What more can we say about this section? Obituaries not only name relatives and relationships, but often tell vivid stories of people's lives. Please send in your collected Herkimer or Montgomery Counties related obits. Put "OBIT" in the subject heading of your email and name the source of the obit if known. The obits do not have to be long but can be short notices.

From Laura Perkins

The following information was found in the Utica Observer-Dispatch, dated Monday, January 27, 1930.

Neighborhood News
Died:

BLATT, Sat, Jan 25, 1930, Mrs. John Blatt, Sr., at Frankfort, NY. Funeral will be held Wed. at the convenience of the family.

WILLIAMS - On January 25, 1930, at her late home in Schuyler, NY, Rose WILLIAMS, wife of the late Hugh WILLIAMS.

Deaths in the O - D Parish

St. Johnsville - Death of Mrs. William H. WOODWORTH, 69, occurred Saturday night at her home. She was born in Cherry Valley and attended the Episcopal Church there. Surving are two brothers, Louis NELSON, Kingston, and Henry E. NELSON, Herkimer; a sister, Mrs. Francis PIERSON, Cherry Valley.

St. Johnsville - Death of James KRETZER, 84, for years a resident of Ephratah, occurred late Saturday night at the home of his daughter, Mrs. D. A. GETMAN, who conducts Hotel Getman, after an illness of 4 weeks.
Born in Ephratah, Mr. Kretzer, spent his entire life there, where he was successful as a farmer. He came here several weeks ago, owing to ill health.
Surving are 3 daughters, Mrs. Irving MILLER, and Mrs D. A. GETMAN, St. Johnsville; Mrs. Clarence WATERMAN, Ephratah, and 4 sons, Homer and Jason, St. Johnsville; Joseph, Ephratah, and Emery, Ft. Plain. Funeral will be at Hotel Getman. Burial at Ephratah later.

Frankfort - Mrs. Catherine Eggar WEISS, 89, formerly of Utica, died yesterday. She was born in Switzerland, Feb 10, 1841. She was married twice, first to Ernest EGGAR, and later to William WEISS. She resided in Utica after coming to the U.S., until 4 years ago, when she moved to Frankfort, making her home with her son, Fred EGGAR. She was a member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Utica. Mrs. Weiss leaves 1 sister, Mrs. Mary King BOCKMAN of Utica; three sons, Charles BURKY and Fred EGGAR of Frankfort, and Ernest EGGAR of Utica; daughter, Mrs. Charles WILLIAMS of Albany, and several grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Ilion - The funeral of Orlando F. ORENDORFF will be held tommorrow at home at North Ilion. Burial will be at Armory Hill Cemetery.

The following information was found in the Utica Observer-Dispatch, dated Sunday, June 9, 1929.

Deaths in the O - D Parish

Canajoharie - Mrs. Edgar DUNCKLE, 56, died at her home in Sprout Brook, of paralysis on Friday night. She was born Dec 31, 1872 and was a member of the Methodist Church at Sprout Brook. She is survived by her husband and mother, Mrs. Margaret KELNER of Guilderland, also four sisters, Mrs. William BORST of Schenectady, Mrs. Jacob ALHEUER of Guilderland, NY; Mrs. Jessie GODWIN of Saratoga County, and Mrs. Walter CHASE of Stillwater, and one brother, John KILNER of Guilderland. The funeral will be tommorrow afternoon at 2 o'clock. The Re.John Masel officiating with burial at Ft. Plain.

Ilion - The funeral of John H. NOLDA was held at his late home on West Clark Street. today at 9 o'clock and at the Church of Annunciation at 9:30, the Rev. J. B. Gilloon officiating. B.B. McKeon sang. Burial at West Winfield. Bearers were John KILEY, Daniel KEILY, Cornelius KEILY, Thomas KEILY, James ENRIGHT, and William HYNES.

Dolgeville - Funeral of Mrs. Nathan BROWN, who died in the Little Falls Hospital, after an operation for the intestinal obstruction, will be held from the home on Cavilli Street at 9:45 this morning and the body will be taken to Schenectady for burial. Mrs. Brown had been ill only a short time. She was born May 4, 1871, in Tunkhannock, Pa., her parents being the late William and Elizabeth BILLINGS BALL. She was married in 1910 to Mr. Brown and came here 14 years ago from Schenectady. She leaves her husband, two children by a previous marriage, Frank WILBUR and Mrs. Joseph RENKAWITZ of Schenectady; a sister, Mrs. Ella TEWKSBURY of Schenectady, and three brothers, Napoleon, Harmon, and Nelson BALL of Tunkhannock.

