1913 Deaths

   I thought I would do a post about people who died a hundred years ago. There were 40 people who died in 1913 who are buried in Bayside.

1. George R.C. Smith died Jan 6 1913  at the age of 67. He was the son of Abial M.and Sarah Harmon.

George R.C. Smith's grave in Sec D Lot 18

2. William Olmstead was born on Oct 12, 1825 to Lester and Freelove Benson Olmstead. He married Susan Waterman on Jan 2, 1849. William died Jan 8 1913  at the age of 87.

William Olmsted's grave in Sec D Lot 112

3. Harvey M. Story was born Jun 20, 1831 in Fairfax, VT and died Jan 19 1913  at the age of 82. He married Maria Sherman. Harvey served in the Provost Marshall's Office in Malone during the Civil War. He was in the dry goods business. Harvey was in the village board & fire department. Mr. Story was one of the founders of the Baptist Church.

Harvey M. Story's grave in Sec I Lot 51

4. Wilfred MacDonald was born in Ottawa and died Jan 25 1913 at the age of 8 mos.

5. George Wing Sisson Sr. was born Dec 19 1828 in Glens Falls to James and Gulielma Wing Sisson. He married Sarah A. Thompson. The Sissons moved to Potsdam in 1867 to engage in the lumber business. Mr. Sisson was a Whig and then a Republican. He died Feb 3, 1913.
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George Wing Sisson Sr's Grave in Sec I Lot 197

6. Anna Roberts who died Feb 9, 1913  at the age of 77.

Gravestone for Ann and her husband William

7. Frederick Baldwin who was born in Vermont to Henry and Constance Cobb and died Mar 2, 1913 at the age of 62. He was married to Sarah Russell.

Frederick Baldwin's Gravestone in Sec I Lot 34

8. Elizabeth Cudworth who was born in Lisbon and Died Mar 18, 1913. She was the wife of Wesley, at the 53.

9. Gilbert French who was born in Ogdensburg to Gilbert L. and Louise Crichton French and died Apr 1, 1913 at the age of 47.

Gilbert French's grave in Sec I Lot 168

10. James Brown was born in Toronto and died Apr 4, 1913 at the age of 67.

11. Carlton Bailey who died Apr 11, 1913 at the age of 62. He married Clara Stimets.

Carlton Bailey's gravestone in Sec F Lot 5

12. Robert Parisan son of William, died Apr 15, 1913 at the age of 11 mos.

13. Robert Kerr was born in Scotland, died Apr 27, 1913 at the age of 91. He served in Co B. 7th NYHA during the Civil War.  Mr. Kerr came over to America in 1821. He was caretaker of Holcroft House owned by the Clarkson family.

Robert Kerr's gravestone in Sec C Lot 8

14. James Aldous who was born in Gouverneur and died May 10 1913 at the age of 80. James served in the Civil War from Sept 11, 1862-Feb 14, 1863, as a 1st Lt in Co K. of the 5th NYHA.

Gravestone for James and his wife Miranda in Sec C Lot 144

15. William Baldwin was the son of Frank and Maude Moore. He died May 18, 1913 at the age of 23.

William Baldwin's Gravestone in Sec D Lot 129

16. Albert Page was the son of Justus and Miranda Healy. He married Celia Robinson. He was a Methodist Minister. Rev. Page died on May 14, 1913 in Parishville at the age of 46 yrs, 1 mos and 11 days.

Alfred Page's Gravestone in Sec C Lot 93

17. Margaret Lunderman was the daughter of Samuel and died May 23, 1913 at the age of 1 mos and 11 days.

18. Abigail Dickson was born in Richville to Alfred and Jenesha Phelps. She was married twice. Her first husband was Webster Lynde. After Webster died she married Rev. James A. Dickson who was Rector of Trinity Church in Gouverneur. She and Webster were the parents of Mrs. John Weston. Abby died Jun 1, 1913 at the age of 78.

Abigail Dickson's Gravestone in Sec C Lot 61

19. Adelaide Norris was born in South Colton. Ms. Norris graduated from the Normal School in 1883. After teaching at other schools she became a member of the staff of the Normal School in 1896. Sometime later she became Principal of the Intermediate Department. She died Jun 3, 1913 at the age of 53.

