Vital Records - April 1851

 Oxford Times, April 2, 1851

Married:  In Preston [Chenango Co., NY], on the 30th ult., by Eli Willcox, Esq., Mr. Charles H. Miner to Miss Amelia R. Cummings, all of Preston.

Married:  In Greene [Chenango Co., NY], on the 10th ult., by Rev. G.P. Porter, Mr. William Spencer to Miss Mary Ann Dent.  

Married:  On the 20th by the same, Mr. Chester Badger to Miss Sarah Carter.

Died:  In Philadelphia, on the 4th ult., Miss Eliza B Chapin, aged 21 years, daughter of Joel Chapin, formerly of this village [Oxford, Chenango Co., NY].

Oxford Times, April 9, 1851

Married:  In Norwich [Chenango Co., NY], on the 30th ult. by the [Rev.] J.L. Harrison, Mr. Stephen L. Avery to Miss Hannah W. Padgett, all of this village [Oxford, Chenango Co., NY].

Married:  In Guilford [Chenango Co., NY], on the 27th ult., by Rev. Mr. Stanly, Mr. Silas Peet of Edmeston, Otsego Co., to Miss [Louisa Amelia] Roby of the former place.

Married:  In Coventry [Chenango Co., NY], on the 26th ult., by the Rev. N.D. Wilkins, Mr. Jotham Bixby to Miss Eliza Smith, both of Bainbridge [Chenango Co., NY].

Married:  In Greene [Chenango Co., NY], on the 26th ult., by Rev. G.P. Porter, Mr. Lewis Winston to Miss Julia Van Ostrum.

Married:  At Greene [Chenango Co., NY], on Saturday evening, by the Rev. G.P. Porter, Ransom Macdonald, Esq., of Richmondville, N.Y. [Otsego Co., NY] to Miss M. Almeda Evans, Preceptress of the New York Conference Seminary.

Died:  In New York, on the 23d ult. Cornelius Smith, son of John A. Smith, Esq., of Greene [Chenango Co., NY], aged 20 years.

Died:  In Pharsalia [Chenango Co., NY], on the 20th ult., Mr. Luke Babcock, aged 78 years.

Died:  In Bainbridge [Chenango Co., NY], on the 21st ult., Delia H. [Redfield], wife of D.S. Redfield, aged 32 years.

Died: In Henderson, Ill., Mr. Samuel Randall, formerly of Norwich [Chenango Co., NY], aged 65 years.

Oxford Times, April 16, 1851

Died: At Oxford, April 11th, 1851, Hezekiah Brackett, aged 94 years, a Soldier of the Revolution. 

The above notice scarce needs a further comment.  It tells in language, simple, but eloquent its own sad story.  Another of the "Old Guard" has passed from among us.  "The last continental" has joined his comrades in another world.  A few of the State Troops of the Revolution remain, but their whitened hair and tottering frames indicate their speedy surrender to the great enemy of man.

Born in 1757, the deceased for nearly a century has been a witness of most remarkable events.  His youth encountered the storms that overshadowed our Republic, his after life saw its unrivalled prosperity and greatness.  

In 1776, in the full vigor of health and patriotic feeling, young Brackett was enrolled in the Continental Army. Born in Connecticut, he partook of the spirit that so generally animated the sons of New England.  His first essay in arms was at New York, when the British force, strong in numbers and discipline, compelled the army under Washington to retreat. The star of the Republic shone more brightly from the clouds, on the next movement of our soldier and his companions.  At Princeton in the same year, 300 of the enemy's troops made prisoners at war, gave proof of the prowess of our arms. Soon thereafter, we find him at Trenton, where the American forces came down upon the startled Hessians and English with so decisive effect, reviving the ebbing hopes of the almost despairing patriots throughout the land.  The ice bound Delaware that allowed those hardy troops to cross its waters after the terrible winter they had endured, bore up soldiers of higher rank and brighter prospects, but none of purer patriotism and more honest, devoted feeling than the hardy Brackett.  The vicissitudes and hardships a private endured in that army, who, sharing for seven years its varied fortunes, as did the deceased, few at this day can appreciate. The story of Valley Forge, where the track of the army was marked in blood, where shoes, provisions and tents, in the dead of winter, were alike wanting, sends a thrill of horror to the heart.  

We are not apprised of the part the subject of this notice took in the successive campaigns of the war.  He was one of the few that followed the bold and adventurous Wayne in 1779, up the heights of Stony Point, an attack crowned with complete success.  American history has no brighter page.  Afterwards he was attached to the Southern branch of the army, and besides various minor engagements, met the corps of the famous Tarleton at the hard fight of King's Mountain, and had the good fortune to be present when British pride was humbled at Yorktown.  How must his heart have bounded as with saddened steps and banners furled, 17,000 regular troops under the conceited Cornwallis marched forth from the ramparts, and laid down their arms.  How his eye dilated as he beheld the flag of his country waiving in triumph on that eventful day. the hearing of the patriot soldier deafened on that occasion by the continued roar of artillery, was never recovered.  

