Obituaries (August 27)

Francis N. Grant

Utica Saturday Globe, May 1904

 

Francis N. Grant

Norwich [Chenango Co., NY]:  Francis N. Grant, one of the oldest and most respected residents of Norwich, died at the residence of his daughter, Mrs. F.D. McNitt, in Plymouth [Chenango Co., NY] Thursday of last week, aged 88 years.  Deceased had been a resident of Norwich for nearly 80 years, coming here from his birthplace, Stonington, Conn., when 9 years of age.  For many years he was a prominent and successful farmer.  He retired from active business life about 12 years ago.  He is survived by four daughters and one son, Mrs. Charles W. Winsor and Mrs. J.F. Crowell, of Norwich, Mrs. F.D. McNitt, of Plymouth, and Mrs. Oscar Bishop, of Blue Earth City, Minn., and Fred Grant, of Waterbury, Conn.  Funeral services were held from the residence of Dwight McNitt on Hale street on Sunday afternoon at 2 o'clock, Rev. S.J. Ford, pastor of the Calvary Baptist church officiating.

Jane Emma (Bailey) Smith

1818 - 1902

In the Bainbridge Republican of last week the announcement was made of the death of Mrs. A. Bulus Smith, a former resident of Bainbridge [Chenango Co., NY], At Grand Rapids, Mich.  Mrs. Smith died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Lawrence Newton and a letter received by her son, George A. Smith, of Bainbridge, who is the oldest, living child, gives some details of the last illness of the deceased.

Mrs. Smith had been very well the past winter and though in her eighty-fourth year was full of ambition and with busy eagerness shared with her daughter, the domestic duties of the family.  On Saturday afternoon, March 22, she sat, sewing, putting together pieces of an intricate bed quilt pattern, a kind she was especially fond of, when she arose from her chair saying, "I will lie down, my head aches so hard."  Mrs. Smith went to her bed and rapidly grew worse each hour until she died the following Monday afternoon at 2 o'clock.  Her disease was pneumonia, which caused intense suffering, but she was able to reason in her customary, practical way, and when death drew near she called the family to her to bid them good-bye.  Her nearness to the grave had no terrors and she sank peacefully into the last sleep.  Mrs. Smith had written only the week before to her son George in Bainbridge of her excellent health, and of her plans to visit him this summer.  Mr. and Mrs. Smith gave up their residence in Bainbridge eight years ago and went to Michigan to reside with their daughter, Mrs. Newton, who before marriage was Miss Jennie E. Smith.  Mrs. Smith was born in Cherry Valley, in 1813, and when a young child her parents moved to Guilford and in 1838 she was married to A.B. Smith. The young couple came to Bainbridge to reside and had lived in this village 55 years, respected and honored, and identified with every change for the permanent advantage of Bainbridge. They were prominent members of the Presbyterian church and their influence was always for the material advancement of that denomination.  Mrs. Smith was a very patriotic woman and took a great interest in finding out the soldiers who went from this vicinity to the Civil War, and to her conscious efforts through the four years' struggle many unfortunates beyond the pale of our town were helped.  Mr. Smith died in the fall of 1900, and though the wife was lonely her daughter's family sought to make her life happy.  Mrs. Smith was able to attend church regularly to the last week of her life.  Mrs. Smith was a good woman, strong in character, pure and loyal to everything true.  She is survived by five children.

 

Alfred A. Van Horne

1834 - 1896

Alfred A. Van Horne died at his home in this village [Bainbridge, Chenango Co., NY] early Tuesday morning, Aug. 4th, after a lingering illness.  Mr. Van Horne was born in Lexington, Greene Co., N.Y., Sept. 27, 1832.  His parents David and Lucy J. Van Horne moved to Bennettsville in 1838.  He was the third of five children.  He lived in Bennettsville until he entered the mercantile business in Masonville in 1854 and was married the same year, October 30, to Miss Mary J. Scofield of Masonville.  As a merchant in Masonville [Delaware Co., NY], he was very popular, doing a thriving business, and held the office of supervisor during the war.  Mr. Van Horne came to Bainbridge in 1869 and entered business.  He was elected justice of the Peace on the Democratic ticket holding the office successfully till the time of his death, comprising a term of twenty years.  This illustrates the remarkable confidence bestowed upon Mr. Van Horne as he was chose from a strong Republican town.  Mr. Van Horne's long weary sickness, since October last, when he was compelled to give up business entirely, was the result of a fall he received upon an icy sidewalk four years ago, this brought upon him rheumatism and other complications which culminated in his death.  In December of 1895 while stopping in Norwich, he received the communion from Rev. W.H. Scudder and united with the Congregational church of that place. This consecration was a source of comfort to him while his life was ebbing away and enabled him to enter the dark shadows with calmness and serenity fully conscious, that:

"The souls of those that die

Find the pure joys of earth lifted higher."

Besides his wife, two children survive him, Mrs. Lucy A. Chapman and Perry a son, one of the reportorial staff of the Daily News-Democrat of Canton, Ohio. The funeral will take place at the house Thursday afternoon at 3 o'clock, the Rev. John E. Vasler, pastor of the Baptist Church, officiating.  Interment will be in the Episcopal cemetery [St. Peter's Churchyard, Bainbridge, NY]. 

William Fields Doolittle

1883 - 1944

DOOLITTLE:  William Fields Doolittle died at his home, 1451 Upper Front st., Broad Acres [Broome Co., NY], Friday at 4:30 p.m. He is survived by his widow, Maude May Doolittle, one daughter, Mrs. John H. Rinker of Broad Acres; one son, Raymond E. Doolittle of Lisle, and four grandchildren.  The body was removed to the William R. Chase & Son Funeral Home, 44 Exchange st., where the funeral will be held Monday at 2 p.m.  The Rev. G. Arthur Woolsey will officiate.  Burial in Chenango Valley Cemetery.

Dorothy Mary Hyatt

Binghamton Press, April 14, 1944

Miss Dorothy M. Hyatt, 23, of 110 Roosevelt Avenue, Endicott [Broome Co., NY], died at 11:30 a.m. Thursday in the Robert Packer Hospital, Sayre, Pa., after a long illness.  She is survived by her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Bert Hyatt of Endicott; a brother, J. Edgar Hyatt of this city; also two nieces and several aunts and uncles.  Miss Hyatt was a member of the First Methodist Church of Endicott and an IBM employee.  The body was removed to the Allen Memorial Home, 511-513 East Main Street Endicott.