Search Archived Marriage Records
Ada Y. Harris
MORRIS — Ada, born Adah Yvonne, passed away on Oct. 20, 2002, at the Harding Nursing Home in Waterville, where she was staying for rehabilitation. Since it seemed that her problem was only a broken ankle that was stubborn in mending, the abrupt onset of breathing problems, and her death several days later, took everyone, including Ada, by surprise.
A general public announcement of her death was withheld by her trustees for a protracted time in order to protect the antique shop/home premises, containing her lifetime's work, left uninhabited and vulnerable.
Ada was born Jan. 18, 1915, youngest child of William Henry Harris and Winifred Yates Harris of Morris.
She graduated from Morris High School, and then, in 1937, from Oneonta Normal School, teaching school just briefly. In 1938 she opened her first antique shop, Brookside Antiques of Morris. Her career in antiques was interrupted for only a couple of years, during World War II, when she labored at the Bendix defense plant in Sidney.
In 1948, after the death of her beloved mother, Winifred, she sold Brookside and moved to a farm outside of West Winfield, where she opened another antique shop, dedicated to "country antiques in the rough." There she remained until just a month before her death, removed from her family, leading a semi-reclusive life.
Ada did, however, remain in spirited lifelong correspondence with certain friends and cousins, while cultivating good new friends among her neighbors, business clientele, and fellow antique dealers.
And she became one of the best-known antique dealers and experts in New York state, while also being known as a "real character" with decidedly eccentric ways. It seems that everyone, among neighbors, clientele and fellow dealers, has a favorite "Ada story."
She was a night person, working into the wee hours then sleeping late. She vociferously resented anyone who rang her bell before noon, and, even during permitted hours, you didn't get in her front door unless she liked the looks of you or you talked the talk that was on her wavelength. And very few people were ever admitted to her inner-sanctums, where she kept the stuff that meant the most to her. In many ways, to most people, Ada was a woman of mystery. The quote under Ada's picture in her high school yearbook is "I just want to be left alone." Basically she arranged her life to achieve that aim. Yet she also managed to reach out to many who will never forget her, who will always miss her salt-and-peppery self.
Ada was proud of her Yates family heritage, and preservation of that family history was one of her chief concerns. Her great-grandfather was Dr. William Yates, baronet, born in 1767 to the manor of Sapperton, Burton-on-Trent, England — cousin to Prime Minister Sir Robert Peel and to the philanthropist John Howard. Having been on the staff of ancient St. Bartholomew's Hospital in London, and a colleague of Dr. Jenner's, the originator of the smallpox vaccine, Dr. Yates, of a philanthropic bent himself, was the first to bring the smallpox vaccine to America, to Philadelphia in 1799. It is possible that it was Dr. Yates who personally administered the vaccine to ex-President John Adams, who did receive a vaccination on one of his trips through Philadelphia.
Whilst in Philadelphia, Dr. Yates struck up a friendship with Judge Cooper, founder of Cooperstown and father of James Fenimore Cooper. Dr. Yates accompanied Cooper up the Susquehanna with an eye to purchasing property. In Morris, then called Butternuts, Dr. Yates became captivated by a tall, lovely blonde, the daughter of prominent settlers, Ichabod B. Palmer and his wife, Mary Wakelee, lately of Brookfield, Conn.
Dr. Yates and Hannah Palmer were married and, in 1801, he took his bride back to England where she was presented to King George III's queen, Charlotte. During the bridal couple's year in England, the doctor devolved the manor of Sapperton and his baronetcy in favor of his younger brother Harry, settled his financial affairs and, in 1802, returned to Butternuts, there to live the life of a gentleman farmer and doctor to all who needed help, with no fees charged — becoming the patriarch of a large, exceptionally well-educated family.
In late February of 1857, when summoned to attend a patient on a remote farm, the still vigorous Dr. Yates, just short of his 90th birthday, rode out into sub-zero weather. On his return home he found that one of his feet was frozen. He remarked to Hannah that most likely gangrene would set in and kill him. It did.
