(1864-November 10, 1927)

Dr. Charles Oliver Sumner, a native of Canton, and long engaged in the practice of medicine at Norwood, died at the home of his cousin, Prof. S. C. Sumner, Syracuse, Thursday morning, after a brief illness. Dr. Sumner and family had removed to Syracuse to make their home, only the Saturday previous, and it is believed the effort undergone in making the change hastened his death.

The remains were brought to Canton to the home of Dr. F. F. Williams, a cousin, where on Saturday afternoon service was had, the Rev. Mr. Phillips of the Congregational church of Norwood officiating. Burial was made at Fairview.

Dr. Sumner was a native of Canton, born on a farm north of this village in 1964. This farm, long the property of the Sumner family, was later known as the McGinnis farm. He was educated in the local schools, graduating from St. Lawrence University in 1890. He later entered New York Homeopathic College, and pursued a medical course, graduating in 1894. He came back to St. Lawrence county where he engaged in practice, first at Heuvelton, then at Morley, and for the past thirty years at Norwood.

Dr. Sumner never married. For many years an aunt, Mrs. Mary Sumner, and a cousin, Miss Caroline Sumner, the latter a St. Lawrence graduate, made their home with him, and removed with him to Syracuse. Mrs. Mary Sumner is a mother of Professor S. C. Sumner.

Dr. Sumner was a cousin of Dr. Williams, and also a cousin of Dr. C. G. Andrews of this village. He was well known and highly esteemed in Canton where he had many friends. During long years he had been in frail health but continued to attend to practice until almost the last.

The following is taken from the Norwood News, following the removal of Dr. Sumner and family to Syracuse:

"Dr. C. O. Sumner and family left Saturday for Syracuse where they expect to make their future home. As an appreciation of his faithful service as a physician here the past 35 years St. Lawrence Lodge of Perfection, What Cheer Lodge, F. and A.M. and Lyra Chapter, O.E.S. each presented the doctor with a gift of twenty-five dollars. Besides these gifts the business and professional men made him a good will gift of two hundred and seventy dollars.

"The Sumner family for many years have been identified with all the best interests of the community. During the flu epidemic in 1918 Dr. Sumner worked untiringly and it was due to his able and ceaseless efforts that the situation was handled with such skill and few fatalities. All feel this was the beginning of his physical breakdown."

(From the Tuesday, November 15, 1927 edition of the Canton Commercial Advertiser, front page. Courtesy of the Northern New York Library Network @ news.nnyln.net).