Vital Records - November 1854

 Oxford Times, November 1, 1854

Married:  In Oxford [Chenango Co., NY], on the 26th Oct. by Rev. N. Ripley, Mr. James Dennis to Miss Mary Jane Shaw, both of Oxford.

Died:  In McDonough [Chenango Co., NY], on the 23d ult., Cynthia [Coville], wife of Micah Coville, Esq., aged 72 years.

Died:  In New York City, on the 19th inst., after a short illness, George Harrison, Esq., of Smithville Flats [Chenango Co., NY].

Died:  In Triangle [Broome Co., NY], on the 19th ult., Mr. Andrew Williams, aged 22 years.  

Died:  At Sycamore, Illinois, on the 22d October, John Abbott.  He had been ill for several weeks with a fever, but finally expired in a fit of apoplexy.  The citizens of Oxford, and particularly those who have within the last twenty years been students in the Academy, will need no obituary record to recall the history or personal manners or characteristics of the deceased.  He came to Oxford about the year 1836, a young man fresh from collegiate studies which he had acquired means of pursuing by his unaided exertions.  For many years he was Teacher of ancient languages in the Academy, where by his thorough instruction, and encouraging conversation, he attached his scholars warmly to himself.  On the retirement of Mr. McKoon he succeeded him as Principal of the Academy and continued to superintend it, while still actively engaged in giving instructions in ancient literature until he left Oxford in 1852.  He then established himself at Sycamore, Illinois, where with the savings of an industrious life, he was rapidly accumulating a fortune and surrounding himself with the conveniences of an elegant home.  A numerous colony had followed him and gathered about Sycamore, which had become almost a "new Chenango."  But there his anticipations were thwarted by a Providence, which in a striking manner, affords another illustration of the vanity of human expectations.

Oxford Times, November 8, 1854

Married:  In Oxford [Chenango Co., NY], on the 26th ult., by the Rev. J.C. P.....  Mr. Frederick R. Brockett to Miss Harriet L. Rhodes.

Married:  At West Bainbridge [Chenango Co., NY], Oct. 25th, by George Balcom, Minister of Christ, Mr. Allen Brewer of .?. to Miss Clarissa -?- of the former place.

Died:  In Pharsalia [Chenango Co., NY], on the 7th inst., Mrs. Lois Newton, wife of Mr. Miles Newton, aged 32 years.

Oxford Times, November 15, 1854

The following particulars of a shocking accident which occurred in the town of Otselic in this County [Chenango Co., NY], on the 9th of August last, were sent to us for publication at the time, but were overlooked and have therefore never been published:  Mr. James Miles(?), of that town, while engaged in cutting timber, in company with Mr. Newman Crandell, was instantly killed by a falling limb, which struck him on the head.  Mr. Crandell escaped, the limb striking his arm.  Mr. Miles was about 45 years of age and leaves a wife and eight children to mourn his untimely fate.  Chenango Union.

Died:  In Oxford [Chenango Co., NY], on the 12th inst., Miss Adeline Van Tassel, aged 13 years.  

Oxford Times, November 22, 1854

Died:  In this village [Oxford, Chenango Co., NY], on the 16th inst., of typhoid fever, Cyrus Tuttle, aged 19 years, son of William L. Tuttle.

Died:  In Oxford [Chenango Co., NY], on the 14th, Henrietta E. [Holladay], wife of Mr. John Holladay, aged 20 years.

Died:  In Oxford [Chenango Co., NY], on the 16th, Mrs. Polly Betts, aged 82 years.

Died:  In Oxford [Chenango Co., NY], on the 18th inst., Mr. Daniel Loomis, aged 72 years.

Died:  In Norwich [Chenango Co., NY], on the 16th, Mr. Stephen Merritt, aged 69 years.

Died:  At Elmira, Chemung Co., on Friday, the 17th inst., Peter G. VanDerLyn, Esq., son of Mr. Gerardus VanDerLyn of this village [Oxford, Chenango co., NY], aged 27 years.

