Obituaries (August 16)

Mary A. Murphy

Utica Saturday Globe, Septembr 1915

 

Mary A. Murphy

Norwich [Chenango Co., NY]:  Disheartened to the point of despair Miss Mary A. Murphy, a most estimable woman, took her life Sunday night.  For several days Miss Murphy had been very much depressed and worried regarding the success of her work as a school teacher and had wept a great deal. She spent Saturday with friends in the city, remaining over night and attended the morning service and Sunday school at the Calvary Baptist Church.  Returning with her friend to their home she spoke of a portion of the sermon preached by Rev. Dr. Berry, of Colgate University, in which he referred to people becoming fixed in their habits of sadness or gladness. The thought seemed to impress her deeply in her despondent state of mind.  After dinner she returned to the home of Miss Mary A. Newton on the Oxford State road, where she had lived since 15 years of age, having no relatives of her own.  She went directly to her room and apparently began preparing to carry out her intentions.  Everything was arranged with the greatest care. After her death several letters were found in her room ready for mailing, one of them addressed to the superintendent of schools at Jamesville, where she had been a teacher and expected to return the coming week.  A letter for Miss Newton was afterwards found on the door step.  About 7:30 Miss Murphy said she was going to the home of a neighbor, Miss Hattie Walworth, a short distance down the road, for a little while and called in another nearer neighbor, Mrs. Eldred, to stay with Miss Newton during her absence. When 10 o'clock came and she had not returned, Mrs. Eldred became anxious and said she would go to the home of Miss Walworth to inquire.  When the door was opened the light revealed the mission on the doorstep.  When opened it revealed Miss Murphy's plan to destroy herself and gave instructions as to the funeral arrangements and the disposal of her personal belongings.  Mr. Eldred was called and crossing the road and going down into the meadow the searchers found the lifeless body in a shallow, stagnant pool left by the recent overflow of the Chenango river.  Coroner Willcox was summoned and pronounced death due to drowning with suicidal intent.  Miss Murphy was about 42 years of age and a very highly regarded young woman in the Calvary Church, where she was an earnest worker. She had been a student tin Norwich High School and graduated from the teachers' training class.  Many friends and acquaintances are saddened by her death.  Private funeral services were held from the home of Miss Newton at 2 o'clock on Tuesday afternoon.  Rev. Alexander Fraser officiating.

Paul Ripley Brown

Chenango Semi-Weekly Telegraph, March 4, 1899

Paul Ripley Brown was born in the town of Scott, Cortland county, N.Y., February 1, 1816, and died in the town of Norwich [Chenango Co., NY] February 25, 1899, aged 83 years and 24 days.  He was one of a family of twelve children, seven sons and five daughters.  Two brothers, Marcus and George, and two sisters, Mrs. Ann Randall and Mrs. Emily Cook are well known in his vicinity.  He leaves a wife, Mrs. Sophia Alexander Brown, and three children William B. Brown of Preston, Mrs. D.B. Blackman of this village, and Mrs. Edwin Lee of Sherburne.  Mr. Brown came to this county in early manhood, he was engaged in the lumbering business for a time, and then for many years he followed farming, leasing the farm just north of King Settlement, when the infirmities of age began to come upon him, he has since resided in this immediate locality, and for some years in the house where he died at Wood's Corners.  He was a cheerful man, inclined to look on the bright side of every phase of human life. The rare gift of song added much to the pleasure of his company, as his old time friends can fully testify.  he died after an illness of nearly a year and in great patience trusting and waiting for the summons to come.  He was a Christian.  Converted in early life, he united with the Methodist Episcopal church of which he remained a member until the close of life.  His funeral was attended at his late residence at Wood's Corners, Rev. Samuel Moore officiating.  His body was lain away under the flowers to await the resurrection morn. -- Morning Sun. 

