Obituaries (October 4)

Deacon William Gibbs

Chenango Telegraph, April 6, 1876

In our obituary column last week we announced the death of the venerable Deacon Wm. Gibbs, which occurred at his home in the eastern portion of this town on the 27th ult., at the advanced age of 87 years.  A friend has handed us the following which we cheerfully publish:

 

Deacon Gibbs was born in Sterling, Worcester county, Mass., 1789.  in 1818 he moved to the eastern line of this town [Norwich, Chenango Co., NY] then nearly in its wilderness state, upon the farm upon which he has resided for the last fifty-eight years.  United to a most worthy woman, they, with patient toil, reared and beautified a home where the young loved to gather and the aged to linger, the unfortunate were sure of sympathy, and the destitute of relief, the wayward were counseled with kindness and the penitent were pointed the way to God, and all down the years agone the morning song of praise was ne'er forgotten nor the evening prayer unbreathed.  The Congregational Church has lost a member that has stood in the ranks and borne unflinchingly his burdens for sixty years, the church triumphant welcomes home a soldier covered with the dust of a long and weary march, the scars of a thousand conflicts but with armour bright and girded on.  From the aged wife waiting for the gleaner to gather her home, from the sorrowing children speaking their last adieus, the eye of faith looks upward to where the first born in her spotless robes with the glorified stands her mission of daughter, wife, mother, Christian and friend so well fulfilled. She has welcomed home the father, and waits to welcome the rest.

 

Dr. Garvis Prince

Chenango Semi-Weekly Telegraph, June 13, 1891

Bainbridge [Chenango Co., NY]:  Dr. Garvis Prince died at his residence in this village, yesterday morning, June 10th.  He has long been a resident of Bainbridge, and was personally known to almost every person within the town limits.  He was born at Springfield, Otsego County, August 24th, 1816, and studied medicine at Geneva, N.Y., where he graduated in 1842.  He practiced medicine ten years in New York City, and then went into the drug and medical supply business in the same city.  He was one of the directors of the East River Savings institution for a number of years, and moved to Chenango County in 1865, settling in Bainbridge where he has since been one of our most enterprising citizens.  A large block bearing his name is a standing monument to his business enterprise, and he was a trustee of the Gilbert Manufacturing company.  He organized the Frist National Bank of Bainbridge, and was its President at the time of his death.  Dr. Prince was also, for several years a trustee of the State insane Asylum at Binghamton.  He was well liked by everyone and will be greatly missed.  He leaves besides his widow, one child, Ida Prince Danforth, the wife of State Treasurer Elliot Danforth.

 

Ira Merrill

Chenango Semi-Weekly Telegraph, June 13, 1891

Ira Merrill died at is home in Oxford [Chenango Co., NY] in the 85th year of his age.  Mr. Merrill was one of the oldest and most favorably known citizens of the town in which he resided. The funeral was largely attended from his late residence Thursday afternoon, Rev. Howard Billman, of the Congregational Church, officiating.

 

Fred Hayes

Morning Sun, June 9, 1891

Last Monday morning a week ago, Mrs. Kate Hayes, who resides on Front street, received a letter from the Military Academy at Reading Pa., conveying the intelligence of the severe illness of her son, Fred, who was in attendance as a pupil at that institution.  Mrs. Hayes lost no time in hastening to the bedside of her son.  During the week, reports came that the young man was improving and bright hopes were held of his recovery.  Yesterday morning the sad news came over the wire to friends in this village that Fred Hayes had died that morning.  The dispatch was sent by the bereaved mother to her sister, Mrs. J.H. king, wife of Deputy Sheriff King.  Further it stated that Mrs. Hayes would leave Reading this Tuesday morning with the remains and will probably arrive here on the 4:30 p.m. train.  From what can be learned it is said the cause of the death was from throat trouble.  It will be remembered by many that shortly after entering this school, scarcely a year ago, the deceased returned home and remained several weeks on account of an epidemic of pronounced diphtheria which had broken out among the students of the Academy.  Young Hayes returned to Reading after the disease had subsided, and was pursuing his course of studies with care and diligence at the time he was stricken down.  Fred Hayes was known here as a promising lad full of life and ambition and his prospects for the future were most encouraging.  He was the son of Charles Hayes and sixteen years of age.  the funeral will undoubtedly be held tomorrow and the interment take place at Mt. Hope [Norwich, NY].  The Sun joins with all in extending the utmost sympathy to the grief stricken mother and relatives.

 

Chenango Semi-Weekly Telegraph, June 13, 1891

The funeral of Fred Hayes, whose demise at Selwyn Hall Military School, Reading, Pa., was chronicled in the last issue of The Telegraph, was held from the residence of his mother, Wednesday afternoon at 4:30, Rev. H.D. Stebbins, of Emmanuel Church, officiating.  The Y.M.C.A., of which deceased was an honored member, attended in a body. The floral offerings were numerous and beautiful.  The remains were interred in the family plot in Mt. Hope Cemetery [Norwich, Chenango Co., NY].