Dr. Frank Sumner Capen
Utica Saturday Globe, June 1900
Dr. Frank Sumner Capan
1843 - 1900
Norwich [Chenango Co., NY]: Frank S. Capen, L.L.D., who died last week in Buffalo, is well remembered in Norwich, having been superintendent of the public schools here for two years. He came here from Cortland, where he taught mathematics in the Normal School. Twelve years ago he resigned and became principal of the new Normal School at New Paltz, Ulster county, where he remained for 11 years, when he resigned in consequence of differences between him and the trustees of the institution. For three years there had been almost constant wrangling, until a large element of the village population was arrayed against Dr. Capen. He insisted that his enemies were seeking his disgrace because he would not submit to their dictation in the management of the school. He personally provided boarding places for some of the students attending the school and clashed with the keepers of the boarding houses because the students complained that the board was not satisfactory. He made himself unpopular by making a rule that no young lady student should receive a call from any young man without reporting to him that the appointment had been made, who the caller was and how long he stayed. This made the young people very angry. The business men of the village declared that he was stingy in buying supplies for the school, while he retorted that he refused to allow any merchant to take advantage of the State just because a Normal School happened to be in the village. He refused to accept work done by the local printers which did not suit him, and to this he charged the opposition of the village press. Other teachers in the school refused to remain unless Dr. Capen was removed, but he maintained a vigorous fight until about a year ago, when he suddenly resigned and a few months later removed his family to Buffalo. There he brooded over his troubles and became despondent. On Wednesday afternoon, during the temporary absence of his wife, he locked himself in his bedroom and through a rubber tube attached to a jet inhaled gas, after carefully tying a towel about his head to prevent its escape. When Mrs. Capen returned she found him dead. Dr. Capen leaves a widow, formerly Mrs. Peck of Lisle, Broome county, three daughters and a son. He was 56 years of age and was widely known in educational circles, and was famous among teachers as a mathematician. [Buried in Lisle Village Cemetery, Lisle, Broome Co., NY]
The Independent, New Paltz, NY, July 6, 1888
Dr. Frank S. Capen was born in York, Livingston Co., N.Y., December 21, 1843, and is therefore approaching 45 years of age. His primary education was received in his native place. Later he prepared for college at the Brockport Collegiate institute, now the Normal School, after which he pursued a classical course of 3 years in Rochester University, graduating in 1868. In the same year he took the chair of classics in Jamestown Collegiate institute, which he occupied for two terms, teaching Latin, Greek, French and German, when he was called to chair of mathematics in Cortland Normal School, which has just been established. He remained in Cortland over 15 years, and during the period declined a call to the chair of physics and mathematics of Bucknell University, Lewisburg, Pa., and also to the chair of mathematics of Fredonia Normal School. In 1884 he became professor physics and astronomy at Colby University, Waterville, Me., remaining two years. In 1886, desiring to return to his native State, he accepted the position of superintendent of Norwich Academy and Union Free School, which office he has just resigned to take the principalship of the State Normal School at New Paltz, at a salary of $2,500. During his two years' superior superintendence of the Norwich school, he effected great improvement in the system and management, removing in large degree the reproach into which the school had fallen, and placing it on an efficient footing. In the summer of 1887 the degree of Ph. D. was conferred upon him by Madison University, and on last Tuesday he was elected a member of a new chapter of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, formed at Rochester, and election to the membership of which is based on scholarship. During his student life he served a year as private secretary to the Union provost marshal, at Savanah, Pa. Utica Saturday Globe, June 1888
George Taylor
Chenango Semi-Weekly Telegraph, January 13, 1892
George Taylor died in Pitcher [Chenango Co., NY], December 30th, 1891, aged 80 years 2 months and 10 days. The deceased was born at Hartford, Conn., October 20th, 1802. His parents came to the town of Pitcher in 1803, so that he was familiar with the hardships and the history of the first settlers of this locality.. He resided for 87 years upon the same place upon which his parents first located. He has always been identified with the prosperity, enterprise and anything that contributed to the best interests of the locality where he resided.
Flora L. Goodwin
Chenango Semi-Weekly Telegraph, January 13, 1892
Mrs. Flora L. Aldrich Goodwin, only daughter of Sylvanus Aldrich, died at her home in Plymouth [Chenango Co., NY], Monday afternoon aged about 30 years. She has been an invalid for several years and was prostrated with the grip last week. She was easily overcome and died from complication of ailments. The funeral services will be held Wednesday at 2 o'clock from her late home, Rev. J . S. Southworth officiating.
George E. Pratt
Chenango Semi-Weekly Telegraph, January 13, 1892
George E. Pratt died at his home in East Main Street, Monday evening about ten o'clock of pneumonia superinduced by the grip. He had been ill only about ten days. Mr. Pratt was thirty-five years of age, a life-long resident of Norwich [Chenango Co., NY] and has been for some time employed as a painter on the Ontario & Western. He leaves a wife and six children, a mother, Mrs. S.J. Pratt and one brother, Walter Pratt clerk in the Continental Hotel. His wife and mother are both seriously ill with pneumonia.
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