Obituaries (September 2)

Edward Newell Hill

Utica Saturday Globe, August 1903

 

 

Edward Newell Hill

Norwich {Chenango Co., NY]:  Thursday afternoon at his home on Cortland street after an illness of nearly a year occurred the death of Edward Newell Hill, a well-known resident of this village, where he had been engaged in the blacksmith business for the past 10 years.  Mr. Hill was born in Syracuse [Onondaga Co., NY] August 1, 1863, and was a son of Mr. and Mrs. Newell E. Hill, January 1, 1890, he married Miss Martie Johnson, of Chicago, who survives.  He also leaves two brothers, Chauncey and Ervin Hill, of Mundale, Ill. and a sister, Mrs. Cora Bosket, of Cascade Valley, N.Y.  Deceased was commander of Norwich Tent, Knights of the Maccabees, a member of Whaupaunaucau Tribe No. 108, L.O.R.M., and the local lodge of Royal Templars. At this writing the funeral arrangements have not been completed.  [Note:  Buried Mount Hope Cemetery, Norwich, NY]

 

Lucy A. (Main) Burlingame

Utica Saturday Globe, August 1903

 

 

Lucy A. (Main) Burlingame

 

Norwich [Chenango Co., NY]:  After a year's illness of cancer of the stomach Lucy A. Main, wife of Elbert Burlingame, died at her home near White's Pond Wednesday of last week, aged 49.  Mrs. Burlingame was born in Springvale September 11, 1853, the daughter of Charles C. and Harriet Main, and had always resided in the vicinity of her birthplace.  In 1874 she married Elbert Burlingame, who survives her, together with two sons, Hiram, of Springvale, and Clifford, who resides at home, and one daughter, Mrs. B.L. Graves, of the East Quarter.  One brother, Charles Main, of East Norwich, and three sisters, Mrs. M.E. Thornton, Miss Matilda Main, of East Norwich, and Mrs. Louise L. Main, of Norwich, also survive.  Deceased was a Christian woman, respected and loved by a large circle of friends.  Her funeral was held Saturday, Rev. S.J Ford officiating.  Interment in Mount Hope [Norwich, NY].

 

Thomas W. Hall

Chenango Union, February 2, 1896

After a brief illness, Thomas W. Hall, an old and esteemed resident of this town [Norwich, Chenango Co., NY], died at his home in East Norwich, Thursday morning, at the ripe old age of eighty-three years.  Mr. Hall was born in Milltown, North Stonington, Conn., January 10th, 1813.  His father, Thomas P. Hall, emigrated from Connecticut to this town when Thomas W. Hall was a boy, and settled on the homestead farm where he died, and which Thomas W. Hall has since occupied and did at the time of his demise.  He was married February 16, 1837, to Sarah A .Wescott, who after a happy married life of nearly thirty years, died February 3, 1866.  There were born to them four children, three of whom, Thomas Cortland Hall, James Dudley Hall and Henry L. Thurston, preceded him to the better land and one, Gertrude Brown, wife of Charles K. Brown, of this village, survives, On March 24, 1875, he was again married to Mary R. Warner, who is left to mourn her loss.  He is also survived by one brother, Dudley S. Hall, of this village.  He became a member of the Baptist church in this village, in April, 1865, and for over forty years exemplified his religious convictions by an upright, conscientious and truly consecrated life.  In politics he was always a Republican, and was ever loyal to his party.  For twenty-five years he served the town as overseer of the poor, being repeatedly elected by large majorities though many times the town went heavily Democratic and he being the only Republican elected.  His kindness of heart and unflinching honesty made him a model officer, and in his hands the poor had a sympathetic helper and the town an ideal officer.  During the war, in addition to this duties as overseer of the poor he was called upon by his fellow citizens to undertake the additional task of caring for and disbursing the fund subscribed for the aid of the wives and children of the soldiers, who were in the front.  This task he undertook as a solemn and patriotic duty and at the cost of much time and great labor, most acceptably performed the arduous and unremunerative work.  Personally he was pleasant, unassuming and overflowing with brotherly kindness to all, an accommodating friend and neighbor, a loving husband and indulgent father and a true and loyal citizen. Truly a good man has gone from us.  His funeral was attended from his residence Sunday afternoon at one o'clock.  [Note:  Buried Mount Hope Cemetery, Norwich, NY]

William Corbin

Chenango Telegraph, May 27, 1875

On Monday last, William Corbin, an old resident of Bainbridge [Chenango Co., NY], went with two of his sons, to the woods on their premises, to fight a fire which had caught and was likely to spread.  The young men became separated from the father and went to the house supposing he had gone before them.  Not finding him, they returned to the woods with lanterns and after some searching, found him lying on his face, dead, with his body badly burned in several places.  It is supposed that he became exhausted and lay down to rest when he was suffocated by smoke and was thus burned to death.  His health had not been good for several days and he might have sank down from sheer exhaustion.  His age was 73 years.

