Obituary of Helen A. Medlock (abt. 1881 - 1960)

This obituary is one of the newspaper clippings that was in my grandmother's possession. All identifying information about the newspaper has been trimmed away. Unfortunately, I have NO idea why this person was in the collection. Many of the clippings she inherited from her mother so it's most likely this person was a friend of the family in some way.


I found Helen and her husband Harry in the 1930 Federal Census. They were living on North Aurora St. in Ithaca, Tompkins County, NY. They were sharing a house with 2 other couples, one of which was their daughter and her husband (Helena and Kent FREER).

Helena was 49, didn't work outside the home, and it also lists her father as being from New Jersey, whereas she and her Mom are listed as being from New York.

In the 1920 Federal Census, Helen and Harry were still on Aurora St., along with their 14 year old daughter.

In the 1910 Federal Census, the three of them are there still in Ithaca, but I can't tell the street name because the scan is not good on ancestry.com. They are listed as being married for 5 years so I would need to know her maiden name to search in the 1900 census, but OH, guess what, the obituary neglects to mention that information. Grrr!

No outright clues as to why my great-grandmother saved this obituary, but it's likely they were friends or neighbors since Helen spent what looks like nearly her entire life in or near Tompkins County, NY.

Obituary Text:

Mrs. Helen A. Medlock

Mrs. Helen A. Medlock, 79, of 20 Abbott St., Binghamton, died Tuesday evening, June 21, 1960, in Wilson Memorial Hospital, Johnson City.

Mrs. Medlock was born in Tompkins County. She was a member of the Tabernacle Baptist Church of Ithaca.

Surviving are her husband, Harry T. Medlock of Binghamton; a daughter, Mrs. Helena Freer of Binghamton; three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren; two sisters, Mrs. Ida Brewster of Johnson City and Mrs. Flora Huguine of Groton; several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at the J. F. Rice Funeral Home in Johnson City. The Rev. Paul Griffis of the Baptist Bible School Park faculty in Johnson City will officiate. Burial will be in Trumansburg.