Vital Records - July 1854

 Oxford Times, July 5, 1854

On Saturday of last week a boatman while passing along the Chenango Canal about a mile south of Earlville [Madison Co NY], discovered in the east branch of the Chenango River, articles which had the appearance of being part of the dress of a female.  He immediately announced the fact to two persons who were fishing nearby, and thereupon one of them waded into the river for the purpose of ascertaining particularly what it was.  Upon approaching it, he discovered to his horror and amazement the dead body of a young lady almost entirely submerged in the water.  shortly after, the body was taken out and recognized by several persons as the body of Ellen Wells, who had some time previous been engaged in doing house work in various families in and about Earlville, but whose parentage was but little known.  A coroner was sent for, and a jury summoned who on Sunday rendered a verdict that the cause of her death was to them unknown.  It was however, we are informed, the opinion of nearly all the jurors that it was an act of suicide, although some circumstances attending the matter which seemed to oust a slight shade of doubt as to its being an act of self destruction  She was last seem on the preceding Wednesday evening when she started to go to the residence o the family with whom she was then living.  Hamilton Reflector.

Another survivor of the Revolution:  We have been favored by a friend with the information that there resides in Pleasant Mount Borough, this county, a Mrs. Benjamin, at the very advanced age of one hundred and ten years, with prospects of living many years longer equally fair before her.  She occasionally spins stocking yarn of the finest quality, not excelled by that of her younger neighbors.  She is quite intelligent and to retain her memory remarkably well, and evinces a clearness of judgment of the present and a mind yet distinctly impressed with the scenes of the past.  She has been married three times; her first two husbands were killed in the Revolution, and the last one, named Benjamin, died about 30 years ago.  At one time she was employed at West Point cooking for the army, and was present at one of the battles with Burgoyne, and assisted in distribution ammunition to those of the soldiers who were [under attack].  She was also with the army when it was disbanded at Newburgh by General Washington' and at which occasion the General asked her if she was not afraid of the bullets?--when she replied:  "Oh, the sword never robs the halter."  Honesdale (Pa.) Herald.

Died:  In Wellsborough, Pa., on the 19th ult., Mr. Robert W. Sherwood, aged 27 years.

We learn that on the 22nd inst., a son of Andrew Myers of South New Berlin [Chenango Co., NY], aged about ten years, was drowned in the Unadilla river about a mile and a half above South New Berlin village.  He is supposed to have been taken with a cramp.  He was found about a half of an hour after, but an attempts to restore animation were ineffectual.  Chenango Union.

Oxford Times, July 1, 1854

Married:  In Coventry [Chenango Co., NY], on the 27th ult., by Rev. J.B. Hoyt, Mr. Elbridge Beecher to Miss Maria Whittington

Married:  Also by the same on the 28th, Mr. John B. Hoyt to Miss Jane Beecher.

Married:  In Binghamton [Broome Co., NY], on the 6th inst., by Rev. J.W. Davidson, Mr. Richard A. Thompson of Oxford [Chenango Co., NY] to Miss Martha A. Bell of Binghamton.

Married:  In Danville, Ky, on the 9th June, by Rev. Mr. Young, Rev. John H. Moore of Clinton, Illinois, to Miss Sarah F. Franklin of the former place, and formerly of Oxford [Chenango Co., NY]\.

Died:  In Guilford [Chenango Co., NY], on the 5th inst., Mr. Abner Gridley, aged 44 years.

Died:  In Nineveh [Broome Co., NY], on the 17th ult., Mr. Hiel Edgerton, aged 53 years.

Oxford Times, July 19, 1854

On the 1st inst., the wife of Mr. Issac Gilbert, living near Guilford Centre [Chenango Co. NY], committed suicide by cutting her throat with a shoe knife.  She leaves a family consisting of her husband and four children, the youngest  an infant. She had been suffering for some time previous to the sad event, from depression of spirits, and had exhibited so much aberration of mind as to excite the suspicion of her household.  But in an unguarded moment she escaped observation, and committed the fatal act.

Married:  In North Stonington, Ct., on the 29th ult., by Rev. Stephen Hubbell, B. Gage Berry, Esq., of Norwich [Chenango Co., NY] to Miss Ada M. Wheeler of the former place.

Married:  In Norwich [Chenango Co., NY] on the 4th inst., by Rev. L. Wright, Mr. James A. Henry of New Berlin [Chenango Co., NY], to Miss Elinor O. Fryover of Plymouth [Chenango Co., NY].

Oxford Times, July 26, 1854

A son of Mr. Orlando Robinson of this village [Oxford, Chenango Co., NY], was drowned in the river on Monday morning.  He had gone to bathe with some other lads of about the same age, and while swimming got into deep water, and went down. The other boys soon gave the alarm, and the body was taken out after about fifteen minutes, but life was extinct, and all efforts at resuscitation failed. 

Married:  In this village [Oxford, Chenango Co NY], on the 24th, by Rev. Mr. Van Rensselaer, Mr. Theodore Baker to Miss Abigail E. Padgett, both of this village. 

Married:  In Poolville, Madison Co., on the 17th inst., by Rev. A.W. Bruce, Mr. James Coley, Teacher of Mathematics in the Owego Academy, and formerly of this village [Oxford, Chenango Co., nY], to Miss Rosalie M. Willoughby of this village.

Married:  In Grand Rapids, Mich., June 30th, by Rev. Mr. Hammond, Mr. Edward W. Cheseboro, Principal of the Union School, to Miss Sarah M. Wright of that place.