Obituaries (February 25)

Major George H. Smith

Norwich Sun, May 19, 1905

Word was received here Thursday of the sudden death in San Diego, Cal., of Major George H. Smith, formerly of Norwich [Chenango Co., NY].  Major Smith had been a resident of Superior, Wis., for a long time, leaving there three years ago for New Mexico for the benefit of his health.  Last winter he removed to southern California.  The latter part of April, he suffered a stroke of paralysis, from which he did not recover.  The interment of Major Smith was in charge of the Grand Army post of San Diego and was most impressive, the service used by the post on such occasions being most beautiful.  Mrs. Smith and their daughter, Miss Mary, were with Major Smith when the end came.  George Smith of New Mexico failed to arrive in time to see his father alive, but was present at the funeral services. The remains were laid to rest in the San Diego cemetery.  Besides his wife he leaves six children and five grandchildren to revere his memory.  His children are Herbert W Smith of Chicago, George H. Smith Jr., and Mary Smith of Santa Rosa, N.M., H.V.B. Smith of Crossville, Tenn.  Mrs. Walter K. Adams of Des Moines, Iowa, Mrs. Frank C Buckley of Superior, Wis.  Major George H. Smith was born in Norwich, Chenango County, New York June 3, 1833.  He was married to Miss Mary Frances Brown of Norwich, May 7, 1855, and had he lived one week longer he would have celebrated his golden wedding.

Mr. Smith was educated for a civil engineer and was one of the first to learn the Morse telegraph system, becoming a proficient operator.  He went west at the age of 29 years to superintend the construction of telegraph lines and at the outbreak of the civil war in 1861, he organized the military telegraph, being enlisted with the department of the Mississippi with the rank of captain but was later promoted to the rank of major.  At the close of the war he became manager of the Western Union Telegraph company at St. Louis and again at Brooklyn.  He was later connected with the northern Pacific railway, being one of its earliest officials, and afterwards served as general superintendent of the old St. Paul & Duluth railway for nine years.  Major Smith was one of the oldest residents of Superior, having gone there in December, 1886, as passenger agent at the union depot, in which capacity he faithfully served for fifteen years when, his health failing, he resigned his position to spend his declining years in the balmy southwest.

Henry H. Halbert

Norwich Sun, July 11, 1929

Henry H. Halbert, veteran of the Civil War, succumbed suddenly to a heart attack a few minutes before 4 o'clock Wednesday afternoon whilc sitting on the steps of the Eagle hotel.  Mr. Halbert, who would have been 89 years old July 31, had crossed the park, and feeling ill sat down on the stone steps near one of the huge wooden pillars.  His illness attracted the attention of passersby and while they were assisting him to a chair he expired.  Dr. A.R. Morse, who is also coroner, was called and pronounced death due to heart disease.  Mr. Halbert is survived by his son, Arthur E. Halbert, with whom he lived at 61 Silver street [Norwich, Chenango Co., NY], by a daughter, Miss Linnie A. Halbert, and by a grandson, Lynn R. Halbert, besides several nephews and nieces.  Funeral services will be held from the family home at 2 o'clock Saturday afternoon.  Henry H. Halbert was the son of Archimedes and Sarah Cady Halbert and was born in the town of Butternuts, Otsego county, July 31, 1840.  He had been a resident of Norwich since 1873.

When President Lincoln first called for volunteers in 1861, Mr. Halbert was the first man to enlist from the town of Butternuts, and he was also the first veteran to reenlist for the period of the war.  He was enrolled with the 43d New York State Volunteer infantry and was assigned to the Sixth Army Corps, where he saw much service.  He served throughout the war and was honorably discharged April 9, 1866 at the close of the conflict.  Mr. Halbert took part in many bitter engagements during his war service.  He was twice captured, once in the battle of the Wilderness.  He served, in all, nine months in southern prisons.  He served time in Belle Isle, Florence, and was confined four months in Andersonville, another confederate prison.  Although Mr. Halbert saw fighting in many engagements, he missed the battle of Gettysburg, as at that time he was a paroled prisoner and had not yet gotten back to his detachment.

Mr. Halbert was a carpenter and builder by occupation and after the war followed these trades for many years.  He had lived a retired life for several years.  The deceased was united in marriage at Butternuts, April 1, 1867 with Alice North, daughter of Erastus and Sarah Brown North of the town of Guilford.  She died March 16, 1907.

Mr. Halbert was a sterling citizen, upright and honest and had many friends in this city and county.  He was a member of E.B Smith Post, G.A.R. from the time it was formed and had held many offices within the organization.  After the post surrendered its charter he joined the state department of New York as a member at large.  He had attended many state and national encampments and recently had been planning to attend the national encampment at Portland, Maine in September.  Mr. Halbert had been unusually well of late and was seen almost daily upon  the streets of he city, and in several local business places where he was almost a daily visitor.  He loved to talk of his war experiences, and  he always found a ready audience, for his experiences were some of the most thrilling and exciting that ever a war veteran witnessed.  The death of Mr. Halbert removes another of the rapidly decreasing list of Civil War vets, and reduces to four the number of survivors of E.B. Smith Post. They are Harvey Trass, T. Spencer Baker, Henry Caldwell and Harvey H. Crozier.

John Martz

Norwich Sun, July 11, 1929

John Martz, for many years an employee of the Maydole Hammer factory, died at his home, 33 Brown Avenue [Norwich, Chenango Co., NY], Thursday morning at 2 o'cl;ock.  Having been in ill health for some time, Mr. Martz suffered with edema, from the complications of which a heart attack developed and caused his sudden passing at the last.  Mr. Martz was approaching his seventy-third birthday anniversary at the time of his death.  It had seemed to members of his family that in the few days just preceding his passing away, that there had been a general improvement in his condition.  He had not been confined to his bed any of the time.  For fifty years an employee at the hammer factory, the deceased was one of three to be retired two years ago.  The death of his wife took place a short time afterward, since which time his sister, Mrs. Ella Stern of Ft. Allegany, Pa., had made her home with him most of the time.  Mr. Martz was born in New Orleans, La., of French and German parentage and was six months old when brought to this state by his parents.  He was connected with many of the early German settlers of the locality, but his immediate survivors are a grandson, Byron Ormsby and great granddaughter, Katherine Elizabeth Ormsby of Norwich; two sisters, Mrs. Ella Stern of Mt. Alleghany, Pa., Mrs. I.F. McCarty of Brooklyn and Glenn Head, N.Y., and two nephews, Geroge McCarthy of Brooklyn and LeRoy M. Duran of Greenville, Long Island.  Funeral services will be held from the late home Saturday at 2 o'clock, the Rev. W. A. Ashmore officiating. Burial will be made in Mt. Hope Cemetery [Norwich, NY].

Death Notices

Chenango Union, December 2, 1875

HUNT:  In Oxford [Chenango Co., NY], Nov. 23, 1875, Mr. Charles L. Hunt, aged 53 years, a brother of A.J. and J.H. Hunt of Norwich.

FORD:  At the insane asylum at Preston [Chenango Co., NY], Nov. 29, 1875, Mr. Norman Ford, aged 68 years, formerly of Norwich.

PERSONS:  In the County House, Preston [Chenango Co., NY], Mrs. Polly Persons, of Greene [Chenango Co., NY], aged 84 years.

SCOTT:  In Bainbridge [Chenango Co., NY], Nov. 20, 1875, Adaliza [Scott], wife of Treat M. Scott, aged 48 years.