 
To be Continued

Obituaries (June 2)

Annice G. (Belden) Elliott
Utica Saturday Globe, February 1914

 
Annice G. (Belden) Elliott
1830 - 1914

Norwich [Chenango Co., NY]:  At the home of her son, Edward J. Elliott, on Gold street, Monday morning, occurred the death of Annice G. Elliott, wife of Cyrus Ellitot, aged 83.  The deceased was the daughter of Daniel D. and Polly Belden and was born in Norwich April 19, 1830.  On August 27, 1849, she married Cyrus Elliott and during the next 25 years they made their residence in Greene and Plymouth before coming to Norwich in 1874.  For the past 27 years Mrs. Elliott had made her home with her son, Edward J. Elliott. She was a woman highly esteemed by all who enjoyed her acquaintance and by her amiable qualities had formed many warm friendships.  Besides her husband, Cyrus Elliott, the deceased is survived by two sons, Edward J. and Orrin Elliott, both residents of Norwich.  Funeral services were held from the home of her son Wednesday afternoon, Rev. Alexander Fraser, pastor of Calvary Baptist church, officiating.
 
Richard B. Dimock
Chenango Union, March 24, 1892
Richard B. Dimock, who died at New Berlin [Chenango Co., NY], March 14th, 1892, was born in Burlington, Otsego county, October 21st 1814.  His early life was devoted to farming, from which occupation he went into a clerkship in the store of his uncle, in Burlington.  He afterwards was in the employ of Dorr Russel, who conducted a mercantile business in the same place, and still later, had charge of the store owned by Mrs. Babcock, the mother-in-law of the late David Avery, who was for a long time clerk of Otsego county.  Mr. Dimock was for many years justice of the Peace and Postmaster in the town of Burlington.  He was held in high esteem by all who knew him.  In 1867 he moved to New Berlin, where he became associated with his son-in-law, Hon. Truman L. Matteson, in general merchandise, and the firm of Dimock & Matterson was favorably known as an honorable and upright business firm in this village during their existence of nearly twenty years.  In 1885 Mr. Dimock went out of business.  He was appointed postmaster, under President Cleveland, and held the office for nearly four years. While living here he was called to various offices of trust by the people; was President of the Board of Trustees of this village for a number of terms.  Served as justice of the Peace for the town and also as Police Justice.  In every public position to which he was called, he gave a faithful and conscientious attention to the discharge of its duties.  He leaves behind him a brother, Eli Dimock, M.D., residing in Dupont, Ohio, also two children, Mrs. T.L. Matterson and George Dimock, both of whom reside in this village.  Mr. Dimock will be missed by a large circle of friends whom he has made by his quiet and honorable life among us for the past quarter of a century.  His wife, Sarah Matterson, sister of O.F. Matterson, Esq., of this place, died about three years ago.--New Berlin Gazette.  Deceased was brother-in-law of Hon. W.F. Jenks of Norwich.

William Hiller
Chenango Union, September 4, 1884
HILLER:  In McDonough [Chenango Co., NY], on the morning of August 20th, 1884, Mr. William Hiller, aged 66 years and 25 days, after an illness of eleven days.

Mr. Hiller was born in Washington township, Dutchess County, N.Y., July 26, 1818, and came to McDonough with his father's family when eleven years of age, in 1829.  He was married to his first wife, Abiah S. Warren, daughter of Captain Oliver Warren, formerly of New Hampshire, May 8, 1842.  In the fall of 1848 he moved with his family to Richmond, Va.  Soon after there was a rush for the gold fields of California, then just discovered, and Mr.  Hiller with a company of other men purchased a ship at Richmond, and loading it with such supplies as was thought would meet a ready sale there, went on their "winding way" around Cape Horn to California, where they arrived in the fall of 1849.  He spent some three years there, working in the mines some, and at anything that promised a remuneration.  Having become satisfied with his labor in that field, he returned to his family in McDonough, where he became the owner of quite a large farm, which he worked successfully until it was sold a few years since.  Mr. Hiller was a man very much respected by his townsmen, and had held several offices of trust in the town, having been Town Clerk two years, and School Clerk twenty-nine years, and was Railroad Commissioner at the time of his death.  He was one of our very best citizens, and an excellent example for the young men to follow, always attending strictly to his own business.  By his untiring attention to business he acquired a good property as the fruit of his patient toil.  He leaves a widow by his second marriage, and two daughters, one of whom, Mrs. C.B. Dunning, is now settled in Washington Territory.  By his sudden demise, not only his family but community have met with a great loss.  But let us bow in submission to the will of the Divine Father, who only chastens for our profit.    A.O.W.

Justus Blackman
Chenango Union, July 20, 1870
BLACKMAN:  Justus Blackman, one of the oldest inhabitants of the town of Pharsalia [Chenango Co., NY], died on the 14th of last June, aged 80 years.

