Monday, June 25, 2018

Obituaries (June 25

Fred LeSuer
1891-1910
Fred LeSuer, son of Mr. and Mrs. Nelson LeSuer, died very suddenly on Saturday after an illness of only a few hours.  He was apparently as well as usual up to noon. the day before when he complained of a headache.  His sudden death a few hours later called for a consultation and Coroner Preston of Greene made an autopsy which showed that death was due to typhoid fever.  It was one of the very few cases on record where the germs were working without any apparent result for some time.   The funeral was held on Monday, Rev. J.F. Shaw officiating. [Buried Eastside Cemetery, Afton, Chenango Co., NY]

Una (Stilson) Shay
1865  - 1920
Many in Oneonta will learn with deep regret of the death of Una M. Stilson, wife of E.M. Shay of Cobleskill [Schoharie Co., NY], which occurred on West Main street in that village on Friday last after a long and painful illness. The funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. today at her late residence, Rev. A.D. Parker, pastor of the Cobleskill Methodist Episcopal church will officiate and burial will be at Afton [Chenango Co., NY].  Mrs. Shay was born 54 years ago in the town of Franklin [Delaware co., NY], and was a daughter of Mr and Mrs. Abel Stilson.  In earlier life she was a valued employee of the Oneonta Herald, but after the removal of her parents to Cobleskill, now about thirty years ago, her home was in that village, where she was connected with both the Times and Index of that village. she was a woman of unusual ability alike in mechanical and reportorial work, and her services were greatly appreciated by all who had the good fortune to be associated with her.  She was a member of Rising Star chapter, order of the Eastern Star, and had been its worthy matron, also district deputy grand matron for the Otsego-Schoharie district.  In the latter capacity she had visited all the chapters in the district and had made many friends who will join with her friends in Cobleskill and of her earlier days in Franklin and Oneonta, in deploring her death.  The deceased is survived by her husband, by two sisters, Mrs. Scott J. Lake of Philadelphia, Pa., and Mrs. Ernest E. Brubaker of Albany; also by two brothers, Merton D. Stilson of Cobleskill and Richard J. Stilson of Providence. R.I.

Elida (Snell) LeSuer
1836 - 1920
Elida, daughter of Elijah and Beulah Snell, widow of Lyman S. LeSuer, died Friday, April 9th, at 11:01 p.m.  She was born in the town of Sanford, N.Y. [Broome Co., NY], April 27, 1836.  Her father died of typhoid fever when she was three weeks old.  Her mother returned to her parents, James and Caty Dean Aplington and took Elida; and her grandmother Caty told her the family history,--that she was a descendant of Nathan Dean of Deposit (formerly of Taunton, Mass.) who fought in the Revolutionary War; and his wife, Lois Snow was the daughter of Abigail Leonard of the Leonards of Lynn, Braintree and Taunton, that built the first iron foundries in the N.E. Colonies; and it was said wherever you find a foundry there, you find a Leonard.  The Leonards are of Leonard Lord Dacre, and descended in two lines from Edward the 3rd.  Their great Gothie house built in 1670 was the oldest mansion in New England when demolished.  They were a family of great energy and sterling character, coming from Wales to Birmingham, England, and it was said of them "the iron of their foundries had entered into their very sinews."

When she was nine years old her mother married Smith Mead, a widower with children, who called Elida sister: Richard, Washington and Frank being her step brothers. Elida and her step-sister, Esther Cora Mead, were called Mead's twins, as they looked so much alike. They were early sent with Elida's step-sister, Permelia Mead, to the N.Y. Conf. Seminary at Charlottesville, N.Y., that had 800 students and Prof. Alonzo Frack at the head.  Permelia Mead, being one of the teachers, many young people were sent there in her care.  Later she went with her mother's brother, Joshua Aplington to Polo, Ill, to visit her uncle, Zenas Aplington and his family, and she taught school in, that, then new, western country. She returned to the East and attended Susquehanna Seminary at Binghamton, being a good student in mathematics, sciences and languages.  She was also in the studio and afterwards taught painting in oil, pastel, monochromatic and oriental, her pictures and art works always having prominent place at the early Afton fairs.  She taught school in Afton and made many friends that were always cherished. She was called where they wanted good government.  Pennsylvania invited her one pace where she was the principal.  She took with her Esther Cora Mead, her step-sister, as 1st assistant.

March 9, 1862, she was married to Lyman S. LeSuer by Rev. Noble Palmer, rector of the Episcopal Church at Harpursville, N.Y.  They began housekeeping in Afton, and soon built the present home where they lived, where her husband died, Dec. 3, 1911 and where she remained until the last.  She was very ill April, 1912, and again August, 1917, and had been gradually failing, going to sleep to rest and passed on to awake in the life beyond. At her home the casket was covered with carnations.  St. Ann's Church Guild and Auxiliary brought sprays of pink, white and red and placed them with tender hands.  The LeSuer family sent a beautiful tribute of love and respect in a large offering of the mother flower.  The funeral was held Tuesday, April 13, 2 p.m., in St. Ann's Episcopal Church, where she was a member, having been baptized Nov. 12, 1856 by Rev. Jas. A. Robinson, and confirmed Nov. 24, 1865 by Bishop Arthur Cleveland Coxe.  Before the hour the rector, Rev. J. DeLancy Scovil, came and with him, Rev. Luther L. Weller, a former rector, who had been so much esteemed by her, not only for his rendering of the sacred word, but for the example of his daily life.  He remembered how she had told him to be sure and come when the call came for her to cross the silent stream.  The last short prayer service was held in her home. Then the vestry and men of St. Ann's Chruch, Robert H. Palmer, Whit Y. McHugh, Leigh D. Jones, Nathan West, Fred Lewis and Wayland Hinamn, carried her out from that home up the street to St. Ann's Church, where she had gone so many times. Relatives, friends and neighbors followed her on this last ride.  The funeral service was conducted by the rector, Rev. J.D. Scovil, assisted by Rev. Luther l. Weller, of Woburn Mass.  When Mr. Weller was giving the commendatory prayers, asking for perpetual light upon her soul, the sunlight burst through the chancel windows and laid a square of golden glory upon the floor of the sanctuary. The choir and congregation sang her favorite hymns--"My Faith Looks Up to Thee" and "Oh Paradise."  The farewell look was given as the congregation passed from the Chruch. Friends rode with her slowly up the winding steep ascending road to Glenwood [Afton, Chenango Co., NY] where she was laid to rest by her husband in the Beulah lot, and at her mother's feet, covered with the flowers.  The friends stood, believing in the resurrection, of the body with faith in the second coming, facing the East as the rector, Rev. Scovil and Rev. Weller gave the final prayers. Then Mr. Weller said "The comfort is she knows all about it."  One said, "So you believe she knows it all?", and he said, "Most assuredly she knows it all."

In the home is left her only child, Blanche Jeanette, and her half-sister, Ella, who miss her, and will keep her in memory.  Relatives, friends and neighbors did many acts of kindness and gave expressions of deep sympathy and also gave a memorial, all of which is greatly appreciated.

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