Rome - Mrs. James H. WILSON, 73, a native of Little Falls, died yesterday afternoon at her home in Verona after an illness of nine weeks. She married in Verona, celebrated her 50th wedding anniversary by entertaining 58 members of the family at dinner at her home.
Mrs. WILSON was the daughter of the late Mr. & Mrs. W. C. PALMER, of Little Falls. She and husband had resided on the same farm in Verona for 33 years.
Surviving besides her husband, are seven sons and daughters: Benjamin P., and William J., Dwight H., Herbert M., and George B., of Verona; Ervin C. of Rome, and Mrs. Louise McKEON of Auburn. Mrs. A. J. TIBBITS of Hamilton is a sister. There are three grandchildren.

Frankfort - The death of William F. DAMUTH, 63, occurred at the Ilion Hospital yesterday following injuries received Wednesday afternoon while unloading a 1,600- pound casting at the Acme Road Machinery plant.
His arm was so badly crushed that it was amputated that afternoon and his leg was fractured, but until Friday afternoon it was believed he had a good chance for recovery. It was found that he had suffered internal injuries, however, which (unreadable). Mr. Damuth was born in Pennsylvania June 14, 1886, and had lived in Frankfort for about 20 years, and for some time had been employed at the Acme Road Machinery Co. He leaves his widow, who was Bertha SCHUTTS, and three children Pearl, Henel ??, Eva May and Elizabeth Alberta Damuth; also a sister, Mrs. Certha DOUGHERTY of Utica and George DAMUTH of Geneva.

From Beverly Crim

Obituary of Herman Wolfgang Gunther
From the Camden Journal, September 5, 1891, (Oneida County)

It was with a general feeling of sadness that word was received in this village (Camden) last Friday morning announcing the death the evening before of "Herm" Gunther.

From many years residence here and connection with the Camden Journal, coupled with a personality that made him many friends, his sudden demise was deeply felt.

Mr. Gunther was born in Fairfield, Herkimer County, July 17, 1858, of German parentage. His father was professor of music of Fairfield Seminary, and in this institution, Herm received his education.

A few years after, he moved with his parents to Adams, Jefferson county, and entered the Adams Journal office where he learned the printers' trade. He followed this business all his life and became a practical journalist, ever ready with facile pen to fill positions of trust, editorially or to supervise the mechanical department of a printing office. He has held positions since leaving Camden in Herkimer, Little Falls, Amsterdam, Mechanicville and at the time of his death was local editor of the Ballston Daily News. He gave promise of a brilliant future but the body was too frail for the labor of life.

Ballston paper said of him:
His loss to this paper cannot be adequately expressed nor easily supplied. We can only say that his memory will be cherished as one who brought to his daily work faithfullness, energy and marked ability. As a friend, we can all this community regret his untimely taking off. (I have omitted here some flowery description of him similar to other descriptions of people in obits of the times)... It ends with: Yet in the years to come, many will remember our friend with a sense of remediless loss and regret, the removal by death of Herman Wolfgang Gunther.

There is more to the obit which I have summarized below. Just before his death, he traveled to Henderson Harbor (looking for relief of his illness) and stopped in Camden. On his visit to Camden, he did not tell friends of how serious his health condition was.

He was a member of the Independent Order of the Odd Fellows of Ballston and Amsterdam and each lodge sent two delegates to accompany his body to Adams where it was taken for burial on Saturday. A. E. Gunther (of this paper), a brother, and Mrs. C. F. Babcock, a sister, of Cleveland were with him when he died.

He was a member of the Christ's (Episcopal) Church and leader of its choir at Ballston.

There is more in the article about which ministers did the services in Ballston and Adams which I did not copy down.

His parents are both dead and of the family he leaves three brothers and one sister. A. E. Gunther of Camden, Gustave and Henry Gunther and Mrs. C. F. Babcock of Cleveland, Ohio.

From the obit column in the same paper this additional info is given:
He was 33 years old.
He died in Ballston Spa: August 27, 1891.

From the Camden Journal, September 10, 1891, (Oneida County)

The body of Miss Fanny Budlong of Schuyler, Herkimer County was found in the Erie canal near Utica Tuesday morning. Foul play is suspected.

And in the same paper:

Died: Elsie A. Helmer: In East Florence, August 29, 1891, relict of the late Frederick Helmer. She was 81 years, 3 months and 9 days.

Obituaries of Simeon Klock and his descendants, contributed by Gloria Kirkwood. This collection also contains extensive information about Simeon's descendants.

