Will Pass the Century Mark on Thursday,
Feb. 13—Sketch of His Life.
To
comparatively few people is it given to reach the age of one hundred
years. A still smaller number reach it
in good health and in the
possession of physical and mental vigor. Within a few years Cortland county has
had three residents who have celebrated their one hundredth birthday; Mrs.
Sarah Chaplin Rockwood of Cortland celebrated her one hundredth birthday on
Nov. 8, 1885, and died Nov. 26, 1889, being 104 years and 18 days old. Mr.
Hosea Sprague of Homer celebrated his centennial on Dec. 28, 1893 and died July
19, 1895, at the age of 101 years, 6 months and 21 days. Mrs. Ora Brown of
Cortland was one hundred years old on Jan. 31, 1894, and died twenty-six days
later, at the age of 100 years and 26 days.
There is a
fourth claimant for centennial honors in the person of Daniel A. Thompson of
McGrawville whose cut we publish to-day and who will celebrate his one
hundredth birthday on Thursday of this week, Feb. 13, 1896. Mr. Thompson is one
of the pioneers of this region and one of the founders of McGrawville.
A STANDARD
reporter called at his home to get a little sketch of the life and
career of this aged gentleman. He was politely treated and was shown the old
Bible with its family record and other records and papers.
In Chatham,
Columbia Co., N. Y., there lived in the last century a sturdy pioneer, John
Thompson by name, who was the father of some twenty children, he having been
several times married. By one wife he
had nine children, the sixth of which in genealogical order was the subject of
this sketch, Daniel A. Thompson, who was born in Chatham, Feb. 13, 1796. While
a boy he determined to learn the blacksmith’s trade and was apprenticed to John
Merrill who had married a cousin of the boy. As the section along the Hudson
river was quite thickly settled, Mr. Merrill decided to emigrate to a new
country and came to this town (then Homer township) and built a blacksmith shop
near the present residence of Reuben Brown on the Cortland road.
Mr.
Thompson soon followed him, coming in 1816 and finished his apprenticeship in
the shop, the location of which is marked by a large stone, which still covers
the old well. When he had finished his apprenticeship he worked for a while in
a gun shop in Cortland and then came to this place, building a log shop near
where the house of John Gilbertson now stands on Clinton-st. This shop burned and
was replaced by a frame building which was afterward torn down,
On June 15,
1820, he was married to Miss Sally Frink who had moved upon the present
Thompson farm with her mother and stepfather, Nehemiah Lewis. About that time he bought an acre of ground on the west
side of the Freetown road (now Clinton-st.), running from the creek to where
Frank Webster’s residence now stands. This he afterwards sold and then moved to
Schuyler county where he purchased a farm and remained two years. Then be
returned to McGrawville and bought the farm now owned by Samuel Doud. He sold
this farm and in 1835 purchased the house where he now resides, having his shop
in the building now used by Lewis Warren as a barn and later in a building near
the Clinton-st. bridge until he purchased the land on the east side of
Clinton-st. extending from the old cemetery to the old M. E. parsonage (now J.
J. Isaacs’ residence) and there built a shop on the site of the one now owned
by him and in which he carried on his trade up to a few years ago. Mrs.
Thompson, his wife, died in 1887,
aged 87 years.
Mr. and
Mrs. Thompson were the parents of eight children: Albert E., born
July 16, 1822, who emigrated to Pennsylvania, where
he married Sarah Kitchen. He died in Muncy in that state in 1876. Clarissa A.,
born Jan. 19, 1826, who died Aug. 12, 1830. Lewis A., born May 19, 1830, who
married Eunice Madison and died in Salisbury, Mo., in 1883. Clarissa A. (2d),
born Oct. 10, 1831, who married Ned Whipple and died in California in 1873.
Mary Jeanette, born Aug. 28, 1833, who married Seneca Mudge and died in
McGrawville, April 6, 1895. Fannie I., born Aug. 8, 1835, and died July 31,
1843. Sallie Roselia, born Sept. 1,
1837, who married Charles Woodworth and died in Virginia City, Nev., in 1886.