Adelaide Norris's gravestone in Sec C Lot 47

20. William Billings died Jun 1, 1913 at the age of 69.

William Billings's Gravestone 

21. Charles W. Leete was the son of Rev. Charles W. Leete and Adeline Loomis. Mr. Leete was born Jul 6, 1823 in Verona. He married Eliza Willis. He died Jun 8, 1913 at the age of 89. I will be writing more about him in a post titled Clark, Willis and Leete Family.

Charles W. Leete's Gravestone in Sec C Lot 14

22. George Dayton who died Jun 22 1913 at the age of 97. He was married to Catherine Parkill. I will be writing more about him in a post about the Dayton family.

Gravestone for George and his wife Catherine in Sec G Lot 63

23. Susan Putnam who died Jun 26, 1913 at the age of 56. She was daughter of James and Jane Freeman Putnam.

Gravestone for Susan Putnam in Sec D Lot 56

24. Susan Kerr was born in Colorado. She died Jun 28 1913 at the age of 50.

25. Ruth Lumbard who died Aug 3, 1913 at the age of 14 days. She was the daughter of E.A. Lumbard.

26. Francis Swan was born in Morley on May 16, 1838 to Robert and Ann Newby. She died Aug 8, 1913

Gravestone for Francis and her husband George in Sec I Lot 191

27. Evelyn Sparrow died Aug 17, 1913 at the age of 84.

28. Robert Wood was born in Scotland. Mr. Wood came to America in 1853 settling in Waddington. In 1877 he moved to Potsdam where he operated a grist mill until 1904. He died Aug 15, 1913 at the age of 85. He married Isabella Blythe.

Robert Wood's gravestone in Sec C Lot 51

29. Clara Roberts Wife of Isaac was born in Parishville. She died Sept 7, 1913 at the age of 49.

30. Charles Snell was born in Vermont to Alanson and Mary Flint Snell. He died Sept 20 1913 at the age of 76. He married Evelyn Burns. During the Civil War he served in Co F. of the 13th NY Cav. He was a lumberman. Mr. Snell was Congressman Bertrand Snell's Uncle.

Charles Snell's Gravestone in Sec C Lot 121

31. Clarence Wil(l)son died Oct 10, 1913 at the age of 60.

32. Bettie Sawyer wife of W.G. Died Oct 6, 1913 at the age of 38.

Bettie Sawyer's Grave in Sec C Lot 36

33. Cora Burnham died Oct 20, 1913 at 49 days. She was the daughter of John and Eva Homer Burnham.

Cora Burnham's grave in Sec C Lot 137

34. Georgina Thompson was born in Warren Co and died Oct 25, 1913 at the age of 51.

Gravestone for Georgina and her husband Clarence in Sec D Lot 68

35. Janette Ritchie died Oct 26, 1913 at the age of 74.She was the wife of Augustus.

36. Belle Kenney was born in Canada. She died Nov 6, 1913  at the age of 67.

37. Harriet Wilcox was born in Stockholm. She died Dec 1 1913 at the age of 78.

38. Cordelia Barnes was the wife of Charles P. She was born in Antwerp. Cordelia died Dec 8, 1913 of at the age of 74.

Gravestone for Cordelia Barnes in Sec D Lot 19

39. Grace Usher was born on Oct 22, 1831 in Vergenness VT to Walter and Sophronia Spencer Laflin. Grace married Bloomfield Usher. She died Dec 17, 1913 at the age of 83.

