Canisteo Times May 17, 1894
Dr. Melter Daniel Ellison

Monday morning, May 14, at 7:30 o’clock, at his residence on Greenwood street, the spirit of Dr. Melter D Ellison took its flight to the eternal Beyond.

For about six months the deceased had been a painful sufferer with mitral and aortic disease of the heart. All was done for him that the most careful nursing and the best medical assistance and counsel could render, but all to no avail. Death, however, seemed to come suddenly, as his condition was apparently unchanged until early Monday morning. An autopsy held Monday evening revealed the immediate cause of death to have been a clot of blood in the right side of the heart.

Melter D. Ellison was one of a family of two brothers and four sisters, children of Fred and Rebecca J. Ellison. He was born in Kettle Creek, Potter county, Pa. May 1 1851, his age at the date of death being forty-three years and thirteen days. In 1856 the family removed to a farm on Mt Washington near Hammondsport, Steuben County, where they remained one year and then removed to a farm in the town of Cameron where the mother still resides, the father having did about ten years ago. Three sisters survive the doctor.

The deceased was educated at Cameron district school, Haverling Union school, Bath and Genesee Wesleyan Seminary at Lima, N.Y. At seventeen years of age he taught school for a time at Cameron Mills. His medical education was obtained in the office of Dr. Samuel Mitchell of Cameron Mills and at the University of New York from which institution he was graduated in 1873 with high honors and soon afterwards failing healthy compelled him to cease work, it was the general conclusion that a public benefactor had been removed from a position of great usefulness to his race.

Although Dr. Ellison seemed to bend all his energies along the line of his profession, he was a man of wide and varied information, and endowed with strong social traits of character which made him desirable company in social gatherings. By his close acquaintances he was esteemed as a faithful friend, and these deeply feel his loss. He was an honorary member of Waldo Hose Co. No. 2, a charter member of the examining physicians of Canisteo Tent, No. 96, K.O.T.M., joining August 2, 1888. He became a member of Mountain Lodge No. 503 I.O.O.F., March 12, 1883. In degrees in Masonry, he was initiated into the Morning Star Lodge, No. 65, F. & A. M., December 18, 1888; exalted in Steuben Chapter, No 101 R.A.M., Hornellsville, March 6, 1889, and was made a Knight Templar in DeMolay commandery, No. 22, K. T., Hornellsville , May 2 1889. The estimation in which he was held by his brothers and companions in these orders was best evidenced by the large number who laid aside their usual vocations to pay honor and respect to his memory by attendance at the funeral.

In early life Dr. Ellison received religious instruction but in the rush of his professional career he neglected the claims of God upon him. But during his illness God’s call was heeded and he yielded his will, and God, in His great mercy, accepted him and he became a humble, trusting believer in the Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior, and for several weeks he gave clear evidence of a change of heart. The many years prayer of his Christian wife were finally answered. He talked on the great subject with all his former companions when called upon him, even inviting several to come for that special purpose, and warned them all not to neglect salvation as he had but give their hearts to God now. On the afternoon before his death, at his request he was shelled in his invalid chair to the Presbyterian church and attended the men’s meeting. The topic was “Will a man rob God” and the doctor gave a most affecting testimony, confession how he had willfully robbed God during his life,, and of how graciously God had accepted him at the last.

The funeral services were held today, Thursday. The remains lay in state from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., four knights of DeMolay Commandery being the guard of honor. The casket was surrounded with beautiful floral emblems, tokens of esteem from the givers.
There was a large pillow of roses from DeMolay Commandery, a handsome arrangement of roses as a square and compasses, from the Morning Star Lodge; a beautiful wreath of roses and lilies from Canisteo Tent K.O.T.M.; a boquet of roses from Waldo Hose Co.; a boquet of roses form the Class of ’94 of Canisteo Academy, and baskets and other collections of flowers from loving friends.

The business places of the village, also the shoe factory and the Academy, were closed during the afternoon. An air of solemnity and mourning pervaded the community. At 2 o’clock prayer was offered at the last residence by the Rev. O. S. Chamberlayne, and the procession was formed and proceeded to the Presbyterian church in the following order; 47th Separate Co. Band of Hornellsville, twenty members, Waldo Hose Co., thirty members; Oasis and Steuben Lodges,I.O.O.F. Hornellsville, thirty-four members; Moutain Lodge I.O.O.F., thirty-five members; Hornellville Medical and Surgical Association and visiting physicians, numbering twenty-five; Morning Star Lodge, F. & A.M.; fifty-two in number; the hearse, followed by forty-eight Knights of DeMolay Commandery, of Hornellsville, the following members of which were pall bearers; John W. Tilbury, George Schwingle, L. D. Whiting, William Westendorfer, Thaddeus Tannery and G.W. Brown; carriages containing mourners and friends.

The church would contain only about one-half of those who desired admittance. The services were opened with the singing by the choir, “Jesus, Lover of My Soul,: Rev E.P. Brigham read the 39th Psalm, and prayer was offered by Re. L. A. Stevens of Park Church, Hornellsville. Rev. O. S. Chamberlayne preached the sermon, his text being Luke, 4:18. The theme was, “Christ’s Mission In The World,: At the close of the sermon DeMolay Commandry read a responsive ritual service.

The procession again firmed in same order as before, and marched to Hillside cemetery, the band playing a funeral march. The Knight’s Templars formed a triangle about the grave and read an impressive service . Rev. O.S. Chamberlayne pronounced the benediction. DeMolay Commandry escorted the friends back to the desolated home and stood in salute until all had passed in. Thus ending the largest most imposing obsequies over observed in Canisteo.