A. P. Thompson, who was born Nov. 10, 1842, and who is the only surviving
child. The grandchildren living are Alonzo H. Mudge of Cortland and Daniel and
Will Thompson, sons of A. P. Thompson, the former of whom is partner in a
marble yard in Brighton, Mich., and the latter a photographer in Chicago, Ill. Of
the great grand children there are Albert, Alonzo, Belle, Ernest and Enos Mudge
and Earl, Nettie and Sarah Leach, all grandchildren of Seneca and Jeneatte Mudge.
Mr.
Thompson resides in the house he purchased over sixty years ago and is cared for by his son, A. P. Thompson, and son-in-law
Seneca Mudge. His great grandchildren, Albert and Alonzo Mudge and Earl Leach
also reside with them. He is
confined to the house by the wintry weather, but in the summer months spends much
of his time out of doors walking around without a cane or other assistance, He
does not wear glasses, although at one time he could not see to do his work
without them. One day some thirty years ago while working at his anvil he found
that he could not see through them and upon removing them found that his sight
had returned to him. He has often of late years in a joking manner referred to
a fortune-teller having told him when but thirteen years of age that he would live
to be one hundred and but a few days ago told his son that he guessed he would
do so.
The old
Empire block is one of the buildings erected by Mr. Thompson, who, coming to
McGrawville but seven years later than its god-father, Samuel McGraw, helped to
lay the foundations of the present thriving city of corsets.
SOBRIETY AND
GOOD ORDER.
WATCHWORDS OF THE EXCISE NOMINEE.
H. S. Hudson States His Position
in the Coming Excise Campaign in This Town.
A STANDARD
reporter Monday morning called upon Mr. H. S. Hudson, who Saturday was chosen
by the committee of thirty business men to represent them as a candidate for
excise commissioner in the coming election, and asked him if he would
state his position in the campaign…and if elected, so that all might be able to
vote upon the question intelligently and understandingly. Mr. Hudson at first
replied that he had nothing to say, he had stated his position to the committee
who had called upon him and he referred the reporter to that committee. “Go and
see George W. Warren,” he said, “he will tell you what I said to them.”
Subsequently in answer to questions, Mr. Hudson said that he told the
committee when they came to him that he didn’t want the office, why did they
come to him? When they had replies that they didn’t believe that he had an
enemy in Cortland and that no one would vote against him on personal grounds,
he said to them that if their statement was true he would be foolish indeed if
he took the office, for if elected he would undoubtedly have hundreds of
enemies before the year is over. They persisted in their efforts to persuade
him and finally he yielded, but said to them that he would not ask any one to
vote for him, would not say a word to any one to assist in his election, would
not spend a cent to secure it. He would not give to them or to any one else any
pledge as to what he would do or what he would not do.
He should
be governed by circumstances but he would always be found on the side of sobriety
and good order. He believed that he was public spirited. If he was not he
certainly should not have accepted this nomination. We had had an opportunity
here in Cortland of seeing two extremes in the excise question and both of them
had been absolute failures. He believed in being conservative in all things, particularly
in this thing. It is a difficult matter to handle. But he thought that when the
commissioners made a rule of any kind it should be lived up to absolutely.
There can be no intimidation in my case, said Mr. Hudson. Any one who would try
that would find me more stubborn than a government mule. You can lead one of
those along first rate with nubbins of corn, but you can’t budge one of them an
inch with a club. If I am a member of
the excise board and we make a rule or regulation, we will carry it through or “bust.”
Mr. Hudson
declined to say more, remarking that he had already said more than he had
intended to, but referred the reporter to the committee.
Mr. George
L. Warren was interrogated in regard to what Mr. Hudson had said to them, and
in his reply he stated substantially the same things that Mr.
Hudson had said. In addition he said that Mr. Hudson
had told them that he was not a saloon man in any sense of the word and that he
had never been inside of but two saloons in
Cortland in his life and then stepped in for a moment only and went
right out again.
