Obituaries (September 30)

Rev. Edwin L. Tanner
September 22, 1905

Rev. Edwin Lee Tanner, rector of St. Ann's church, Afton, and St. Luke's, Harpursville, died suddenly last Friday night from apoplexy, at the Rectory in Bainbridge [Chenango Co., NY].  For some years Mr. Tanner had been in poor health but had been able to attend to his duties.  He was about as usual Friday, but was stricken at 5:30 p.m. and died at 12 o'clock the same night.  

Complying with the request of the editor of this paper I take great pleasure in giving to his friends some idea of the life and ability of my dear friend and brother, the Rev. Edwin Lee Tanner, while personally deeply lamenting his sudden departure from our midst.  Born some forty odd years ago in Richmond, Va., in his early life after graduating from college he thought of the Ministry as a profession but later on became enamored of the stage.  His first engagement was with the great Tragedian John McCullough and the following season he travelled in the support of Mr. Frank C. Bangs in whose company I had also secured an engagement.  rooming together by mutual agreement we soon became fast friends, and attending church regularly in our travels we little dreamed that nearly twenty years after we should successively become Rectors of the same parish.  The following season we drifted apart (as actors commonly do) and while in touch through correspondence we never acted together again.  In due course Mr. Tanner appeared in support of Mrs. D.P. Bowers, Messrs. Frederick Warde and Louis James, Mr. Walker Whiteside and others.  In all these engagements Mr. Tanner showed is great ability as a Shakespearian comedian and character actor attaining much success in the characters of Roderigo, Launcelot, Gobbo and Francis in Henry IV, in which part he shared honors with the star.  For some seasons Mr. Tanner headed his own company appearing with great success as Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Svengali in Trilby, etc.  Finally he became the leading man in the Spooner Stock company, now successfully located in Brooklyn.

About this time under deep conviction he again turned his attention to the church and amidst his histrionic duties he became an earnest student of theology with the result that Oct. 5th, 1900, he was ordained Deacon by Bishop Huntington in the city of Syracuse.  He was placed in charge of Calvary church Homer, N.Y., where for two years he did an excellent work leaving an impression of his piety and ability which will not be easily effaced.  On May 30th, 1902, he was ordained to the Priesthood by Bishop Huntington in Homer, N.Y., and his son, Rev. Wilson E. Tanner, accepting the Rectorship of St. Peter's church, Bainbridge, Mr. Tanner accompanied him and entered upon the Rectorships of St. Ann's Church, Afton and St. Luke's Church, Harpursville.  Since that time his life has been known to all. Although constantly suffering from an incurable disease, he seldom or never complained and was always brave and cheerful.  Fidelity to duty was the first article of his life creed and sick or well he never failed.  Gifted to an unusual degree he was an able preacher and still better he taught as he preached and presented the Catholic faith in all its fullness and beauty.  Artistic to the last degree and characterized by an unfailing sense of humor (which was one of his choicest gifts) he lightened the hearts of his parishioners and friends and made this world easier to live in.  I had the great privilege of being with him at his last two services on earth nor shall I forget the earnestness and eloquence with which he expounded the text, "And who is my neighbor?" in his last sermon.

No one can realize better than I the sacrifice he made when he relinquished his position in the dramatic world with all its hopes and prospects and began life anew in the closer service of his Master and His church.  Had he been spared he would easily have attained as prominent a position in the church as he occupied in the other sphere, but God has called him to better things, and in the joy of Paradise, which is promised to all His saints, he will assuredly find full scope for intellectual and spiritual activity.  He now "rests from his labors but his works go with him" and energetic to the limit of his strength in his Master's service on earth we may be sure his work will encounter no hindrance in that better world.  Speaking for myself I am a better man for having known and loved Edwin Lee Tanner (and that love cannot die) and while I have lost my dearest friend I bow to God's Will and give Him the praise.  Grant him O Lord, eternal rest and may Light perpetual shine upon him.

