Thursday, December 14, 2017

Obituaries (December 14)

Humphrey Sisson
Chenango Telegraph, November 24, 1847
Frozen:  Humphrey Sisson, a man 60 years of age, and residing in the northeast part of this town [Norwich, Chenango Co., NY], was found on Saturday morning in the road leading to King's Settlement, about a mile from the "Corners": nearly dead.  He was carried home, but died in a short time from the effects of cold and exposure.  We understand that he left this village the evening previous in a state of intoxication.
 
Herman Sherwood
Bainbridge Republican, March 26, 1880
Unadilla [Otsego Co., NY] feels the sad loss of one of its most esteemed citizens, Mr. Herman Sherwood who died in the Utica Insane Asylum on Wednesday of last week.  He became deranged, and about two months ago his friends, in hopes of his immediate recovery, sent him to that institution, but instead of regaining his mind and health he was brought back to his family--a wife and child--a corpse.  The funeral occurred Saturday.
 
Olny Winsor
Bainbridge Republican, April 16, 1880
Mr. Olny Winsor was attacked with his third apoplectic stroke one week ago Saturday last, and lay in an unconscious state till Monday of this week, when he died.  Mr. Winsor was well known and respected throughout this section, as an industrious and honorable man, having passed nearly his whole life in the vicinity where he died.  His age was 63 years.  He left two sons and two daughters, all living in this town, save one Mrs. Rudd, who resides in Waterville, Madison Co.  The remains were interred in the Episcopal burial ground on Wednesday, Rev. D.N. Grummon officiating at the funeral obsequies.  [St. Peter's Episcopal Churchyard, Bainbridge, Chenango Co., NY]
 
Benson Lewis
Bainbridge Republican, March 26, 1880
The Delhi Republican publishes the following:  The saddest accident that has ever been known to happen in this community occurred last Saturday about 10 o'clock a.m., resulting in the death of one of the most promising young men in the town.  Mr. Benson Lewis, only child of Mr. Wallace Lewis, of this place, went in company with some other young men to the runway of Messrs. Edget & H.J. Lewis, for the purpose of seeing the logs run.  Young Lewis was coming down the runway, and was within about forty rods of the lower terminus, when he was struck in the back by a descending log, and almost instantly killed.  He was thrown full thirty feet by the blow, striking on his head.  His skull was crushed and his back broken twice.  The blow to his parents is a terrible one.  His father is in poor health and looked upon his son as his right arm of defense during the remnant of life.  Mr. Lewis was one of the few who are so fortunate as to have no enemies.  I never have heard one unfavorable word of this young man in the two years I have known him.  The shock falls heavily on all the community, and all unite in extending their sympathies to the bereaved parents.
Harvard, March 18th, 1880, James P. Race.
 
Zachariah C. Curtis
Sidney Record, January 16, 1892
The death of Zachariah C. Curtis of Rockdale [Chenango Co., NY], removes from our midst one of the oldest residents of the Unadilla valley, and a well known and highly esteemed citizen.  His parents came from Stratford, Conn., and settled in Madison county, where Mr. Curtis was born Aug. 7th, 1800.  There were six children born to these parents, four of whom died at over eighty years, and two are still living.  One brother who lives in Madison, Wis., has already celebrated the 60th anniversary of his wedding.  Mr. Curtis came to Chenango Co. at the age of 23 years, and bought land opposite Rockdale, where for many years he was extensively engaged as a hop grower.  Later on he controlled the stage route from Mt. Pleasant, Pa., to New Berlin, N.Y., also the Rockdale mills and hotel. The past twenty years of his life were quietly and peacefully spent at his home in Rockdale.  In religion Mr. Curtis was a Universalist and a regular attendant at services in Rockdale Union church, having been for many years one of its trustees.  Politically speaking he was a Democrat, and always a firm supporter of the principles of that party.  The candidates of his choice received his vote on last election day.  Had he lived until Aug. 7th, 1892, he would have attained the age of 92 years.  Surviving him he leaves a widow and three sons, J. Delos Curtis, H. Walker Curtis and Ira M. Curtis.  His funeral occurred form his late residence, Wednesday, Dec. 30th the services being held in Union church, Rev. Mr. Stores, of Oneonta, officiating.  He was buried in the family cemetery on the Curtis homestead in the town of Unadilla [Otsego Co., NY], now owned by his son J. Delos Curtis. 
 
And thus has the world lost the genial presence of a noble, a pure-minded man who has left the earth with all its folly, wickedness and its deceit, the better for having lived in it.  Mr. Curtis was revered for his manly virtue and industrious example of the blessed -- of old age that follows a life of [virtue]. His record is a grand record upon his family history to which his descendants can point with pride and satisfaction.

William Corbin
Bainbridge Republican, June 5, 1875
Bennettsville, May 31st, 1875
Mr. Editor:  Having heard many different stories in regard to the death of Mr. William Corbin, I deem it my duty as a friend to give a correct statement in regard to the case.  He labored with Jesse Crumb fixing lead pipe until 4 P.M., then he says to Mr Crumb the wind is right and I am going on the side hill to set those brush and stumps on fire.  After it had burned a short time, the wind shifted and blew a strong gale toward the fence and woods, taking the fire up the hill into the fence.  Mr. Corbin with a hoe digs a trench up the side of the fence to keep the fire from going into the woods, but the wind blew it into the fence and woods just below him, then he gets over the fence in the woods and trenches around to head the fire and had gone about four rods from the fence and about ten feet past a large mossy log, then he comes back to the log and sits down and lays his hat on one end of the log and his hoe beside it which was found there.  Mr. Corbin was found about twenty feet northwest of this mossy log laying on his face without the least sign of a struggle, it being about four rods from the clearing.  At 6 P.M. Mr. Crumb was sent up to help Mr. Corbin.  He not seeing Mr. Corbin there, pulled a few rails out of the fence and goes right on over home.  Just before dark, F.J. Corbin, C.W. Corbin and G.R. Corbin with hoes goes to the hill to put out the fire.  They went to the right hand side and commenced putting out the fire, and expecting to find Mr. Corbin and Mr. Crumb on the other side. When they got to the other side and not finding them there, they supposed they had gone down to the house. The three came to the house expecting to find their father there.  Then C.W. Corbin goes up to Mr. Crumb's and he tells him he did not see Mr Corbin when on the hill.  Then D.W. Corbin, C.W. Corbin, F.J. Corbin and G.R. Corbin with lanterns goes back to the hill and find him as aforesaid.  Then D.W. Corbin and F.J. Corbin come down and got the horse and wagon and brought him to the house with C.W. Corbin and G.R. Corbin.  The supposition is Mr. Corbin having had a disease of sciatic nerve for several years and been subject to spasmodic actions or cramp in that limb when he overdone or got tired, he was taken with the cramp and laid down on his face as was his habit at such times.  But the spasm extended up the spine until it struck the heart as the hands and arms were contracted, also the fingers, particularly the left one.  The features were composed and natural, there were but two small burns on the body, one on the left hand and along the outer part of the fore arm, the left shoulder blade about the size of the hand, but not deep, only sufficient to blister the skin.  Mr. Corbin must have been dead some time when the fire reached him and died from spasm of the heart.   L. Livingston, M.D.

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