Mr. Warren
also commented upon the representative character of the citizens and business
men who were present at the meeting at Fireman’s hall Friday night. Mr. Warren
did not think that a liquor dealer was there, he was sure he did not see any,
but they were almost wholly merchants and professional men along Main-st.
THE SHERIFF IS IN POSSESSION AND
HE ISN’T.
New Moves in Hitchcock Mfg Co.
Checker Board—Receivers Reappointed and Injunction Served.
(From the Daily Standard of
Friday.)
Affairs of
the Hitchcock Mfg. Co. are in a highly complicated state, though opposing
lawyers say that there is no complication and that everything is perfectly
plain. The difficulty is that they do not see it alike, and what one side says
is absolutely correct the other says is all nonsense. Complications are
increasing with each day and almost with each hour, and it is now quite certain
that only the courts will be able to straighten out the difficulties.
Yesterday
morning, as was stated in The STANDARD last night, Daugherty & Miller received a telegram from Albany
announcing that the appellate division of the supreme court had set aside the
receivers of the Hitchcock Mfg. Co., C. E. Hitchcock and James Devine.
Immediately they issued executions against the company for sums aggregating
nearly $20,000, put them in the hands of Sheriff Hilsinger who took possession
of the Elm-st. factories and of the foundry and machine shop on Port Watson-st.
The order of the court had not been received in Cortland at the time and did
not come until this morning.
As soon as
this was done word was sent to Syracuse by the receivers to their attorney, J.
William Wilson, who at 1:30 o’clock appeared before Judge Forbes at Canastota
with a petition for the appointment of new receivers for the Hitchcock Mfg. Co.
The petition which he presented was the same one bearing the date of July 12,
1895, that was used last summer to procure the appointment of the original
receivers, but it was strengthened by four additional affidavits: One of Caleb
B. Hitchcock bearing date of Nov. 22, 1895: one of James Devine bearing date of
Nov. 23, 1895; one of Henry L. Gleason bearing date of Feb. 1, 1896; and one of
J. William Wilson bearing date of Feb. 4, 1896. Upon the strength of this
petition and the affidavits Judge Forbes reappointed C. B. Hitchcock and James Devine
the receivers of the company, and also granted an injunction order restraining all
parties from bringing any actions against the company.
Judge
Forbes’ appointments and the injunction order were filed at the county clerk’s
office at 9 o’clock this morning, and a copy was served upon Dougherty &
Miller. At 9:50 o’clock the order of the appellate division of the supreme court
was filed by Dougherty & Miller. This is the order which vacates all of Judge
Forbes’ previous orders and sets aside the receivers.
If Judge
Forbes’ order which was filed first takes precedence, the receivers are still
in possession and the sheriff is not in possession. If the order of the
appellate division of the supreme court, which bears the earlier date, taken
precedence, the receivers are set aside and Judge Forbes’ later order is void. Sheriff
Hilsinger says he is in possession.
Dougherty
& Miller say that the sheriff is in possession and that the matter of the
sequence in filing the orders does not count; that before Judge Forbes granted
his order yesterday afternoon reappointing the receivers the executions had
been issued and served and that they act as a lien upon the property inside of
anything else that can be found. They claim that they will appear before the
court with a motion to set aside the injunction and they believe the motion will
be granted promptly on the strength of their decision from the appellate
division; and furthermore they say that if the sheriff gives up his possession
they will sue him and recover from his bondsmen.
The
receivers of the company claim that section 626 of the Code of Civil
Procedure provides that an order vacating or
modifying an injunction order must be entered and served on the opposite party
before the order takes effect. The order permitting the Second National bank
and others to enter judgments simply permitted them to enter the judgments and
said that all other proceedings therein, thereunder and thereafter were stayed
and enjoined until the further action of the court. That order was never
vacated or modified and is still in force and consequently Dougherty & Miller had no right to enter
executions, and the executions were irregular and consequently void and will
undoubtedly be set aside and the parties entering them are in contempt of court
for violating the provisions of the order. The original order of Judge Forbes
was in force until the order from the appellate division could be entered and
served, and before that order was entered and served, a new order from Judge
Forbes was entered and served, and consequently the order of the appellate
division has no force in this case.