Mr VanDerlYn was a native of this village, educated at Oxford Academy, pursued his legal studies in the office and under the instruction of his uncle, Henry VanDerLyn, Esq., a distinguished and successful lawyer of this county, and was admitted an Attorney of the Supreme Court in June 1849.  He was no ordinary man.  Nature sometimes apparently niggard of her gifts seems in this instance to have been lavish in her bestowment of the power and faculties which constitute and make the man.  She stamped him not only outwardly but inwardly with the impress of nobility.  To her work thus formed, education added its energies, its training, its discipline, and thus prepared at the early age of 22, he left the paternal mansion and his native village to enter upon the battlefield of life, to act a part in the stirring and arduous scenes of a professional career.  Locating himself in the Fall of 1849, in the active and thriving village of Elmira, he at once commenced his professional labors. How those labors and his efforts were prospered, and the estimation in which his intellectual and professional capacity was held by the public in the county of his residence, is attested by the success attending them.  During the brief period of five years he obtained an extensive and lucrative practice, and among the very many lawyers resident at Elmira, no young man occupied a higher position, few if any as high, and it may perhaps with equal truthfulness be said that whether old or young, few there were, whose opinions were more eagerly sought after, more implicitly relied upon, or which oftener proved correct in the sequel.

His head and intellect were not however the only attributes which rendered him attractive.  Joy and delight marked his path in the home and social circle; not to him alone however, so much as to those around him.  In him and his life were constantly displayed all those traits of heart which render character lovely and make its possessor not only esteemed, but beloved. His heart harbored no selfishness, insincerity and hypocrisy could not dwell there, narrow view and illiberal thoughts and sentiments would have been lost within its capacious proportions had they dared to enter or wander there. At once the pride and ornament of his family, as well as the cherished object of their affections ,he was the true sincere and faithful friend and always a favorite of every one and all.

It is the shining mark which attracts the notice of death.  It is the large distinctly seen target at which it aims (and oh how often successfully) its poisoned, destroying darts.  In this young man it saw that shining mark, beheld that target clearly among the millions who might have been its victims, and with remorseless energy and haste, transfixed him with its arrow.  Surely to us, it would seem that earth needed just such intellects and hearts, to make life profitable as well as pleasant.  He however who "doeth all things well," hath thought and otherwise ordered and directed.  A jewel upon earth, we trust its beauty and brightness have not been destroyed or lessened by death, but that removed from contact with the baser materials of this world.  It has been set for eternity in a casket imperishable and immortal.  

Oxford Times, November 22, 1854

Married:  In Oxford [Chenango Co., NY], on the 15th inst., by the Rev. H. Callahan, Mr. Charles F. Willcox to Miss Lavinia Miller all of Oxford.

Oxford Times, November 29, 1854

Married:  In this village [Oxford, Chenango Co. NY], on the 23d inst., by Rev. J.C. Ransom, Mr. William Loop to Miss Altana Nevin, both of Guilford [Chenango Co., NY]. 

Married:  In this village [Oxford, Chenango Co., NY], on the 26th inst., by Rev. H. Callahan, Capt. James Tyrrel of Norwich [Chenango Co., NY], to Miss Martha Matson of this village.

Married:  In Smithville [Chenango Co., NY], on the 16th inst., by the Rev. Wm. Spaulding, Mr. Andrew Root of Oxford [Chenango Co., NY] to Miss Euphraemia King of the former place.

Married:  In Greene [Chenango Co., NY] on the 21st inst. by rev. H.W. Gilbert, Mr. Henry N. Lewis of Wellsville, Allegany Co. to Miss Juliet S. Hoyt of the former place.

Died:  In Galena, Illinois, on the 16th Sept. of dysentery, Edward Gates [Rathbone], son of Simon G. and Rose J. Rathbone, formerly of Oxford [Chenango Co., NY], aged 1 year and 8 months.