From the Files: Obituary of Henry Scoville, Livingston County, New York

Obituaries of yesteryear were works of art. Someone who knew and loved the deceased would recall memories, share their grief, and incidentally preserve local history in the newspaper. Reading these brings a life to our ancestors that no census record, no tombstone, and even approach. Henry is of no relation to me. I merely stumbled across his obituary and thought it sad that it would remain relatively unnoticed in the musty pages of history. I would like to bring the story of Henry's life back into the light.

Henry died in Mount Morris, Livingston County New York. His obituary apeared in the Nunda (New York) News, September 22, 1922.

Henry H. Scoville, proprietor of the Scoville House, Mt. Morris, in which hotel he was born eighty seven years ago and of which hotel he had been proprietor since he was 19 years old—a period of sixty-eight years, died at his apartments in the hotel Wednesday afternoon. For the past several years, Mr. Scoville had been confined to his apartments most of the time and his death was not unexpected. The Scoville House, built by Mr. Scoville's father, is one of the best known country hotels in the state. It has long been famous for its meals and the same high standard has been maintained throughout Mr. Scoville's long illness, his niece, Miss Helen Scoville, who has lived with him since she was 16 years old, having had general supervision of the house. Miss Maggie O'Brian, the hotel cook, has been with Mr. Scoville continuously for thirty-five years and if she ever prepared a poor meal, we have never heard of it. Her cooking not only equals, but far surpasses that of the largest and best hotels. Wm. Duffy, the hotel clerk, has been with Mr. Scoville for over twenty years and Frank Upson, assistant clerk, four years. Mr. Scoville never married. He leaves five nieces and one nephew: Miss Helen Scoville. Mrs. Fay Wheelock and Mrs. Albert McCarthy all of Mt. Morris; Mrs. Wm. O'Brian, Corning; Mrs. Willis Willard, Geneseo, and Mr. John Bishop of Jacksonville, Florida. Mr. Scoville had served as president of the village of Mt. Morris and was a director of the Bingham State Bank. He always paid close attention to business matters and accumulated considerable property. He had long been a member of the New York State Hotel Men's Association. The funeral will be held to-morrow at (?)., and interment will be made in the Mt. Morris Cemetery.

A brief history of the Scoville House appeared in The Picket Line and the Mount Morris Union on June 17, 1927.