“The funeral of Elsey Brooks, universally known in the community as ‘Aunt Elsey,’ held yesterday afternoon at Zion’s church, was a most beautiful and impressive ceremony. The church was thronged with the rich as well as the poor, who came to pay a last tribute of respect to the good old woman…. During the services in the church, quite a little excitement was caused by the floor settling several inches, owing to the great strain upon it. The plastering fell off the ceiling in the basement, making a great racket, and for a moment it was thought the floor was going through. A panic in the audience was prevented, however, and the floor was strengthened by some posts which materially allayed the fears of a disaster. The number of persons at the church at the time, we are informed by one who counted them, was 888.”


Source

"Funeral of Elsey Brooks," Ithaca Daily Journal, March 12, 1875, 4, https://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=idj18750312-01.1.4

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1875

People

Elsie Brooks