John Reynolds

Broome Republican, August 27, 1898

On Saturday morning, Coroner Hills learned that the parents of John Reynolds, who was found dead in the Erie yard, lived at Sidney [Delaware Co., NY], and they were informed of their son's death.  Richmond R. Reynolds, a carpenter, and the father of John, came to the city, and returned to his home in Sidney with the body that afternoon.  Inasmuch as the man was killed while walking on the railroad property, there was no one that could be blamed for the accident, and an inquest was unnecessary.  John Reynolds had no regular occupation. For ten years he has lived in Sidney, and before that time he lived in Oneonta.  He has always been a favorite with the railroad men, being a good natured fellow, and all railroad men were willing to let him ride with them on the engine or in the caboose.  he has frequently gone off in this manner along the lines of different railroads being gone from home for several days at a time.  On Friday he came to the city with the Sidney firemen.  Different people saw him around the city, and he was seen in the railroad yards as late as two o'clock on Saturday morning.  It was therefore a later train than No. 7 as at first supposed, that struck and killed him.

Sidney Record, August 27, 1898

The sudden and shocking death last Saturday of John Reynolds, son of Mr. and Mrs. S.R. Reynolds, caused deep regret in our village [Sidney, NY], where he had so long resided.  It appears that on Friday John went to Binghamton to witness the State firemen's parade.  He was seen occasionally through the day but was probably met for the last time by acquaintances at 1.30 o'clock Saturday morning, when he was seen and spoken to by Harry Gross and Arthur Hanford on their way to the Erie station to take the train for Sidney. At about 3 o'clock his body was found lying between the main tracks in the Erie railway yard.  Upon examination it was discovered that he had been struck by a locomotive in the back and thrown between the tracks.  His body was only slightly bruised, over his forehead there was a slight mark but otherwise the features looked perfectly natural. The remains were conveyed to Sidney on the D.&H. flyer last Saturday afternoon at 5:30 p.m.  The funeral was held from the family residence on Cartwright avenue last Monday morning at 10 o'clock and was attended by a large concourse of friends, who deeply sympathize with Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds in the sad loss of their only son.  The services were conducted by Rev. E. Melville and Rev. A. D. Alexander, of Binghamton.  The interment took place at White Store [Norwich, Chenango Co., NY].  John Reynolds was thirty years of age.  Like all other mortals he had his shortcomings, but was kindly and good natured.  He was ready to make himself useful to anyone and everyone.  Malice, deceit or treachery formed no part of his character.  He would rather say a kind word than a harsh one and preferred to do a good deed to an injurious one.  To his parents he was bound by ties of lifelong affection.  He was always affectionate and respectful to them and in return he received from them all the tenderness that fond parents could bestow upon an only child.  Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds command the deep sympathy of all in their sorrow.

Seth R. Reynolds

Sidney Record, April 29, 1911

Another old resident, Seth R. Reynolds, has departed this life and the news was heard in town on Tuesday, the 25th inst., with much regret.  Mr. Reynolds, who died on Monday night from heart trouble and dropsy, was 72 years of age, having resided in this village for over 30 years, and was employed many years ago at Palmer & Johnston's paper mills, now owned by the electric light company.  All winter he had been ailing, altho' on the day he died, he was about town, as usual.  Mrs. Reynolds, his surviving widow, has the deepest sympathy of friends. The death of her husband leaves her alone in the world and it is a great sadness.  On Thursday morning, 27th, services were held at the family home, conducted by Rev. D. MacDonald, pastor of the M.E. church and burial took place in the White Store cemetery [Norwich, Chenango Co., NY] in the old family lot.  Mr. Reynolds had a good many warm friends, who deeply mourn his memory. The funeral was in charge of undertaker Linn Gage.

Death Notices

Chenango Union, February 17, 1869

In this village [Norwich, Chenango Co., NY], Mr. John Hicks, aged 79 years.

Suddenly at White Store (Norwich) [Chenango Co., NY], Jan. 26th, Mrs. Lucy Reynolds, widow of Jacob Reynolds, aged 53 years.

In Oxford [Chenango Co., NY], Jan. 11, Mrs. Susan Foote, wife of Robert Foote, aged 54 years.

In Coventry [Chenango Co., NY], Jan. 8th, Mrs. Ann E. Judd, wife of Joel L. Judd, aged 57 years.

In Greene [Chenango Co., NY], Feb. 1st, Cynthia [Baldwin], wife of Amos S. Baldwin, aged 37 years.

At the County Poor house in Preston [Chenango Co., NY], Jan. 29th, Daniel Barnes, aged 89 years, formerly of Coventry [Chenango Co., NY].

In Montrose, Pa., Jan. 27th, Mr. E.P. Willcox, aged 60 years, formerly of Oxford [Chenango Co., NY]