Gravestone for Grace and her daughter Grace in Sec I lot 46

40. Electa Brownell wife of Schuyler died Dec 29, 1913 at the age of 80.

Gravestone of Electa Brownell

A Fascinating Woman: Anna Stockton Pettit

    One of my favorite parts about doing the Bayside Cemetery Grave listing is researching the people buried here. One of the most fascinating persons I have found is a woman by the name of Anna Stockton Pettit. Anna was born April 15, 1865 (history lovers should recognize this date as the day Abraham Lincoln died after being shot the night before). What I found most fascinating about her was her level of education because most women of her day were not as well educated as she was. She died Jul 14, 1899. Mrs. Pettit was originally buried at Garfield Cemetery in Potsdam, but she was moved to Bayside by Julia Crane and laid to rest in the Crane Family Lot (Sec C Lot 59). Here is Anna's Obituary from the July 26, 1899 issue of the Canton Commerical Advertiser:

Anna Stockton Pettit

Anna Stockton Pettit, wife of H{erbert}.D. Pettit, died in Potsdam July 13, 1899, aged 36 years. Mrs. Pettit received her early education in Canton and took her degree of A.B. at St. Lawrence University in 1882. In addition to her literary work, she was a student of drawing and painting, and after a short period of school teaching, she went to New-York City to continue her art study. Here she met Mr. Pettit and became his wife in 1888. Having similar tastes in both literary and artistic fields, they continued their studies together. Mrs. Pettit entered Barnard College and took first the degree of M.S. and later Ph.D. from the University of Columbia. The original investigations which she made to secure the doctor's degree have attracted considerable attention and only a few weeks before her death a most flattering letter came to her from Germany acknowledging assistance received from her work, and noting further investigations which the writer was making along the same line.

The illness which attacked her was lingering and so subtle as to defy the skill of the best physicians. Skilled specialists of New-York city and the treatment and care of the best sanitariums all proved equally unavailing even to still the pain which racked her body. Last November Christian Science treatment was begun, and a Christian Scientist was employed to be her constant attendant. The relief was almost instantaneous, and since that time she has been entirely free from pain and nervousness; serene, peaceful and happy. Insanity and all its horrors had been predicted as the natural end of her malady, but she passed away as peacefully as one lies down to sleep, having retained a clear mind to the end. During the first year of her blindness she learned two new alphabets, the point type and the Morse alphabet. By the point type she was enabled to keep up her reading and after deafness overtook her, it was through the Morse alphabet that her friends conversed with her. No one was better posted on the history and geography of the Spanish-American war, or more interested in all its passing events than she. By the means of raised maps and articles copied in point type from papers and encyclopedias, as well as through current topics read to her, she kept throughly informed. Bright and witty of speech, her room was the congregating room for all her friends, and not one who were there did more to make good cheer and happiness than she. Her life was a practical lesson whose influence can not but reach out to many a weary mortal, speaking in unmistakable tones of the truth that true happiness comes not from riches or fame, not from the gratification of the senses, but from spiritual life- Courier & Freeman

Anna Pettit's Gravestone

Other Diseases

   Some diseases that I had never heard of before that I found in the Original Interment Records include:

1. Dyspepsia which is called indigestion today.

2. Dipthera is a infection of the upper respiratory tract. Symptoms include: a 100.4 or higher fever, chills, fatigue, bluish skin, sore throat, hoarseness, cough, headache, having trouble swallowing, having trouble breathing, foul smelling bloodstained nasal discharge. Thanks to vaccines it was wiped out in the United States.

3. Dropsy is the swelling of soft tissues because of an accumulation of excess water.

4. Apoplexy used to refer to a death that was sudden which began with a loss of consciousness.

5. Cystitis is the "inflammation of the wall of the bladder".

6. Peritonitis is "inflammation of the thin tissue that lines the inner wall of the abdomen and covers most abdominal organs".

7. Erysipelas is " a skin infection that follows strep throat".

Most of the information came from Wikipedia, the other information came from medical sites.

Consumption

       One of the most common killers in the early days of the world and up to today is Consumption (which we now call Tuberculosis). The Ancient Greek Hippocrates identified it as the disease which was most widespread during his life (during which it was called phthisis). In 1882 Robert Koch discovered that was caused by a bacterial infection. Consumption is one disease that has caused more deaths than the black death, leprosy and HIV. It was called consumption because of the wasting away of the patient.

Some symptoms included cough which brings up mucus, tiredness, weight loss, fever and night sweats. Treating consumption/tuberculosis is difficult, it requires taking multiple antibiotics over a long time.

Drowning 3

       I have found four more drowning victims. I have only a photo of one their graves. I have not been able to find the other three's graves.

