Dates of court summonses on the back are for various months in 1888 - I assume this is the year that the newspaper was published.

OBITUARY

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REV. GEORGE S. HARE, D.D.

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Rev. George S. Hare, D. D., Presiding Elder of the Poughkeepsie district, who has been a resident of this city during the past three years, was attacked with spinal paralysis about ten days ago, which was followed with apoplexy on Friday last, from which he died Wednesday morning at 8 o'clock, having been conscious, but unable to talk, for only an hour.  By his bedside when he died were his afflicted wife and daughter, Dr. Stevenson, his family physician; Miss Odell and Mrs. Travis, of New York, and Mr. James Ostrander, of this city.

Dr. Hare was one of the most prominent and influential ministers of the New York Conference, and was widely known throughout the Methodist denomination for his rare executive abilities, his distinguished gifts as a preacher and his valuable services to the church.

He was born at South Egremont, Mass., Nov. 21st, 1824.  His parents were highly educated, and the best of opportunities were afforded their children for obtaining that mental preparation which was essential to their future success.  After spending his early years in acquiring a knowledge of the common English branches in a district school in his native town he wassent to a seminary in Austerlitz, mass., where he prepared to enter the law school of Harvard College.  He had a fond desire to become a lawyer.  He saw that the opportunities given in civil and criminal courts for the display of forensic abilities would be a fine field for the development of those gifts with which Nature had endowed him.  It was at this period of his life that an event occurred that changed his purpose and gave shape to his future career.  He was nineteen years of age and anxiously looking forward to the hour when he would have his name enrolled among the students at law in the oldest college in the land, when another sphere of activity was opened, and the manner by which he was led to abandon one pursuit and enter upon another was as sudden as it was providential.  During the vacation he attended one evening a prayer meeting in the Congregational Church in his native town, of which his mother was a member, and was so deeply impressed that he ought to become a Christian that he arose in the meeting, stated his convictions and immediately entered upon a religious life. Preferring the Methodist Church to any other, he united with the church at Sharon, Conn., of which the Rev. Dr. Stephen M. Vall was the pastor.  For three years this young man remained in his "family pursuing his theological studies," and receiving that training which helped to make him the polished speaker, the masterly debater, the acute theologian that he became in after years.

In 1847 he was married to Miss Sarah Jane Crawford, daughter of the Rev. John Crawford, who for many years was an eminent minister of the New York Conference.  Dr. Hare began his ministry in 1847 at Old Millford, Conn., in the New York East Conference and his filled some of the most important and responsible stations in the Methodist Church.  He was stationed in New York city at John St., Central and Trinity Churches; at Central Church, Newark, N.J.; Tremont St., Boston; twice at Trinity, Newburgh; twice at Spring St., Sing Sing and twice at Washington St., Poughkeepsie.  Three years ago he was appointed Presiding Elder of the Poughkeepsie District, and without any reflection upon the noble men who before him held that office, none managed its affairs with greater success -- none have left a more shining record for zeal, earnestness, self sacrifice, and a desire to promote the welfare of ministers and churches than Dr. Hare.  He was a delegate to the General Conference for three successive terms.  He was a member of the Missionary, Tract and other benevolent Societies of the church and received a number of votes for Missionary Secretary at the last General Conference.  He received the degree of Master of Arts from Middletown College Conn. in 1854, and Doctor of Divinity from the North Western University, Ill., in 1856.  He was loyal to his church and to his country, a most worthy citizen -- a sincere Christian, possessing qualities of mind and heart, that will make his loss deplored not only by the denomination to which he belonged, but by others in whose communions he had many ardent admirers and attached friends.