Friday, June 22, 2018

Obituaries (June 21)

Imogene Whitbeck
Northern Christian Advocate, Auburn, NY, April 11, 1849
Imogene [Whitbeck], wife of Andrew A. Whitbeck, and youngest daughter of widow Deborah Filkins, died at her late residence, in Sodus [Wayne Co., NY], Jan. 3, 1849, aged 29 years and 5 months.  Sister W. experienced religion at the age of 14, from which time till her death, she was a member of the M.E. Church. She possessed many excellencies, which secured for her esteem in the family, the Church, and in all the social relations of life.  Her numerous friends in Geneseo will long remember her amiable virtues.  She was a wife but a few months, when the heart of an affectionate husband was a second time made desolate, and his children again deprived of a mother's guardian care.  Conscious that her end was nigh, she trembled at first, but grace triumphed. To her mother who was with her, she said, "I can die in peace."  "Blessed are the dead who died in the Lord."

Richard Elwood Stover
Chenango Union, July 3, 1873
The people of Smyrna [Chenango Co., NY] and vicinity were startled on Friday morning last, by the announcement that Richard Elwood Stover, a respected citizen of that town, had met with a violent death.  He, in company with Laselle Morgan, was engaged in felling trees on his wood lot, about one mile from the village.  One tree had been cut, which in its fall lodged upon another; this also was cut, when the two struck a dead tree in their descent, breaking it into fragments, a knot from which struck Mr. Stover upon the head, causing injuries which he survived by a few moments after help had reached the spot, summoned by the cries of Mr. Morgan for assistance.  He was not conscious after the accident.  The deceased occupied a prominent position in his town, being a member of the Methodist Church, one of the town Railroad commissioners, and had held the office of Justice of the Peace.  He was a public spirited man, and much respected by the community at large.  He age was about fifty years, and he leaves two orphan boys, aged about six and ten years, his wife dying some three years since.  He had an insurance of $3,000 on his life, in the Connecticut Mutual.

Edward P. Hilliard
Chenango Union, July 3, 1873
A sad case of drowning occurred near the guard lock in West Utica [Oneida Co., NY], on Wednesday of last week, about five o'clock P.M.  The victim was Edward P. Hilliard, captain of the coal boat "Norwich," in the employ of the D.L.&W. Railroad Company, in charge of the shifting of coal.  While the boat was in the guard lock of the Erie canal, Hilliard saw Georgie Rabenstein, a little boy of his acquaintance, on the dock.  He asked the boy to get on board and ride to his father's house, as the boat was to be tied up on the Chenango canal near his house. The boy got on board.  His little dog got into the water.  Hilliard told the boy to pull the dog on to the boat, but he replied that the dog could swim.  Hilliard took hold of a piece of board, leaned over the side of the boat, and failed to reach the dog.  The board broke, and Hilliard sunk like lead.  No one but the boy saw the accident in time to give assistance.  Hilliard has had the ague for some time and was quite weak.  It is supposed that he was taken with cramps. The body was recovered within  an hour by the aid of grappling irons, and taken to the residence of a cousin of the deceased who resides in Utica. Coroner Taylor, after hearing the statements of witnesses, decided that no inquest was necessary.  Deceased was twenty-five years of age, unmarried, and a native of McDonough, in this County [Chenango Co., NY], where his father, Alonzo Hilliard now resides. The body reached this village on Thursday evening, and remained at the residence of his brother-in-law, David Griffing, Jr., until Friday morning, when it was taken to McDonough for interment.

Reynolds T. Reed
Chenango Union, July 3, 1873
From the Binghamton Daily Times of Saturday, we gather the following particulars of the sad fate of Reynolds T. Reed, in former years an exemplary citizen of this county [Chenango Co., NY].

"Mr. Reed was born in Coventry, Chenango County, about fifty years ago, and was one of the most intelligent students in Oxford Academy.  In his early days and after his marriage with Amelia Beardsley, he was an active member of the Presbyterian Chruch and a teacher in the Sabbath School.  As years rolled on, bad habits grew upon him, and he separated with his wife, and has since lived at Afton and Nineveh, but for several years he has lived in Binghamton [Broome Co., NY].  He was a builder by occupation.  His career in this city has not been high toned.  On Thursday night he entered a house of ill repute, and about eleven o'clock Mr. Milton H. Gibbs  and others were informed that Mr. Reed was dead and lying on the lounge in this house.

"Mrs. Hoyt, who kept the house, claimed that he came in there and complained of being sick, and that she gave him a dose of salts, and then he frothed at the mouth and instantly expired.  the body was taken to the house of Mr. Boardman, and it was visited by Coroner Worthing and others about six o'clock.  Drs. Richards and Chittenden held a post mortem examination.  The stomach was found to be ulcerated.  There were other inflammatory appearances.  His death was undoubtedly caused by an unrestricted indulgence in poisonous alcoholic drinks."

The Times of Monday states that Mr. Reed was a native of Unadilla [Otsego Co., NY], instead of Coventry.  A subscriber furnishes the following sketch of his early history:

"R.T. Reed, better known by his middle name, Theron, was the youngest son of Phinchas Reed, who more than 60 years ago, settled in the town of Unadilla, on what is known as the Stone House Farm, now owned by Thomas C. Moore, near Shavers Corners, where Theron was born.  While attending school, from over study and ill health, he became insane, and it is at least charitable to ascribe his subsequent delinquencies to a recurrence of that malady."


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