He was born in Andover, Conn.  Fifty years ago he came to this County, and settled in the town of Plymouth; he lived there until twenty-nine years ago, when the "dread monster" entered his home circle, and took therefrom the joy and companion of his bosom.  He then went to Pennsylvania, where he remained seven years, and then came to Pharsalia, where he has lived from that time until his death, with his daughter, Mrs. Marsh. Eleven years ago last January his hip was fractured by a fall, and he was helpless from that time and for the past year was not dressed, nor able to leave his bed; yet he bore all his suffering and affliction without a murmur, with all that fortitude that characterizes the true Christian, and has now gone to his long home, to meet friends gone before and to reap that reward which awaits the finally faithful.

Death Notices
Freeman's Journal, Cooperstown, NY, September 22, 1854

Died on the 26th ult., at the residence of her son, B. Dimock, in Burlington [Otsego Co., NY], Mrs. Polly Sena, relict of Timothy Dimock, Sen., deceased, aged 78 years.

Chenango American, Greene, NY, July 21, 1870

In Bainbridge [Chenango Co., NY], on the 8th inst., Mr. Thomas L. Bingham, formerly of this town, aged 75 years.

In Bainbridge [Chenango Co., NY], on the 13th, inst., Mrs. Harriet Dimock, formerly of Guilford, aged 53 years.

In East Greene [Chenango Co., NY], on the 16th inst., Harriet D. [Davis], wife of O.D. Davis, aged 55 years.

In Preston [Chenango Co., NY], on the 19th inst., Mr. Rufus Campbell, of this town, aged 53 years.

In Norwich [Chenango Co., NY], suddenly, on the 18th inst., Mr. Owen Hickey, aged about 50 years.

In Oxford [Chenango Co., NY], on the 10th inst., Mary L. [Bartle], wife of Levi Bartle, aged 47 years.

In Oxford [Chenango Co., NY], on the 18th inst., Mrs. Lydia A. Mead, aged 68 years.

Wednesday, June 1, 2016

The Life of Mary Sprague of Smyrna, Chenango Co., NY Part 2

Some Interesting History Connected with
The Life and Death of Mary Maria Sprague
 
Continued from posting of May 31, 2016
 
The first year Will and Mary spent on the old Sprague farm with his father and with a spinster sister, Hannah, and a bachelor brother, John.  The next year his sister Cynthia and husband Isaac Collier changed places with them and they farmed it up by the bullhead pond where Mr. Rose now lives.  They were expecting to stay another year on the Collier place, since known as the Henry P. Northup farm, where they had picked hops for John and Henry Northup in the fall of eighty-one and where their first child, the son Frederick Burdette, had drawn his first breath on December seventh of that year, 1881.  But the Colliers sold their farm to Mrs. Northup and they had to hunt for a place of their own.  In their search they came very near buying the Bresee place which is now state land on the step of the hill west of where Harlie Stowell now lives.
 
Will, without looking in the filthy, muddy cellar, finally decided on the Benjamin Ferris farm of 93 acres and they moved to the nucleus of the present Sunny Vale Farm in the early spring of 1882, taking three-months-old Freddie along to the spot which during the last sixty-three years has meant home to him. They bought the place under date of March 31, 1882, for $2700, giving a mortgage for $2200, and started in farming on their own farm with scrub horses, scrub cattle, a walking plow and a peg-tooth harrow.  By strict economy and with the  help of inheritances, they paid for the farm and weathered the depression of 1893 when dressed pork was three cents a pound and they took less than forty-five cents a hundred for milk in June, 1896, from the Campbell cheese factory.  The first year they sold mild at one dollar, then in '83 and '84 made butter buying a box churn that is still in service, then returning to the factory where they stayed till it burnt Oct. 5, 1899.  After that milk went to McDermott's shipping station at Smyrna, often twice a day by wagon in changing with the neighbors.
 
The first or second summer in the new home Mary, in a horse-and-buggy accident in which her oldest sister, Emma, jumped to safety on a stone-heap with the baby boy, got bruised and knocked unconscious and received a nasty back injury which troubled her for the rest of her long life.  Ambitious Will, who had displaced bones in his neck at the age of sixteen in a backward fall of sixteen feet with Will Hyde unto solid rock, soon strained himself with a heavy, dull grain cradle and started in with the internal trouble that final took his life.
 
Sept. 3, 1885, a daughter, Bertha May, who married Harlie Lytle Stowell on April 4, 1909, and has a son and three granddaughters, came to grace the home on Smyrna Hill.
 
But Mary's days of fifty and sixty years ago were not all sunshine.  With spasms in her and sick spells in Will they were rather cloudy.  Sledding was hard, so hard in fact that Fred and Bertha had to take wrapping paper to school to use in place of the nice, white pads that some of the scholars used.
 
The 16th day of December, 1892, Will and Mary had tired of getting hay in the swampy lower meadow and bought on Eighteen acres on the hill for $250 of Ziba Tuttle.
 
June 12, 1895, a second son, Hermon Wallace, named after two cousins who died young, greeted the sunlight.  May endured the agony of having him in France in 1918, fighting the Germans in such danger of wounds, death or capture that, when he came back across the Atlantic in 1919, he was the only man left alive out of his squad of eight.
 
