Welcome to Larabee, Pennsylvania!

McKean County Minor
Thursday November 14, 1907

Larabee Pioneer Dead

James Monroe Childs, a pioneer resident of Larabee, dies at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Lillian Huff, in Buffalo, N.Y., on Nov. 4, 1907, aged 78 years.
The body was brought to Larabee Wednesday on Pennsylvania train 102, and taken immediately to the church in Coryville, where Rev. Smith of Farmers Valley delivered the funeral address to a large assemblage of relatives and friends who had gathered to pay their last respects to the memory of the deceased.
Mr. Childs was born in Centerville, N.Y., May 12th, 1829, and was a son of Daniel and Hannah Childs. He came to this region in his youth and has spent the most of his life in Larabee. In early manhood he was united in marriage to Elizabeth Chase, and reared to maturity 9 children, 7 of whom, with his widow, survive him. The children are: Mrs. Jane Dickenson of Farmers Valley, Mrs. Ella Dickenson of Olean, N.Y., Mrs., Eunice Peake of Larabee, Mrs. Lillian Huff, Mrs. Effle Bills, and Gilbert and Milton Childs of Buffalo.
The flowers were exceptionally beautiful and numerous, many of the floral pieces being gifts from friends of the deceased.
The interment was made in the family lot at Stulltown.

 

McKean County Miner
January 4, 1895


J.D. Beaver Burns Face

J.D. Beaver, agent at Larabee, while stirring the fire in the R.R. station explosion, burned his face quiste severely, but hopes are entertained that no serious results will follow. It was a very fortunate escape.


McKean County Miner
Thursday, March 19, 1908


Caught in Ice Gorge Near Larabee

Dr. Burg Chadwick and Wife Pass Through a Thrilling Adventure
Last Saturday night Dr. and Mrs. Burg Chadwick met with an adventure on Larabee flats from which they were lucky to escape with their lives. Caught with horses and buggy in the midst of a jam of ice they were compelled to wade a considerable distance through the chilly waters, in some places reaching nearly to their shoulders, to a place of safety.
About two o'clock Saturday night Dr. Chadwick received a call to visit Sartwell on account of the illness of Father Donahue. He secured a rig of E. W. Jones and in company with his wife started for Sartwell. After crossing the Pennsylvania railroad tracks below Coryville they found Larabee flats covered with water, but as the doctor has many times before encountered this state of affairs, they kept on their way, confident that the flood was not deep enough to stop them. But the waters were raising rapidly and the couple suddenly found themselves confronted with an impassable ice gorge and unable to proceed in any direction with the rig.
The doctor stepped into the flood and unhitched the team from the rig and fastening the harness so that it would not entangle the animals turned them toward higher ground and started them to safety. By this humane action Dr. Chadwick saved the team as the horses could not move while attached tot the buggy and would soon have perished in the rapidly accumulating ice.
Realizing that wet heavy clothing would greatly diminish her chances of getting out of the predicament alive Mrs. Chadwick took off her outer garments and pluckily joined her husband in the icy waters. Their journey in the darkness through the rushing flood was an experience to try the stoutest hearts, but they eventually reached the railroad track in safety and walked to Coryville, where Mrs. Chadwick was cared for at the home of B. F. Cory.
The doctor was soon able to reach Smethport on a freight train, and telephoned his plight people in Sartwell and a physician from Port Allegany was called to attend Father Donahue. The horses were found on the road by a relief party sent out from the livery stable.
Dr. and Mrs. Chadwick suffered considerably Sunday from the effects of their chilly experience, but congratulate themselves as do their many friends, on a lucky escape from a perilous situation.

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