Walter E. Bentley, Rector, Church of the Ascension, Brooklyn, N.Y., Afton, N.Y. Sept. 26, 1905

Sarah E. Nearing Bristol

1832 - July 17, 1903

Entered into rest Friday morning, July 17, 1903, at "Sunnyside," her home on Academy street from complication of chronic diseases, Mrs. Sarah E Nearing Bristol, aged seventy-one years.  Mrs. Bristol's early education began in the Zion Church Parochial or parish school, at Morris, Otsego Co., and was continued and concluded in Gilbertsville and North New Berlin academies.  An unusually bright pupil, excelling especially in book keeping and mathematics, she rendered efficient aid to her father in his business affairs ere she completed her girlhood days.  Mrs. Bristol was of English extraction and descended from ancestry conspicuous for honor and sterling worth.  She inherited their pure principles and her daily life was an expression of this natural endowment.  Her standards of right were moulded upon a high plane which cast out all artificiality, all subterfuges, and excluded any resort to expedients not consistent with the most upright living.  Had Mrs. Bristol not been afflicted with ill health in her latter years, she would have proved a valuable aid in the state and national work of temperance in which she took great interest, for she had natural executive ability and her enthusiasm was boundless and energy limitless in whatever she engaged.  She had been a county officer and attended state conventions but her frail physique retarded any continued public effort.  The home life of Mrs. Bristol was one of devotion to her family, systematic in administration and open in hospitality to her friends. bright and vivacious by temperament, appreciative of every kindness, charitable to the needy, loyal and steadfast in friendship, she has left to her family an unblemished reputation and a spotless name.  [Buried Hillington Cemetery, Morris, Otsego Co., NY]

Our hearts are too sad for words,

Our souls are wrung with woe,

And the drip, drip, drip of bitter drops

Is the sound that haunts one so

We have loved and lost alas!  so much,

God alone doth know,

And the drip, drip, drip of ceaseless tears,

Is the sound that haunts one so

Jerome B. Sands

February 10, 1903

Jerome B. Sands died at his home in this town Tuesday afternoon after an illness of three weeks from heart trouble  The funeral will be held Friday at 12 o'clock noon, at his late residence and conducted by Rev. Mr. Broughton of Oxford.  Mr. Sands was of the advanced age of 82.  He had been a resident of Bainbridge [Chenango Co., NY] since 1885, coming here from Franklin, N.Y. [Delaware Co., NY] his birthplace.  He was a farmer by occupation residing two and one-half miles below this village on the East side of the Susquehanna river.  He was progressive in his methods of farming and sought to improve his products by new and advanced ideas and studied much literature to that end.  He was well read on all subjects, was exemplary, industrious, thrifty and highly respected.  An honored citizen, stable and conservative, he became influential and was closely associated with all affairs of the town preceding the creeping upon him of old age, and even then he did not abandon his interest.  Mr. Sands' wife, a most estimable woman, died several years ago as did the eldest daughter, Mrs. Emma Seacord.  He is survived by five children:  William, Frederick and Miss Jennie Sands of Bainbridge, James of Vallonia Springs, and Charles Sands of Oswego.  The local chapter of the Masonic order of which the deceased was an esteemed member of high degree, will attend the funeral.

Death Notices

Chenango Union, October 18, 1894

ADAMS:  In Fort Wayne, Ind. Oct. 5, 1894, Miss Mary C. Adams, formerly of Oxford [Chenango Co., NY], aged 53 years.

WELLS:  In Watertown [Jefferson Co., NY] Oct. 10, 1894, Mr E.C. Wells, aged 30 years, formerly of Norwich [Chenango Co., NY].  Was a son-in-law of Francis Grant.

SMITH:  In Danbury, Conn. Oct. 8, 1894, Prof. Joseph Moss Smith, aged 50 years.  Formerly of South New Berlin [Chenango Co., NY]

FLEMING:  In Walton [Delaware Co. NY] Oct. 4, 1894, Mr. John Fleming, formerly of Afton [Chenango Co., NY].

BOUCK:  Near Cobleskill, N.Y. Sept. 21, 1894 Mrs. Abbie J. Bouck, widow of Jacob D. Bouck, formerly of South Otselic [Chenango Co., NY]