In 1902, May saw her son of twenty years stay out of school and engineer the building of a new cow barn when Will was not in shape to handle the job. The next year she saw the same son graduate from Smyrna high school in its second class.  In the fall of 1903, however, real trouble struck  her.  She was hitching up the pony horses and hauling wood when her husband was confined to the house by illness.  Finally he became so bad that she had to ask Fred to stay out of school, acquiring college entrance requirements, and take charge of the farm.
 
To be continued

Marriages (June 1)

Marriage Notices
Chenango Telegraph, October 18, 1865

COLE - CORNELL:  At the Union Hotel in Sherburne, Oct. 1, by Rev. E. Curtis, Robert E. Cole and Anna B. Cornell, both of Norwich [Chenango Co., NY]

VAN VRANDENBURG - GRIGGS:  At the residence of the bride's father in Nanticoke, Oct. 5 by Rev. Wm. Gates, C.A. Van Vradenburg, of the Broome Gazette, Whitney's Point [Broome Co., NY], and Fannie J. [Griggs], daughter of F.S. Griggs, of the former place.

TEFFT - MOSIER:  In Smyrna [Chenango Co., NY], Sept. 28, by Rev. W. Burnside, Nathan Tefft, of Smyrna [Chenango Co., NY], and Marinda B. Mosier, of Madison [Madison Co., NY].

BALLOU - LOOMIS:  By the same, Oct. 3, Isaac Ballou, of Smyrna [Chenango Co., NY] to Matilda Loomis of Lebanon [Chenango Co., NY]

SPERRY - HICKOX:  At Stokes' Hotel in Smyrna, Oct. 5, by the same, Nathan Sperry of Taylor, Cortland Co., and Mrs. Rhenama Hickox, of Cincinnatus [Cortland Co., NY].

BENNETT - HAYWARD:  At the bride's house, Oct. 5, by the same, Algeron E. Bennett and Sarah J. Hayward, both of Smyrna [Chenango Co., NY].

BENNETT - HICKS:  At the Methodist Parsonage in Guilford, Oct. 3, by Rev. W.G. Queal, Dubois Bennett and Olive P. Hicks, all of Guilford [Chenango Co., NY]

SAYLES - NICHOLSON:  In Oxford, Oct. 9, Madison Sayles, of Norwich [Chenango Co., NY] and Elcy C. Nicholson, of Preston [Chenango Co., NY]

HARRINGTON - PORTER:  In Oxford, Oct. 1, J.C. Ransom, Francis M. Harrington and Julia E. Porter, both of Greene [Chenango Co., NY].

TAFT - MALLORY:  In Smithville, Oct. 8, by the same, Seymour S. Taft, of Triangle [Broome Co., NY], and Lottie Mallory, of Smithville [Chenango Co., NY].

WHEELER - LAMPHERE:  In Unadilla, Sept. 17, by Rev. S. Smith, John G. Wheeler and Sarah M. Lamphere, both of Oxford [Chenango Co., NY].

WILSEY - WILSEY:  In Afton, Sept. 1, by Edgar Garret, Esq. Watson L. Wilsey, of Bainbridge [Chenango Co., NY], and Mary E Wilsey, of Cooperstown [Otsego Co., NY].

Obituaries (June 1)

Thomas K. Macksey
Utica Saturday Globe, January 1914
 
 
Thomas K. Macksey
1848 - 1914

Norwich [Chenango Co., NY]:  The funeral of Thomas K. Macksey, long an esteemed resident of this place who was well known as the proprietor of the Commercial Hotel, was held Friday, January 16, at St. Paul's Church.  Rev. Father Edward R. Prendergast celebrated the requiem high mass.  Mr. Macksey's death, which occurred Tuesday, January 13, at Binghamton [Broome Co., NY], where he had been for several months for treatment, was immediately caused by an attack of cerebro apoplexy which came on Sunday morning.  Mr. Macksey had been in poor health ever since he received an injury to his head while engaged in making repairs on his hotel building about six years ago.  Mr. Macksey was born in Cork, Ireland, June 24, 1848, and was the son of Thomas and Mary Whalen Macksey.  He came to this country with his parents in 1860, and all of his life had been spent in this locality.  When a young man, he came to Norwich and entered the employ of the late David Maydole, in whose service he remained for several years.  In 1890 he purchased the property owned by the late Nelson H. Button, located on North Broad street and on this site he built the Commercial Hotel, where he conducted his business until 1908, when he retired because of failing health.  Mr. Macksey was united in marriage to Miss Mary Skahan, of Syracuse, in September, 1877.  She died 13 months later.  By this marriage he is survived by one daughter, Miss Mae J. Macksey, of Saranac Lake, N.Y.  In December, 1880, he was united in marriage to Miss Catherine Conway, of Norwich, who survives him together with a second daughter, Miss Susie A. Macksey.  Mr. Macksey is also survived by two brothers, John and Patrick and two sisters, Mrs. Howard O'Connor and Mrs. Michael W. Farley, of Sherburne.

