Chenango Telegraph, Norwich, NY, March 3, 1841
Died: In Plymouth [Chenango Co., NY], on Wednesday the 17th ult. Mrs. Harriet Per Lee, wife of Walter Per Lee, Esq., aged 55 years.
Chenango Telegraph, Norwich, NY, August 1, 1860
Married: DANA - CLOSE: In Christ Church at -?- Va., July 24? 1860 by the Right Rev. Bishop -?-, Charles H. Dana of that city to Miss Elvira R. Close, of North Norwich [Chenango Co., NY].
Died: HARRIS: In Michigan City, Indiana, on Monday the 16th of July, George E. [Harris] aged 8 years and 9 months; Mary B. [Harris], aged 6 years; and on Wednesday the 18th, Charles G. [Harris] aged 3 years and 8 months--children of Truman T. and Melissa Harris. A sadder affliction does not often befall man than the one we have just recorded. The loss of a single link in a domestic chain, one vacant chair at the fireside, is a great loss, but when the stroke is repeated again and again, how heavy, how overwhelming the calamity. But in the midst of darkness and sorrow, there is light. He who blest little children when upon earth, has taken them home to heaven. The idea they so often expressed "I want to be an angel" as sung at the Sabbath school, they now realized. Just before Charlie died he said, "Mother it is growing dark. Mamy let us go home." And in a few hours his spirit followed hers to that far better land of glory and light. They were a most lovely group. But they are lovelier now in white robes and shining crowns. The sympathies of the whole community are most deeply moved for the bereaved parents and their prayer doubtless is that the Saviour will cheer and strengthen them in their affliction and sanctify their eternal welfare.
Chenango Telegraph, Norwich, NY, August 8, 1860
Married: SMITH - SACKETT: In Greene [Chenango Co., NY], July 30th, by Warren Gray, Esq., Joseph Smith to Miss Phebe E. Sackett, all of Greene.
Chenango Telegraph, Norwich, NY, August 22, 1860
Died: DOYLE: In Norwich village [Chenango Co., NY], August 20, 1860, Betsey [Doyle], Daughter of Patrick Doyle, aged 9 years.
Died: PRESTON: In Oxford village [Chenango Co., NY], August 4th, 1860, of consumption, Miss Betsey Preston, aged 54 years.
Died in Cherry Valley [Otsego Co., NY], on Monday, July 30th, Mrs. Esther Ripley, wife of the late Horace Ripley, Esq., aged 82 years. She was the daughter of Col. Clyde, and her life is the history of Cherry Valley. She was nine months old when the place was sacked by the Indians. Her mother dreamed for three successive nights that the Indians were upon them. The third morning she looked out and saw them at hand. She instantly took her child and dog, and hid herself with them in a hollow log. Here she had great anxiety for fear either the child or the animal should make some noise to betray them, but they remained perfectly still, while the Indians prowled around and ransacked the house and premises at pleasure. When night came she left her retreat, and finding the Indians gone, returned to her house. The daughter lived to see the village rise again; to see the church twice reorganized; and having connected herself with that church, she lived to show through a long life of patient suffering, that power of Christian faith and fortitude which made her ancestors and ours both brave and strong.
Chenango Telegraph, Norwich, NY, August 29, 1860
Married: CAMPBELL - BEACH: In Columbus [Chenango Co., NY], on the 11th inst., by the bride's father, Rev. Allen R. Beach, Prof. A.B. Campbell, of Hamilton [Madison Co., NY], to Miss Amy Emeline Beach, of Columbus.
Married: BACON - MEAD: In North Norwich [Chenango Co., NY], August 22, by Rev. B.R. Williams, Mr. Orange Bacon of Hamilton [Madison Co., NYT] to Miss Jane E. Mead of North Norwich.
Died: INMAN: In Norwich village [Chenango Co., NY], August 15th, 1860, Mrs. Mariette Inman, daughter of Jno. Phillips, aged 58 years.
