Newspaper Obituary - Thursday, June 25, 1885 Pulaski Democrat - Pulaski, New York - Orwell - Old Mr. Samuel Stowell died Saturday morning, June 20, 1885. He was over 92 years old, and has lived in town over 60 years, one of Orwell's old landmarks. He was a good citizen, a good neighbor, and will be missed.
Newspaper Obituary - Thursday, July 16, 1885 Pulaski Democrat - Pulaski, New York - Samuel Stowell, one of the oldest residents of the town of Orwell, died at the residence of a son, H. J. Stowell, in Orwell, and the 94th year of his age. The deceased was born in Connecticut, in 1791 and in 1819 he removed to Orwell, where he bought a tract of land in the almost wilderness, and commenced the arduous task of clearing the same to make a home for himself and family. During the first years his winters were engaged in teaching school and the rest of the time was employed on his land. He raised a family of nine children, and at the outbreak of the Rebellion being a strong Union man, he offered four of his sons to help save the country. Only two returned. He was, for many years, assessor of the town of Orwell, also holding the offices of town clerk, school Commissioner, and other offices of respectability in which he was always found it very accurate. He was a man of great memory and even in his last years would read readily without the aid of glasses, and would relate what he had read with remarkable correctness. He was very much attached to the old farm where he had lived for 66 years, and could not be persuaded to leave it until the Monday morning before his death, when he arose earlier than usual and put on his best clothes, which he was not accustomed to do. After eating a light breakfast he rode to the village, a distance of half a mile, and while at the store, said he presumed it to be the last time he should ever come there. He then started to walk to his son's house, a short distance from the store, arriving there very much exhausted. His daughter, Mrs. Crocker, was visiting there at the same time and remained, administering to his every want, and all that friends could do was done to make his last days comfortable. He expressed no wish to return to his home, but said to his daughter that he thought he would not go back. He suffered no pain as there seemed to be no disease, but gradually sinking till Saturday morning he departed this life and exchanged his place on earth for a home above. He was a member of the Congregational church and a regular attendant until within the past few months. His funeral was largely attended on Monday, June 22, at the Orwell Union church, Rev. Mr. Griffith officiating, taking for his text the following, found in Prov. 3:16: "Length of days is her right hand, and in her left and riches and honor." He will be greatly missed by his friends and neighbors, but they feel assured that their great loss is his eternal gain.