James Nelson Dimock
Chenango Union, July 24, 1867
Shot by the Indians, June 27th, 1867, about forty miles beyond Julesburg, Colorado, Mr. James Nelson Dimock, of Bainbridge, Chenango Co., N.Y., aged 31 years.  The deceased was a son of Brown Dimock formerly of Burlington, Otsego Co., but at present residing in Bainbridge, Chenango Co.  He was a young man of quiet, modest and unassuming manners, but resolute and energetic in business.  He had been for some years upon our extreme western frontier, traveling among and trading with the Indians.  On several occasion he had been with our Government agents, assisting them to conduct their trains which conveyed the goods that they were to deliver to various tribes of Indians.  During last winter he paid a short visit to his parents and friends in the east, but hurried back to the west again, in the latter part of March, on account of the sickness of his uncle, with whom he was now engage din the trading business.  At the time of his death he was with this uncle (Mr. Nelson Dimock formerly of Burlington, N.Y.) conducting a train conveying merchandise from Julesburg to Denver, Colorado.  When about forty miles beyond Julesburg, it being near night, he took one man with him and rode ahead of the train, to look for a camping ground for the night. After proceeding about one mile from the train, they found themselves completely surrounded by Indians, and their retreat cut off.   They turned and endeavored to fight their way back to their friends.  Immediately the alarm was given through the train, and others started to their rescue.  When they came in sight, these two men were engaged in a desperate hand-to-hand fight with the Indians; but before they could render any assistance, young Dimock fell pierced through the body by an arrow, with another thrust deep into his side.  He lived about one hour after his friends reached him.  His first words were, "They have caught me now, uncle; but I have always been so lucky that I had become careless."  Besides a father and mother, now bereaved of their last child, he leaves a loving wife to mourn his loss.

Ursula Vaughn Dimock
Chenango Union, December 25, 1879
Entered into the rest of Paradise, Thursday evening, December 18th 1879, at Bainbridge, N.Y. [Chenango Co.], Mrs. Ursula Vaughn, wife of Mr. Brown Dimock, in the 72d year of her age.  The deceased was a native of Pawtucket, R.I., but at an early age her parents moved to Richfield, now the famous "Richfield Springs," in this State, and there were spent the happy days of her childhood.  When verging upon womanhood she united her fortunes in life to those of Mr. Brown Dimock, then of Burlington, N.Y., but now of Bainbridge and for forty-five years was a most faithful and devoted wife.  Like many other lives in this world, hers was one in which were mingled the bitter and the sweet.  As she rejoiced in the companionship of a kind and loving husband, so, to, was she called upon to mourn and weep over the loss of her children, whom she nourished and cherished with the most intense devotion.  Of the five children she brought to her husband, not even of them was left to solace her in her old age, three of them dying in infancy and the other two, after arriving at an age when they could be of great comfort and support to her in her declining years, were rudely snatched from her fond embrace by the relentless hand of death.  Yet, not withstanding that her cup of bitterness was often full and overflowing, her life was beautiful and touching to all around her, and never did her heart, which knew its own bitterness so well, seek to embitter the life of another by an unkind word, look or action; but on the contrary, she was ever kind and gentle to all with whom she came in contact, and consequently she lived beloved and died lamented by all who knew her.  Her Christian life was as pure and devoted as her domestic, for no one ever felt more deeply, and received more humbly and gratefully the inestimable benefits derived from the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, and a regular attendance upon the services of His sanctuary, than she did.  When  health and strength would permit, (for the past twenty years of her life she was very weak and delicate) she was always found in her pew on the Lord's Day, and as often through the week as there were services.  In all this she was an example worthy to be followed by those who wish to receive profit from the great privileges which the church alone can give.  As she lived, so she died, in perfect faith and trust in her blessed Savior's power and willingness to guide her through the dark valley and the shadow of death, into the bright and beautiful land of everlasting life. She leaves behind her, to mourn over her departure from them, an affectionate husband, two loving sisters, and hosts of warm and devoted friends.  Surely we can say of her:  "Blessed are the dead who died in the lord," for she has ere this entered into that blissful "rest which remaineth to the people of God."

Brown Dimock
Chenango Union, September 4, 1884
DIMOCK:  In Bainbridge August 22d, Mr. Brown Dimock, aged 82 years.

Bainbridge [Chenango Co., NY]:  Brown Dimock died last Friday at his home in this village, and was buried in the Episcopal cemetery, on Sunday afternoon.  Mr. Dimock was 82 years of age, and had, for many years, been a respected and influential citizen. The board of education, of which he was the first president, attended the funeral in a body.  For three years he was president [i.e. mayor] of the corporation of Bainbridge, and occupied many positions of trust, filling them with honor.  He was the oldest member of the Masonic fraternity in this section --Republican

Death Notices
Chenango Telegraph, October 18, 1865

DIMOCK:  In Bainbridge [Chenango Co., NY], Oct. 5 Frances [Dimock], only daughter of Brown and Ursula Dimock, aged 20 years.

