Merton L. Webb

(1936)

   Merton L. Webb, aged 67 years, died at his home on Taylor street Tuesday afternoon, January 7, at 4:30 o'clock.  Mr. Webb had been in poor health for several years with heart trouble and this with complications caused his death.

   He was born in Smithville, October 3, 1868, the son of Charles and Clara Thompson Webb.  On July 30, 1892, at McDonough, he was united in Marriage to Miss Lillie R. Beckwith of German.  After their marriage the couple made their home in Tyner until 20 years ago when them came to Oxford to live.

   Until his health failed, Mr. Webb was an employee of the Basket Factory and also was employed at the Borden plant at Brisben and later in the Oxford plant.

   Mr. Webb is survived by his wife and one daughter, Mrs. Floyd Wilcox of Norwich; one son, Clarence Webb of Fort Ann, and a grandson, Lewis Webb, a student at Hartwick College.

   The funeral will be held at the home Friday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock, with the Rev. Leon Bouton, pastor of the M. E. church, officiating.  Burial will be made in Riverview cemetery.

NOTE:  DATE WAS HAND-WRITTEN ON THE ARTICLE.

FRED E. WINCHELL

(1946)

   Fred E. Winchell died at his home on Fayette street on Thursday, January 24.

   He was born in Greene on July 25, 1876, and is survived by his wife, Anna, one sister, Mrs. Walter Trim of Greene.

   The funeral was held at the Seymour Funeral home on Saturday afternoon at two o'clock, Rev. C. M. Adams officiating.  Burial will be at Mount Hope cemetery, Norwich.

   Bearers were H. N. Griffin, Clarence Cronk, Wheeler Baldwin and H. Leslie Bowers.

NOTE:  DATE WAS HAND-WRITTEN ON THE ARTICLE.

HANSMANN'S MILL

SMITHVILLE FLATS, N. Y.

  I found this image in an old album.  
The caption reads:  "Mills at Smithville Flats, N. Y."

I love the view of the old bridge, the dam and, of course, Hansmann's Mill.

Century-Old Church Near Oxford Doomed

Mon., Oct. 29, 1956     BINGHAMTON PRESS

By LARRY REED

Press Bureau Chief

BEING RAZED-The Basswood Meeting House, formerly the Free Will Baptist Church of South Oxford and a landmark near the Oxford-Coventryville Road, is being razed.

 NORWICH- The old Basswood Meeting House, a landmark in the rural area southeast of Oxford is being razed.  Some of its lumber still solid and of more substantial dimensions than present day second-growth boards will go into a new home nearby on the same lot.

   For more than 100 years, the meeting house that derived its name from its basswood pews, and its predecessor, have looked out across a rural valley basking in the afternoon suns and facing the brunt of prevailing westwind storms.

MEMORIES

   Some will have memories of first formal, church introductions, that led to courtships and marriage, others of weddings, or church suppers in the old meetinghouse or on its lawn now grown up to brambles and brush.

   There will be memories of the first opening of hearts to God's graces, first convictions of Faith, memories of funerals, and of baptisms in a nearby brook.

   History of the church goes back to the day, April 15, 1848, a time when the oxen still vied with the draft horse on the farms of the area.

5 FARMERS

   That day five farmers met in the Miller Schoolhouse at South Oxford with the purpose of forming the Free Will Baptist Church of South Oxford.

   Another meeting Feb. 18, 1854, according to the minutes of the church society, was adjourned March 18, at the Carhart Schoolhouse.

   There followed the cutting of timber on nearby farms and the sawing of it into lumber, and then several building bees.

   The church was opened June 18, 1855, to a congregation of some 100.

   The night of Feb. 5, 1874, this original building was destroyed by fire.  The choir had practiced in the church the evening before, and it was thought an overheated stovepipe caused the fire.

ONLY THING SAVED

   The organ, a clock, some other furniture, and a chandelier, probably an oil-lamp chandelier, were all that was saved.

   Two days after the fire a subscription was being taken, and soon a new church was built, the building now being razed.

   The last services were held in the Basswood Meeting House in 1930.  Dwindling of the congregation because of modern transportation and the abandonment of some of the farms in the area was the cause.

   In 1934, the church was transferred to the Baptist Church of Oxford to be sold.

FOR DANCE HALL

   According to one story, the only prospective purchaser was a dance hall proprietor, and there arose a wave of objection to turning The House of God into a dance hall.

  The old meeting house was turned over to the Town of Oxford with the stipulation it be used for town purposes, and for several years it was a storage place for snow plows and other town machinery.

   About a year ago, the town sold the building to Benjamin Button and Earl Carhart adjacent farmers who are tearing it down and have dug the foundation for a home nearby.

   

FLOYD TILLOTSON

(AUG. 20, 1935)

   

   The sudden death of Floyd Tillotson last Tuesday afternoon, which occurred in the law office of H. C. & V. D. Stratton, came as a shock to the citizens of this village and the people of this vicinity as he was well known throughout Chenango county.

