Obituaries (May 13)

Melissa Hart

Utica Saturday Globe, May 12, 1906

 

Mrs. Melissa Hart

Norwich [Chenango Co., NY]:  At the home of James Cadwell on Mitchell street, where she had been stopping for a few days, occurred the death on Sunday afternoon of Mrs. Melissa Hart, aged 70.  For a number of months she had been afflicted with dropsy of the heart and her death was not unexpected.  Dinner was served to her in bed and she sat up while eating and seemed very bright and cheerful.  When Mrs. Cadwell returned to the room about 2 o'clock she was surprised to find that Mrs. Hart had passed away.  Deceased had resided in Norwich for over 40 years and had become a well-known resident.  She was noted for her kindliness and many people who have known her helpfulness and sympathy in times of need will mourn her passing as one whose place cannot be readily filled.  During the past few years she had made her home with different people and every home she had graced with her presence would have been glad to welcome her again.  She is survived by her husband, one son, Charles Hart, two grandchildren and a nephew, Austin Rathbun, with whom she had made her home during the last year.  The funeral services were held from the home of Mr. Cadwell, at 2 o'clock on Tuesday afternoon, Rev. Wilson Treible officiating.  Interment was made in Mount Hope Cemetery [Norwich, NY].

Alvin D. Sherwood

1865 - 1910

The funeral services of Alvin D. Sherwood, who died at Syracuse, March 1st, were held at his late residence on Furnace Hill [Guilford, Chenango Co., NY], Thursday afternoon at 2 o'clock.  The services were in charge of Rev. A.C. Salls of the congregational church, and the burial took place in the Guilford cemetery [Sunset Hill].  Mr. Sherwood was born to the town of Butternuts [Otsego Co., NY], Jan. 20, 1865, but for many years has been a resident of this town.  He is survived by his wife, formerly Miss Agnes Rivers of Guilford; two daughters, Mary and Bertha, two brothers, Linn, of Guilford and William of Deposit, and two sisters, Mrs. Ellie Garrison, Mrs. Fred Ames of Guilford.  Mr. Sherwood was taken suddenly ill Jan. 9th, and septicemia, affecting right arm and chest, developed.  He was later removed to the Hospital of the Good Shepherd, Syracuse, for treatment.  Mr. Sherwood sold his farm at Ives Settlement and moved to this village, shortly before he had the misfortune to lose (several years ago) his left hand in a mowing machine accident.  His upright, honorable life had won the respect of his townspeople and he has had the sympathy of many friends during his illness.  He was tax collector at one time, and was trustee of the local N.P.L.  The floral offerings were beautiful including a wreath from the N.P.L.

Dr. George A. Bradbury
1857 - 1910

The funeral of Dr. George A. Bradbury, who died suddenly in Troy [Rensselaer Co., NY] April 9, from an attack of angina pectoris was held in that city Tuesday and the remains brought here [Guilford, Chenango Co., NY] for interment Wednesday afternoon [in Sunset Hill Cemetery].  The committal service was read by Rev. William B. Rogers formerly of Christ Church, now rector in Fayetteville.  Besides his wife and mother Mrs. George Bradbury, Dr. Bradbury is survived by two sisters, Mrs. W.W. Nash of Guilford and Mrs. T.D. Wilsey of Syracuse.  He was the son of George and Weltha Morse Bradbury and was born, December 1857.  He was at one time a student in the Academy at Bainbridge.  A graduate of the Albany Medical College and has practiced his profession in Lansingburg for the past twenty-five years.  A member of the vestry of Trinity Church, member and ex-president of the Rensselaer County Medical Society, member of the State Medical Society, Medical Director of Leonard Hospital, member of the Board of Governors of Marshal Sanitarium, Troy, N.Y.  Fine tributes to his worth as a physician., church worker, citizen and friend are published in the resolutions passed by the vestry and hospital boards in Troy.  Many beautiful flowers from the organizations to which he belonged and from his many friends also testified to the respect which he was held.  Rev. Charles M. Nickerson of Trinity Church, who conducted the service in Troy was rector of this parish about forty-five years ago.

Hannah (Knapp) Hathaway

Broome Republican, May 10, 1883

The remains of the late Mrs. H.K. Hathaway, which were deposited in the vault of Spring Forest Cemetery [Binghamton, Broome Co., NY] at the time of her death, last January, were buried yesterday.  The following obituary notice from the Chicago Tribune will be of interest.