Died: STOWELL: In the town of Afton [Chenango Co., NY], August 3, 1860, after a short illness, Willard P. [Stowell], only son of Abel and Elizabeth A. Stowell, aged 11 years and 10 months. A promising flower suddenly cut down, leaving a void in the parents' heart which this earth can never fill.
Chenango Telegraph, Norwich, NY, August 22, 1860
A Family Reunion: It is possible that some of your readers may remember a meeting in the Autumn of 1836 at the Eagle Tavern in this village, of four brothers by the name of DeForest, all born under the same roof in Stratford, Ct., all soldiers in the Revolution, pensioners, and then, when the youngest was 70 years of age, coming all together for the first time after more than half a century. There has been a similar reunion of the eight children of the youngest of those brothers. A notice of this may, perhaps, possess a share of the interest which that, so unusual an event, excited.
It was in the year 1795, when this region was literally a howling wilderness, that Mr. Gideon DeForest removed to Otsego County [NY], and settled in what is now Edmeston [Otseog Co., NY]--then a part of Burlington. His road, at the last, was little more than the blazed trees, for but few had preceded him to contest their title to the land with the wolf and the panther. His wife, Hannah Birdsey of Derby, Ct., with the spinning wheel, which still remains a memento and characteristic of those early days, was a meet companion of the hardy pioneer. He was both farmer and tailor, and fruit trees and fields bear witness to his toil. It was the day of deer skin breeches, of things substantial rather than elegant. The cow bell and stroke of the ax were heard without, within the loom beat time to the hum of the wheel. Then, hands were strong for work and hearty in the grasp of friendship. Then, there was a laying hold of the distaff.
On the farm thus redeemed from wildness, in days of privation, of work and of heroic virtue of a hardy stock which fleeing from France two centuries before for liberty of conscience, had in America helped fight the battles of Independence, were born five sons and three daughters, who came together at a family reunion, the first for forty-four years, on Tuesday, the 14th, at the house of Mr. Lee DeForest, of South Edmeston, who still holds a part of the "old farm." They met and inaugurated a monument which one of the sons, Mr. Chas. A. DeForest, of Albany, has reared to the memory of the parents. Mr. Gideon DeForest died Dec. 9, 1840 in the 76th, and his wife, Hannah Birdsey DeForest, Sept 25, 1844, in the 72nd year of her age.
The family group, which has never been broken except by the death from accident of a son two years old, consists of Abel Birdsey DeForest born Dec. 30, 1795, living at Morrisville, Madison Co., [NY]; Lee, born Aug. 7, 1798, at South Edmeston; Sally, born March 9, 1800, who married Mr. Alozno S. Campbell, deceased of Columbus; Cyrus Hawley, born March 30, 1804, of Buffalo; Marian, born July 20, 1806, who married Rev. Henry Snyder, now of South Canaan, Ct., ; Charles Augustus, born Oct. 25, 1808, of Albany,; Tracy Robinson, born Feb. 2, 1811, of Cleveland, Ohio; and Harriet, born July 28, 1813, who married Mr. Thomas A. Fuller, of Sherburne.
Seldom is a family so large, after so many years, permitted to re-assemble at the place of birth and there live over again the joys and scenes of childhood and youth, with their number unbroken and with the appearance still of health and vigor. Tall and robust in frame, manly and dignified in bearing, they at once show the worth of strictly temperate habits and that the true basis of character is readly and not the merely seeming. The parents died in faith leaving a legacy of prayer and example richer than perishable things. The children are all professing Christians, and of the five sons four are office bearers in the Christian Chruch. The last day of the gathering was passed at the house of Mr. Fuller in Sherburne. As the time came for this family group to separate and for the circle formed after so many years to be broken, never more perhaps to be united here, voices were blended in praise which years ago had sung the rhymes of childhood together. Years had not impaired their harmony. Yet within was a sympathy of kindred spirits richer and deeper, which music can best, but only inadequately express. And as prayer was mingled with praise and affection subdued and chastened, was exalted to devotion, I felt how good a thing is Christian fellowship. H.S.
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