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1867 Bessie Ann Clemens


Born: July  5, 1867 at Herkimer, Herkimer County, New York.

Died: Mar. 30, 1934 at Hancock, Delaware County, New York.

At the time of her death she was aged 66 yrs, 8 mos. 25 days.

She was buried at Greenlawn Cemetery in Bainbridge, New York.

She died of Carcinoma of the pylorus and gall bladder; info
is from her death certificate.

She was attended by L.E. Woolsey, M.D. of Hancock.

Her father was 1827 Isaac Samuel Clemens.  

Her mother was 1836 Clarissa Ann Sweet.

NOTE: Her name may have been spelled "Clemons" or "Clemmens";
research continues.  In her daughter's autobiography, the name
is spelled "Clemons", however the newspaper account of her death
spelled her name "Clemens".  One would expect both to be correct,
however one or both was obviously in error.  I am using "Clemens".

She was married to 1864 Cyrus Marvin Dutcher.

She may have later married a man named "Swingle", given name 
unknown; nothing is known about Mr. Swingle at this time; however
there is no mention of Mr. Swingle on Bessie's death certificate.

Bessie Clemens and Cyrus Dutcher had four children together, 
of whom one apparently died at birth and another may not have 
lived to maturity; I only have information about these three:

  1892 Leon Dutcher

  1895 Claude Marvin Dutcher.

  1899 Bessie Ann Dutcher.


They lived for many years on a mountain on Sands Creek Road in 
Hancock, New York.  The location is believed to be about one mile 
up Sands Creek Road from Hancock, towards Cannonsville.

Bessie was a music teacher, and there was an organ in the house.

She taught her daughter Bessie music and the "three R's" at home.

She is mentioned in the autobiography of her daughter,
1899 Bessie Dutcher, and also in the autobiography 
of her grand-daughter, 1926 Ruth Esther Sherman.

At the time of her death she had been living in East Afton, NY for
about three years.  

1867 Bessie Clemens death certificate.

The inscriptions around the photo at top right are:

 - Top:     "1917 Old Lady Dutcher"
 
 - Bottom:  "Hector + Deeds O. _____" (the dog and cat)
 
 - Right side:  "Latest Paris Style" (refers to her hat)

 - On her left arm:  "_____ here"