Obituaries (January 8)

Joel Morse Guy

Afton Enterprise, January 10, 1924

Joel Morse Guy was born on the hill farm in the town of Oxford [Chenango Co., NY] on March 29, 1848.  He was the son of Joel Guy and Condise Morse Guy. The family was one of the sturdy old fashion kind with ten children.  when "Joe", as he was best known, was 13 years old the family moved from Oxford to the Patrick farm on The Plains near Center Village.  One of "Joe's" frontier stories was of a big New Foundland dog on the Patrick farm who did double duty as churn dog and saddle pony, provided he did not see the churn in preparation, when he would promptly disappear.  After two or three years the father, Joel Guy, Sr., purchased the farm three miles south of Afton which for many years was known as the Joel Guy farm. When they purchased the farm, the river flat was a swampy wood lot.  Only an old-fashioned family with plenty of man power and no fear of hard work would have tackled the job.  Today it is one of the finest pieces of land in the township and stands as a monument to the industry and energy of Joel Guy and his family.

 

As he came to young manhood, "Joe" worked for a time for his father, farming in the summer and lumbering in the winter.  Later he went to Colorado where he engaged in sheep raising for nearly three years. that was in the days when the buffalo dotted the plains and the antelope went fleeting away light as thistle down.  "Joe" was an enthusiastic hunter and he had a great many interesting adventures with the "old Sharpe rifle."  In later years these stories were a source of great entertainment to his boys as they gathered around the fire on winter evening.  Upon his return from Colorado, he was married on February 20th, 1878, to Martha K. Chamberlin who was his faithful and loving helpmate for  more than 45 years.  Four sons were born of this union; Frank, Bert, Randolph and Harry, all of whom are living.  Of "Joe's" brothers and sisters two are still living; Henrietta, of Hinsdale, N.Y., now 86 years old, and Charles, a younger brother, who resides in this village.   

 

A quiet, home-loving man, little given to social entertainment, "Joe" was best known to his family and near neighbors, for his unfailing industry, his straight-forward honesty and his absolute fearlessness.  To these qualities he added a constant seasoning of kind wit.  Making no pretense of piety, he lived a clean upright life as he saw it. The world is poorer for his going, but better for his having been here.

 

Ralph R. Pomeroy

Sidney Enterprise, February 7, 1929

Ralph R. Pomeroy, a former Sidney [Delaware co., NY] boy, died at his home in Carbondale, Pa., January 28, 1929.  Mr. Pomeroy was born in Philadelphia, Pa., Sept. 22, 1893, and was therefore 35 years of age at the time of his death.  All his high school education was received in Sidney, his home then being at Sidney Center.  He completed both the commercial and shorthand courses at the Albany Business College, and 5 days before graduation, when he was 17 years of age, he entered the employ of the Delaware & Hudson R.R. Co. as book-keeper and stenographer in the Oneonta office, and he was ever thereafter connected with the company.  He was for a time in the transportation department, then in the maintenance of way department and later was made chief clerk, in the department of stores.  So efficient and faithful did he perform his duties that when 25 years of age he was technically made an officer of the company, being placed in charge of the Pennsylvania division, as division storekeeper, with head quarters of Carbondale, which position he held at the time of his death.  He was highly regarded by the company.  Various officials of the company from Albany as well as various division officials attended the funeral.  The floral offerings from the Oneonta division, with which he was formerly connected, were in the form of a crescent with a vacant star; the floral piece from the employees in his own department was a very large circle of beautiful flowers with the vacant place at the head.  He was an expert at checkers, somewhat following his father, and the fellow checker players sent a floral offering in the form of a checker board with 32 red roses properly placed as playing squares and 32 white carnations as the non-playing squares, gilt ribbon separating the same, all being in a solid background of moss firmly bound.  Many were the floral offerings, and the funeral, held at Carbondale, was largely attended by officials, relatives and friends.  Interment at Westport, N.Y.  His illness, which dates back to April, 1928, was diagnosed by the medical authorities as transverse myelitis, caused by a tumor on the spine.  He was at the University of Pennsylvania hospital, Philadelphia, many weeks.  All that medical skill and nursing could do was done.  He returned home where loving hands faithfully ministered to his care.  He made a heroic, optimistic, never complaining battle, endeavoring to regain his health, but the malady was too great to be overcome.  He is survived by his wife, Katherine, four children, Earl, 12, Rita, 10, Harry, 7, and John, 5, and his father, M.E. Pomeroy, of Binghamton, N.Y.