CARTER:  In Greene [Chenango Co., NY], Sept. 9, Edmund L. [Carter], son of Jeremiah Carter, aged 22 years, 6 months.

WHEELER:  In Ripon, Wis., Sept. 5, Betsey Wheeler, formerly of Greene [Chenango Co., NY], aged 80 years.

SANNICKS:  In Louisiana, Sept. 1, Nicholas Sannicks of Co. D 20th Reg. U.S. Colored Troops, aged about 44 years, from Norwich [Chenango Co., NY]

BEARDSLEE:  In Coventry [Chenango Co., NY], Sept. 1, Ira S. Beardslee, aged 77 years, 3 months.

PENDLETON:  In Norwich [Chenango Co., NY] Sept. 21, John P. Pendleton, aged 38 years.

BREED:  In this town, Oct. 16, of Typhoid fever, Emma [Breed], daughter of Abel Breed, of Guilford [Chenango Co., NY], aged 17 years.

 

Tuesday, May 31, 2016

The Life of Mary Sprague of Smyrna, Chenango Co., NY Part 1

Some Interesting History Connected with
The Life and Death of Mary Maria Sprague
 
July 28, 1861, the fifth and last child was born at Edmeston, to William Lawton Elsworth and her who before her marriage to William on Sept. 5, 1849, had been Lucina Miranda Dye.  The child was named by her aunt Lucinda and called Mary Maria.  Before Mary was old enough to know her father well, he, to save being drafted with no remuneration, volunteered in the Union army and drew his incentive bounty money of $300 or $500.  Hard-headed Lucina, getting word of a farm for sale in Smyrna, took that money and bought the fifty-acre farm now known as the Harvey place for about $30 an acre and moved there while William was still with the soldiers.  In 1865 she was tying  hops in her little yard across the road from the Bartlett schoolhouse, having Mary with her while the four older children were in school.  She looked up and saw William walking over the Cleveland hill from the war.  In a hustle she grabbed Mary by the hand and snatched her over the stone wall, yelling the news to a girl who was just going into the schoolhouse. The girl gave the news at the doorway and the other four Elsworths piled out without asking permission.  All hurried down to the house to meet the returning veteran and three-year-old Mary always remembered her father's picking her up and carrying her into the house.
 
Mary was a lively youngster, climbing trees, skipping the rope or picking wild strawberries to trade with an old, first settler neighbor for maple sugar while developing in herself the family passion for  hard work. She was young when her brother and a cousin were getting out ties for building the Auburn branch railroad, when the first trains ran through Smyrna and the home guard trained on Gardner's flat between the railroad and the dugway, when she saw boats plying on the Chenango canal and when her father had to pay toll on the road when taking butter by horses and wagon from Smyrna Hill to Norwich.  She was young when she picked ideas from her ingenious father and learned to spin and knit and weave.  She went to bed by the light of a tallow candle, a thing which was used even after she had children.  She wove cloth after marriage and rag carpets in the nineties and made soft soap in those later days.
 
When she was sixteen she worked for Mrs. Morley, a pioneer woman of seventy, and she was wont to tell how two other pioneer women visited Mrs. Morley and the three old ladies sat and talked about early days when the neighbors gathered to skid logs for clearing the land and the Morley's could look across the valley at eventide and see lights glowing where the Bartletts and Boyntons were carving homesteads out of the wilderness. Another favorite topic was how the Morley's got an aged man to come and shave shingles to reroof the barn.
 
As a girl Mary went away hop-picking, took in a sociable on Faulkner hill, now Lynn Campbell's back lot, where Leonard Enos had been born in 1845, and joined loads of young people on spelling down parties between the Jones and Bartlett districts.
 
But Mary grew up and became an attractive young lady, so attractive in fact that a certain young native of Smyrna, William Peter Sprague who lived from July 15, 1858 to Feb. 17, 1929, got his eyes so filled that he begged off from his engagement to Gertie Messenger to bestow his attentions upon Mary.  On Feb. --, 1880 came their wedding in the home where she had been prepared a Baptist by a fond mother and father, who was so pious that he had been dubbed by Gib Wedge as "The preacher."
 
To be continued
 

From the Follett Family Scrapbook, original source and date unknown.

Obituaries (May 31)

Naomi Thompson
Utica Saturday Globe, February 1914

 
Naomi Thompson
1900 - 1914

Norwich [Chenango Co., NY]:  At the home of her mother on State street Saturday, Death added "finis" to the life story of Naomi Thompson, a little colored girl, whose name and experience have gone broadcast throughout the State in the distribution of a booklet entitled The True Story of Naomi.  About three years ago Naomi's father, a respected young colored resident, died form quick consumption after a brief illness at his home, during which his wife and children were constantly with him.  About a year ago, while attending school, Naomi had enlarged glands in her neck, which the doctor diagnosed as tuberculosis.  After a time these symptoms passed away, but last fall she became ill and two or three physicians who studied her case declared that she had general tuberculosis.  Since that time she had scarcely left her bed and had been an almost constant sufferer.  During the recent tuberculosis hospital campaign The True Story of Naomi was printed and circulated generally through the county.  A copy fell into the hands of the State Charities Aid Association and permission was sought to use the story in other parts of the State. The request was granted and so as "Naomi" the little girl became widely known.  She was the daughter of Charles S. and Sarah Thompson and was born in Lisle, N.Y. [Broome Co.], July 9, 1900.  Her funeral was held form A.M.E. Zion Church Monday afternoon, Rev. J.H. Ellison officiating. She is survived by her mother and a little sister.
 