Ada was a farm girl, and throughout her life she practiced that farm heritage, sometimes raising farm animals, always growing, canning, preserving and drying much of her own food. But she also inherited a profound respect for, and concern for, history — of her family but also of colonial and 19th Century New York country society in general. She dedicated her life to studying, collecting and preserving colonial and rural 19th Century artifacts: art work, household utensils, agricultural and architectural items — excited always with the history behind any object, rather than by its condition.
A special study was that of antique wallpaper, and one wallpaper company specializing in reproductions honored her when they reproduced an ancient wallpaper that she had rescued from oblivion. They named their reproduction the "Ada Harris." Ada was always eager to teach any, who were willing to sit and listen as she imparted her knowledge of New York State rural history.
With her death we lost one of our most knowledgeable experts in that regard. How sad that we only, just now, begin to realize that fact. But the world of antiques and history can be thankful that Ada cared enough to recognize the importance of "everyday" items, to collect them and to preserve them — thousands upon thousands of items which would simply have been tossed, and so lost — but which now are being treasured by those with the smarts to appreciate their historical and societal importance.
Aside from her passion for history — family and societal — and for antiques and gardens, Ada was passionate in regard to issues of environment and conservation. She prided herself that her household produced only one small bag of trash a month. All else was in some way reused. Ada even dried and reused paper towels.
Then, very importantly, there were her animals. For close to 60 years Ada's closest friends and companions, those beings in whom she was able to place absolute trust and affection, were not people — for, beginning in childhood, people, sometimes those closest to her, traumatized, wounded, confused, or alienated her, and she was hesitant to trust and to love. It was to the dogs and cats who shared her home that she was able to give unqualified trust and affection, and receive trust and affection in return. On their behalf she developed an active interest in ending the abuse of, and promoting the humane treatment of, all animals.
Those few of us in whom she did finally place her trust — trusting us to see that her wishes are carried out, that certain collections are passed on and preserved as a heritage for all, and that her hard-earned funds go to furthering the work and passions of her lifetime — are aware of the honor done to us. We will not fail her.
Ada desired that all that she had worked for would go to organizations which she carefully researched and selected, which organizations would preserve her goods and use them to inform, instruct and educate the public, while using her funds for the furtherance of those causes to which she was passionately devoted.
Those desiring to make contributions in her memory may consider any of these, her four beneficiaries. The New York State Historical Association (Cooperstown), the New England Historical and Genealogical Society (Boston), the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NYC), or Spring Farm CARES Animal Sanctuary (Clinton).
Ada was predeceased by her "Papa," William, who died after an auto accident in 1923, by her mother, Winifred, and her siblings, Collis Paschal Harris, Erie Corinne Colvin, Avis Lorraine Paden and Winston Harris.
She is survived by nieces, Rosalie Smith and Winifred Talbot; nephews, William and Winston Harris, by numerous cousins; by caring friends who sorely miss the irreplaceable Ada and who wish that she was still around to teach us and to entertain us; and by her cherished dog.
As per Ada's wishes, her ashes will be interred in the grave of her beloved mother, Winifred Yates Harris, whose grave is in the Yates plot at Hillington Cemetery, Morris. The service for the extraordinary Ada will be at that graveside at 1 p.m. on Nov. 8, 2003, overseen by Johnston Funeral Home of Morris, and conducted by Father Witt of Zion Episcopal Church of Morris, a church which Dr. William Yates and his family were instrumental in organizing and building. At 3:30 p.m., Ada's friends and neighbors are invited to her home, 9869 Route 20, 2 miles West of West Winfield, 1/2 mile east of Bridgewater, corner Route 20 and East Street, for a party to celebrate the life of Ada and to trade fond memories of our gal.