 

 Daniel Cornell

Chenango Union, April 26, 1871

DIED:  CORNELL:  In Guilford, April 18th, Daniel Cornell, Esq., aged 79 years.

Seventy-nine years ago last winter, Lemuel Cornell and wife moved into the northern part of the town of Guilford [Chenango Co., NY], than an unbroken forest, bringing an infant son, born the September previous, the subject of this sketch.  His childhood and youth were passed amid the hardships and privations incident to pioneer life, but developed a well knit frame and an active mind; and whether in labor or recreation, in acquiring an education, or later in life, in litigations, his perseverance was ever remarkable.

While still a boy, taking advantage of an early autumnal snow, alone with his trusty rifle, he started on a still hunt for deer.  Two miles from home five broke from their covert and were quickly out of sight; an hour's steady, cautious advance, however, brought him in range, and with unerring aim he brought one down.  Removing the entails, he left it and continued his pursuit of the remaining herd, until another and another fell, and at sun down he had killed the last and started for home; but neither sport nor peril for the day were ended, for half a mile from home, as he stepped upon a log, a bear rose up and started to run; he emptied his gun at him in the dark, which was followed by the animal's peculiar cry of pain and rage.  Fearful that others might be near and come to his rescue, and uncertain as to the effects of his shot, he ran out of the woods in the least possible time.  Accompanied by his father and brother, at daybreak he found the bear dead a few rods form the place, and with a team they secured during the day and brought home his carcass and that of the five deer, which added materially to the winter stock of provisions.

Volunteering in the war of 1812, he saw active service on our northern frontier, and one night his detachment was marched on a false alarm until the mistake was discovered, and the weary men passed a dreary night in the open air near where the city of Buffalo now stands.  On his return he purchased a tract of land, and reared his home (which he never changed).  The next winter he taught the district school, numbering some sixty scholars, for $10 per month, which was apportioned by rate bill among the patrons of the school; but there being no money in circulation, each paid in labor during the next summer the amount of his tax.  The Oxford and Butternuts Turnpike company, locating their road through the town of Guilford, appropriated without appraisement a couple of miles of the river road below Mt. Upton, and putting up a gate compelled the traveling public to pay toll for virtually crossing their own road, or go far round to get up or down the river.  Mr. Cornell to test the matter ran the gate and allowed himself to be sued for toll, but failed in his defense; but the spirit of the act being acceptable to the people, he was at the next town meeting elected one of the Highway Commissioners, and by resolution required to prosecute the Turnpike Company.  A suit was instituted and a respectable verdict obtained, which was set aside by the superior court for want of authority to sue in their name, a effect of law which has since been remedied by later enactments. The Board of Auditors refusing to allow the Commissioners accounts for costs incurred in  the prosecution of the Turnpike Company they commenced a suit against the town to indemnify themselves, which was continued until the other commissioners, wearied with its length, retired from the strife.  Then, alone he carried it from court to court, and at last to the legislature and seventeen years from the commencement of his suit he was reimbursed for his costs.  This was the first tax of magnitude the town ever paid.  They come continually now.

Twice married, each time to most estimable ladies, he ever had a well appointed home.  Substantial thrift crowned his financial exertions, and his genial intercourse leaves pleasant memories among a host of friends.  Of an ardent temperament, his political preferences were maintained with an earnest zeal, and if opponents could not accept his conclusions, they ever gave him credit for frankness and sincerity.  His death without immediate premonition, produced throughout the community a profound sensation, and the  largest concourse ever convened on such an occasion in this town, gathered at his dwelling and followed his remains to the tomb, borne by his brethren of the Masonic fraternity, and honored with their impressive rites  With them he had acceptably walked for more than forty years life's roughest as well as smoothest paths--had borne with an unflinching hand the symbols of their common faith through dark as well as shining hours, and was, with them, pledged to meet on an immortal shore, in a grander Lodge, untouched by builder hands.

I have seen the oak of centuries that lightning had riven and storms for ages embraced, yet in a calm it fell.  So sinks to rest out friend and neighbor.  The surging tides of human life will roll along, and with a dash and spray bear us swiftly onward, yet memory, faithful to her  trust, will point us some bright scenes, some hallowed associations with him in the past whose reflected light will help illuminate the way before.

Funeral:  A special train left Norwich for Guilford, on Sunday morning last, to convey members of the Masonic fraternity, and others, who were desirous of attending the funeral of Mr. Daniel Cornell, who was a respected member of Norwich Commandery. The attendance at the funeral was the largest ever assembled in the town on a similar occasion. The body was buried with Masonic rites, the beautiful service of the Knights Templar being observed at the house, and that of the master Masons at the grave, under the direction of Oxford lodge.  The procession to the grave was at least a mile long, testifying the esteem in which the deceased was held by all.  On the return form the grave, the weary Masons and others who had 'traveled from afar," were hospitably entertained at the house.