The
receivers also claim that the sheriff is not in possession and never has been.
They refused to surrender their keys to him and he is now restrained from
interfering with them in any way. The parties for whom he purported to act will
get no preference from their executions, and there has been no time since the
original appointment of receivers when the property has not been under the
control of the court and in the hands of the receivers.
Attorney
Gridley of the firm of Miller, Gridley & Pratt of Syracuse appeared in
Cortland this morning and issued and caused to be served an attachment on the
property of the Hitchcock Mfg. Co for about $14,000 in behalf of the Salt
Springs National bank of Syracuse. The receivers deny that an attachment was placed
upon the property. They say that the Gridley attachment was not served until
after the order of Judge Forbes was entered, that by this order all persons
were restrained from commencing any action against the company or taking any
steps looking toward an attachment.
These are
some of the legal difficulties which have arisen and which probably only the
courts can settle.
It is
understood that another party in Cortland
stood ready to issue attachments upon the property for some $28,000, but that
he decided not to do so because he
believed that the decision of the appellate division setting aside the
receivers would not stand against the later order of Judge Forbes which
was filed first.
Just before
The STANDARD went to press this afternoon a reporter inquired again of Sheriff
Hilsinger whether or not he was in possession of the Hitchcock plant. He
replied that he was and intended to hold that possession until he was put out.
No Change in Affairs.
There was no change in the affairs of the
Hitchcock Mfg. Co. Monday. Both sides claim the possession of the works. A
STANDARD reporter visited the Elm-st. factory in the afternoon and found Mr. C.
B. Hitchcock, one of the receivers, and a number of bookkeepers at work in the
office and the sheriff out in the factory, where he said he was looking after
some matters.
Mr. E. L.
Dodd, bookkeeper at the foundry plant, told a reporter that Mr.
James Devine of Syracuse, the other receiver, was in
town Saturday and told him to direct the men to go to work again in the foundry
Monday morning as usual. He followed orders and gave the directions, but none
of the men went to work. They were all afraid of being in contempt of court or
of otherwise breaking a law or a rule or regulation.
HOMER.
Gleanings of News From Our Twin
Village.
Homer, Jan.
10.—William Hine died at the home of his daughter, Miss Nellie Hine, in this
village, Feb 4, 1896, in the ninety-fourth year of his age. He was a man of
remarkable vigor, both of mind and body, and always led an active and energetic
life. Mr. Hine was born in Ridgefield,
Conn., Jan. 18, 1802. In his early boyhood his parents removed to Hillsdale,
Columbia Co., N. Y. In 1830 he was united in marriage to Phebe Webster, daughter
of Jebiel and Phebe Webster of Preble, N. Y. In 1862 he removed with his family
to Cortland, where he resided twenty-eight years. In 1890 he came to Homer,
where he resided up to his death. In politics he was a Whig up to the time of
the organization of the Republican party, which at once won his sympathy and
hearty support. Of his party he was an intelligent and earnest supporter
throughout the remainder of his life. He never missed voting at a presidential
election. The most of his boyhood days were spent in the South with his sister.
His wife died Sept. 14, 1856, aged 46 years. Four daughters survive him: Miss
Nellie Hine, Mrs. W. N. Brockway, Mrs. Anna Spoor and Mrs. Sarah Thompson, all
of Homer, and five grandchildren, viz. Anna Hine Thompson, Mrs. Florence
Maxson, Mrs. Josephine Starin, Mrs. Fannie Thompson and Mr. Geo A. Brockway.
There are three great grandchildren, Russell & William Brockway and Edith
Jan Maxson.
THE ICE CARNIVAL.
Large Crowd at the Rink Saturday
Night.
