Progressive Batavian Batavia, Genesee County, New York State December 8-1893 Local News. Fred G. GARDNER, of East Alexander, is visiting friends in town for a few days. Merton W. JONES has associated himself with the Hooker Tonic Co. and will help to boom that medicine. Walter R. ROLFE is very ill at the home of his son Lucius P. ROLFE on Jackson street. He is 87 years of age. Mrs. Joseph R. COLT injured himself quite severely last week by stepping into a hole on the Walnut street bridge. Mr. Harlow HIGGINS, who has been ill for some time at his home near the old Fargo stand, is quite low at present writing. The strike on the Lehigh Valley railroad has been declared off, and Sheriff TILLEY has called in his extra deputies and discharged them. The Y's have put off their "Deestrict Skule" entertainment until after the holidays, when it will be given to raise money for the poor. One evening last week ten tramps applied at Poormaster GRIFFITHS' house on South Main street, for a night's lodging. Freight cars and lumber piles furnish poor shelter this weather. Merritt BATEMAN, the white liniment man, who left Batavia to reside in Albion, is back again after two months' absence--but his wife didn't come. It is reported she has left him again. Mrs. Edward BRADFIELD (nee LOCKS) has had her husband arrested for non-support. His examination takes place to-day, Thursday. Wed-Locke in this case seems to be a failure. Mr. Geo. F. CHILDS has just received the school warrant in Dist. No. 5 in Alexander, and will receive taxes at his house at 1 per cent, until Saturday, 16th inst. After that, 5 per cent will be charged. Mrs. G. D. WEEKS, of Palmyra, recently of Batavia, is soon to move to New York city where her husband's headquarters now are. A host of Batavia friends wish her and her husband prosperity and happiness in their new city home. Mrs. F.F. GUNN, of Syracuse, was in town Monday last attending to matters pertaining to the settlement of the estate of her father, Mr. Alfred MARSH, formerly a worthy and highly respected resident of Darien, who died in Buffalo in October last. On Friday night a sneak thief stole a lady's cloak form the hall in Mrs. W.C. DWIGHT's house on Summit street. He evidently thought it was an overcoat for on finding out the nature of the garment he hung it on a neighbor's grape arbor and abandoned it. Dr. BULLOCK, of Alexander, is opposed to long funeral sermons. He contends that all that can be appropriately said is: "Gone to meet his reward for all the deeds done in the body, whether good or bad; and you and I will follow on the same line and conditions sooner or later." The 'Batavian' this year publishes the absorbingly interesting and highly exciting official canvass and election notices of Genesee county. We cannot understand how Rev. John H. YATES can retain his position on a paper given to such sensational literature. - 'Le Roy Times' The Medina 'Tribune' says that most of the right of way for Capt. Lina BEECHER's railroad from Batavia to Oak-Orchard-on-the-Lake has been already obtained "and some people seem to think it will be in operation by another season." Oh, to live long enough to see it in operation! The Rev. H.F. MORRELL, of Rochester, state missionary, will hold Universalist service at the A.O.U.W. Hall (in the Dellinger and Watson block on Main street,) at 8 p.m. on Sunday next. Mr. Morrell comes to canvass the ground in behalf of the State Convention, to look into the feasibility of organizing a Universalist society, where the prospects seem very flattering to many interested. Mr. Charles SMITH, so well known to our oldest citizens as "Charley" Smith, died at the County House on Friday last. His funeral was held on Sunday, Elder SCARFF preaching the sermon, and his remains were brought to Batavia on Monday and interred in the Batavia cemetery. Mr. Smith was born in Batavia and here learned the jeweler's trade. He was a great traveler an d the most of his life was spent away from the scenes of his childhood. The Salvation Army in Batavia are to be re-enforced this week. A council is to be held here for four days commencing on Saturday. Capt. and Mrs. STRAUBEL who began the Amy work in Batavia will be present through the council. Mrs. Nellie E. PLACE died at the Institution for the Blind on Friday afternoon, aged 25 years and three months. Miss Place was a sister of Superintendent PLACE and had been ill over a year. She was born in Caledonia where she has always lived before coming with her brother to Batavia. She was widely known there and greatly respected. She is survived by her mother, four brothers and two sisters. The remains were taken to Caledonia where the funeral was held on Monday. $100 per Lamp or No Light. At the meeting of the aldermen on Wednesday evening a settlement was effected with the Electric Light Company by allowing them at the rate of $115 per year per lamp from July 1st to Dec. 1st. The board instructed the clerk to make a contract with the company for light until March 1st at the rate of $100 per lamp per year; if the company will not agree to the price to tell them they can shut off the light. Alderman MANNING, who was married a few days ago, was presented by the aldermen, president and clerk with a set of silver ware as a token of their esteem. Deaths in Pavilion. Within the past week two of the oldest and best known families of Pavilion have been visited by death, in one case the result of old age, and in the other from the effects of an accident. Mrs. Cynthia B. SPRAGUE, the oldest person in the town at the time of her death, and one of the oldest in length of residence in the town, passed quietly to the life beyond last week Wednesday evening, after an illness of about four weeks, lacking two months only of reaching her 95th birthday. Of this long life over 60 years have been passed in Pavilion. Mrs. Sprague, whose maiden name was BISHOP, was born in Verona, Oneida county, Feb. 2d, 1799. She was one of the youngest of a family of eleven children, whose hardy training and rugged constitutions carried them all, with one or two exceptions, far beyond the allotted age of mankind, and of whom she was the last survivor. While a young lady she came west to visit a married sister, Mrs. Lyman BURLEIGH, who lived in the western part of the town. While there she met and married Wm. M. Sprague, a young medical student, who afterwards became distinguished in his profession. He died some 25 years ago, leaving a son, the late Dr. Wm. B. SPRAGUE, and a daughter, Mrs. Celia A. LEWIS, both living at home, to be the support of her declining years. In her last sickness she also received the tender ministrations of a niece, Miss Eliza J. BENEDICT, of Oneida. Mrs. Sprague not only retained her physical vigor to a remarkable degree, but her mental faculties remained almost wholly unimpaired. Her eyesight was good and her hearing only slightly defective. She read the papers daily, kept posted on current events and was able to converse intelligently on any subject. An unfailing cheerfulness and an abiding faith that all events would be shaped to a right conclusion were among her most prominent characteristics. The funeral, conducted by Rev.W.T. WOTTON, was largely attended at the house Saturday afternoon. On the following day, Sunday, the citizens of the village again gathered to pay their last respects to the memory of Eli CARR, who died Friday morning at the advanced age of 74, from the effects of an accident the week before, as noted in last week's Pavilion items. The funeral was held from the Baptist church at 11 o'clock, in place of the usual morning service, the Methodist congregation uniting in the solemn tribute. The church was filed with neighbors and friends. Mr. Carr with his elder brother Sylvester, had lived __tically all his life in Pavilion. submitted by Linda Schmidt Web-Page Editor for Bethany BETHANY: Its Past and Present ~ Bethany Town Page [from the Genesee County RootsWeb Website] is now located at : http://www.arkwebshost.com/family/bluebird/TownOfBethany.shtml *********************************************