Obituaries (July 27)

Mrs. Charles S. Butler

Afton Enterprise, September 17, 1925

Mrs. Charles S. Butler, of 130 Murray street, Binghamton [Broome Co., NY], died in the City hospital in that place Saturday night at 6:55 o'clock from illuminating gas poisoning suffered when she accidentally placed a clothes hanger on a jet and breathed the deadly fumes which escaped from the jet as she was using an electric carpet sweeper.  When Dr. Butler, returned to his home from his office shortly after 5 o'clock Saturday night, he detected the odor of gas fumes and ran to a bedroom where he found his wife's unconscious form on the floor.  He opened the windows of the home and gave first aid treatment.  Seeing that she was in a serious condition, he notified police headquarters and Officers, Dennis O'Brien, John Prekopa, Crosby Wakeman and Archie Lane brought a pulmotor, which was used for several minutes.  Mrs. Butler was rushed to City hospital where five physicians worked over her until 6:55 o'clock, but their efforts were in vain.  Coroner F.J. Hitchcock pronounced death due to accidental poisoning from illuminating gas.  Mrs. Butler is survived by her husband, [two] sisters, Miss Gertrude and Miss Grace Bushnell; two brothers, William H. Bushnell and Albert E. Bushnell. The funeral was held from the home Tuesday afternoon.  Burial was in Spring Forest cemetery in that city [Binghamton, NY].  Mrs. Butler was a former resident of Nineveh and Harpursville where the doctor practiced medicine previous to their moving ot Binghamton and where Mrs. Butler has a host of friends who regret her untimely end.

Grace (Green) Stevens

Afton Enterprise, September 17, 1925

Mrs. Grace Green Stevens was born in Afton July 17th, 1898, and has spent her entire life in this place of her birth.  She was a graduate of the Afton High School and of the Oneonta Normal.  During the World War she served on the War Trade Board in Washington, D.C.  She was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary.  On January 7th, 1921, she married Frederick J. Stevens, in Brooklyn, N.Y.  Her only child is a son, Richard J. Stevens.  She is survived by her husband, son and parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ornin J. Green, lifelong residents of Afton.  Mrs. Stevens had been in usual good health until about three weeks ago when she was taken seriously ill.  She was removed to Binghamton and died at the home of F.J. Stevens, Sr., Sunday morning one thirty o'clock, September 13. The remains were brought to her parents' home in Afton where a brief service was held Tuesday at 1:30 p.m., then were taken to the Methodist Episcopal Church where the funeral was conducted by the pastor, Rev. W.D. Lathrop, assisted by the Rev. Harry J. Rines; pastor of the Ogdon Methodist Episcopal Church of Binghamton.  The "Beautiful Isle of Somewhere" was rendered as a solo by George L. Chamberlain, and "Nearer My God to Thee" by a quarter composed of John Dimorier, George Chamberlain, Mrs. Harry Carr and Mrs. Harry  Horton.  The large audience present bore tribute to the high esteem in which the deceased was held. The floral tributes were unusually beautiful and abundant.  Mrs. Stevens was a devoted and loving wife, mother and daughter so ingratiating in manner that she will be missed by all that knew her.  Interment was made in Glenwood Cemetery [Afton, Chenango Co., NY].  The pallbearers were:  Glen Morgan, Corbin D. Lewis, W.Y. McHugh, L.G. Frnsworth, A.A. Mudge and Frank Todd, who rendered heroic service owing to the inclement weather.

 

