George Henry Tinker

b. June 1896, d. 5 July 1913
  • George Henry Tinker was born in June 1896 in New York.
  • Henry Augustine Tinker and Loranette E. Cushman appeared in the US federal census of 1 June 1900 in Plynouth, Chenango County, New York. Other members of the household included George Henry Tinker. Also in the household was one elderly female boarder.
  • Henry Augustine Tinker and Loranette E. Cushman appeared in the New York state census of 1 June 1905 in Plymouth, Chenango County, New York. Other members of the household included George Henry Tinker, Howard Cushman Tinker. Also in the household was one elderly female boarder, also in the household in 1900.
  • Henry Augustine Tinker and Loranette E. Cushman appeared in the US federal census of 15 April 1910 in Smyrna Township, Chenango County, New York, at Smyrna-Beaver Meadow Road. Other members of the household included George Henry Tinker, Howard Cushman Tinker, Frances Loranette Tinker and John Earl Tinker.
  • He was interred at Southside Cemetery, Plymouth, Chenango County, New York.
  • George Henry Tinker died on 5 July 1913 at age 17 in Chenango County, New York.
  • The following appeared on 8 July 1913 in the Syracuse Journal: (Norwich, July 8) The funeral of George T. Tinker, the 17-year-old lad, who was accidentally drowned in the Canasawacta Creek, above Plymouth, Saturday afternoon, was held to-day at 1 p. m. from the family home, the Rev. Brooks of Plymouth officiating.
         The drowning occurred on the Owens farm, a few miles west of Plymouth, at a point where the Auburn branch crosses the Canasawacta. The members of the party had gathered at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Ray Huntley, and consisted of the aboved named couple and their three little children, Mrs. Huntley's sister, Miss Camilla Tallett, a 17-year old girl, and George H. Tinker, the victim.
         According to the story of Ray Huntley, and corroborated by his wife, the two men went in, clad in shirts and overalls, and Mrs. Huntley had started to wade into the water. Miss Tallett was timid and stated that she was afraid to go in. Whereupon, in a spirit of fun, Tinker came up to the bank where she was sitting, removed her shoes and stockings, and taking her upon his back started to swim across the stream.
         Suddenly Mrs. Huntley screamed and said to her husband, "they are drowning." Mr. Huntley started at once to swim to them to render what assistance he could. When he reached the spot, he was seized by young Tinker, and all three sank below the surface of the water. Huntley says they all three went down twice after he reached the scene, and then Tinker loosened his grasp.
         As Huntley came up the second time above the water, he saw the girl's head just below the surface of the water, and grabbing for it, he caught her by the hair and through herculean efforts he managed to get her near the opposite bank, where Mrs. Huntley assisted in dragging her almost unconscious body out of the water.
         Huntley was severely upbraided by the elder Tinker for failing to save the life of his son, but Huntley declared that he was almost exhausted when he had reached the bank with Miss Tallett, and that he himself would have been drowned as well as Miss Tallett if the drowning lad had not released his hold upon his clothing.
  • The following appeared on 14 July 1913 in the Cortland Standard: (McGraw) Mrs. R. D. White of Spring-st. has received news of a sad affair which occurred near her old home, in which George H. Tinker, aged 17, lost his life by drowning in the Canasawacta creek. The drowning occurred on the Owens farm at a point where the Auburn branch crosses the Canasawacta. At this point the stream is 25 to 30 feet wide and the swimming hole about 50 feet in length, is 8 or 9 feet deep. Mr. Tinker was at the home of Mrs. and Mrs. Roy Huntley where Mrs. Huntley's sister, Miss Camillia Tallett, aged 17, was also a guest. The swimming hole was just across the road and only about 150 feet from the house. Mr. Hundley and Mr. Tinker, clad in shirt and overalls, went into the water. Mrs. Huntley waded in a little way and Mr. Tinker called to Miss Tallett to come in, too, but she declined, saying she was afraid, whereupon Tinker ran up the bank, pulled off her shoes and catching her up sprant into the water and p7utting the girl on his back started to swim across the creek, but near mid-stream both went down and had it not been for the efforts of Mr. Huntley both would have drowned, as it was the girl was rescued after she had gone down for the third time, and young Tinker went to his death as the result of his intended frolic.
         Mrs. White says she wishes every young persom might read of the tragedy and that it might cause them to stop and think before they attempt any funny pranks, that might endanger human life.
  • Last Edited: 6 Sep 2015