Scott Todd Mayhew
SPRINGFIELD CENTER — Scott ("Rod") Todd Mayhew, 39, of Springfield Center, died unexpectedly Sunday, Nov. 2, 2003, at his home.
Scott, or "Rod," as he was affectionately known, was born on April 10, 1964, in Oneonta, a son of Donald K. and Joan (Koster) Mayhew.
Raised in Cooperstown, he attended Cooperstown Central School, graduating with the Class of 1982. He then attended SUNY Canton, receiving an associate's degree in Hotel/Motel Management in 1984. After attending Florida Atlantic University, he received a Certificate in Marine Technology.
Upon his return to Cooperstown he was employed, for several years, in management positions at many area restaurants, including the Pepper Mill, The Red Sleigh, The Lake House and the Cooperstown Country Club. For 12 years he operated Mayhew Motors in Fly Creek. Most recently, he was employed by Aramark at Hartwick College where he managed their Cafe.
Nurtured in the Catholic faith, Scott was a communicant of St. Mary's 'Our Lady of the Lake' Catholic Church in Cooperstown.
An avid outdoorsman, he enjoyed snowmobiling, hunting and most especially boating. He enjoyed working on cars and boats, and was a NASCAR fan.
Scott is survived by his parents, Don ("Duke") and Joan Mayhew of Cooperstown and North Palm Beach, Fla.; two sisters, Julia ("Jill") Brown and her husband, Mark, of Dover, Ohio, and their children, Dakota and Jordan, and Lynn Pettibone and her husband, Michael, of Santa Rosa, Calif., and their children, Amanda, Michelle and Bradley; and one brother, Steven Mayhew and his wife, Kim, of Carmel, and their sons, Kyle, Kevyn, Brandon and Austin.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 8, 2003, at St. Mary's 'Our Lady of the Lake' Catholic Church in Cooperstown, with Fr. George St. John, temporary administrator, officiating. Burial will follow in Lakewood Cemetery, Cooperstown.
Friends may call at Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown from 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 7, 2003, when Scott's family will be present.
Expressions of sympathy in the form of memorial gifts may be made to the American Heart Association, Heart Gifts Processing Center, P.O. Box 3049, Syracuse, NY 13220-3049 or to a charity of one's choice.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown.
Fannie Jones Lee
ONEONTA — Fannie Jones Lee, 79, of Oneonta and formerly of Morris and Cooperstown, passed away Thursday, Nov. 6, 2003, at Bassett Hospital, after a short illness.
She was born on Dec. 27, 1923, in Cooperstown, the daughter of Marcus and Ethel (Bridger Rathbun) Lee.
Miss Lee was a lifelong area resident and graduated from Cooperstown High School.
She was employed as a telephone operator in Oneonta for the New York Telephone Company for 30 years, retiring in 1976.
She attended the Christ Episcopal Church in Cooperstown and the Elm Park United Methodist Church in Oneonta.
She was a member of the Cooperstown V.F.W. Ladies Auxiliary, the Daughters of Cooperstown, the Edmeston Senior Citizens, the NY Telephone Pioneers, the Butternut Valley Senior Citizens of Morris, the Otsego County Advisory Council for Senior Citizens, and the Criterion Club of Cooperstown.
Miss Lee is survived by one brother, Guy Rathbun of Morris, and several nephews, nieces and cousins.
She was predeceased by two sisters, Harriett Mitchell and Gertrude Foote; and a brother, John Lee Jr.
Miss Lee loved to travel and was proud to have visited all 50 states and several foreign countries.
The family will be receiving friends one hour prior to funeral service at 11 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 10, 2003, at the Lewis-Hurley Funeral Home in Oneonta, with the Rev. Eileen Cornwell, pastor of the Elm Park United Methodist Church, officiating. Burial will follow in Hartwick Seminary Cemetery.
Contributions may be made to the Catskill Area Hospice & Palliative Care Inc., 542 Main St., Oneonta, NY 13820.
