| Notes |
- George A. Sanders died at 1:30 Wednesday afternoon at his home, 48 Lafayette street. He had been in feeble health for several months, but had been confined to his bed only since Sunday. The news of his death was a great surprise to his associates and friends who were entirely unprepared for the announcement.
George Allen Sanders was born in Pavilion, Genesee county, December 28, 1840. His father was a merchant there and the lad attended the ordinary village schools and at the age of 14 entered the printing office of the Dansville Herald as an apprentice. He spent five years there in learning the trade at which he became an expert and thoroughly familiar with the work in all its branches. Having learned the printer's trade Mr. Sanders went to Geneseo, and started a paper there called the Geneseo Democrat. After he had continued it two years he sold it for a good price and bought the Dansville Herald which he conducted successfuly for eight years. While a resident of Dansville, he was for two years collector of tolls on the Genesee Valley canal, a position of trust and responsibility which involved handling large sums of money during the open season.
Then he sold the Herald and went to Perry in Wyoming county, where he started the Silver Lake Sun, which paper he conducted acceptably for 10 years. While there he was connected with the construction of the Silver Lake railroad and served as its manager for five years. It was a short road built to connect the village of Perry with the main line of the Erie, an enterprise which was much appreciated. He also served as postmaster of Perry for two years under Gen. Grant. His failure to get reappointment was due to factional political differences. Mr. Sanders finally sold the Silver Lake Sun and went to Hammondsport and there for seven years was superintendent and manager of a railroad nine or ten miles in extent and a steamship line to Pen Yan. Through these connections he acquired a good knowledge of railroading and on his retirement from this position he served two years as traveling passenger agent on the Erie railroad. After that he went to Rochester, where he engaged in business for four or five years and then came to this city, where for two years he had charge of the Utica edition of the Albany Telegraph.
Mr. Sanders accepted employment with the Utica Press about 1893. He took charge of the grange department, with which during all his service on the paper he was connected. He took a great interest in the organization and knew many of its leading members. While here he was variously employed, reading some proof, doing some market work and latterly the exchanges and Press Topics. He reported the Dairyman's Board of Trade and was also active in the Central New York Farmers' Club, of which he was secretary. In this way he acquired a large circle of friends and acquaintances by whom he was much esteemed.
In politics Mr. Sanders was independent. When railroading he was a member of the Order of Railway Conductors and when living in Perry and Hammondsport he was a member of the Masonic Fraternity, both of which connections afterwards lapsed. In later years he was a member and very active among the Patrons of Husbandry and frequently attended their gatherings. Mr. Sanders was a man of more than ordinary ability, a good writer on subjects on subjects in which he was interested, a man of very considerable general information and a thorough understanding of the printing business. He was quiet and unostentatious, never seeking to push himself ahead or claim credit. Here in the office where he worked for many years he was respected by all his associates and thought well of by his employers. He did the work assigned to him to the best of his ability, manifested an interest in it and sought to make it successful. He was agreeable and unselfish, industrious and faithful. He will be greatly missed and kindly remembered by all.
Mr. Sanders first married Jane Tousey of Dansville who died at Avon about 25 years later. In 1889 he married Mrs. Mary M. Ross of Rochester who survives. By his first wife he had two children who survive, William R. Sanders of Cincinnatti, Ohio and Mrs. Lula B. Mott of Hammondsport, N.Y. He also leaves one brother, C.K. Sanders of Nunda, N.Y., two nephews, Walter B. Sanders of Nunda, N.Y.. and Chauncey C. Sanders of Indianapolis, Ind., a niece, Mrs. Fanny Thomas of Rochester, and three grandchildren, Bertha and Frances Mott of Hammondsport, and Allen Cameron Sanders of Cincinnati, Ohio.
(The Dansville Express, Dansville, New York, October 27, 1910)
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