Obituaries and other items about members of the extended Richard/Richards Family, Parts 1 and 2. Contributed by Lisa Slaski, this collection includes family members in the towns of Wilmurt, Ohio and Herkimer, Herkimer County. The Richards Family married into many of the earliest Mohawk Valley families and descendants still live in the Herkimer area.

From Lisa Slaski

Conrad Minch (son of Henry and Anna Minch) born 13 Feb 1832, Dens, Hesse-Kassel, Germany. Died 12 Jun 1894, resident of Fort Hunter, Montgomery, NY at the time of his death. Resided North Whitehall, Lehigh, PA circa 1860 - 1863. Resided Mill Point, Glen Twp, Montgomery Co., NY circa 1863 - 1880. Resided Fort Hunter, Florida Twp, Montgomery Co., NY circa 1880 - 1894.

Amsterdam Daily Democrat and Evening Recorder, Amsterdam, Montgomery, NY - 6/12/1894

A FATAL ACCIDENT.

Conrad Minch of Fort Hunter
Killed on the West Shore

In the Yankee Hill cut this afternoon
- Particulars of the casualty -

He was a prominent citizen and a hay buyer by occupation.

The West bound New York express, train No. 2, on the West Shore, due in this city at 2:48, struck and instantly killed Conrad Minch of Fort Hunter just west of the depot in the Yankee Hill cut, this afternoon.

Mr. Minch came to this city today and intended to return home on the train which killed him, but upon applying at the depot for a ticket, he was told that the train, which is a fast one, did not stop at Fort Hunter. Wishing to return home before night, and not caring to wait, he started up the tracks on foot, intending to walk home. The train came along in a few minutes, and, as it was rounding the curve in the cut, Mr. Minch was struck in the back of the head and instantly killed. The train was stopped and the remains put on board and brought back to the depot, where they were placed in the baggage room to await the disposition of Coroner Johnson, who was at once summoned. Upon the Coroner's examination it was found that death was due to a fracture in the rear portion of the skull. It is not believed that he suffered any other injuries. The remains were ordered removed to the under taking rooms of C. A. Lutton.

Mr. Minch resided in Fort Hunter, near the West Shore station, and was a hay buyer, being in business with his son Henry, who survives him, together with three daughters, Mrs. Henry Fink, Mrs. Ferdinand Creigmus, and Mrs. Anst Bobilin, all of Fort Hunter. He was about 60 years old and for a number of years worked the farm of Rev. J. H. Enders. He was a prominent member of the Fort Hunter German Methodist Church, being one of the trustees. Another daughter, Mrs. Henry Horstman, died a short time ago. His father, who also survives him, lives in Fort Plain.

Note: Mrs. Henry Horstman was Anna C. [Minch] Horstman, my great-grandmother. She died from complications of child-birth, when my grandmother was less than 1 month old.

Susannah [Lehr] Minch (wife of Conrad Minch) daughter of Franz and Lydia [Schleicher] Lehr of Carbon Co., PA. Born 15 Oct 1843, East Penn Twp, Carbon Co., PA. Died 13 Oct 1886, Fort Hunter, Florida Twp, Montgomery, NY. Resided in East Penn Twp, Carbon Co., PA circa 1843 - 1863. Resided in Mill Point, Glen Twp, Montgomery Co., NY circa 1863 - 1880. Resided in Fort Hunter, Florida Twp, Montgomery Co., NY circa 1880 - 1886.

Mrs. Minch (Susanna)
Evening Recorder, Amsterdam, Montgomery, NY - 10/13/1886

FELL INTO A WELL

Mrs Minch of Fort Hunter, falls into a well, manages to climb out, and dies a few hours afterwards.