Funeral arrangements are by the Lewis-Hurley Funeral Home, 51 Dietz St., Oneonta.
Donald M. Osborn
SOUTH EDMESTON — Donald Melvin Osborn Jr., 48 years old, of South Edmeston passed away Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2003, at home with his loving family.
He was born March 11, 1955, in New Berlin, raised by his grandmother, Florence Seamons of Burlington Flats.
Donald married Jennie Osborn on June 29, 1985. She survives.
He spent his childhood in Burlington Flats.
He was a mechanic who was on call 24 hours for his family and friends. He was a former member of the New Berlin Fire Department. He was a lifelong fan of Lynyrd Skynyrd and an avid fan of Jeff Gordon.
Donald is survived by his children, David L. Osborn, Schuyler Lake, Laura L. Osborn Heintschel, Cooperstown, Donald (Mel) Osborn, Samantha Osborn, Wayne Osborn and Steven Osborn, all of South Edmeston; grandchildren, William, Kaitlyn, Ashleigh, David Jr., Jason, Alexis and Whitney; a brother and sister-in-law, John and Cindy Wells, Ilion; close cousin, Dave Talbot; and faithful companion, Reba, of Edmeston. He is also survived by an abundance of family and friends.
He was predeceased by one son, Shane Phillip Osborn; and by Charles and Mabel Bodie of Kingston, who loved and accepted him as a son.
A memorial service will be held Sunday, Nov. 9, 2003, at 3 p.m. at the Dakin Funeral Home, New Berlin.
Ethel Sibley
MORAVIA — Ethel Rosanna Garrison Strong Sibley, 73, of Moravia, passed away after an extended illness Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2003, at the Howd Nursing Home in Moravia.
She was born Oct. 2, 1930, daughter of Silias and Ethel Garrison in Conquers. Ethel was adopted and raised by the late Edward and Carrie Strong in Laurens.
She attended and graduated from Laurens Central School. At one time she was employed as a caretaker for the children in the Wyoming Children's Home in Binghamton.
Ethel then married John H. Sibley on April 3, 1953, in the Chenango Bridge Methodist Church. John predeceased her on Sept. 22, 2003.
She and John owned and operated farms in Masonville and Bainbridge most of their lives, but most recently in Sempronius. There she attended the Sempronius Baptist Church.
She is survived by her devoted son, Randall Sibley, Sempronius; and two brothers, William and David Garrison.
She is also predeceased by her son, Thomas Sibley; two brothers, James McGee and George Garrison; and her sister, Alice Colton.
There are no calling hours.
Funeral and committal services will be held Saturday, Nov. 8, 2003, at C.H. Landers Funeral Chapel, 21 Main St., Sidney, at 1 p.m. Burial will be in Masonville Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the ALS Foundation St. Peter's Hospital, 315 South Manning Blvd., Albany, NY 12208.
William S. Frazier
FRESNO, Calif. — William Samuel (Sweet Old Bill) Frazier, was born on June 27, 1918, in Davenport, and went to our heavenly father on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2003. He was the son of James S. and Clara (More) Frazier.
He married Ethel Carey on Feb. 11, 1956, in Treadwell.
"Wild Bill" was a dairy farmer, horseman and later gardened with his nephew, Jim Frazier. His hobbies were raising birds and dogs.
He was a former resident of Oneonta. He was known for his hard work, sense of humor, love for nature, and love for his family and friends.
He is survived by his wife, Ethel; and son, David; daughters, Linda Nowlin, Carol and her husband Tim McGuire and grandsons Cody and Jeff Nowlin; granddaughters, Jaclyn Nowlin and Lyndsie McGuire, all from Clovis, Calif.; sister, Ruth Moiel, of New York City, and many wonderful nieces and nephews. His love for his family was immeasurable.
Wild Bill's love for people was bigger than life. He never met a stranger, and was loved by all. Whew! Whew!
