Thursday, August 13, 2020

Vital Records (13)

 Dr. C.A. Young, Chenango Union, March 23, 1882We published recently a brief mention of the drowning of Dr. C.A. Young, in Oregon.  He was a former resident of Guilford Centre [Chenango Co., NY], this County, and the following letter to his brother, A.J. Young of that place, gives additional particulars of the sad event.  Tillamook, Oregon, Feb. 25, 1882:  to A.J. Young, Guilford Centre, N.Y.

Dear Sir:  Your letter of January 24th is received, and in reply I will say that the report you received is only too true.  Dr. Young was drowned while crossing the Nehalem river about twenty miles from where I live.  He was drowned when starting to come to our settlement to visit a patient.  It will never be known how it happened, but it is thought they (he was in company with Mr. C.A. Lamb) had reached the shore, and were attempting to get out of the boat.  It was an Indian canoe; they are made of logs, and are very easily turned over, if a person does not understand them, and where they landed the bank is very steep--that is, goes right off into deep water, and is right at the mouth of the stream, where it empties into the ocean. As it is very swift, it is supposed when they arose to get out of the canoe, it turned over, as their bodies were found only a few feet from the shore, close together.  I saw the Doctor a few days before his death.  He was at my father's house, was well and jolly, and full of fun, little thinking how soon he would be called on to travel that road from which none ever return. The Doctor had resided here but a short time, but during that time he had gathered around him a large circle of friends, composed of our best citizens.  I never met a better hearted man.  He was drowned January 7th, 1882.  His body was recovered on the 11th, in a good state of preservation, was brought to Kilchis, on Tillamook Bay, and buried in a respectable manner.  Yours with respect, Charles H. Miller, Postmaster.

Henry L. York, Chenango Union, March 23, 1882:  Henry L. York died at his residence on South Broad street [Norwich, Chenango Co., NY], Monday afternoon last, aged fifty-six years.  For months past he suffered from cancer in his mouth, and it has been evident to all that slowly but surely he was going to his death.  Although suffering much from the terrible scourge, he attended faithfully to his duties, and it was but a few weeks since he gave up, and yielded to the inevitable.  He was a son of the late judge Charles York, and was born and we believe has always resided in Norwich.  Often he was called to discharge the duties of town and corporation officer, which he discharged faithfully and well, and at the time of his death he was town collector.  Notwithstanding his sufferings and adversities in life, he was cheerful in his intercourse with all, and had a kindly word for those whom he met.  He will be missed upon our streets, while his stricken wife is left to mourn the loss of a kind and indulgent husband, and others of the family circle, to whom he has been as a father, will cherish his memory, and all have the sympathy of friends and neighbors.  Funeral services were held this (Wednesday) afternoon.

William Becker Steward, Unadilla Times, August 26, 1910Dr. William Becker Stewart, of whose critical illness during past weeks this paper has made mention from time to time, died at the Main street family residence in this village [Unadilla, Otsego Co., NY] at 11:30 o'clock on Sunday evening, August 21st, after an illness of months with Bright's disease, which latterly was attended by intense suffering to the afflicted and helpless mental anguish to the near relatives and numerous friends.  His death at this time brings to an early close a professional career which the citizens of this village feel was destined to have become most successful--yes, brilliant--had health continued.  Dr. Stewart was born at Oneonta, N.Y. [Otsego Co.], on Nov. 14th, 1877, being the eldest son of the children reared by the Hon. and Mrs. James Stewart.  His family and their ancestors have been esteemed, over a long period of years, as among the most substantial, influential and successful in this section of the state.  His early education was acquired in the Oneonta High and State normal schools, and he was further equipped by taking a course at the Oswego business college.  Choosing for his life work the medical profession, Dr. Stewart entered the University of Vermont, located at Burlington, and was graduated therefrom on July 6th, 1905.  During the time he was pursuing the course of study at the University, he made the acquaintance of Miss Clarissa Sands Arnold, of this village, only daughter of the late Senator Frank B. Arnold.  Acquaintanceship ripened into ardent mutual love, and on Dec. 31st, 1902, Mr. Stewart led Miss Arnold to the marriage altar in St. Matthew's Episcopal church. They took up a temporary residence in Burlington and after Dr. Stewart was awarded his medical diploma, located in Bennington, Vt., in Jan. 1905, where he began the practice of medicine, which continued for five years, or until the spring of 1909, when the family removed to Unadilla and occupied the ancestral home of the wife.  Dr. Stewart, while known intimately to many of the younger set in this village, practically had to face the stranger practitioner's task of making his profession ability known to our citizens through the best of all mediums -- results.  His cleverness soon became apparent and it was not long before his practice became lucrative and ever increasing.  He has been spoken of, by those who employed him, as a natural born physician, doubtless inheriting a part of the ability possessed by his grandfather, the late Dr. William Stewart, regarded in his time as a most successful practitioner in the Charlotte valley. The subject of this sketch was an adept in the sick doom, his ministrations of medicine being attested by a thorough interestedness in the patient's comfort and progress towards health.  He had a passionate regard for his profession, had spent much time and means to equip his office with the latest appliances for specializing in certain ailments and would, no doubt, had his life been spared, been of inestimable worth to this community.  As a private citizen, Dr. Stewart was best esteemed by those who knew him best and longest. Endowed with an impulsive nature, the milk of human kindness, nevertheless flowed freely though his every act.  He was kind hearted and generous to a fault, found rare pleasure in diversified reading, was thoroughly conversant on an endless variety of subjects, which, combined with a retentive memory, made him an interesting person to sit down with for a social visit. The possessor of a rich, vibrant, musical voice, his participation in private parlor musicales and church and public functions only added greater success to the program engaging attention.  He was studiously a gentleman in manners, and his home life, presided over by his lovable and enthusiastic wife, who had given him the additional blessings of two vivacious and interesting children;  James Stewart the fourth, aged six years, and Clara Sands Stewart, aged four, furnished him rare pleasure and comfort, oftentimes generously shared by friends who knew of their home as one of exceeding hospitality.  He was a member of G.L. Halsey Lodge, No. 893, I.O.O.F., and Delta musical fraternity.  While residing in Vermont, Dr. Stewart was first made aware of the presence of the dreaded malady to which he succumbed, and systematically set about retarding the progress of the disease.  he consulted the best specialists and obtained temporary relief.  In June last, following distressing periods of ill health, he entered the Samaritan hospital at Troy for treatment, made encouraging gains and returned home on July 16th, strictly enjoined by the hospital attendants to become passive in his activities. Yielding to the wishes of patients to attend their illnesses he overdid, a few days later was stricken with almost total blindness and failed rapidly until death came to alleviate his sufferings.  From that stately old-time home on Main street, which for generations past has been typical of which is best in earthy home life, where dwelt in the long ago the forebears of his children's mother and the kith and kin they loved so well, and where, even in this dark hour, their spirits and sweet memories seem to linger and comfort the widow and fatherless as words cannot, he was called to that heavenly home "not made with hands" whose Maker and Builder is God, and into whose loving care we commend his spirit.

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