 

Merritt Delos Brown

Sidney Enterprise, February 7, 1929

Merritt Delos Brown passed away at the Sidney hospital [Delaware Co., NY] Saturday, Feb. 2, after an illness of two weeks duration.  Mr. Brown was born at Bloomville, N.Y. [Delaware Co.], March 28, 1850, son of Stephen and Henrietta (Grant) Brown and there his early years were passed.  in 1874 he married Miss Augusta Fisher of Unadilla, who passed away at Sidney about 29 years ago.  With the exception of four years spent in Rogers Park, Ill., and Muskegon, Mich., his life after his marriage, was passed in Unadilla and vicinity and in Sidney, until seven years ago, when he moved to Westville, N.Y.  For 29 years he lived in Sidney, working for 20 years for the M.L. Siver co. in the capacity of lumber counter.  He also served in this capacity for Mr. E.L. Beale and other lumber dealers in Sidney.  For the past two years he has resided with his daughter, Mrs. Haynes, between Unadilla and Sidney.  He was an industrious man, devoted to his family, and though quiet and retiring in manner, his genial nature and integrity of character won him many friends.  Left to mourn him are two daughters, Mrs. Margaret Haynes of Sidney township, and Mrs. Gertrude Hooker of Westville, N.Y.; a granddaughter, Miss Frances Hooker of the same place, and several nieces and nephews. The funeral was held from the home of his daughter, Mrs. Harry Haynes, on Tuesday, February 5, at 1:30 p.m. with interment in Prospect Hill cemetery at Sidney.  The services were conducted by Rev. Harry Brooks, of Afton.

 

Clella E. (Manwaring) Rolf

Sidney Enterprise, February 7, 1929

Another highly esteemed resident of Guilford [Chenango Co., NY], Mrs. Clella E. Rolf, who has been seriously ill for some time with pneumonia and the flu, passed into eternal rest at her home at Ives Settlement, February 6th, aged 46 years.  The deceased was the daughter of Charles and Flora (North) Manwaring and was born in Guilford, having spent her entire life here.  In early life she became the wife of Robert Rolf, and three children came to bless this union, Robert and Barbara, who still survive, and a little daughter, Betty, who preceded the deceased nearly five years ago.  Having been born and cradled in the atmosphere of a Christian home, she early became affiliated with the Guilford Methodist church and has always been a consistent member.  She was a woman of many kindly traits and will long be remembered both in the home and community.  The funeral services were held at the home, Wednesday, the Rev. F.S. Crispell, pastor of the Guilford M.E. church, officiating.  The body was laid in the family plot in Sunset Hill cemetery, at Guilford.   The father, Charles Manwaring, who lives in Unadilla, was not able to be here, he also being ill with pneumonia.  Those who survive are a husband and two children, Robert and Barbara of Guilford, the father above mentioned, and two sisters, Miss Hazel Manwaring and Mrs. Jessie Teed of Unadilla.  Much sympathy is expressed to the bereaved in the loss of their loved one.

 

Charles H. Manwaring

Sidney Enterprise, February 7, 1929

Charles H. Manwaring a highly respected resident of Unadilla [Otsego Co., NY], and a man who was well known throughout this vicinity, passed away at his home in that village Wednesday afternoon at 5 o'clock, after a week's illness of pneumonia.  His age was 73 years.  Mr. Manwaring's daughter, Mrs. Rolf died at her home in Guilford three days ago and her funeral was held but a few hours before the death of her father.  The funeral services will be held in the Methodist church at Guilford on Saturday afternoon at 2 o'clock, preceded by a brief prayer service sat his late home. Rev. Dr. Charles S. Olmstead, pastor at the Elm Park church of Scranton, Pa., a former pastor and a personal friend, will officiate at the funeral. The interment will be in the cemetery at Guilford [Chenango Co., NY].