Virgil C. McLagan
Utica Saturday Globe, October 1919
Virgil C. McLagan
1884 - 1919
Norwich [Chenango Co., NY]: Virgil C. McLagan, the Ontario & Western trainman, who was killed in the Edmeston yard [Otsego Co., NY] on Friday last was for 14 years a rural mail carrier, running out of Norwich. He was one of the first rural carriers to be appointed in this county. His route, No. 1, took him daily past the old McLagan homestead on the North Guilford road, where he was born July 23, 1884. He was the first of a family of 10 children to be taken away. As soon as he heard of his son's death, the father, George McLagan, secured the services of Undertaker Harry Smith and started by automobile for Edmeston. Upon his arrival there late Friday afternoon he found the remains in charge of Coroner W.E. Lough, who had ordered the body to the rooms of Undertaker Frank Gates, in Edmeston, awaiting an inquest. Mr. Gates was in New York city and in his absence Undertaker Claude Dakin, of New Berlin, embalmed the body, under telephone instructions from Mrs. McLagan, who was living apart from her husband. Mrs. McLagan arrived in Edmeston on Saturday and after the inquest the body was given into her care. She arranged with undertaker Smith to bring the body to Norwich, and it was placed in the William Breen Company morgue. Later at the request of Mrs. McLagan it was removed to the undertaking parlors of Lawrence & Devine. These facts are simply stated here in justice to all the relatives as the legal custody of the body was called into question, the case widely discussed and some sensational stories started.
Only a few minutes before his death on Friday, Trainman McLagan tossed an apple to another member of the train crew and was eating one himself as he swung by one arm from an empty freight car that was being placed on a siding to be loaded with potatoes. He was happy in the thought that this was to be his last run on the road; that within a few days he would leave for the south in the company of his father, who would seek a summer clime in hope of relief from asthma. Swinging jauntily from the car, McLagan did not notice his approach to the cattle loading pen with its fence running up the incline close to the truck, leaving only the narrowest clearance. It is said he hardly escaped a similar fate two weeks ago. While he had been on the railroad for two years he had been on the Edmeston run less than a month and was not fully familiar with yard conditions. There were no eye witnesses of the fatality. That he struck the cattle yard fence there is no question, as a fragment of his sweater was found clinging to the boards. He was thrown from the car, falling across the rail, his head to the inside. while two wheels crossed is chest just missing the heart, crushing out his life. Death must have been instantaneous.
Deceased is survived by his wife, Agnes McLagan; a son, Stanley, of this city; by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. George McLagan of North Guilford; and nine brothers and sisters, James McLagan, of Utica; Mrs. Jesse Moses, of Eaton; Mrs. Lydia MacIntyre, of Oneonta; Mrs. Marian Bankbart, of Guilford; Mrs. Addie Blood and Percy, Kasson, Ernestine and Helen McLagan, of Norwich. Funeral services were held from the undertaking parlors on Tuesday afternoon, with interment in St. Paul's Cemetery. The bearers were Murray Sabine, Dr. Windheim, Clarence King, Kirk Moses, Hayden Williams and Albert Jones. There was a profusion of flowers including many elaborate set pieces.
Norwich Sun, October 17, 1919
Virgil C. McLagan of Norwich, O.& W. trainman, was instantly killed about 12:40 Friday afternoon, while switching cars in the railroad's yards at Edmeston. It is reported that Mr. McLagan fell between two freight cars. McLagan was knocked under the train while hanging too far out on one of the cars. One wheel passed over his body crushing him instantly. Dr. Lough of Edmeston was called but Mr. McLagan breathed his last before the arrival of the physician. Mr. McLagan was about 35 years of age and had been an employee of the railroad for less than two years. He was one of the original rural free delivery carriers at the Norwich post office and held that position for about 12 years prior to accepting one with the railroad. he is survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. George McLagan, who live in the town of Guilford, and one son, Stanley, aged about 11 years, also several brothers and sisters. An inquest will be held at Edmeston at 2 o'clock tomorrow afternoon after which it is expected the body will be brought to Norwich for burial.
