Obituaries (July 12)

Bertha A. (Warner) Avery
Bainbridge News & Republican, October 25, 1945

The death of Mrs. Bertha A. Avery occurred on oct. 4, 1945, at her home near Rockdale [Chenango Co., NY].  She was the daughter of Dewitt Clinton and Sarah Burdick Warner, and was born Aug. 20, 1876, on the farm where she died and where she had spent her entire life with the exception of three years following her marriage to George H. Avery, which occurred Oct. 30, 1895.  Mr. Avery passed away June 13, 1938. To them was born one daughter, Veatrice, who lived with her mother on the homestead making the fourth generation to successively occupy the home, which has been in the family nearly 100 years.  The funeral services which were held from the home Monday, Oct. 8, 1945, were conducted by the Rev. George Young, of Athens, Pa., a former pastor, assisted by the Rev. Clayton Hoag, the present pastor of Rockdale community Church of which Mrs. Avery was a member, and a lifelong attendant. She was a person of fine Christian character, and highly respected by all who knew her.  She is survived by her daughter, Veatrice; one nephew, Edson Callahan; and a niece, Mrs. Douglas Burt, whose husband is serving as a chaplain in England. Burial was in the East Guilford Cemetery [Chenango Co., NY] beside her husband. Funeral arrangements were in charge of Carr Landers, of Sidney.

Myrtle (Lane) McFarland

Bainbridge News & Republican, October 25, 1945

Sorrow filled the hearts of hundreds of alumni of Williamsville High School when they learned of the death of Mrs. Clarence R. McFarland in Olean Saturday, Oct. 13, 1945. They felt that they had lost a true friend when they lost "Miss Lane."  They knew that even after they left school, Mrs. McFarland had still been vitally interested in them and their welfare--an interest springing from a genuine love for these young people and for her work as a teacher.  Mrs. McFarland was born at Farmersville (Cattaraugus Co., NY), Dec. 28, 1897, the daughter of B.H. and Lelila M. Lane.  She graduated from the Ten Broeck Academy at Franklinville and the New York State Teachers' College at Buffalo, with special training in English, biology and music.  After completing her college work, Mrs. McFarland taught at Hardys croners School, near Rushford. At Bliss, she was preceptress of the school and went from there to the Barker High School.  When she came to the Williamsville High School in September, 1928, Mrs. McFarland became the English teacher in the Junior High School, a position which she held until her resignation in June, 1943.  On Apr. 2, 1943, she married Capt. Clarence R. McFarland at Plattsburg. For the past year, they made their home at Bainbridge.  The funeral services were held Tuesday afternoon, Oct. 16 from the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Milford Hill at Rushford. The Rev. Paul L. Carpenter, pastor of the Presbyterian Church at Bainbridge, and Dr. J.D. Robertson, pastor of the Methodist Church at Rushford, conducted the services. Burial took place in the Hardy Corners Cemetery.  Surviving Mrs. McFarland are her parents, her husband, two sisters, Mrs. Milford W. Hill, of Rushford, and Mrs. Carl E. Anderson, of Olean; and two brothers, Louis V. Lane, of Olean, and Lawrence B. Lane, of Pembroke.  Throughout her life, Mrs. McFarland was interested in music. She took an active part in several musical organizations and was, for years, a member of the choir of the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Buffalo.  The great influence of a life such as Myrtle Lane McFarland's can never be fully reckoned, because its results are shown in the lives of the hundreds of young people who came under her guidance. They knew her as teacher and friend.

From Amherst Bee, Oct. 18, 1945:  Members of the faculty and her former students were deeply grieved to learn of the death on Saturday evening of Mrs. Clarence R. McFarland in the Olean Hospital, following an operation which was performed several weeks ago.  Mrs. McFarland will be remembered by those who studied under her as Miss Lane, for a number of years the junior High School English teacher.  Her unfailing understanding and efficiency have endeared her to the Williamsville  High School girls and boys during the years of her association with the school.  Two years ago last June, she discontinued her teaching career after her marriage.  Williamsville High School News.