From 6:30
o’clock to 9:30 o’clock Saturday night every trolley car going to the rink was
loaded to its utmost capacity. Homer sent a large delegation and so did
McGrawville. The Cortland City band was there and furnished fine music
throughout the evening. The carnival was under the auspices of the Cortland Athletic
association and was a grand success, notwithstanding the fact that only six
hours’ notice had been given that it would take place Saturday night.
At 9
o’clock the grand march began with over one hundred skaters in line, nearly
half of whom were masked. The costumes were very beautiful and in most cases
the disguise was perfect. The judges, Hon. R. T. Peck, T. H. Dowd and G. J. Maycumber
had difficulty in awarding the prizes to the best costumed lady and gentleman. The
prizes were, however, awarded to Miss Bernice Rowe and Mr. Eddie Reed
respectively.
The next on
the program was the races.
The 100-yard
dash open to club members only was won by A. K. Weatherwax with Harry Moul second.
Time 13 seconds.
200-yard dash
open: L. J. Dudley won, L. E. Edgcomb second. Time 22 1-2 seconds.
200-yard
dash open to club members: A. K. Weatherwax
won, Harry Moul
Second. Time 21 4-5 seconds.
Exhibition
of fancy skating: George Culp won. Louie Moul second.
This closed
the first ice carnival held in Cortland which was a highly successful affair. So
many people have expressed regrets that the time was so short they had no time to
get their costumes in readiness, that another entertainment of the same sort is
being talked of for Tuesday evening, Feb. 18.
 |
| Cortland Hospital on North Main Street. |
CORTLAND
HOSPITAL.
SECRETARY’ S REPORT.
The
following report of the Cortland hospital for the year ending Feb. 3, 1896, is
respectfully submitted:
During the
year, the board of managers has held regular monthly meetings.
The attendance upon these meetings, the devotion to
prescribed lines of work, no less than the success of new enterprises, has made
this year exceptional in the history of the association.
The removal
of the hospital from its temporary quarters [Clayton Ave.] to the newly
purchased [North Main Street] building at the beginning of the year, cleared the
way of many obstacles that had hitherto hampered the work, and inaugurated a
new era of prosperity.
The whole
number of cases treated since the hospital opened five years ago is 172. The
number during the past year is 68--37 males and 81 females. Of this number 44
were medical and 24 surgical cases; 12 of the latter being accident cases; 32
have been discharged cured; 13 improved; 10 unimproved; 7 have died; 2 have
been born; and 5 are in the hospital at the present time. The whole number of
days occupancy has been 2,079; a daily average of nearly 6 patients. The number
of private patients has been 29: ward patients 39. The number who have been
able to make some remuneration for their care has been 45; county patients 11,
and beneficiaries 12.
Of the
patients treated 37 were from the town of Cortlandville, 8 from Homer, 4 from
Truxton, 3 from Preble. 2 from Scott, 1 each from Rochester, Syracuse,
Hamilton, Windsor, McLean, LaFayette, DeRuyter, Spafford, Marcellus,
Mecklenberg, Cincinnatus, Summerhill, South Otselic, and one without a home.
Death has
resulted from the following causes: consumption, 3; secondary cancer, 1;
intestinal obstruction, 1; railroad accident 1; old age, 1.
The
physicians in attendance have been Doctors Dana, Didama, Gazlay,
Henry, Higgins, Johnson, Reese, Santee, Sornberger
and White of Cortland;
Robinson and Goodell of Homer, and Hinman of East
Homer.
In December
Miss Maynard resigned as matron and head nurse, and Mrs.
Mary S. Banks, a graduate of the New York hospital,
was engaged to fill her
place.
The
training school for nurses, now nearing the close of its second year, numbers at
the present time four students. This has proven an important auxiliary to the
work. Frequent calls for outside nursing have been received. These have been
responded to in nineteen instances, whenever the service of the hospital
permitted.
