Obituaries & Death Notices

V-Z SURNAMES

Watson, James

James Watson, a resident for many years of Mill Village, Erie county, Pa., died at his home at that place July 5th, 1908, after an illness of several years, aged 83 years.  The deceased was the father of Leon Watson, of Kellettville, this county, and also leaves surviving him two other sons, Findley, of Cygnet, Ohio, and Harvey, at home.  His wife preceded him to the grave seven years ago.  About eight years ago he was stricken with paralysis from which trouble he only partially recovered and the immediate cause of his death was dropsy, from which he suffered several weeks.  Mr. Watson was a veteran of the civil war, having enlisted at Buffalo, and was a member of Co. F., 11th Regiment, N. Y. Vol. Cavalry.  He had been a lifelong member of the Presbyterian church, to which faith he remained loyal and steadfast to the last.  Funeral services were held at the church to which he belonged, on Wednesday last, and the interment took place in the Mill Village cemetery beside his wife.

Source: Excerpt from the newspaper, The Forest Republican, published on 15 July 1908; located on the website, Library of Congress (http://loc.gov), accessed 15 January 2026.

Wellman, Emily A. Bunting

Emily A. (Bunting) Wellman, wife of Peter Wellman, of Edinboro, Erie county, Pa., died January 21, 1894, at the age of 52 years and one month.  Emily A. Bunting was born in Mill Village, Erie county, Pa., Dec. 21, 1835.  She was next to the youngest of a family of 10 children, of whom three survive her.  She was married to E. P. Osgood, Jan. 19, 1853, who died Dec. 21, 1870, leaving her with four children, 2 sons and 2 daughters.  After about eight years of widowhood she married Peter Wellman, Dec. 17, 1878.  Her sons, Lemuel J. and Lafayette E., both residents of East Hickory, were present at the funeral, the daughter residing in Michigan was unable to attend.  Her brother, Levi Bunting, living in Woodcock, and her sister, Malinda Langworthy, living in Spartinsburg, together with a large number of her more distant relatives were also present at the obsequies.  Her other sister, Mrs. Nancy Purdy, resides in Minnesota and was unable to come.  Mrs. Wellman is well remembered by a large number of our county's people, by all of whom she was highly esteemed for her many excellent traits of character.  To these the news of her death will come with surprise and sadness.  The funeral services were held at her late home Jan. 23, Rev. J. D. Knapp officiating, and the interment took place in the Edinboro cemetery.

Source: Excerpt from the newspaper, The Forest Republican, published on 7 February 1894; located on the website, Library of Congress (http://loc.gov), accessed 15 January 2026.

Young, J. M.

Right Rev. J. M. Young, Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Erie, Pa., who died suddenly in that city on the 18th instant, was 58 years of age, having been born in Sanford, Maine, in the month of August, 1808.  Bishop Young served a regular apprenticeship at the printing business at Portland, Maine, in the office of the Portland Argus.  He was a convert to Catholicism at the age of 19, and at the age of 22 took a journeyman's tour through the Western States, finally stopping at Cincinnati, where his extensive reading and marked ability for one of his age attracted the attention of the then Bishop of Cincinnati, and he was sent to St. Mary's College, at Emmettsburg, Md., to complete his education and prepare himself for ordination.  He was ordained priest in 1837.  First appointed Bishop of Pittsburg, but upon his declination of that office he was appointed Bishop of Erie, as the successor to Bishop O'Connor.  He was consecrated in Cincinnati on Low Sunday, in 1854, coming to Erie shortly after, where he has resided ever since.  His bearing, benevolent disposition, and social qualities made him highly esteemed by his contemporaries as a man, a scholar, and a gentleman.  His death, although almost instantaneous, was scarcely unexpected by him, as he had frequently been informed by his medical advisers that, sooner or later, he would die without warning, in consequence of a disease of the heart, to which he had been subject for some time.

Source: Excerpt from the newspaper, The Evening Telegraph, published on 27 September 1866; located on the website, Library of Congress (http://loc.gov), accessed 15 January 2026.

Zuendel, Conrad

Conrad Zuendel, for many years a resident of Fairview, Erie county, Pa., died at the home of his daughter at that place, Thursday night, February 17, 1905, of infirmities incident to old age, being in his 88th year.  Mr. Zuendel was born in Rambach, Germany, Oct. 3, 1817.  In 1840 he with his father, mother, one brother and three sisters, came to this country, and settled on what is now known as the Kiser farm, on German Hill, four miles from Tionesta.  Of the family mentioned two sisters now survive, Mrs. Wm. White of Kansas, and Mrs. A. B. Root, of Tionesta.  Last week the Republican chronicled of Adam Zuendel, who was the only surviving brother, the two brothers passing away less than a week apart.  The subject of this sketch continued to reside in this county until about the year 1866, when he disposed of his farm and located with his family at Fairview.  In 1849 he was united in marriage with Anna Eliza Babendorf, who, with seven children, survives him.  The children are Mrs. Dora Labalt, and George, residing at Fairview; Mrs. Geo. Ryan, residing in Dakota; Mrs. Albert Crider, of Wilkinsburg, Pa.; Edward and Martin, of Washington state, and Robert, living in Montana.  Mr. Zuendel early in life united himself with the church, and was ever known as a pious, upright, Christian man, highly esteemed by his neighbors and friends for his great kindliness of heart and mind.  The funeral was held on Sabbath last, his remains being laid to rest in the cemetery at Fairview.

Source: Excerpt from the newspaper, The Forest Republican, published on 22 February 1905; located on the website, Library of Congress (http://loc.gov), accessed 15 January 2026.

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