Leslie Timothy Brown

DeRuyter Gleaner, February 7, 1935

Leslie T. Brown, aged 77, well known South Otselic [Chenango Co., NY] business man died at his home in that village early Thursday morning, January 31sr, 1935.  He had been in poor health for several months, but had improved so as to get about the house a little and his death on Thursday morning came somewhat unexpected.  Leslie Timothy Brown was the second son of Timothy G. and Malvina Peevy Brown, one of a family of nine children, and was born on June 13th, 1857, in the Town of DeRuyter.  While still in his teens he started out to earn his own livelihood.  Like many other lads of those days, his schooling has limited to a few weeks of winter terms, but not withstanding this handicap he succeeded to picking up considerable book knowledge. At the age of twenty-one years he entered the employ of Benjamin Healy of Rhode Island, who was a dealer in eggs, poultry and meats.  It was while working for Mr. Healy that he learned the art of cutting meats.  On January 28th, 1880 he married Esther Cordelia Healy, youngest daughter of Benjamin and Alvira Healy of Rhode Island.  They made their home with Mrs. Brown's parents until February, 1893, when they moved to South Otselic, purchasing the Albert Spicer property, where they have since resided.  On January 28th of this year, only three days before Mr. Brown's death, they celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary.  For more than thirty years he conducted the Otselic Valley Meat market, in the Perkins Block, where he built up a substantial business, finally selling out his interest and retiring in 1922.  In 1890 he joined the First Baptist Church of South Otselic, being baptized in the Otselic River with several others.  Mr. Brown always took an active part in the church work, serving successively as trustee and deacon and was for many years Superintendent of the Sunday School Department.  In 1922 he was made a Mason in the South Otselic Lodge, No. 650 and always enjoyed attending the lodge sessions.  Mr. Brown was a Charter Shareholder and also a Charter Member of the Board of Directors of The Otselic Valley National Bank of South Otselic.  which was organized and opened for business son July 13th, 1905.  He is credited with never having missed a meeting of the Board during his incumbency.  Brother Brown is survived by his wife, Esther Healy Brown, and daughter, Mrs. Neal C. Baldwin; two grandchildren, Neal C. Baldwin, Jr., and Kessler Brown Baldwin; a brother, Charles G. Brown of Vineland, New Jersey, and twin sisters, Mrs. Fred A. Blakeslee of Cazenovia, N.Y. and Mrs. Ida Scallan of Osceola, Pa.  His funeral which was largely attended was held on Saturday, February  2nd 1935, at 1:30 p.m. at the home and at 2:00 p.m. at The First Baptist Church.  The funeral sermon was given by Reverend J.S. Whitney, his pastor, who also gave the Masonic burial service.  Burial was made in the Valley View Cemetery [South Otselic, NY] with Undertaker, Charles H. Woodley in charge.

 

Warren H. Woodward

DeRuyter Gleaner, May 16, 1935

Warren H. Woodward of South Otselic [Chenango Co., NY], died at his home Thursday, May 9th, 1935, at 4:45 p.m.  Mr. Woodward had been ill since last July.  Warren Woodward son of Charles Stanley and Caroline Bailey Woodward was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, October 28th, 1885.  He moved form Cincinnati, Ohio to Bloomfield, New Jersey, where he spent most of his life.  He has resided in South Otselic for the past fourteen years, where he has been in the insurance business for two and a half years.  Surviving are the wife, Elsie S. Woodward, South Otselic; one sister, Carrie B. Woodward, of Bloomfield, N.J.; two brothers, Robert J. Woodward of Edgewater, N.J., and Chas. B. Woodward of Montclair, N.J.  Mr. Woodward was a member of the Masonic Fraternity and clerk of the school board. The funeral was held at the Methodist church at South Otselic, N.Y. Sunday afternoon at 2 o'clock, Rev. DeWitt Stanley and Rev. Harold Steer officiating and burial was made in the Valley View Cemetery at South Otselic. 

 

John A. Murray

DeRuyter Gleaner, August 8, 1935

John A. Murray, 64, South Otselic [Chenango Co., NY] farmer, died in Cortland Sunday noon following a month's illness.  he was a native of Lincklaen where he was born January 23, 1871, a son of the late Oscar and Lucilla Thompson Murray. When but two years of age he went with his parents to Sisseton, S.D., and later operated a farm there for many years.  While there he married Miss Anna Johnson.  He returned east in 1919 and moved onto a farm near North Pitcher.  Besides his wife, he is survived by two sons, Lee Murray of Nelson and Lloyd Murray of Minneapolis, Minn., four daughters, Mrs. Harold Palmer of Cazenovia, Mrs. William Van Dousel of Homer, Mrs. Lucille Hulbert and Miss Cloye Murray of Cortland' three brothers, Lester Murray of Wyoming, Foster and Clifford Murray of South Dakota; and two sisters, Mrs. Lennie Hicks and Mrs. Carrie Hicks of So. Dakota.  Funeral services were held Tuesday at 2 o'clock at Beard Memorial Home in Cortland.