A celebration of his life will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 10, at Clovis Funeral Chapel, 1302 Clovis Ave., Clovis, Calif.
Correspondence may be sent to 5852 E. Dakota, Fresno, CA 93727.
Lillian Stephens
NEW BERLIN — Lillian Stephens, 92, of New Berlin, died Friday, Nov. 7, 2003, in New Berlin.
She was born May 16, 1911, in Preston, to Adon and Bertha (Vought) Law.
Lillian married Melvin E. Stephens on Aug. 30, 1930. He died May 4, 1976.
She spent her childhood in Preston and attended schools in Preston and Norwich.
Lillian was a member of the New Berlin Library board and the First United Methodist Church of New Berlin.
Survivors include two sons, Wesley Stephens of Edmeston and Thomas Stephens of New Berlin; four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
In addition to her husband, she was predeceased by a son, Melvin Stephens.
There will be no calling hours.
Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Monday, Nov. 10, at the Dakin Funeral Home, New Berlin, with the Rev. Beverly Butler of the First United Methodist Church of New Berlin officiating.
Burial will be in the Fairview Cemetery, New Berlin.
Memorial donations may be made to the New Berlin Emergency Squad.
John L. Agnew
CLEARWATER, Fla. — John L. Agnew, 74, of Clearwater, Fla., died Saturday, Sept. 20, 2003, at Balmoral, an assisted-living facility in Palm Harbor, Fla.
He moved there from his native Oneonta, where he retired as a meter tester for New York State Electric & Gas. He was a World War II veteran. He attended Peace Memorial Presbyterian Church, Clearwater, and was a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles (FOE), the American Legion, and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. He was formerly active in the Retreads Motorcycle Club.
Survivors include his wife, Shirley; three daughters, Patricia S. Agnew, Barbara E. Fleming of Clearwater and Sandra L. Agnew-Olin of Fairport; four grandchildren, Sr. Airman Brian S. Fleming, Glenn R., Grayson R. and Sabrina L. Agnew-Olin; and several nieces and nephews.
Arrangements were handled by National Cremation Service. Inurnment will be in Glenwood Cemetery, Oneonta, this summer.
Emma B. Gaylord
WORCESTER — Emma B. Gaylord, 87, died Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2003, at her home.
She was born Nov. 21, 1915, in Hobart Township, the daughter of the late Percy and Florence Weeks.
Emma married Harper Boice Gaylord on Oct. 17, 1938, in Old Orchard Beach, Maine.
She was a life long area resident. Before retirement, Emma was a partner with her husband, Harper, in the family farm business. She was an expert needle woman who enjoyed sewing, knitting, crocheting, quilting and rug hooking.
She was a member of the Worcester United Methodist Church, the United Methodist Women and the Community Quilters.
Survivors include her three children, Dr. Donald R. Gaylord of Valatie, Florence Kouselas of Las Vegas, Nev., and James Gaylord of Grand Junction, Colo.; 14 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; two sisters, Hazel Freeley of Mastic, and Harriet Winseck of Roulette, Pa., as well as several nieces, nephews and cousins.
She was predeceased by her husband Harper, on March 21, 1982, two sisters, Evelyn Buck of Jefferson and Annabelle Houck of Sidney and one brother, Maurice Weeks of Hobart.
Calling hours will be Tuesday, Nov. 11, from 6 to 9 p.m. at E. J. Skinner Co. Funeral Chapel, Worcester, and again Wednesday, Nov. 12, from 10 a.m. until the time of the funeral service at 11 a.m. at the United Methodist Church, Main Street Worcester, with the Rev. Jane Pykus officiating.
Burial will follow at the Harpersfield Center Cemetery, Harpersfield Center.
At the request of the family, donations may be made to the United Methodist Church, Main Street, Worcester, NY 12197 or the Worcester Emergency Squad, PO Box 191, Worcester, NY 12197.
Arrangements are by the E.J. Skinner Co. 155 Main St., Worcester.