Such is a brief sketch of the action of the deceased, in the first act in the drama of our country.  Happy was he in being permitted to act so manly a part in that great struggle--thrice happy in being spared to see the beneficent results. The thirteen States his weary footsteps traversed, are those feet refused to bear him longer, had expanded into thirty rich and powerful confederacies.  The navies of the Republic rode in every water--our flag waived triumphant from the snows of Maine to the golden sands of California, the breadth of a mighty continent.  New laurels had been won from British aggressions, new trophies plucked in the fields of Mexico.

It was fit the funeral rites of such a man should be particularly marked.  This respect was due to the virtues of the deceased and more to the patriotic devotion of the age that has passed.  The self sacrifices of the revolution, with the blessings that have followed, demanded it.  Well and becomingly was that duty performed.  The veteran was buried with military honors.  The stars and stripes shrouded his coffin--the booming cannon echoed from hill to hill, as his bier passed along--Military, with glittering muskets and muffled drum, formed a guard of honor to the grave.  The steady march, and soldierly appearance of the Oxford Guard, under the lead of their gallant Captain, the solemn drum beat and the banner shrouded, were all in unison with the old man's spirit.  Often times have we seen him in our village on the National Anniversary, his form erect and his step steady, as the recollection of other scenes was brought up by the pageantry of the day.  Appropriate exercises in church being over, the last sad rites were performed amid a large concourse of people.  Volies of musketry were fired over his grave and the old soldier left to sleep peacefully, waiting the last great roll call.

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Another Revolutionary Hero Gone to his Rest:  Obadiah Archer, grandfather of Deputy Clerk of the Assembly, died at his residence in Marion, ,Wayne county, on the 7th inst.  He was in the 92d year of his age, was through three campaigns in the Revolution, voted at every Presidential election from the organization of the government--first for George Washington and last for Zachery Taylor. The full enjoyment of his faculties were preserved to him in a remarkable degree.  He felt and expressed a deep interest in passing events, until within a few days of his death.  Eve. Jour.

Died:  In North Norwich [Chenango Co., NY], on the 7th inst., Cornella Ann [Miller], aged 19 years and 4 months.

Died: In East Greene [Chenango Co., NY], on the 7th instant, Mr. Eli Haynes, aged 81 years.

Died: In Waterbury, Conn., on the 4th instant, Mr. Elisha N. Hawley, formerly of Greene [Chenango Co., NY],. aged 46 years.

Died: In Preston [Chenango Co., NY], on the 11th inst., Elmer [Westover], son of Mr. Calvin Westover, aged about 16 years.

Oxford Times, April 23, 1851

Married: In Preston [Chenango Co., NY], on the 30th ult., by Eld. J.M. Crandall, Mr. Erastus Daniels, of Preston, to Miss Sylvia C. Smith of German [Chenango Co., NY].

Married: in Smyrna [Chenango Co., NY], on the 5th inst., by Rev. L. Pomeroy, Mr. E.M. Wilber of Smyrna, to Miss E.A. Henry of Lebanon, Madison Co.

Married:  In Coventry [Chenango Co., NY], on the 15th , by the Rev. J.B. Hoyt, Mr. Hector Beecher of Coventry, to Miss Matilda M. Leonard of Oxford [Chenango Co., NY].

Died:  In Greene [Chenango Co., NY], on the 11th inst., Mrs. Hannah [Juliand], relict of the late Capt. Joseph Juliand, aged 88 years.

Died:  In Preston [Chenango Co., NY], on the 13th inst., Mrs. Minerva E. [Packer], wife of James R. Packer, aged 33 years.

Died:  In Columbus [Chenango Co., NY], on the 2d inst., Mrs. Elizabeth B. [Whitmore], wife of Mr. Samuel P. Whitmore, aged 27 years.

Died:  In Greene [Chenango Co., NY], on the 16th inst., Mrs. Gleason, wife of Mr. Phineas Gleason, aged 40 years.

Oxford Times, April 30, 1851

Married:  In this village [Oxford, Chenango Co., NY], on the 2oth inst., by Rev. J.C. Ransom, Mr. William B. King to Miss Ann Hill, both of this village.

Married:  In Bainbridge [Chenango Co., NY], on the 19th instant, by Rev. John Moon, Mr. George Brizzee of Colesville [Broome Co., NY] to Miss Susan Austin of the former place.

Died:  In Preston [Chenango Co., NY], March 16th, William Kelsey, Esq., aged 77 years.

Died:  In Plymouth [Chenango Co., NY], on the 13th inst., after a lingering illness, Mrs.  Olive Sabin, daughter of Isaac Sabin, aged 31 years.