The town is saddened and a wide circle of warm friends deeply deplore the death of Irvin F. Wilcox, who passed away at his residence on the Wilcox homestead in Hillsboro Sunday morning at 6:15 o'clock. The passing of a young man of such sterling character as Mr. Wilcox, on the threshold of his prime and greatest usefulness in life is a distinct loss to the community and particularly severe is the blow of his death felt in the home where his love and devotion for his invalid mother has been so nobly exemplified during the past few years.
Mr. Wilcox had been ailing since April 4th, when he contracted a cold on an auto trip to Oneida. The following evening he attended a party in this village and Wednesday evening was a visitor at his sister's home on Preston Hill. After returning home, and toward morning, he was taken ill. A doctor was called, but it was not until Friday morning, April 9th, that his case had fully developed into pneumonia. From the first his illness was critical and two nurses, Mrs. Tibbits and Miss Clara C. Cook of Syracuse were called on the case. On Thursday Dr. C. F. Burrows, the head physician of the City Hospital, Syracuse, was here for consultation, giving no encouragement. Thus in vain the battle against the malady was waged, hope being not entirely given up until Saturday at about 6 p.m. when a change for the worse set in. He lingered until 6:15 Sunday morning when death, as previously stated ended the struggle and a manly life went out from our midst.
Irving F. Wilcox was born June 30, 1881, on the farm where he died. he was the fifth and youngest son of Fred D. Wilcox and Julia Loevenguth Wilcox. His father died in 1899. Irvin had never married. Since the death of his father he had resided with and cared for his mother, who has been more or less in ill health for five or six years and practically helpless since last August.
Irvin was a busy and successful farmer -- farm or about 375 acres -- owning a large herd of thoroughbred Holstein-Friesian cattle, in which he was much interested. He was a valued member of Camden Grange, and took an active part in all the social affairs of the neighborhood where he lived and was very well known in many of the surrounding communities.
Surviving to mourn his loss, besides his mother, are three sisters: Miss Jennie R. Wilcox of Washington, D. C., Mrs. Charles E. Clark of Camden, Miss Kathyrn A. Wilcox of Syracuse, and four brothers: Adelbert F. and Edwin A. of Syracuse, Chester of Madison, Wis., and Robert E. of Rochester.
The funeral was held on Tuesday afternoon, a prayer service at the house at 1:30 and from the Methodist Episcopal church in this village at 3 o'clock, Rev. Frederick Maunder officiating. The singing was by Mrs. Caroline Watkin and Mrs. R. C. Knapp. The bearers were Messrs. Bert Allen, Ernest Norton, Thomas and Sanford Regan, William and Leonard Crenan, all intimate friends and life-long acquaintances of deceased. Burial was made in Forest Park cemetery, in the family plot beside the remains of his late father, and sisters Lois who died in 1887 and Ida who passed away in 1893.
The funeral was very largely attended and Camden Grange was represented in a body, a good percentage of the members being present. The floral tributes were profuse and beautiful, all attesting the high regard in which Mr. Wilcox was held by everyone. Among the pieces was a handsome wreath from the Grangers; a mass of carnations from the Senior Class of Canastota High School, and a bouquet of white roses from the faculty of the Canastota school of which his sister, Kathyrn was a member. The other pieces from relatives and friends were very numerous.
All of the brothers and sisters were present at the services except Edwin who is traveling in southern California and could not be located in time to reach home.
Others who were present from out of town were Mrs. Adelbert Wilcox and daughter Mabel of Syracuse, Mrs. John Fox of North Bay, Mrs. J. Loevenguth of Groton and Mr. Frank Allen of Syracuse.
WILCOX -- In Hillsboro, N.Y., April 18, 1915, Irvin F. Wilcox, aged nearly 34 years.
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