GAGE, Cranmore Wallace 1828-1927

GAGE, MENDENHALL, LOUDEN, ROTH, WATERS, LONG, LAMSON, COOP, RAINS, PUMPHREY, SMITH, BALL, VANNOSTRAND, CUPP

Posted By: Richard K Thompson (email)
Date: 11/27/2009 at 10:27:45

SPECIAL TRANSCRIBER NOTE: The initial death notice and full obituary for Cranmore W Gage appeared in the Fairfield Daily Ledger on Tuesday, January 25, 1927. However, the portion of the obituary that was to carry over to another page in that issue evidently didn't. This contributor has looked through that issue and the following day's issue in the microfilmed copy, and the balance of an otherwise very colorful and descriptive obituary isn't published.

The funeral was held on Wednesday, January 26, 1927.

The following account of that funeral service was published beginning on the front page of The Fairfield Daily Ledger on the next day. Unfortunately, the identity of the writer/friend of the main portion of the biographical information used was not revealed.
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The Fairfield Daily Ledger
Thursday January 27, 1927

GAGE FUNERAL WAS YESTERDAY

Rev. Lewis MENDENHALL, Long Time Friend, Had Charge at 3 O'clock --

The last rites for Cranmore Wallace GAGE, aged 98 years, were held yesterday afternoon at 3 oclock from his home, 501 West Broadway in charge of Rev. Lewis MENDENHALL and old friend of Mr. GAGE's. Interment was made in Evergreen cemetery.

The honorary pall beares were William LOUDEN and John ROTH and the regular pall bearers were T.S. WATERS, William L. LONG, R.W. LAMSON, Frank COOP, B.T. RAINS and Henry PUMPHREY.

A quartet composed of Prof. Harold T. SMITH, Miss Cora BALL, Mrs. L.W. VanNOSTRAND and William CUPP sand "Shall We Gather at the River". Rev. MENDENHALL read the scripture and the quartet sang "Abide in Me." The minister's text was "I am a stranger." He read the following about the life of Mr. GAGE; which was written by a friend:

"Cranmore Wallace GAGE, the oldest citizen and resident of our county has left us, he quietly and peacefully passed on Monday night at 10 oclock, at his home where we are now assembled; as you many know he was born at Harford, Vermont, on May 29th 1828, had he lived until May 29th of this year he would have been 99 years old, you might say a Century old. Very few people have the privilege of seeing and living a century of years, and it was Mr. GAGE's privilege of living in a remarkable period of the world's history. In the century in which he lived all the uses for which electricity now serves mankind have been developed, from the Morse system of telegraphy down to electric lighting and heating, telephones and radios. The automobile and aeroplane have taken the place of the ox and horse teams. Mr. GAGE was the lover of a good horse and many of us older people can recall even since he was past eighty years how he would act as marshall for our Old Settler's parade sitting erect and alert on a spirited horse with a red sash over his shoulder to signify his authority. But he was not a man to domineer or use his authority always a kindly and thoughtful was about him but firm and steadfast in his convictions. The common expression ninety-eight years young would apply to him for he was always interested in the progress of our community, especially the agricultural interests of our county.

He helped to organize our first Jefferson county fair association and was one of its first board of directors and always stood for keeping the fair association alive up to the last. He helped organize our first Old Settlers association when the meeting was held in the Slagle and Atcheson grove where the Chautauqua Park is now located. He was a charter member of our Jefferson County Hisorical association and was its first and only treasurer up to now. He attended the last meeting of the Historical association a few weeks ago when there was not enough members and officers to call the meeting to order.

He took a very active part in establishing our Old Settler's Park, and in removing the Bonnifield log cabin to its present site. His father and mother were charter members of the first and only Congregational church in Fairfield. The first church building being one built just southeast of the present City Hall in the same block on West Burlington street just west of the alley. Cranmore, their son helped to build the second Congregational church building on the corner of Second and West Burlington streets, about seventy years ago.

Aside from the native lumber used in the building Cranmore assisted largely in hauling the other lumber used from Burlington and he served in different official capacities from that time on and was a consistent member of the Church giving liberally of his time and money until the church burned in 1910.

Think of a man of his age interesed in the present and future development of our people. He was certainly a good example of keeping up his interest to the last and there is no doubt that this active interest in our development helped to keep him young and his mind clear up to the last.

Many of us younger people as we approach old age let our interest in the community's progress lapse and are not interested in the present day affairs, it was not so with our old friend who has left us; he has set a good example in keeping interested in our present life, so we must have good heart in keeping up and keeping on."

*Transcribed for genealogy purposes; I have no relation to the person(s) mentioned.

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Note: The burial actually took place in Old Fairfield Cemetery, at Lot 178 in the GAGE family plot. The names of Evergreen and Old Fairfield Cemetery are sometimes found to be used in place of one another; they are separate cemeteries even though they are physically adjacent to each other.