Obituaries (May 5)

Mary Hill

Utica Saturday Globe, November 10, 1906

 

Mrs. Mary Hill

Norwich [Chenango Co., NY]:  At the home of her son, John Hill, on the road to King's Settlement, recently occurred the death of Mrs. Mary Hill, aged 80 years.  For the last nine years Mrs. Hill had been an invalid, as the result of a broken hip, and during that time she had been a constant sufferer.  She was able to get about the house to some extent with the aid of two canes, until about a week before her death, when she fell backward, breaking the other hip and one shoulder.  Her advanced age made it impossible for her to rally from the shock of these injuries and she passed to rest Tuesday, October 3.  Deceased was born in Ireland and had resided in this country about 40 years. For 15 years she was in charge of the cooking department of the county house in Preston.  She is survived by two sons, John and William, the former of whom she had made her home with during recent years, and two daughters, Mary  Hill,  who resided with her mother, and Mrs. William Hamilton, of New Berlin.

 

Sarah A. (Bunnell) Bowen

1840 - 1890

BOWEN:  Sarah A. Bunnell, wife of James Bowen of Oxford, N.Y. [Chenango Co.], died in N.Y. city Feb. 10, 1890.  She was born Sept. 16, 1840.  For 20 years she was an invalid, and during the last ten years of her life her suffering was great.  Under the advice of her physician and with her own consent she was taken to the hospital on the 30th of Jan. hoping that a surgical operation would afford relief and prolong her life.  In this emergency her faith in God was touching and beautiful.  Before leaving home she made all arrangements for life or for death.  For nearly 30 years she had walked with God and knew whom she had believed.  Living or dying she was the Lord's and in her life of suffering patience had accomplished its perfect work.  The writer visited her the afternoon before her departure from Oxford and the brief interview will never be forgotten.  Perfectly resigned it can be truthfully said that she was "in a strait betwixt two."  Prolonged suffering had created "a desire to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better," nevertheless, for the sake of the loved ones she would gladly continue to "abide in the flesh" if that should be the Lord's will concerning her.  The exceeding great and precious promises were upon her lips and her heart was full of praise.  Being asked for any passage of scripture which had been the source of special comfort to her she repeated Romans 8, 18, For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Reference was also made to the 23d Psalm.  Arrived at the hospital, her serenity was undisturbed.  Her Bible was her cherished companion.  Other reading matter was offered by kind friends, for which she thanked them but said that the word of God was all that she cared to read as her strength permitted.  On the morning of Feb. 8th she was informed at that the operation would be performed at two o'clock.  She replied that she had come for that purpose and should be ready at the appointed time, and then proceeded to write to her brother.  The physicians and others who were with her state that they had never witnessed such perfect composure under similar circumstances.  The operation was apparently successful, but peritonitis set in and at 5 a.m. Feb. 10th she passed from "the sufferings of this present time" to "the glory which shall be revealed."  Her remains were brought to the home of her mother, Mrs. Abigail Bunnell, Guilford, N.Y., where the funeral services were conducted Feb. 18th, Rev. W. Frisby officiating.  Mrs. Bowen was for many years an honored member of the Methodist Episcopal church.  She is at rest, and still as wife, daughter, sister, friend, she speaks to us, for her works do follow her. [Note:  buried in Gospel Hill Cemetery, Guilford, Chenango co., NY]

Amanda Wildey

June 18, 1815 - June 14, 1891

On Sunday morning Mrs. Alexander Wildey died at her residence on Front street [Bainbridge, Chenango Co., NY], after a long illness with heart trouble, at the age of seventy-six years.  The funeral services, conducted by Rev. T.F. Hall, were held at the house on Tuesday afternoon at 1:30 o'clock, and at the M.E. church at 2:00.  Interment at Bennettsville.  Mrs. Wildey has been a prominent member of the M.E. church for many years.

Betsey (Pearsall) Bill
1818 - 1891

On Tuesday morning, June 16th after a sickness of many months, Mrs. Betsey Bill, wife of Warren Bill, died at her home on Kirby street [Bainbridge, Chenango Co., NY], aged seventy-three years.  Mrs. Bill was the daughter of Smith Pearsall, was born in, and has been a life long resident of Bainbridge.  The funeral was held at the residence at 2 o'clock Thursday afternoon, and the interment was made at the family plot in Green Lawn cemetery [Bainbridge, NY].  She leaves an aged husband and one daughter, Mrs. Wm. B. Main, of Abingdon, Ill., to mourn the loss of a true wife and a kind mother.

Eunice Lucretia Smith

1822  - 1895

Died, March 21, 1895, Eunice L. Smith, wife of Dea. J. Wheeler Smith, aged 72 years, 6 months.  She united with the church at fifteen and until her death was an ornament in society, a treasure in her loving family, and a mother in Israel.  She was married at nineteen and for fifty-three years has walked before her family a model mother.  Twelve years ago she received a paralytic shock which incapacitated her for labor and in all those years not a murmur has escaped her lips.  Having buried three children she quietly folded her hands in death, leaving a husband and six children to mourn her irreparable loss.  Thus:

"One by one earth's ties are broken;

Step by step age come apace;

One by one farewells are spoken;

And the one last fond embrace."

 

Her funeral was conducted by her pastor, Rev. F.E. Benjamin, Text, Proverbs 31:28  [Compiler note:  Buried in West Bainbridge Cemetery, Chenango Co., NY]

Paulina Cooper

Dec. 15, 1824 - Sept. 15, 1893

On Friday morning, September 15th, 1893, after a long sickness, Mrs. Paulina Cooper, wife of Curtis Cooper, departed this life at the home of her daughter, Mrs. O.A. Sands, at Windsor, N.Y., at the age of 69 years.  The remains were brought to the home of Mr. Cooper in this village, and on Sunday at 2 o'clock, at the house, the funeral services were conducted by Rev. A.W. Ashley, assisted by Rev. R.H. Stearns. The burial was in the Cooper family's private yard at Yaleville, N.Y. [Guilford, Chenango Co., NY].  The high esteem in which Mrs. Cooper was held by the community was demonstrated by the large attendance at the funeral to pay their last respects to one who had lived so long among them.

Harriet (Ireland) Sweet

1859 - 1893

Mrs. Harriet Sweet, wife of Charles Sweet, died of typhoid fever at her home in this town Monday, Oct. 23, 1893, at the age of 33 years.  The funeral was held at her late home on Wednesday, Oct. 25th.  The burial was in the West Bainbridge cemetery [Chenango Co., NY], Rev. Hall conducted the funeral services.  Mrs. Sweet was a daughter of Alexander Ireland and she leaves five young children who will often miss the guiding hand of a kind and affectionate mother.