Mary E. (Kitchel) Kinch
Bainbridge News & Republican, November 29, 1945

Mary E. Kinch, wife of Clark Kinch, of Masonville [Delaware Co., NY], formerly of Bainbridge [Chenango Co., NY], passed away at her home Saturday after a very long illness. She was born in Cresco, Pa.; Apr. 1, 1873, the daughter of Chilean and Lanah Dingman Kitchel and came to Sidney when she was 10 years of age to work at the silk mill.  She was united in marriage to Clark Kinch, of Sidney, July 4, 1896.  To them were born two daughters, Esther and Ruth, who are now Mrs. Guy Gray, of Downsville and Mrs. Harry Greek, of Bainbridge.  She was a loving wife and mother always devoting her time to her family and was a member of the Sidney Methodist church.  In the year of 1898, Mr. and Mrs. Kinch moved to Rockdale, then in 1916 they moved to Bainbridge where they were residents until 1942 when they moved to Masonville.  She is survived by her husband and two daughters, mentioned above, also an adopted son, Carlton, a brother, Thomas Mutchler, of Rochester; 12 grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.  Funeral services were conducted at Colwell's Funeral Chapel Tuesday at 2 p.m., the Rev. Harry E. Brooks officiating. Burial was at the Prospect Hill Cemetery, Sidney [Delaware Co., NY].  Bearers were Fayette Smith, Ward Searles, Andrew Sejersen and Harold Brandt.  

In the land beyond tomorrow

There will surely be a day,

When we'll once more

See our loved one,

Who has only gone away

J. Paul Ahrens
Bainbridge News & Republican, October 25, 1945

Paul Ahrens, of Bennettsville, died at the Bainbridge Hospital of injuries received when the truck which he was operating was struck by the afternoon passenger train at about 3:25 Tuesday at the Scott street crossing of the D.&H. Railroad Co.  He was removed to the Bainbridge Hospital where he died within a few minutes of compound fractures of the skull, lacerations of the brain and hemorrhage. Dr. Edward Danforth acted as coroner.  It is reported that Mr. Ahrens, who had been an employee of the Chas. H. Eldred co., Inc., since 1934, was traveling east towards the feed mill when the accident occurred.  It is rumored that a way freight traveling north on a southbound track was switching and had just cleared the crossing as the passenger train approached the crossing on the northbound track.  John Scanlon, the watchman, was on the east side of the crossing according to reports.  Funeral services will be held Friday afternoon at 2 o'clock in Colwell's Chapel.  According to various reports this is the fifth accident which has happened on the local railroad crossings in the past seven years with three of these accidents as fatal.  In fact this is the third fatal accident in less than two years; Mrs. Elmer Archer was killed at the Johnson Street crossing new Year's Eve of 1944; Gilbert Gordon lost his life this past summer at the Johnson Street crossing, and now Mr. Ahrens.

Bainbridge News & Republican, November 1, 1945

J. Paul Ahrens, Sr., of Bennettsville [Chenango Co., NY], died at the Bainbridge Hospital of injuries received when the truck which he was operating was struck by the afternoon passenger train at about 8:25 Tuesday at the Scott street crossing of the D.& H. Railroad, Bainbridge.  Paul was born on Loomis Hill on the old Ahrens Homestead Dec. 21, 1807.  He lived there with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Ahrens, until his mother died.  he attended the Deposit High School and the Walton school.  He married Ruth Dibble of Sanford. Three children were born to them.  he has resided on a farm in Bennettsville for the last 20 years and has been employed at Eldred's food mill in Bainbridge for 10 years.  Besides his widow, Ruth Ahrens, he is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Jennie DeMott of Binghamton, and Mrs. Margaret Smith, of Trenton, N.J., and one son, Paul, Jr., who has been in the armed services for about three years, and who has been in the in the Pacific theatre of war.  He is also survived by his father, John P. Ahrens, of Sanford; a sister, Mrs. Frank Thomson, of Sanford; and one brother, Ralph Ahrens, of Johnson City, and  a number of grandchildren.  The funeral was held at Bainbridge Friday, Oct. 26 with the Presbyterian minister of Bainbridge officiating. Burial in the Bainbridge Cemetery [Chenango Co., NY].