Bound Volumes

May 2, 2024

160 YEARS AGO

The Sanitary Commission—Major Bush, of this village, delivered a lecture on Monday evening at the Presbyterian Church, presenting the claims of the Sanitary Commission. The weather was unfavorable, and as consequence, the audience was small. Mr. Bush made some interesting statements relating to the operations of this worthy organization. He spoke of its several departments, and gave some illustrations of the systematic and efficient way in which its work is performed, in relieving the sick and wounded. At the close of the Lecture, a Society was formed as an auxiliary in the work of the Commission. Similar societies have been organized in nearly all the towns of the county. A committee of 12 ladies of Cooperstown were elected as the Executive Committee for the “Soldiers’ Aid Society” of this town. Mrs. M.F. Foote was unanimously chosen as the manager and also as correspondent and manager for the county. (Ed. Note: In lieu of a government funded Veterans’ Administration, the Sanitary Commission was a national effort to support the physical and social needs of seriously wounded soldiers returning from the Civil War battlefield, and their families).

April 29, 1864

135 YEARS AGO

Death disappoints the fondest hopes by taking the young as well as the old. Willie Everett Murdock was never a robust boy, though of late he had apparently grown stronger, and it was hoped he had outgrown his early tendency to rheumatic troubles; but about three weeks ago he took cold; he had a fourth attack, and this time it went to the heart, which beat its “funeral march” on the night of April 26th. A skillful doctor’s attendance, a tender father’s constant watch-care, could not this time avail, and as the morning was breaking on Thursday, his spirit passed through “the gates ajar” to meet his sainted mother and the two young brothers who had preceded him. Willie was a boy who drew to him the love of all who knew him, in the family circle, the Sunday school, and the Academy, and he bid fair to make a man of sterling worth. He was 15 years and two months old.

May 3, 1889

85 YEARS AGO

The summer-long celebration of the founding of baseball at Cooperstown will get underway on Saturday afternoon of this week with a game between two of New York State’s outstanding military schools, Manlius School and Albany Academy. The game will be played on historic Doubleday Field, named for Major-General Abner Doubleday, who invented the game here 100 years ago. (Ed. note: The Doubleday creation story prevailed in 1939, but has long since been abandoned as a myth rather than historic fact)

May 3, 1939

35 YEARS AGO

An estimated 75 gallons of fuel oil originating from tanks at “Glencrest,” the residence of Bruce Rathbone at 25 Glen Avenue overflowed into Willow Brook which runs through the village and into Otsego Lake. Neil McManus, Town of Otsego Codes Enforcement officer said a “concerned citizen” saw oil in the brook and reported it. The incident occurred when the oil was being transferred from an outdoor tank to a second tank in the basement. Rathbone was away from the residence when the spill occurred.

May 3, 1989

20 YEARS AGO

A young musician and composer from Cooperstown has been recognized for the second consecutive year by the Child Composer Project at Hartwick College. Chloe Ford, 12, a sixth-grader at Cooperstown Central School, received an honorable mention for her song “Ode to Mommy.” Last year Ford entered a winning melody in the competition titled “Hey Mozart!” Ford is the daughter of Tara Sumner.

April 30, 2004