Holyoke, Mass

[Adapted from the Adams County News, Gettysburg, PA.  Vol. III, No. 9, 21 January 1911, Page 1.]

Postmaster Captain George W. Mullen of Dillsburgh, a former resident of this county, died at his home Thursday morning at 7:30 a.m., aged 70 years.  Captain Mullen’s health had been failing for the past year, but he was able to attend his official duties until four weeks ago.

Captain Mullen was a native of Liberty county, Maryland.  He removed to Bendersville, where he learned the tailoring trade.  In 1862 he enlisted in the army, serving three years, and rising to the rank of captain in the One Hundred and Thirty-eight Pennsylvania Volunteers.  On his return from the army he removed to Dillsburg and engaged in business for himself, which continued for himself until he was appointed postmaster, eight years ago.  He had received his third appointment and his present term would not have expired until February 1912.

He is survived by a widow and two sisters, Mrs. George Durbin, of Holyoke, Mass., and Mrs. Hewill, of Bendersville.

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[A vast fortune in 1915.  Article adapted from the Adams County News, Gettysburg, PA.  Published 17 July 1915, page 3.]

Unexpected Fortune Suddenly Comes to W. E. Huntington.

While looking for work in Hagerstown, W. E. Huntington, formerly of Holyoke, Mass., received news that a fortune of $64,000 was awaiting him in Holyoke.

He was officially informed that the trust estate of Zachariah Huntington, of Holyoke, a relative of Mr. Huntington, has expired, and the lawyers who are settling up the estate have eposted the funds in bank and filed with the court the list of sales of real estate owned by the elder Huntington to the amount of over $100,000, and they have asked for a distribution.  It is reported that one of the heirs has been ruled out and the court will pass on the claims of the other heirs, there being two remaining, including W. E. Huntington, and allot them their shares.

Mr. Huntington, since going to Hagerstown several months ago, has been working at anything he could find.  He came from Salem, where he had lost his household goods in a fire, and asked for credit at a furniture store and got it.  Huntington and wife are now ready to take life easy.

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[Note: this obituary was adapted from the 28 May 1957 edition of the Holyoke Transcript.  This person happens to be a connection in my own genealogy files, though not a direct one.  Still, if you are related, do drop a line and say hello.]

Mrs. Annie (Halket) Jenkins, 84, of 133 Sargeant St., died this morning in Westfield State Hospital, Westfield after a short illness.  She was the widow of William C. Jenkins.

Mrs. Jenkins, a native of Glasgow, Scotland, was born Septemeber 14, 1872, and came to this country and to Holyoke 64 years ago.  She lived here since.

She held membership in the First Presbyterian church and also belonged to Group W. of the church and the Daughters of Caledonia.

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In the city news section in the Dec. 11, 1882 issue of the Holyoke Transcript are the following articles about one Michael O’Brien, discovered dead near the railroad tracks and the Connecticut River (last seen attending the wake of a cousin). With a bit of speculation regarding the death itself.

His Last Walk.

This morning, a little before seven o’clock, Patrick Shea came to the police station and gave notice that the body of a man who had been killed by the cars was lying beside the track of the Connecticut River road ledge at the dam.  At the same time a telephone message came from the man at the wheel house who had just discovered the body.  The corpse was lying about a foot from the track, with both legs broken and the head cut.  A hat was found about 20 feet from the body.  It appeared as if the man had been struck by the train and thrown against the ledge, from whence the body had fallen or rolled back to the ground near the track and had been dragged along some feet.  The probabilities are that the man was struck either by the five o’clock freight train or the six o’clock passenger train, the likelihood being that it was the former.

The body was taken to the morgue in the city hall and was identified as that of Michael O’Brien, a man who separated from his wife a week or to ago an has since been boarding with relatives on Fountain Street.  He had one child, by a former wife, whom he kept with him, the second wife living at South Holyoke since their separation.

It is stated that O’Brien had been attending a wake on Chestnut Street previous to that accident.  He was not a man of steady habits.  He had been employed in a dye-house and previously at the Holyoke Paper mill.

Medical Examiner Tuttle viewed the body at the morgue and will hold an inquest.

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[While we have an awareness of the fast pace of life today compared to, say, the 1920s — this obituary is a reminder, especially regarding travel.  From the Holyoke Transcript, 11 September 1925.]

Lebreque Dies After Last Wish Granted

Five Children Arriving From Canada
Recognized by Father

Holyoke, September 10.—Alfred Lebreque, 72, died today at his home 771 Chicopee Street, after his dying wish had been granted. to see his 11 children before he died.  Five lived in Canada, four of them at Montreal, and the day before yesterday they were wired of their father’s condition.  The Canadian contingent hired an automobile, but yesterday it broke down in a remote Vermont hamlet, and it took all day to repair it.  They arrived in time for their father to recognize and speak to them.  He died a few minutes after they arrived.  The sons are Velairs, Joseph, Leon and Charles of Montreal; Adjutor of Willimansett and Wilfred, at home; the daughters, Mrs. Donat Gauthier of Willimansett; Mrs. Arthur Mason of Oklahoma, Canada; Mrs. Ovila Riopel of Holyoke; Mrs. Romaline Ducharme and Mrs. Wilfred Pare of Willimansett.  He also leaves five brothers, Ashael, Hermengilde and Joseph of Montreal; Thomas of Somersville, Ct., and Adelard of Worcester; and one sister Mrs. Ferdinand R. Turgeon of Canada.  The funeral will be held at the home Saturday morning at 3:30 followed by a solemn high requiem mass at the Nativity Church.  Burial will be in Notre Dame Cemetery.

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