Mrs. Hannah Knapp Hathaway was the wife of Prof. William G. Hathaway, an old resident of this city [Chicago, IL].  For many years in the early days of Chicago Prof. Hathaway was at the head of Hathaway's Mathematical Academy.  At this institution the higher branches were taught and young men fitted for college.  Mrs. Hathaway assisted her husband, teaching French and some of the sciences.  The school was widely known, and numbered among its pupils many who are now prominent men of Chicago.  Mrs. Hathaway was a lady of great refinement and culture.  The influence of her beautiful character made itself widely felt and she leaves a large circle of friends.  For many years past she has been a member of the First Baptist church of this city.  She has been for the past four years a patient, uncomplaining invalid, happy in the care of her husband and her sister, Mrs. L.K. Wescott, and loving friends.  Of her other sisters, both deceased, one was the wife of the late Daniel B Dickinson, of New York, and the other the wife of the late Giles Hotchkiss, of Binghamton, N.Y.  Her surviving brothers are Dr. James B. Knapp and Dr. Frederick H. Knapp, both of new Orleans.

Prof. William G. Hathaway

1815 - 1891

Prof. W.G. Hathaway died in Cortland [Cortland Co., NY] on Thursday.  He was a native of Norwich (White Store neighborhood), taught the academy at Guilford Centre half a century ago and there married Hannah Younger, daughter of Dr. Colby Knapp, sister of Mrs. D.S. Dickinson, Mrs. Giles W. Hotchkiss and Mrs. L .K. Westcott, of this city.  He went to Chicago about 1849 and established there a mathematic academy which was for twenty years a most successful training school for boys.  Years ago his wife died and was buried in Spring Forest cemetery [Binghamton, Broome Co., NY].  Mr. Hathaway's health failed about he same time and he became a resident of Cortland.  He was buried at Spring Forest Cemetery Saturday.  -- Binghamton Call.

New York Herald, January 11, 1891

Professor William G. Hathaway died at Cortland, N.Y. on Thursday last.  He was born about 1816 at White Store, town of Norwich, in Chenango county.  About 1840 he taught the academy at Guilford Centre, where he married Miss Hannah Knapp, a daughter of Dr. Colby Knapp and a sister of the wife of United States Senator Daniel S. Dickinson.  In 1849 he removed to Chicago, where he established a mathematical school for boys, which was very popular for many years. His wife died several years ago and, his health having failed, he removed to Cortland.

Mary (Williams) Abbott
died about 1880

Mrs. Abbott, the seven times married woman of Smyrna [Chenango Co., NY], has died at the age of eighty-eight years.  Her seventh husband, to whom she was married last year, survives her [sic].  Her maiden name was Williams and she always lived in that neighborhood.  She first married a man named Traux, and then she was successively wedded to Messrs. Riggs, Farrow, Wallace, Berry, Pratt and Abbott.  Her widowhood seldom exceeded a year.  She never became a mother, but many of the best citizens of Chenango county called her such, six of her seven husbands being widowers, with children ranging in number from two to a dozen. There is not half a score of families in the county but can trace some marriage relationship to her. She was a good woman and a consistent member of one of the orthodox churches.  The majority of her husbands were well-to-do farmers, and it is said that she leaves a snug fortune, received from her deceased husbands.

Gazette & Courier, July 26, 1875

Mrs. Mary Abbott of Smyrna, [NY]., has been led a blushing bride to the altar seven times.  She has been Miss Williams, Mrs. Traux, Mrs. Farrow, Mrs. Riggs, Mrs. Wallace, Mrs. Berry, Mrs. Pratt, and now Abbott, and has married a widower every time but once, and has reared numerous step children for her various husbands, but has never had children of her own.

Daily Register, Hudson, NY, October 23, 1879

Benjamin Abbott, who has just died in Smyrna, N.Y., in the 82d year of his age, was the seventh husband of his widow, who survives him.  This much talked of and much published event (for it went the rounds of the press of the nation), when he for the second and she for the seventh time bowed before the Alter of Hymen, occurred on June 30, 1875, he then being 78 and she 82 years old.  Mrs. Abbott's history in the marital relations of life stands perhaps unparalleled in the records of the nation and tradition has it there is yet another.  It is currently stated without contradiction that some years ago she had a vision in which eight men stood before her in a peculiarly, impressive manner, which she has ever regarded as prophetic of the number of conquests she was to make.  The eighth is just as likely and as reasonable as the seventh, and already public gossip is beginning to mark this and that man as the victim of the next conquest.  Her maiden name was Williams and she has been successively Mrs. Traux, Mrs. Riggs, Mrs. Farrow, Mrs. Wallace, Mrs. Barry, Mrs. Pratt and Mrs. Abbott.  In every instance save the first, she has married widowers, some of them with a good number of children, and on one occasion in her early married life she went to the almshouse and took therefrom three children and raised them.  She never had any children of her own.  All her life has been spent near Smyrna and all her husbands were buried by the same undertaker.