Obituaries (August 9)

Rita (Cunningham) O'Connor

1812 - 1938

Oxford [Chenango Co., NY] residents were shocked Monday morning to learn of the tragic death of Mrs. Paul O'Connor, which occurred that morning shortly after 6 o'clock in the Chenango Memorial Hospital, resulting from lysol poisoning.  Dr. William Mayhew, who was called to administer first aid by Mr. O'Connor, reported that he was notified by the husband of an emergency call shortly before 5 o'clock, and that after arriving at the home on Washington avenue, he applied restorative measures and then took the patient to the Chenango Memorial Hospital where further treatment was given, but to no avail.  Coroner Mat Boname, notified of the tragedy, investigated and gave a report of death caused from lysol poisoning.  Mr. and Mrs. O'Connor were married August 30 of last year [1937] and immediately set up their home in this community where Mr. O'Connor is a partner in the operation of the O-K Restaurant.  Although a stranger here, Mrs. O'Connor soon acquired a wide circle of friends and was especially well liked wherever she was known.  She was born in Middletown [Orange Co., NY], March 11, 1912, the daughter of Martin J. and Margaret Cunningham. She attended Middletown schools, graduating from the high school there and then attended New Paltz Normal.  For four years previous to her marriage she had been a successful teacher at East Hampton.  Besides her husband and parents, she is survived by three sisters, Mrs. Christopher Herman and Mrs. T.B. Henry of Middletown, and Mrs. Charles Bartholomew of Ridgewood, N.J., and two brothers, Thomas of Howells and Francis of Eldred.  Funeral services were held Wednesday morning in St. Joseph's Church with the Rev. Denis Lyons officiating.  The Rev. D. Gerard Horan of Syracuse and the Rev. Charles Coveney of Norwich were in the chancel during the services and Father Horan pronounced the final absolution at the grave.  Music during the service was under the direction of Mrs. H.C. Bartlett.  Bearers were John And Cornelius Keating, Clarence Munyan, Francis McEneny and Paul Dowd of Oxford, and Jack Buxton of Norwich.

 

Marilla A. (Hartwell) Gordon

1853 - 1937

Mrs. Marilla A. Gordon, aged 84 years, passed away early Thursday morning, February 4, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Alvin B. Stead, after a prolonged illness. The daughter of James L. and Cornelia R. Hartwell, she was born at Coventry [Chenango Co., NY] April 20, 1853.  On December 9, 1874, she married George Hovey. Two daughters and one son were born, all of whom survive and reside in Oxford [Chenango Co., NY]:  Mrs. Homer G. Padgett, Frank L. Hovey, for 17 years town supervisor, and Mrs. Alvin B Stead.  Mr. Hovey died March 30, 1884.  December 16, 1903, she married David B. Gordon, his death occurring October 16, 1915.  The next year Mrs. Gordon moved to Oxford village and until about a month before her passing she lived in her home at 10 Washington Park. Becoming seriously ill, she was taken to the home of her daughter, Mrs. Stead, where she spent the few remaining weeks of her life.  Quiet and retiring, yet living an earnest, stalwart Christian life. Mrs. Gordon is missed by a large number of friends, as well as by her family.  She is survived by the three children already mentioned, a brother, Albert l. Hartwell, Oxford; three nieces, Mrs. Lynn Gear of Earlville, Mrs. Chester Bartle of Oxford, Mrs. DeWane Hill of Smyrna, and seven grandchildren, Miss Dorothy M. Hovey of New York city, the misses Grace E., Ruth F., Hazel R. and Catherine B. Hovey of Oxford, Mrs. Helen M. Grosse of Norwich, Jesse L. Padgett of Whitesboro, and two great grandchildren.  After a prayer service held at the home of the daughter, Mrs. Stead, the funeral service was held, Sunday afternoon at 2 o'clock in the Oxford Baptist Chruch of which church Mrs. Gordon had been a member for a number of years. The service was conducted by the pastor, Rev. Frederick L. Anderson, assisted by Rev. Leon Bouton of the Methodist church.  Interment was in Riverview cemetery, Oxford, F. W. Seymour & Son had charge of the arrangements.

 

Edwin J. Ives

1876 - 1938

Edwin J. Ives, one of Oxford's [Chenango Co., NY] best known business men, died in the Binghamton City Hospital, Saturday night, of pulmonary embolism following an operation earlier in the week for intestinal ulcer.  Mr. Ives stood the operation well and was making a splendid recovery when embolism developed and resulted in death within a few minutes.  He was born in Sidney [Delaware Co., NY], Jan. 29, 1876, the son of Homer and Elizabeth Bailey Ives.  He lived in that village until about seven years of age when he moved with his parents to the vicinity of Binghamton, driving eight miles a day to attend the Binghamton city schools.  At the age of 17 he entered the employ of the Corbin drug store on Court street, leaving there in 1897 to become associated with E.L. Olmstead on the north side. After 12 years with Mr. Olmstead, he accepted a position as a salesman for the Walter R. Miller Co., wholesale stationers and it was on his trips through Chenango County as a salesman that he became acquainted with this community.  Mr. Ives came to Oxford in 1918 and entered into partnership with W.A. Jones in the Rexall drug store.  In 1923 he sold his interests to Mr. Jones and purchased the Oakwood Pharmacy which he has operated since then.  He was especially active in the business and community life of Oxford, and was a charter member of the Chamber of Commerce and on the executive committee this year.  He was an ardent golfer and had always been a member of the Blue Stone course. Bowling was another of his favored sports and in addition to taking part in league matches in Oxford, he had held membership in the Norwich club for years and was largely responsible for the number of local men who annually participate in the matches in that city.  He was united in marriage to Sarah Merritt in 1897 who survives him together with one daughter, Mrs. Roswell McCall, of Delhi, one granddaughter, Elamona McCall, and two grandsons, Roswell John and Edwin George McCall, all of Delhi; a sister, Mrs. Jennie Ives Thompson; a niece, Mrs. Hempstead, and two nephews, Robert and Donald Thompkins, all of Binghamton.  Mr. Ives was a past master of Binghamton lodge, 177 F.&A.M., past high priest of Norwich commandery, vestryman of St. Paul's Episcopal church, director of the National Bank of Oxford and a life member of the Exempt Firemen of Binghamton.  Members of Binghamton lodge and Oxford lodge conducted a Masonic service at the home, Monday evening at 8 o'clock, with Eddie Bohn, member of Binghamton lodge leading. Large delegations form both lodges were present.  Funeral services were held from the Seymour Funeral home Tuesday afternoon at 2 o'clock with the Rev. Jackson A. Martin, Episcopal rector, of Delhi officiating. Burial was made in Riverview cemetery [Oxford, NY].  The bearers were C.D Sharpe, Fred Hamilton, John Cheney, John Wyckoff, Hubert Emerson and F.W. Seymour.