While there
has been a steady increase in income, the hospital with its added expenses, has
been far from self-supporting, and the ways and means for its maintenance have
been a constantly recurring problem. The opening reception and supper netted
the association about $200; the Normal school alumni banquet, $90; the sale of
refreshments at the opening of the Cortland park, $70.71; business man’s
baseball game, $84.56; ice-cream sale, $45; school donations, a large amount
of household supplies and $21.09 in money; from the sale of the Industrial
Edition of the Cortland STANDARD, $341.10. Individual gifts of money and varied useful
articles, as seen by the monthly reports, show that kind friends still have the
interest of the cause at heart.
The offer
of Mr. E. D. Crosley of Scott, to be the fiftieth person to pay an annual
subscription of $5 to the hospital for five years, or the twenty-fifth person
to pay the sum of $25, through the untiring efforts of the Cortland
STANDARD and the board of managers, assisted by other friends, resulted in
obtaining fifty-six annual $5 subscriptions for five years. In several
instances the whole sum of $25 has been paid. A large increase in the annual receipts is thus assured.
To Mrs. Eliza
Rose Palmer the association is indebted for a gift of $500. This aid was most
timely in furnishing the means for the completion of much needed improvements,
Notice has been received that the hospital will receive another gift of $500,
by the will of the late Mrs. Mary E. Goodrich.
Thanks are
due the physicians who have given their services gratuitously to the treatment
of the ward patients, to the Cortland STANDARD Printing Co. for the substantial
benefit received through the Industrial Edition, and for the continuance of
past favors, to the Cortland Democrat for the year’s subscription, and the
unfailing courtesy shown in the use of its columns, to the Syracuse Herald for
its subscription, to Mr. M. B. Howes for his services in preparing plumbing
specifications; to County Clerk Palmer, and Messrs.
Lewis Bouton and Henry A. Dickinson for legal
services; to the Cortland Water Works Co., and to all friends who have in any
way contributed to the success of the hospital during the past year, the association
extends thanks.
It is a matter
of pride to those entrusted with this work, that the close of the fifth year
should find a hospital in Cortland that so fully meets the present demands, and
merits the growing appreciation of the public. The building is desirably
located, commodious, and furnished with all necessary repairs and equipment.
Accommodations for both ward and private patients are ample; the rooms being
large, well lighted and furnished with steam heat throughout.
An operating room in the surgical ward is kept in readiness
for any emergency that may arise. No pains have been spared in the selection of
those placed in charge, and it is the constant aim of the board of managers to
see to it that in every department the affairs are wisely and carefully
administered.
In addition
to the Harry Merrick Beach memorial room two others have been furnished during
the year, the surgical room by Mrs. Louisa A. Schermerhorn of Homer, for whom
it is named, and another, known as the “Normal Room,” has been furnished by the
faculty of the Normal school. In consideration of her interests in the
hospital, a Palmer room has been designated in honor of Mrs. Eliza Rose Palmer.
In answer to frequent inquiry, the following information
is repeated: private patients requiring ordinary care will be received for from
$7 to $ .0 per week. Ward patients including medical attendance $5 per week.
Patients of limited means are charged according to their ability to pay, and
none is refused admission on account of lack of means.
The hospital
board desires particularly to call the attention of the medical profession of Cortland
county and vicinity to the facilities offered for caring for private patients.
An
inspiration of the record of patients treated and operations performed, as
there detailed, shows among what may be classed as major operations, those for
the removal of cataracts, cancers, the ligation of the femoral artery,
amputation of a leg, etc. It is believed that a knowledge of the extent and
variety of the work done, will lead to a better appreciation of the advantages
afforded by the Cortland hospital to all who come within its shelter and care.
The cause
has been fortunate in enlisting the services of most energetic workers. To
these, aided by the generous support of the public, the work of the coming year
may safely be committed.
Lydia H. Cheney,
Secretary,
Hospital Association,
Cortland.
February 3, 1896.
[Additionally the annual reports of the hospital’s president and
treasurer are found on page seven of this issue of the Cortland Standard—CC editor.]
