25 July 2012

George Sharrow - Obituary


The Record-Post, Au Sable Forks, NY
July 28, 1932

George Sharrow

George Sharrow, a lifelong resident of th Ausable Valley, died at this home on Forge street [sic] in this village about midnight on Monday, aged 53 years.  Mr. Sharrow was born at Black Brook, and for the past twenty-eight years was a faithful and trusted employe [sic] of the J. & J. Rogers Company.  For several years past he had been afflicted with heart trouble, and for five weeks prior to his death he was in a serious condition.  He is survived by three sons-Sharrille, Augustin and Horace; and three daughters, Mrs. Lorn Snow of this village, Rev. Sister Mary Sebastian of Port Henry, and Miss Augustine of this village.  One brother, John Sharrow of Rutland and two sisters, Mrs. E. Duprey and Mrs. O. LaHart of Forestdale aslo [sic] survive.  The funeral will be held from Holy Name church this morning at 9 o’clock.

George Sharrow is my maternal great-great uncle.

Below is a picture that I THINK may be George on the right.


And if anyone knows who's on the left, let me know :)

19 July 2012

Bernard J. Coughlin - Obituary



Bernard J. Coughlin

AuSable Forks-Funeral services for Bernard J. Coughlin, 73, who died Saturday at Crouse-Irving Memorial  Hospital in Syracuse following a long illness, were held Monday at the Zaumetzer-Sprague Funeral Home in AuSable Forks.
     The Rev. Theodore Gillette, associate pastor of Holy Name Church, celebrated the mass.
     He was born in AuSable Forks May 20, 1907, the son of Daniel and Agnes (Williams) Coughlin.  He lived for many years in Worcester, Mass.
     He leaves two daughters, Mrs. Richard (Ruth) Stein of Pennsylvania and Mrs. Donald (Myrval) Ellis of Massachusetts; seven grandchildren; one brother, David Coughlin of Jay, and two sisters, Mrs. Howard (Betty) Myers and Mrs. Gerald (Ann) Thompson, both of Plattsburgh.
     Bearers were Raymond Cash, Daniel Phebus, Robert Thompson, James George, Raymond LaBombard and Wilfred Laundry.
     Burial was in the family lot in Holy Name Cemetery.

Obituary appeared in the Plattsburgh Press-Republican on July 24, 1980.

Bernard was my paternal great-uncle.  Below is a picture of his grave taken during my 1992 trip to the North Country.  He is buried with his parents.





07 July 2012

Happy Birthday Grama T!!!!

Elizabeth "Bess" Ann Madden Torrance
Fall 1974

Today would have been my paternal (step) great-grandmother, Elizabeth Ann Madden Torrance's 124th birthday (1888-1985)!! "Bess" or "Grama T" to us was always fun to be around.  She helped raise my father and his siblings when my grandparents married.  My father absolutely adored her.  It was always so funny to see how he acted differently when Grama T was visiting.  Loved it!!

I would sit and listen to her for hours talking about her experiences in the one room school house in Essex County, New York to the first time she saw a "horse-less carriage".  I so wished I would have recorded her or wrote down every word is said to me.  But hindsight right??

One of my favorite memories of Grama T was after my grandfather, David Francis Coughlin, died and everyone was at the house in Jay.  From the kitchen door I could see my father and uncle were loudly "discussing" something in the dining room where Grama T was reading in her chair.  The next thing I know she's saying "Boys" and they both started with "but, but". She would have none of that and said "I don't want to hear it".  In unison they said "yes, ma'am" with the dejected faces of reprimanded boys.....and then she turned down her hearing aid!!!  I laughed and then quickly got out of there.

So to Grama T I say "Happy Birthday" and hope you are enjoying a "nip" on your special day!!