About four o'clock yesterday afternoon, the citizens of Fort Hunter were shocked at the announcement that Mrs. Minch, wife of Conrad Minch, a farmer residing near the West Shore depot at Fort Hunter, had fallen into a well and sustained injuries that would probably cause death. The particulars of the sad affair are as follows: Mrs. Minch and her daughter, Anna, about 15 years of age, were home alone yesterday afternoon, as the rest of the family were away at work. Between two and three o'clock Anna went to call on some friends in the village. During her absence Mrs. Minch went out to the barn, and having a few leisure moments thought she would wash a wagon that was in the barn. She carried a couple of pails of water from a well nearby, but as there was another well in the barnyard she thought she would take water from this well which would be more convenient. There is no pump here and Mrs. Minch was compelled to draw the water with a pail. As she was doing so, she became dizzy and fell headlong into the well, which is ten feet deep and contains about 6 feet of water. The unfortunate woman managed in some manner to climb out, but in what way can not be told. When then contrived to reach the house, and, removing part of her wet clothing, went to bed. A short time afterwards her daughter, Anna, returned and found her mother asleep. The latter was awakened and her husband and son summoned at once from their work. Mrs. Minch was conscious and meagerly described the cause of the accident. A few moments later she was attacked with convulsions. Drs. Timmerman of Fort Hunter, and Robb, of Amsterdam, were called to attend the woman. They were powerless, however, to alleviate her sufferings. She continued to grow worse until about 3 0'clock this morning when she died. The doctors attribute her death to convulsions, supplemented by a heart difficulty. The deceased was about 60 years of age. Besides a husband, five children, 4 daughters and one son, survive her. Her family is almost frantic with grief over her sad death. Mrs. Minch was a lady who was greatly respected by all who knew her.

From Marilyn Allis

More Eaton obits from Marilyn Allis, including the mother and children of Allen W. Eaton, once editor of the "Mohawk Courier".

From the Scrapbooks of Edward Cooney, Jr., a newspaperclipping.
Died. In Herkimer, June 4, 1889, Mrs. Phila Eaton, aged 92 years and 5 months.

Mrs. Phila Eaton was born in Deerfield, Oneida county, in 1797. Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Barnes, died before she was five years old and she was then adopted into the family of Elisha Eaton, who lived in Eatonville. She married Parley Eaton, who was a nephew of Elisha Eaton, and a veteran of the war of 1812, and for many years they lived on the Wyman Eaton farm in Eatonville. About 1829 they removed to Little Falls, and some years later to Herkimer. Mrs. Eaton was the mother of six children, all of whom are living, viz: A. W. Eaton, of Oxford, Idaho; Volney Eaton, of Herkimer; Mrs. Roxana Hine and Maria Caswell, of Ilion; Mrs. Frances Hayes, of Sioux City; Mrs. Annette Graves, of Kirkwood, Ill. Mrs. Eaton was a woman of marked character and many virtues. She was greatly beloved by her numerous friends. Her funeral was held from the residence of her son, ex-sheriff Volney Eaton, of Herkimer, on Thursday afternoon, Rev. H. M. Cox, officiating. Four generations of her family were present. The funeral choir was composed of her great-grand children, and six great-grandsons were pall bearers. Her descendants are six children, twenty-three grand-children, forty-three great-grand-children and two great-great-grand-children. Her remains were placed by the side of those of her husband in the Little Falls cemetery.

Little Falls Evening Times, June 6, 1889

The remains of Mrs. Parley Eaton, who died in Herkimer on Tuesday at the advanced age of 94 years, were brought to this village this afternoon and interred in the Church Street Cemetery. She is the mother of ex-sheriff Volney Eaton. A remarkable incident connected with the funeral was that six of her great grandsons acted as pall bearers.

Herkimer Co. Journal, April 8, 1858, Little Falls

Died,
In this village on the 3d inst., WILLIE, son of A. W. Eaton, Esq., Editor of the Mohawk Courier, aged 5 years and 4 months.

"I take these little lambs, said Jesus,
And lay them in my breast,
Protection they shall find in me,
In me be ever blest."

Mohawk Courier

Died.
On Saturday last, the 3d inst., of Scarlet Fever, WILLIE, son of A. W. Eaton, Editor of the MOHAWK COURIER; at the age of 5 years and 4 months.

Mohawk Courier, Little Falls NY, Dec. 23, 1841

Died.
In this village, on the 16th inst., HELLEN M. only child of Allen W. Eaton, aged 1 year, 6 months and 9 days.

From Marilyn Allis

Marilyn Allis has provided us with the obits of Allen W. and Catherine Stebbins Eaton. Once editor of the "Mohawk Courier", Mr. Eaton served under former U. S. Treasurer Francis E. Spinner, also a resident of Herkimer County. While going through a wealth of early Eaton research, Marilyn has been presented with a genealogical mystery of her own:

"I was exploring the Herkimer site more fully. There is an amazing amount of information there! As I perused the obituaries, it occurred to me that you might like to use the ones that I have of Allen W. Eaton and his wife Catherine. They were living in Little Falls in 1860, and he was editor of the Mohawk Courier. These obituaries were transcribed by their granddaughter, Katherine Eaton Hazer, in 1918 on a genealogy fact-finding mission - she was interested in finding out her eligibility for the DAR. She found it, but then didn't join. I've been fascinated (and frustrated!) by all of the work that she did on her ancestors and then didn't leave any information regarding dates for her own parents. On our last trip to Buffalo we found her mother's will and thus death, but I have no idea when or where her father died. I'm guessing in the DC area about 1915 (because that's about when her mother moved to Buffalo). "