   For years he was associated in the cattle and lumber business with his father, the late Perry Tillotson, and his brother, Richard Tillotson.  The name, Perry Tillotson & Sons, was well known at the commission houses of New York city.  Perry Tillotson shipped cattle to New York when the consignments were taken to Catskill for loading, and to Binghamton before the branch line of the D. L. & W. railroad was built between Utica and Binghamton.

   For years Floyd Tillotson made weekly trips to and from New York in the interest of the firm.  In his dealings he personified honesty, integrity and square dealing.  He ever exemplified the cardinal virtues of right living, and was always willing to cooperate and help those needing aid.  His sympathy for those suffering and in distress appealed to his generous nature, and to lend a helping hand was a great pleasure and he responded with liberality.

   His jovial, friendly and cheerful nature endeared him, not only to his own generation, but to the younger people of this acquaintance who sought his companionship for his youthful activity and spirits, whose hearts are made sorrowful by his demise.  In his passing the community will ever revere and cherish his memory as a true friend and neighbor.

   The funeral was largely attended Friday afternoon at Seymour & Son's funeral parlors.  The profusion of flowers bore silent tribute of the love and affection held for him.

   The officiating clergyman was the Rev. Ien Macdonald, rector of Calvary Episcopal church, McDonough.

   The bearers were Attorney V. D. Stratton, Edwin Miles, Jesse Jacobs, Dr. B. A. Hall, Melville Stratton and Edward Lyon.  Burial was made in the family lot in Riverview cemetery, Oxford.

NOTE:  DATE WAS HAND-WRITTEN ON THE ARTICLE.

A SECOND ARTICLE:

Heart Attack Fatal to Floyd Tillotson

(Aug 20, 1935)

   

   Floyd Tillotson, aged 74 years, well known farmer of McDonough, died suddenly in the law office of H. C. & V. D. Stratton Tuesday afternoon shortly before 4 o'clock of a heart attack.  He had been afflicted with heart disease for several years, but was apparently enjoying good health of late.

   The funeral will be held from Seymour's funeral parlors Friday afternoon at 2 o'clock, with burial in Riverview cemetery.

   Mr. Tillotson was born at Smithville January 4, 1861, the son of Perry and Clarissa Rorapaugh Tillotson.  The greater part of his life was spent as a farmer and cattle dealer.

   He was a member of the Citizens club of Oxford, members of which will act as bearers at the funeral.  Surviving is his wife, who was Lucy Arnold before her marriage; one brother, William of Mineola, L. I., and one sister, Mrs. Frank Brown of the same place.

NOTE:  DATE WAS HAND-WRITTEN ON THE ARTICLE.

Miss Jane I. Schenck

Last Rites Are Held for Greene Teacher

(1945)

   GREENE, Nov. 30-The funeral of Miss Jane I. Schenck, 71, of Greene, was held in the Zion Episcopal Church Thursday at 2 p. m., the Rev. W. A. Braithwaite and the Rev. A. A. Breese, D.D., of Zion Church officiating.  Burial was made in Sylvan Lawn Cemetery.

   Miss Schenck died Tuesday following an illness of several months.  She was born in Smithville Flats, the daughter of Mary and Martin Schenck.  The family moved to Greene, where she spent her life.

   After graduating from Greene High School, she attended Oneonta Normal School, returning to Greene to teach in the school.

   From 1912 to 1936, she was superintendent of rural schools in this district.

   She is survived by three cousins, Gerald Schenck and Miss Jessie Schenck of Binghamton and Lynn Schenck of Detroit, Mich.

   She was a member of the New York State Teacher's Association, the D. A. R., the Greene Saturday Night Club and Zion Episcopal Church.

NOTE:  DATE WAS HAND-WRITTEN ON THE ARTICLE.

LEROY H. SHARPE

(1942)

   LeRoy H. Sharpe died at his home in Smithville, Monday, November 30, after a long illness.

   Mr. Sharpe was born in Smithville December 22, 1869, the son of Peter G. and Ruth Ann Soules Sharpe.  He was united in marriage to Mary E. Hogan in Oxford November 4, 1891.  They celebrated their golden wedding anniversary a year ago with an open house and reception.  More than 100 relatives and friends called during the afternoon and evening.

   They began their married life on a farm on Painter Hill.  Practically all their life has been lived in the town of Smithville and since 1918 they have resided at their present home, which has been in the family nearly 150 years.

   Mr. Sharpe was superintendent of Roads in the town of Smithville in 1910 and 1911.  He was also a charter member of the Dairymen's League.

   Survivors are his wife and two sons, Ralph Sharpe of Smithville and Wayne of Oxford; eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild.  One sister, Mrs. Jennie Thurber of Oxford, also survives.

   The funeral was held Wednesday afternoon, December 2, at 2 o'clock at the Seymour Funeral Home, Rev. John Heidenreich officiating.  Burial was made in the Riverview cemetery.  The bearers were Fred Willcox, Arthur Crandall, George Perkins and Erwin Butler.

NOTE:  DATE WAS HAND-WRITTEN ON THE ARTICLE.