Walter R. McGarity
1889 - 1941
Norwich [Chenango Co., NY]:  Funeral services for Walter R.  McGarity, 51, who died suddenly Thursday at his residence here after a brief illness, will be held Monday morning at 9 o'clock at his home and at 9:30 in St. Paul's Church with a high mass of requiem. Burial will be in the family plot to St. Paul's Cemetery.  Although not in the best of health for the last year, his illness was of short duration and not considered serious.  Coming to this city as a young man, Mr. McGarity was first employed by the late George W. Nagel, confectionery store operator.  Mr. McGarity came to this city from South New Berlin [Chenango Co., NY], where he was born Aug. 5, 1889.  He soon became associated with the Norwich Knitting Company, where he had been employed for the past 31 years, for several years as shipping foreman.  On Aug. 7, 1916, he was united in marriage with Miss Margaret Mee at St. Paul's Chruch here.  For 24 years he was a member of the Holy Name Society of St. Paul's and the local Council of the Knights of Columbus, serving two years as grand knight.  Mr. McGarity was also a member of the League of the Sacred Heart of St. Paul's Church, servicing that group as president for several years. Besides his wife, deceased is survived by one son, Frederick W. McGarity; one brother, Robert McGarity of this city; two sisters, Mrs. Vernice Welch of Binghamton and Mrs. William Thompson of Snyder.  Several nephews and four nieces also survive.
 
Charles F. Skinner
1870 - 1947
Charles F. Skinner, 9 Gold [Norwich, Chenango Co., NY], retired employee of the New York Ontario and Western Railway, died at 8 o'clock Saturday morning in Chenango Memorial Hospital after a critical illness of three weeks.  Born in this city May 2, 1870, his entire life was passed in Norwich.  The son of Isaac W. and Frances (Parcelle) Skinner, he was a descendant of Joseph Skinner, one of the first settlers here who came from Hebron, Conn., in 1790, and settled on the Norwich east river road.  Mr. Skinner entered the service of the O. and W. Railway 54 years ago after an outstanding record of efficiency and loyalty, retired as a conductor in 1942.  He started railroading when the link and pin coupling was in use.  When the air-brake system came into use he served as an instructor for several years in its use.  He was a member of the Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen for many years and for a long period was master of its Chenango lodge.  Mr Skinner was a charter member of the Alert Hose company and affiliated with that organization for a long period.  He was active as a member of the Norwich City Club.  An interesting conversationalist, his warm personality readily attracted friends.  He had a sympathetic understanding for the viewpoint of the other man and his friendship leaves many close associates who learn with sincere sorrow of his passing.  A good neighbor, his first interests were in his home, but he always had time to aid a friend.  He was united in marriage February 14, 1899 with Mary Harvey.  Her death occurred December 22, 1927.  Surviving are three sons, Charles H., Donald E., and Edward l. Skinner of Norwich; one sister, Mrs. Frances S. Smith of Norwich; two grandchildren, Mary Frances Skinner and Lawrence Donald Skinner, of this city.  Also surviving are two nieces and one nephew.  They are:  Mrs. Samuel Gloss of Norwalk, Conn.; Mrs. Glenn E. Lee of Wellsville and Lawrence S. Lee of Canton, Ohio.  The body of Mr. Skinner rests at his late home, 9 Gold, where services will be held Monday.  Rev. Lloyd S. Charters of Emmanuel Episcopal church will officiate.  Committal will take place at the Mt. Hope chapel vault with burial to be made in the spring in the family plot in St. Paul's cemetery.  Friends are invited to call at the family residence.
 
Death Notices
Chenango Union, March 25, 1875
 
LEACH:  At Rockwell Mills (Guilford) [Chenango Co., NY], March 19, Mrs. Mahala U. Leach, widow of the late Willard Leach, aged 56.
 
BURLISON:  In Guilford [Chenango Co., NY], March 16, Mr. Frederick L. Burlison, eldest son of Hiram Burlison, aged 24 years, 6 months.
 
POWELL:  In Plymouth [Chenango Co., NY], March 22, Florence [Powell], daughter of Wallace D. Powell, aged 4 years, 8 months.
 
NEWMAN:  In N.Y. City, March 15, Mrs. Phebe Newman, aged 74, mother of Mrs. Daniel Noyes of Norwich.  Burial in Norwich [Chenango Co., NY].
 
BASSETT:  In New Berlin Centre [Chenango Co., NY], March 2, Mrs. Julia Bassett, widow of the late Christopher Bassett, aged 86 years, 1 month, 9 days.
 