Norwich Sun, October 18, 1919
Details of the fatality at the yards of the O.&W. railroad at Edmeston Friday afternoon, when Virgil C. McLagan, a trainman, lost his life by falling between two switching freight cars, are still meager. There were no eye witnesses of the accident and it is not known whether Mr. McLagan slipped from one of the cars, or was knocked under the train by a cattle fence which approaches near the track on which the cars were being switched. It was learned Saturday that Mr. McLagan was making his last run on the O.&W. when the fatality occurred. It is also stated that he nearly met the same fate two weeks ago in the same railroad yards at Edmeston, and only last week was relating his narrow escape to relatives in this city, where he was very well known. An inquest was ordered held at Edmeston Saturday afternoon after which it is expected the body will be brought to this city for burial. Relatives of the deceased went to the scene of the accident today. Mr McLagan was a member of the Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen and was held in high esteem by his associates on the road. besides his wife, Agnes McLagan, and son Stanley, and parents, Mr. and Mrs. George H. McLagan of North Guilford, he is survived by the following brothers and sisters, James of Utica, Mrs. Moses of Eaton, Mrs. Lydia McIntyre of Oneonta, Mrs. Marion Bankhart of Guilford, Percy, Kasson, Ernestine, and Helen and Mrs. Addie Blood, all of Norwich. The sad accident is keenly regretted by residents of this city who were acquainted with the deceased and much sympathy is extended to the bereaved survivors.
Norwich Sun, November 17, 1919
Virgil C. McLagan, a man whose death occurred just a month ago at Edmeston, N.Y. October 17, 1919 was the son of Mr. and Mrs. George H. McLagan. He was born at the McLagan homestead at North Guilford [Chenango Co., NY], July 23, 1884. For fourteen years he was a rural mail carrier, on route no. 1, the first route mapped out from Norwich. After his service as mail carrier he solicited for different banks in a great many cities in New York state, also in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Delaware, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee, Indiana, Mississippi, Maryland, Michigan, Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia, and Florida and for the last two years he had been employed as trainman on the Ontario and Western railroad on which he met his death. Oct. 26, 1906, he was united in marriage to Agnes Brosmer of Norwich. He became a member of St. Paul's church before their marriage. To them one son was born, Stanley, who is eleven years old. For the last two years they have lived apart and had agreement of separation papers for about one year. A divorce was pending. He had given up his church, and had he lived until Nov. 10, 1919, would have had his divorce in the state of Pennsylvania. But as it was, the wife was given the right of the body and funeral services were held at the undertaking parlors of Lawrence and Devine, Tuesday, October 21, at 2 o'clock. Interment was made in St. Paul's cemetery.
"I cannot say, and will not say
That he is dead--he is just away"
With a cheery smile, and a wave of the hand,
He has wandered into an unknown land,
And left us dreaming how very fair
It needs must be, since he lingers there.
And you--O you, who the wildest yearn
For the old-time step and the glad return--
Think of him faring on, as dear
in the love of There as the love of Here;
Mild and gentle as he was brave,
When the sweetest love of his life he gave
To simple things, Where the violets grew
Blue as the eyes they were likened to.
The touch of his hands have strayed
As reverently as his lips have prayed;
When the little brown thrush that harshly chirped
Was dear to him as the mocking bird;
And he pitied as much as a man in pain
A writhing honey-bee wet with rain.
Think of him still as the same I say;
He is not dead--he is just away!"
Mrs. George H. McLagan
Julia (Beach) Clark
Norwich Sun, November 17, 1919
Mrs. Julia Clark passed away in Beaver Meadow [Chenango Co., NY] Saturday, Nov. 8. She had been in ill health the past four years. The funeral was held at her home Tuesday, burial in Cole Hill cemetery. Born in Sullivan county, N.Y., daughter of Gabriel Beach and his wife, Julia Steele, she was a descendant of John Steele and other founders of Hartford, Conn. In 1862 she was married to Charles Leonard Clark of Delaware county, N.Y., a volunteer in the Civil war. She leaves two daughters, Leonora B. Clark, Mrs. Charles Knibbs, of Hawthorne, N.J., and one son, Stephen Monroe, of East Orange, N.J., seven grandchildren and four great grandchildren, also two brothers, Orrin Beach and Frank Beach of Livingston Manor.
Death Notices
The Guilford Mail, December 2, 1891
Mrs. Sarah Ingersoll, wife of the late Laman Ingersoll, died on Sept. 4th [1891]. She was born in Oxford in Sept. 1803 and when a small child was brought to this town and has always lived here. When she came to this place [Guilford, Chenango Co., NY] there was only one house and she can be called the oldest resident. [Note: Sarah Sherwood Ingersoll, buried in Sunset Hill Cemetery, Guilford, NY]
Died in Sidney, on the 4 inst., Hiram G. Zieman. Interment in the Guilford Cemetery. [Note: infant son of Mr. & Mrs. Ernest Zieman, Buried in Sunset Hill Cemetery].
Twas one bright October morning,
The flowers still in their bloom,
The Sun, the Valley was warming,
Then we layed our darling Baby, in his tomb.
