Obituaries (December 5)

John Willcox

Chenango Semi-Weekly Telegraph, February 5, 1898

Our entire community was moved on Sunday afternoon last when it was announced that John Willcox had just died from pneumonia.  John Willcox has been identified with the business and other interests of Smyrna [Chenango Co., NY] for more than 60 years.  longer than any other man now living in the township.  He was an undertaker by trade, starting in business here in 1832, and during his long business career here, is said to have had charge of the funeral arrangements for more than 2,000 people, an unprecedented record.  He had always enjoyed a robust constitution and prided himself on his general good strength, so long maintained up to the time he began gradually to fail about a year ago.  He last week contracted a severe cold which developed into pneumonia on Saturday which with a complication of other diseases caused his death on Sunday as above stated.  His death will fall with peculiar weight upon his close associates, who all admired him for his congeniality and many manly traits.  Especially will he be missed by the younger class and the children who have learned to love him and honor him for his many kind words and actions, and they will cherish his memory for many years to come. Cheerful, happy, kind and industrious, he was universally esteemed by a very large circle of acquaintances.  Deceased was born on the Gardner Willcox farm, about one and one-half miles northwest of this village February 27, 1812.  He married Sarah [Brooks], a sister of Isaac and Nelson Brooks (the latter now deceased) who died October 8, 1872.  He leaves to mourn his loss, two daughters, Aveline, wife of the late Gardner Wilson and Etta J., the wife of the late D.J. Preston, both of Chicago, and Walter G. who has always resided at the homestead with whom his father had made his home.  The funeral was held from his late home on Wednesday afternoon at one o'clock, the sermon being preached by Rev. Henry W. Dowding of the Congregational church. The burial was in the Willcox ground on the Earlville road.

Marion Smith Willcox

Chenango Telegraph, March 19, 1918

Smyrna:  Marion Smith of Ithaca, N.Y. became the wife of Abel Comstock Willcox in September 1906.  After her husband finished his law course at New York university, they settled in Norwich and later removed to Rochester.  Two years ago Mr. and Mrs. Willcox returned to Smyrna and after a time Mrs. Willcox succumbed to the long illness which resulted in her death last Tuesday night.  Mrs. Willcox was a woman of strong and beautiful character--a devoted wife and sweet mother.  Her every thought centered in her three little sons and the hospitable, Christian home she graced so well.  Her long period of acute suffering is over and she has passed on to peace and understanding at last. The sympathy of a community is extended to the bereaved husband and motherless boys. The funeral was held at the house at 2 o'clock Friday afternoon; interment on Sherburne West Hill.  Besides Mr. Willcox, her sons, Abel Jr., David and John, she leaves a sister, Mrs. Simpson of Washington, D.C. who came on to attend the last rites.

Abel Comstock Willcox

Norwich Sun, October 25, 1918

Abel Comstock Willcox passed away at his home in Smyrna Sunday night in the full flower of his young manhood.  He was 34 years of age and leaves behind him a wife and three young sons who are now both fatherless and motherless.  Abel C. Willcox was born in Smyrna [Chenango Co., NY], the eldest son of Gardner N. and Sarah Comstock [Willcox].  At a very early age he showed decided precocity in his studies and his easy and brilliant grasp of hard subjects was a source of speculation and wonder to his instructors. At the age of 17 he entered Cornell university and there was known as a "star" student.  He graduated from here with the highest honors and immediately entered upon the study of law in the college of the city of New York. Before completing this course he was married to Miss Marion Smith of Ithaca who died last March after a year of terrible suffering. To his wife in her last days, the husband gave tenderly and tirelessly of his time and strength.  He ministered to her needs as  a mother would have done and never counted the price. After being admitted to the New York bar, Abel Willcox practiced for a few years in Norwich then removed to Rochester where he became research lawyer for the Lawyers' Cooperative company there.  His own health broke down several years ago and he was obliged to get out of his confining work in Rochester.  He moved his family to Smyrna two years ago where he sought less arduous professional duties and more outdoor work. The automobile agency of G.N. Wilcox and son was formed and Mr. Willcox became demonstrator for their cars. The illness and death of Mrs. Willcox followed, leaving the three boys. To them the father gave in the abundance of his beautiful love and affection.  Always kind, always cheery, always strong in the face of cruel adversity--he was the admiration of all those who knew the cross he so patiently bore. Early in life he had taken the vows of the church and his character in truth seemed ever founded and modeled on that of his Heavenly Father.  Four weeks ago, Abel Willcox was united in marriage to Lydia Bartlett.  He shortly became a victim of the influenza scourge and after a vain but gallant fight, his tired body succumbed.  A whole community will miss his quiet, unassuming presence; his family will miss the strong son, the beloved husband, the most understanding of fathers, the dearest of brothers.

Servant of Good--well done!

Rest from thy loved employ;

The battle fought, the victory won,

Enter thy Master's joy.

Samuel Wilcox

Norwich Sun, May 24, 1921

Smyrna:  The sad news of the death on Tuesday, May 17, 1921, of our former townsman, Samuel Wilcox, at his home, 7 Roosevelt street, Binghamton [Broome Co., NY], following an illness of only two weeks of pneumonia was received here with real regret by his many friends.  Mr. Wilcox was born just north of this village December 17, 1855, on the Wilcox homestead which has been in the family over one hundred years and which is now owned by his son, Harrison J. Wilcox of Binghamton. Samuel was the second of four children born to Robert H. and Mary Ferris Wilcox and was a respected and honored resident of the town until 1881 when he moved with his family to Oneonta, where one year later he entered the employ of the D and H railroad with whom he remained about thirty years serving twenty-five years as engineer and being obliged to retire a few year since by reason of an accident which injured one arm to such an extent that he was unable to longer perform his duties.  He always retained a lively interest in railroading and kept well in touch with the progress of affairs in that line, enjoying a wide acquaintance both among the operators and officers who held him in the highest esteem.  Always retaining a keen interest in the home town and its people, he loved to return to visit with acquaintances of former days among whom he was always more than welcome.  Those who are left to mourn the passing of a good man are one son, Harrison J. Wilcox of Binghamton, one brother, J.M. Wilcox of Smyrna, seven grandchildren of Binghamton and a host of friends throughout the central part of the state. Private funeral services were held from the home on Wednesday and interment made beside his wife and daughter on Sherburne West Hill on Thursday.

Robert Willcox

Norwich Sun, September 18, 1934

Smyrna:  Robert Willcox, a native and for many years a resident of Smyrna, passed away at Faxton Hospital at Utica [Oneida Co., NY], the last of the week and the remains were brought to Smyrna for funeral services in the Methodist church Tuesday afternoon at 2 o'clock.  Mr. Willcox was the son of late Charles and Samantha Briggs Willcox and was born in Smyrna [Chenango Co., NY] 80 years ago.  His first wife was Anna Sabin, who with a daughter, Ernestine, passed way in California some years ago.  A son, Charles is also deceased, while a second wife survives at Utica, which has been his home for several years.  Interment was made in the Willcox cemetery on the Smyrna-Earlville road.