HOTCHKISS:  In Greene [Chenango Co., NY], March 9, Emma E. [Hotchkiss] daughter of Oliver and Sarah Hotchkiss, aged 8 years, 8 months, 8 days.
 
 

Sunday, May 29, 2016

Blog Post Listing, May 23-29, 2016

Listing of blog postings for the week of May 23-29, 2016

Marriages
Posted May 25, 2016
Earl T. McMullen - Edna May Van Buren (1913)
Roswell Curtiss Chapman - Fannie Reed (1897)
Joel J. Bixby - Lillian Dewey Gosso (1917)
Bernice Marie Spohn - Rexford A. Thornton (1917)
Marriage Notices
     Rev. Justus Doolittle - Lucy E. Mills (1859)
     Frank A. Salisbury - Fidelia M. Scott (1859)
     Isaac Thompson - Ellen T. Gilbert (1859)
     James R. White - Martha K. Bennett (1917)

Posted May 26, 2016
Marriage Notices - 1877
     William Frederick Hopkins - Isabel Hattie Gregory
     Wellington W. Monroe - Teale P. Warner
     Olin T. Angell - Abbie J. Sage
     Theodore C. Hutchinson - Nettie L. Ives
     George T. Hovey - Eva S. Barber
     Melville Stratton - Hattie McFarland
     Albert Newell - Mary Ida Church
 
Obituaries
Posted May 23, 2016
Joanna K. (Fisher) Banton (Norwich, 1913)
Hendrick C. Bosworth (Norwich, 1897)
Eugene Jones (Masonville, 1897)
Joseph S. Lunn (Oneonta, 1917)
Death Notices - 1875
     John Youngs (Greene)
     Mary Page (Page Brook)
     James Wall (Greene)
     Agnes A. Yale (Afton)
     Luther C. Loomis (Sherburne)
     Sally Davis (New Berlin Centre)

Posted May 24, 2016
James L. Wightman (Norwich, 1913) accidental shooting
Martha Ellen Gage Burr (Pomona, CA, South New Berlin, 1927)
Henry W. Burwell (King Settlement)
Lewis H. Burnside (South New Berlin, 1936)

Posted May 25, 2016
Grace (Donnell) Bacon (Norwich, 1913)
Emma Elizabeth (Oatley) Atherton (New Berlin, 1937)
Mildred Blackman Austin (Hamilton, Earlville, 1940)
Abbie Sage Angell (New Berlin, Guilford, Sidney, 1940)
Death Notices - 1859
     Sarah A. Boull (Oxford)
     George W. Vincent (Westfield, PA, Preston)
     Azor Burlison (Guilford)
     Walt Rogers Worden (Swan Rock, IL)
     Hezekiah Read (Pharsalia)
     Thomas Boyce (New Berlin)
     Dr. Russell Morley (McDonough)

Posted May 26, 2016
William H. Schrock (Norwich, Utica, 1913)
Robert H. Dixson (South New Berlin, 1929)
Clella E. Rolf (Guilford, 1929)
Ellis Laver Bradley (Guilford, 1929)
Lester Amos Hutchinson (Guilford, 1929)

Posted May 27, 2016
William V. Lyon (Norwich 1914)
Charles H. Manwaring (Guilford, 1929)
Emmett l. Hutchinson (Guilford, 1921)
Death Notices (1888)
     Hosea W. Avery (Norwich)
     Jessie B. Gates (Norwich)
     Alta Cogshall (Norwich)
     Michael Scannell (Norwich)
     Charles S. Brookins (North Norwich)
     Cyrus J. Brown (North Norwich)

Posted May 28, 2016
Silah A. (Bryan) Gager (Sherburne, 1914)
Ralph Follett (Palisade, NB, 1930)
Berger Anderson (South New Berlin, 1943)
Lois Abraham (Norwich, 1942)
Death Notices - 1875
     Murton M. Brown (Preston)
     Mary L. Potter (South New Berlin)
     Jethro Hatch (Aurora, IL, Pitcher)
     Anna Rowena Louise Fisher (Brooklyn)

Posted May 29, 2016
Sarah Ann Fielding (Norwich, 1914)
George H. Brown (Pharsalia, 1934)
Walter Edward Burdick (Norwich, 1917)
Death Notices - 1875
     Willie B. Purdy (Oneida)
     Clarissa Thompson (Stockbridge)
     Gilbert Frink (Cedar Lake, IA, Pharsalia)
     Mary Jewell Parry (Utica, Smyrna)

 
Miscellaneous
Posted May 24, 2016
Chenango Co. Veterans who Experienced Andersonville Prison

Posted May 28, 2016
Memorial Day, Bainbridge, Chenango Co., NY, 1876

Obituaries (May 29)

