Obituaries (February 4)

Coman Stanley Abel

Utica Saturday Globe, December 1918

 

Coman Stanley Abel

A fatal accident in which Coman Stanley Abel lost his life occurred at the Cook's crossing of Four Corners, Tuesday shortly before noon.  Mr. Abel, aged 20 years, with his mother, Mrs. Cora Abel, was employed and lived at the home of Dean Howard at Sherburne Four Corners [Chenango Co., NY].  Tuesday forenoon the young man started for the Howard wood lot to draw out timber.  He was driving two horses, one horse hitched to the buggy and the second horse was loosely attached at the side of the other.  As he neared the railroad crossing a barn and a high bank is supposed to have prevented him from seeing the fast approaching train as he drove upon the track and was hit squarely by Engine 814 of the fast Richfield Springs milk train.  The young man's skull was crushed, both horses were killed and the buggy demolished.  The train was stopped and the body of Mr. Abel was picked up by the train crew and a quick run made by the train to this city [Norwich, Chenango Co., NY], where the body was viewed by Coroner E.W. Wilcox, and life being extinct he ordered it removed to the undertaking rooms of Lawrence & Devine.  As far as known the only one who saw the accident is the engineer of the train. His story of the accident will probably be told at an inquest to be held later by the coroner. The unfortunate man had always lived in the vicinity of Sherburne Four Corners and was highly esteemed by all who knew him.  Besides his mother he leaves two brothers, Burdette Abel, of Smyrna, and Sherwin Abel, of Pratts.  The funeral was held at the M.E. Church at North Norwich Thursday afternoon, Rev. Frank W. Young of this city officiating.  Burial was made in North Norwich Cemetery. 

 

Norwich Sun, December 10, 1918

Coman Stanley Abel lost his life at cook's crossing of the Lackawanna tracks near Sherburne Four Corners, shortly before noon Tuesday.  His lifeless body was picked up by members of the train crew and the train immediately proceeded at full speed to this city [Norwich, NY].  Coroner Wilcox was called and was at the Lackawanna station when Conductor O'Neil and the trainmen carried the young man's body into the baggage room.  Life was extinct and the coroner ordered the body removed to the morgue at Lawrence & Devine's funeral home, awaiting identification.  There were no papers on the young man's body whereby identity could be established and the authorities were acquainted with his name and relatives by a member of The Sun Telegraph staff. 

 

Mr. Abel, aged 19 years, with his mother, Mrs. Cora Able, was employed and had lived at the home of Dean Howard in Sherburne Four Corners for the past three or four years.  Shortly before noon he hitched one of the farm teams to a buggy and started for "the mountain" and the Howard wood lot to draw out timber.  He was en route when he drove upon the Lackawanna track and was run down.  The team was instantly killed, buggy demolished and the life of the young man crushed out.  A high V-shaped cut laid his skull open just above the base of the skull and the bones were crushed in, leaving a large cavity where the bone had been broken away by impact with the engine.  The exact circumstances of the accident are known only by the engineer of no. 814, the fast Richfield Springs milk train.  His story was not procured by Coroner Wilcox at noon, but will be gien later at the inquest. 

 

Mr. Abel was highly esteemed by his employer, who came to this city Tuesday afternoon with the bereaved mother.  Funeral arrangements will be made later.  Besides his mother there are two brothers surviving, Burdette Abel of Plymouth and Sherwood Abel of Pratt.

 

Norwich Sun, December 11, 1918

Sherburne [Chenango Co., NY]:  Coman S. Abel was struck and instantly killed by Lackawanna train 848, known as the "Big Milk" or "Fast Milk", making fifty miles an hour or better, at Cook's crossing two miles south of Sherburne, shortly after noon Tuesday.  Abel was employed by Dean Howard of Sherburne Four Corners, and was driving two horses on an open wagon to a piece of woods where his employer was working.  The crossing is on a stretch of straight track where a view of the railroad for half a mile either way is unobstructed  Abel was very familiar with this location, having crossed it many times.  The day was nice and the weather conditions beautiful, and it is difficult to account for Abel not noticing the approach of the train.  Both horses, a valuable team, were killed and the wagon demolished.  Abel was thrown with the remains of the wagon, through the cattle guard and had a bad cut on the head.  One horse was carried a short distance and not badly mangled, while the other was carried a long distance and badly mutilated. The train stopped and took the body to Norwich.  Outside of the engine crew there were no eye witnesses to the accident.  Mr. Abel was twenty years of age, unmarried and is survived by his mother, Mrs. Cora Abel of Smyrna, a brother Burdette, also of Smyrna, and another brother, Sherwin Able of Pratt's.  The deceased was an estimable young man, a steady reliable worker and held in high esteem in his community.

 

Eddy P. Wade

Sidney Enterprise, July 14, 1920

In the early morning of July 9, death entered the home of Eddy P. Wade, a husband and father passed away, aged 84 years.  Mr. Wade was born in Oxford [Chenango Co., NY], was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Eseck Wade.  He was married about fifty years ago to Miss Erviette Root.  At the outbreak of the Civil War when recruits were needed to replenish the U.S. Army, he joined the 114th N.Y. regiment, and witnessed many hard fought battles.   His regiment at Cedar Creek Va. fought bravely in the fog and misty daylight as though determined to die to a man rather than yield an inch. A comrade who touched elbows with him in battle says that he had a war record that was an honor to any soldier. The surviving ones chiefly to be mentioned are, a wife, one son, George Wade, four daughters, Mrs. Mary Dexter, Mrs. Cora Yale, Mrs. Elizabeth Gridley and Ellen Wade. That little mound shall be a consecrated shrine to him who loved his country that many in coming years shall never visit, but with reverence.  Monday afternoon at 1:30 o'clock the last rite was held. Burial in Sunset hill cemetery [Guilford, Chenango Co., NY], Rev. W.S. York, pastor of the M.E. church, officiating.

 

Harriet (Purrington) Simson

Norwich Sun, December 11, 1918

McDonough [Chenango Co., NY]:  The remains of Mrs. Clark Simson were brought here from Oxford for burial Monday, with funeral at the M.E. Church, conducted by Rev. W.T. Webb.  Before her marriage, she was Harriet Purrington and had spent most of her life in this vicinity.  Surviving her are two sons, Winthrop and Martin of McDonough, and a daughter, Mrs. Ella Parks of Oxford. 

 

Frances (Finch) Hayes

Sidney Enterprise, August 7, 1918

Mrs. Frances Finch Hayes, wife of Alvin D. Hayes, who lives on the Hayes farm on the Sidney-Bainbridge road about a mile this side of Bainbridge, died suddenly in the office of Dr. Edward Danforth in Bainbridge, last Wednesday. The doctor had just performed an operation for the removal of Mrs. Hayes' tonsils.  She was born thirty-seven years ago, and was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Sylvester R. Finch.  She married Mr. Hayes about seventeen years ago and their married life had been spent on the farm. Besides the husband and her parents, she is survived by five sons, Sylvester, Edgar, Norris, Austin, R. Finch.  The funeral was held at the home Saturday afternoon.  Rev. Henry D. Smith officiating, assisted by Rev. S.R. Bigger.