Little Falls Journal & Courier, Feb. 10, 1900

Allen W. Eaton
Formerly Editor of the "Mohawk Courier"

Allen W. Eaton, long a resident of Little Falls, passed to his long home on Sunday, Feb. 4, 1900 at Oxford, Idaho in the 83rd year of his age. Mr. Eaton was widely known throughout all this section, especially in Herkimer County, through his prominence in public affairs in the fifties and sixties. In 1855 he became associated with Horatio N. Johnson in the publication of the "Mohawk Courier." The following year came the Freemont-Buchanan campaign, when Mr. Eaton identified himself with the new Republican party, while Mr. Johnson espoused the cause of the radical democracy. This resulted in Mr. Eaton's purchasing Mr. Johnson's interest in the paper and he continued to publish it till March 1861, when he sold the paper to Ayer & Brigham. Mr. Eaton was a forcible and ready writer and the editorial columns of his paper during those years were filled with strong articles in support of the principles of the new party which opposed the extension of slavery.

In connection with the late Xerxes A. Willard Mr. Eaton published the "Dairy Farmer," a semi-monthly publication, which was maintained only for a few years. In 1857 Mr. Eaton was elected county treasurer of Herkimer County by a majority of 534, his opponent being the late Christopher C. Witherstine.

After his retirement from the "Mohawk Courier" Mr. Eaton went to Washington, D.C. where he lived for about nineteen years, most of which time he held a very important and responsible position under United States Treasurer General Francis E. Spinner.

About twenty years ago Mr. Eaton moved with his family to Oxford, Idaho, where he had a government position in connection with the Land Department, and which he held for a number of years. He has since resided in Oxford.

Mr. Eaton was a man of high character and strict integrity. He ever labored and sacrificed for which he believed was right and gave of his energies to help the down-trodden and oppressed wherever he found them. He had a kind and sympathetic nature and was a true and devoted husband and father. He was a hard worker and whatever he undertook he entered into with all his energies. He is remembered by our older citizens with feelings of high regard and respect.

Allen W. Eaton was the son of the late Parley Eaton, of this place and a brother of the late Volney Eaton of Herkimer. He was born in Little Falls. He married Catherine S. Stebbins, sister of the late Dr. Wm. B. Stebbins, in June 1837, and her death occurred Feb. 28, 1899. Mr. Eaton was confined to his bed but a few days, and he died in possession of all his faculties. He is survived by one daughter, Mrs. Emma Crandall of Oxford Idaho and two sons, Franklin and John S. Eaton. He also has three sisters surviving, Mrs. Roxana Hines, of Ilion, N.Y., Mrs. Annette Graves, of Cleveland, Ohio, and Mrs. Fannie Hayes, of South Dakota.

Little Falls Journal & Courier, March 14, 1899

Mrs. Allen W. Eaton

Information is received here of the sudden death, after only two days of illness of Mrs. Catherine S. Eaton, wife of Allen W. Eaton and sister of the late Dr. Wm. B. Stebbins of this city, at her home in Oxford, Idaho on Feb. 28th last. Mrs. Eaton was born in Salisbury, in this county, July 20, 1818. She joined the Baptist Church in that town at the age of 15 years. She was married to Allen W. Eaton in June 1837, and has had seven children, of whom three survive, viz: Mrs. Emma Crandall, whose home was with her parents, Franklin and John S. Eaton. Her father's family numbered 10 children, of whom only one, John J. Stebbins, of Chapinville, Ontario County, N.Y., survives her. During Mr. Eaton's public employment of nearly fifty years, they lived in Albany, N.Y. six years, in Washington, D.C. nineteen years and in Oxford, Idaho, eighteen years; they also lived in Little Falls, N.Y. over twelve years, Mr. Eaton being editor of the "Mohawk Courier." For more than sixty years this aged couple have been companions; the last time they were on the street together, they went to the polls and both voted at the last November election in Idaho.

Mrs. Eaton was a most kindhearted, lovable Christian woman, who, wherever she lived, won the high regard and respect of all who knew her. Her funeral was largely attended from her late home and her last benediction was pronounced by a Baptist clergyman, Rev. Mr. Rich of Pocatello, Idaho.

Lots more obits on the Obits Bulletin Board Part 4.

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