      The first one is Claude Thompson who drowned Aug 17, 1894. Here is the transcription from the article I found in the Aug 22, 1894 issue of the St. Lawrence Republican:

SAD ACCIDENT AT MADRID,

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Claude Thompson, a Boy 14 years of Age, is Drowned.

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Special dispatch to the REPUBLICAN & JOURNAL

MADRID, Aug 18.---Claude Thompson, a young man fourteen years of age, was drowned in the Grasse river Friday evening at 8 o' clock. He was out rowing, accompanied by Nelson Eveleth and Howard Lockwood, both younger than himself. Claude was rowing, the oar slipped, the skiff was overturned and the three were thrown into the river. Claude was too far from the shore for the boys to rescue him.

The alarm was spread and the boy's body was found and taken to the shore where every possible means was tried to resuscitate him, but without avail.

The lad was spending his vacation with his aunt, Mrs. Powell, his home being in Potsdam. His mother is visiting friends in Canada. She was telegraphed to this morning, but nothing has been heard yet. The remains were taken to the residence of Mrs. Powell.

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MADRID, Aug 17.---Claude Thompson, a lad of 14 years, was drowned in the Grasse river this evening about 8 o' clock. Nelson Eveleth and Howard Lockwood, both younger than the unfortunate lad, were in the boat, and Claude was rowing, the oars slipped and Claude suddenly springing to one side overturned the skiff and the three were thrown into the river. Eveleth caught the boat, but could not swing it so as to get within Claude's reach, and was compelled to swim to the bank. Lockwood swam to the bank, but Claude was too far from the shore for them to assist him. They hastened to spread the alarm, and in a brief time many men and boys were at hand to do all they could to rescue. Claude was found in the middle of the river, was hastily brought on shore and all possible means were tried to resuscitate but without avail. The lad was spending a vacation as a guest of Mrs. Julia M. Powell. His home is in Potsdam, and his widowed mother is visiting friends in Canada. The melancholy accident has caused a deep feeling of sadness and the bereaved mother has the deepest sympathy of all our people. Claude was a bright and very active lad, a genial enterprising playfellow and will be heartily mourned by the boys of his age and acquaintance.

Claude Thompson's Grave

    The next one was Flora Fell Austin who drowned Sept 17, 1896 at the age of 54 yrs.

    The next one was Albert Compton who drowned at Benson Mines on Jul 19, 1901 at the age of 25 yrs 11 mos 4 days.

   The last one was Edward Paquette who drowned Aug 4, 1903. Here is the transcription from the article I found in the Aug 12, 1908 issue of the Potsdam Courier & Freeman:

"Edward Paquette, a man about 33 years old was drowned at Sissonville Tuesday Night. He came up to the circus in the evening and was somewhat unsteady when he went back. His house was on the other side of the river, and there is a three foot floating foot bridge across the river above the dam which is used by the workmen in crossing the river. He started across this and fell in. Another employee who saw him fall hurried to the place with a plank but Paquette did not rise to the surface. The body was recovered a half hour later. He leaves a wife."

Cholera Morbus

      Another kind of Cholera I found in the original interment records is Cholera Morbus. It is an old term that was used in the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was used to describe non epidemic Cholera and other gastrointestinal diseases that were like Cholera. Gastroenteritis is now used to describe the other diseases.

    Cholera is a an infection that occurs in the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibro cholerae. It can be transferred by drinking water or eating food that was contaminated by the feces of an infected person. Symptoms can start to show as early as half a day or late as five days after the ingestion of the bacteria. Symptoms include diarrhea and vomiting of clear fluid.

   Its called the "blue death" because a patient's skin can turn a bluish gray hue from extreme loss of fluids.

 

Cholera Infantum

      The original interment records from 1877-1988 that the Potsdam Public Museum has, includes a space for cause of death. Some of the causes of the death are not as common as they used to be so I decided that this month I would write about some of the causes of death. This article is about Cholera Infantum.

    Cholera Infantum is a fatal kind of gastroenteritis which occurs in children. It is not true Cholera but has some of the same symptoms. It is also part of "summer complaint" which comprises all of the different diseases of the digestive organs and brain which attacks children during the summer.