Sarah Ann Fielding
Utica Saturday Globe, January 1914
 
 
Sarah Ann Fielding
1842 - 1914

Norwich [Chenango Co., NY]:  After an illness of only a few hours at her home on Adelaide street last week, occurred the death of Sarah Ann Fielding, widow of James Fielding, aged 72. The deceased was born at Hull, Yorkshire, Eng., September 23, 1842, coming to America more than 50 years ago.  She was married at Paterson, N.J., to James Fielding.  After residing in Elmira, Blossburg, Corning and Rochester, N.Y., and Stuart, Iowa, the family came to Norwich over 30 years ago.  Mr. Fielding was employed as a machinist in the N.Y., O.&W. Railway shops until his sudden death, March 6, 1896.  Surviving are two daughters, Mrs. Peter Welch, of Norwich; Mrs. Joseph Greenall, of Paterson, N.J.; three sons, James K. Fielding, of Norwich; Charles Fielding, of College Point, N.Y.; and Arthur F. Fielding, of Norwich; also one brother, Thomas Knight, of Hull, Yorkshire, Eng.  Funeral services were held from the residence Saturday afternoon Rev. H. W. Foreman, rector of Emmanuel Church, officiating.
 
George R. Brown
1856 - 1934
George R. Brown, scion of one of the oldest families in Chenango county, died at the Brown farm home on the East River Road early Tuesday morning.  For more than 150 years the farm has been in the Brown family, and it is peculiarly fitting that the last surviving member of his generation should pass peacefully away amid the surroundings of his entire lifetime.  Mr. Brown was born in Pharsalia [Chenango Co., NY], March 2, 1856, the son of Henry  M . and Emily Wheeler Brown.  With his parents, he made his home with his maternal grandparents until he was seven years of age.  Benson Wheeler, his maternal grandfather, eventually went to the state assembly as representative of this district.  Later the Brown family moved back to the east river farm which had already been in the family for three generations and where the deceased was destined to spend 71 years of a useful and happy life.  Mr. brown's marriage to Miss Mary Coleson was a particularly happy union.  They continued their residence at the homestead, where Mrs. Brown died very suddenly in the summer of 1929.  The century-old farmhouse, which had been built in 1808 and which was believed to have been the oldest frame building standing in Chenango county, was destroyed by fire in February 1926.  Greatly as he grieved over the loss of the beautiful old home, Mr. Brown lost no time in erecting a beautiful and spacious home on the same site, which incorporated all of the best features of the old home with the conveniences of a city dwelling.  In all of its years of cultivation the fertile lands of the Brown farm knew no more skillful and efficient hand than that of George Brown, its last owner.  He was an apt farmer, advanced in his methods and alert in his crop treatments.  His neighbors knew him as a particularly good-hearted friend, willing to assist in actual labor or with his expert and experienced advice.  Surviving Mr. Brown are his foster-child, Mrs. Clarence Stillwell, who has always made her home with him.  Mrs. Stillwell's two children, Charles and Jean, and the following nephews and nieces; Will R. Brown of Chicago, Ray N. Brown of New York, Reed C. Brown of Jamaica, Emily and George Brown of Montana, and Mrs. Harry Skidmore of Norwich.  Funeral services will be held from the late home at 2 o'clock Thursday afternoon., the Rev. N.S. Boardman of Oxford officiating.  Interment will be made in Mt. Hope cemetery [Norwich, NY]
 
Walter Edward Burdick
1887 - 1917
After an illness of three weeks' duration, Walter Edward Burdick passed peacefully away at his home at East Norwich [Chenango Co., NY] shortly after 9 o'clock Thursday evening, September 27, aged 30 years.  Funeral services will be held form his late home at 2:30 o'clock Sunday afternoon Rev. R.L. Clark officiating and interment will be made at Mt. Hope cemetery.  Walter Edward Burdick was born in the town of Norwich May 19, 1887 the son of George H. and Clara M. Snow Burdick.  He had resided in the town and city of Norwich all his life, attending the local schools and making many friends.  For several years past he has conducted a grocery at East Norwich, May 30, 1917 he was united in marriage to Miss Mary Irving of this city who with his father, his brothers, Calvin G., Herbert J., and Paul A., and his sister Mrs. Rufus Wells survive him.  Mr. Burdick was a likeable young man, quiet in manner loyal to his friends and family. The sincere sympathy of the community is extended to the bereaved family.
 
Death Notices
Chenango Union, March 18, 1875
 
PURDY:  In Oneida, March 5, Willie B. [Purdy], son of Edward H. & Carrie E. Purdy, aged 8 years 6 months.
 
THOMPSON:  In Stockbridge, Madison Co., Feb. 9, Mrs. Clarissa Thompson, widow of the late Capt. James Thompson of this town [Norwich, Chenango Co., NY], aged 83 years.
 
FRINK:  At the home of his son E.G. Frink at Cedar Lake, Iowa, March 2, 1875, Mr. Gilbert Frink, aged 68 years.  Formerly of Pharsalia [Chenango Co., NY].
 
PARRY:  In Utica [Oneida Co., NY], March 4, Mrs. Mary Jewell Parry, widow of the late Robert Drummond and wife of the Rev. Wm. Parry of New York City, aged 44 years 1 month 8 days, formerly of Smyrna [Chenango Co., NY].