| DEATH OF VETERAN NEWSPAPER MAN!!
Local Boston Globe Correspondent Passes Away Sunday Afternoon Elmoine Dodge Clemans, aged 64, the veteran newspaper reporter and the last surviving “minute man” out of three of this section, charter member of local lodges, former holder of town offices, former choir leader in various local churches, and a well known man generally, died at his home, 6 Brown’s court at 3.40 o’clock Sunday afternoon in the presence of the whole family. The end came peacefully. He was unconscious from 10 o’clock Saturday evening until his death. Mr. Clemans was taken ill with a cold a couple of weeks ago, which developed into pleurisy. He was able to be out again, but suffered a relapse and pneumonia set in followed by heart failure. Deceased was born in Petersburg, Va., his parents being Isaac T. and Diantha Clemans. When 16 years of age he settled in town, and when the call came for volunteers April 19, 1861, deceased was the first in town to offer his services for his country. He recently received a medal from the governor of this state, as did other minute men for his act. After serving 90 days with the “minute men” in the Third Battalion he returned to town, and within 24 hours after his discharge he re-enlisted with Co. I, Slater Guards, 15th Mass. regiment, and under Capt. Amos Bartlett served as orderly sergeant. He figured in nearly all of the famous battles, was 14 days a prisoner in Libby prison and was then exchanged, and was also a prisoner at Belle Isle. During the war he furnished the only telegraphic stories to the Webster Times, then a local weekly, of the battles. Upon returning to town he engaged at Corbins’s shoe factory, where he worked for 30 years as a cutter. Being a tenor singer of considerable ability he was chosen musical director of the Nathaniel Lyon Post 61, G. A. R., and was the one to organize the now famous Grand Army male quartette, and during his life has sung at more than 200 funerals in and around town. He was also adjutant to the Grand Army Post. On August 12, 1859, he joined the local fire department, and since 1881 he had been on the board of fire engineers and clerk of that board. for several years previous to his resignation, five years ago, he was assistant chief of the department. He was probably more instrumental in getting young men into the department than any other member, and at the time of his resignation was the oldest man in point of service in the department. For several years he was the choir director and tenor in the Methodist, Congregational and Universalist churches and was also musical director for cantatas. He had the largest collection of musical elections in town and two years ago equally divided them among the local churches. For a number of years deceased was a prominent factor in politics, serving on the Republican town committee and for some time being secretary of the same. he has held various political offices, and was the first to take a United States census in town. He was the first to score a baseball game in town for a newspaper and was the official scorer for the once famous (Webster) “Clippers”. Deceased was a charter member of the local Royal Arcanum and United Workmen, member of the Grand Army and a corporator of the Five Cents Savings Bank, a charter member of the young men's Republican club and the citizens club of Webster and Dudley. Through his life he was full of hustle and activity. He is survived by a widow, Helen E., son, Roscoe M., sister Mrs. G. E. Van Syckle, Detroit, Mich., and brothers, Lowell T. Clemans, present city clerk, Los Angeles, Cal., and Abbot C., also of that city, also a daughter, Mrs. Hattie A. Gilmore also of Webster. The funeral will be Tuesday at 2:30 o’clock from the home. Rev. Andrew Campbell of the Congregational church will conduct the service. the funeral will be in charge of the grand Army, assisted by the Royal Arcanum and the A. O. U. W.. The Schubert or Masonic quartette of Worcester will sing. He will be buried with all military honors. The body will lie in state Tuesday from twelve to one o’clock. On account of repairs being made to the roof of the Bank building, the Grand Army flag staff is out of commission, and for the first time in history of the post, the flag is not at half mast on the regular staff. The veterans have arranged to have the flag unfurled from the Tracy block. THE FUNERAL SERVICE The funeral service of the late Elmoine Dodge Clemans were held this Tuesday afternoon from his late home, 6 Brown court, in the presence of relatives and friends in whose circle the deceased had been a prominent member for many years. From twelve to one o’clock, the body was viewed by hundreds of his friends, members of the lodges with which he had been affiliated, former shop mates, members of the grand Army and Webster fire department, and prominent citizens of the town. At two o’clock obsequies at the house were conducted by Rev. Andrew Campbell of the Congregational church, assisted by the Schubert quartette of Worcester, who rendered three songs, favorites of the late Mr. Clemans, one of whose last requests were that these songs be sung at his funeral: “Nearer My God To Thee,” “Dropping From The Rank,” “One By One,” and “Resting ‘Neath The Shade of a Tree.” The bearers were members of the Nathaniel Lyon Post 61, G. A. R., Capt. Amos Bartlett, Elias B. Wakefield, Henry Brandes, and Joseph Marcy. At the East Village cemetery the G. A. R. took charge of the obsequies and conducted a full military funeral. Delegations attended the services from the Royal Arcanum and A. O. U W., Floral tributes were in abundance and expressed the silent sorrow of his large circle of friends. |