Obituaries (August 18)

Lydia McLagan

Utica Saturday Globe, April 1902

 

Mrs. Lydia M. (Sheldon) McLagan

Norwich [Chenango Co., NY]:  Mrs. Lydia M. McLagan died at the home of her son, George H. McLagan, in the southeastern portion of the town of Norwich on Tuesday, after a lingering illness.  Mrs. McLagan was the widow of Nelson McLagan, who died in 1884.  She was born in the town of Guilford [Chenango Co., NY], October 7, 1834, and had always lived in this vicinity excepting for a few years spent in the west when her husband was in business in De Kalb, Ill. She was a woman highly esteemed and greatly loved by those who knew her.  She is survived by two sons, George, with whom she made her home, and Benjamin F., of this village, and one daughter, Mrs. John Jacoby, of Norwich.  Three sisters also survive, Mrs. Philo Shelton and Mrs. Henry L. White, of Guilford, and Mrs. N.A. Bemis, of Odell, Ill.; also by one brother, William Sheldon, of this village.  Her funeral was attended on Thursday from her late home.  Interment was made in the cemetery at North Guilford.

Thomas J. Wilkins

Bainbridge Republican, October 8, 1880

Thomas J. Wilkins, a former resident of this place, died at Leesburg, Va., Sept 29, of fever.  About one year ago he moved to Leesburg where he remained until the time of his death.  He was a true and faithful member of the Episcopal church, a member of the G.A.R., at this place, and but one short year ago, at the reunion of the 114th regiment held at this place, Mr. Wilkins acted as marshal on that occasion.  He was also a member of Afton lodge, no. 800, F.&A.M.  A true and faithful worker, but he has gone to his long home, he has been removed by the Great creator from the cares and troubles of this "transitory existence" to a state of endless duration, and there we must leave him in the hand of Him who has done all things well.

 

Moses Axtell

Bainbridge Republican, October 29, 1880

Barbourville [Delaware Co., NY]:  Moses Axtell died last week.  He was the oldest inhabitant in this vicinity.  He came to this part of the country 77 years ago, when he was a boy of thirteen.  He died at the residence of his son, William Axtell, with whom he has lived some years.

 

John McNulty

Chenango Union, April 24, 1884

On Friday morning the body of John McNulty, who had been missing since the Tuesday evening previous, was found in the Chenango river, near the residence of C.A. McFarland, about three miles below this village.  The body lay partly on its side near the bank in shallow water, and a short distance down stream floated a whisky bottle about half filled.  McNulty resided on a farm in Coventry [Chenango Co., NY], owned by Miller & Perkins, and on Tuesday he went to Greene and back home, and at five P.M., hitched up hi horse, against the wishes of his family, and came to this village to see Mr. Perkins.  He drank some liquor, purchased a half pint of whisky, did his business with Mr. Perkins, who noticed that he was intoxicated, and about nine o'clock started for home, and that was the last seen of him alive. Not returning home, his family became alarmed, and Wednesday his son started out in search of him.  He found his horse and wagon at the Loomis farm, several miles below where the body was found, where it was discovered standing by the watering trough that morning.  Nothing was heard of the owner until late on Thursday, when his cap was found in the old canal bed near McFarland's and a fence showed marks of a wagon running against it, and a place also showed where a horse had stood for some time.  Further search by men in that vicinity on Friday revealed the body as above related.  The supposition is that McNulty's horse ran into the fence and threw him out of the wagon, or that he fell out, and in a confused condition wandered across the old canal bed and into the river close by, where he became exhausted and was drowned  Tracks showed that he had wandered some distance, and it is evident that had the night been otherwise than a very dark one, he could have seen where he was going.  The body was only covered by an inch or two of water.  McNaulty was a man about 65 years of age.  He came to this section from Canada, we believe, at the time the midland railroad was building, on which he had sub contracts.  He was given to occasional drinking to excess.. He leaves a wife and eight children and was a man of considerable intelligence.  Coroner Avery commenced an inquest at the St. James Hotel in this village on Friday, which was concluded on Saturday, the jury finding that deceased came to his death by asphyxia from drowning; that he was under the influence of liquor, and that his death was caused accidentally by his own act.  His funeral was held on Sunday.--Times.   Deceased formerly resided in Norwich, and was sub-contractor on the Midland and D.L.& W. roads at the time they were building.

 

Martha (Baldwin) Babcock

Chenango Union, April 24, 1884

Sherburne [Chenango Co., NY]:  Mrs. Martha Babcock, widow of Elias Babcock, died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Perkins, at No. 153 Eat 124th st. New York city, April 14th, 1884.  She was born November, 1788, near New Haven, Conn., in what is now the town of Woodbridge.  Her maiden name was Baldwin.  Her husband, Elias Babcock, was the most successful business man in the early history of Sherburne.  He died June 10, 1833, aged 55 years, the richest man in Chenango galley at that time.  His house was at or near where the Stephen Medbury house now stands. At first he had a store connected with his house.  Afterwards he had a store near where now is the gas tank of the Congregational church.  After her husband's death Mrs. Babcock bought the house where Mrs. Harvey now lives, and occupied it until all of her children had found new homes.  About 1852 she left Sherburne and resided with one and another of her children until her death.  Her remains were brought to Sherburne and interred in the congregational cemetery on the 17th inst.  Rev. Mr Teller officiating.  The deceased was a member of the congregational church at Norwich.  Her surviving children are Elvira P., widow of Benjamin F. Rexford Esq., of Norwich, N.Y.; Charles W. Babcock, Esq., of Cuyahoga Falls, O.,; John E. Babcock, Esq., Towanda, Pa.; Cynthia N., wife of John DeWitt Rexford, of Janesville, Wis., and Adaline S., wife of James W. Perkins, of New York city--News

Death Notices

Chenango Union, August 28, 1872

JONES:  In Sherburne [Chenango Co., NY] August 9th, Nancy A., wife of Fred H. Jones, aged 26 years

JONES:  In Sherburne [Chenango Co., NY] August 15th, Mr. Fred H. Jones, aged 28 years.

WATERS:  In Binghamton [Broome Co., NY], July 24th, Mr. Lewis J. Waters, aged 27 years, formerly of Sherburne.

RACKETT:  In East Marion, Long Island, August 15th, of cholera infantum, Lydia Jemima, daughter of A.C. and Caroline Rackett, aged 10 months and 10 days.

QUINN:  In Preston [Chenango Co., NY], July 11th, Kitty H., only daughter of Francis and Margaret Quinn, aged 9 months.