Vital Records, Oxford, NY, August 1865

 Oxford Times, August 23, 1865

Married:  In this village [Oxford, Chenango Co., NY], on the 20th inst., by Rev. J.C. Ransom, Mr. Charles Holmes of South Oxford, to Miss Louisa Vickery of Smithville [Chenango Co., NY].

Married:  In Smyrna [Chenango Co., NY], on the 1st inst. by F.U. Garrat, Esq., Mr. Delos L. Sherwood of Smyrna, to Miss Olive L. Borden of Preston [Chenango Co. NY].

Married:  At Poolville [Madison Co., NY], on the 3d inst. by O.B. Lord, Esq.., Mr. Smith Hill of Sherburne [Chenango Co., NY] to Miss Mary Wilcox of Columbus [Chenango Co., NY].

Married:  In Norwich [Chenango Co., NY], on the 17th inst. by Rev. Wm. C. Bowen, Mr. Morris D. Firman of Middleport, Ill. to Miss Marcia A. Kinney of Sherburne.

Married:  At Attica, N.Y. [Wyoming Co.], July 19th, John Porter, Esq.,, Cashier of the Merchant's National Bank, at Meadville, Pa., to Miss Celestia Tinker, known as one of the Star Sisters.

Died:  In Preston [Chenango Co., NY], on the 14th inst. Mr. Wade Hough, aged 77 years.

Died:  In Smithville [Chenango Co., NY], on the 10th inst. Nancy [Rose], wife of Thomas Rose, aged 78 years.

Died:  In Clifton, C.W., on the 10th inst. Polly [Blakesley], wife of Calvin P. Blakesley, Esq., formerly of Coventry [Chenango Co., NY], aged 52 years.

Oxford Times, August 30, 1865

Married:  In Oxford [Chenango Co., NY] on the 23d? inst. by Rev. F.B. Peck, Mr. John F. Rogers to Miss Maryette Gilbert, both of Oxford.

Married:  On Sunday, July 29th, by the Rev. S. Townsend, at Ransomville, Niagara Co. [NY], at the residence of the bride's father. Mr. Charles B Walker of Oxford [Chenango Co.., NY] to Miss Sylvette Hogue, only daughter of the Rev. Daniel Hogue of Dickersonville, Niagara County, N.Y.

Married:  In Greene [Chenango Co. NY] on the 20th inst. by Rev. H. Garlick, Mr. George McBirney to Miss Maryetta M. Beadle, both of Smithville [Chenango Co., NY]./

Died:  In Sherburne [Chenango Co., NY], on the 11th inst. Mr. Z.W. Elmore, aged 84 years.

Oxford Times, August 16, 1865

Death of Hon George W. Sumner

We are pained to record a shocking and terrible accident, strikingly suggestive of the truth that "in the midst of life we are in death," and which resulted in a sad fatality of the Hon. George W. Sumner, late of New Berlin [Chenango Co., NY], on Thursday last.  Mr. Sumner in company with two companions had gone from Hammondsport, in a boat, for a pleasure excursion upon the Crooked Lake. At a distance of about forty rods from the shore, and while rocking the boat in a moment of careless sport, the boat capsized, one of his companions clung to it, and was rescued, but Mr. Sumner and the other made the attempt to swim to the shore, in which his companion succeeded, but he became exhausted and was drowned, but a short distance from the coveted bourn of safety.  To aggravate the crushing sense of their sudden bereavement, the deceased had but recently left his family and friends in unwonted health and spirits, after protracted sickness, and instead of the expected living form of him whom they loved so well, there was brought back to them only the cold, and lifeless ashes of the dead.  Mr. Sumner since his admission to the Bar, of which he was an able and worthy member, was a resident of New Berlin, where by the honorable and faithful practice of his profession, and the exercise of those virtues which illustrate in an eminent degree the character of the good citizen, and the upright man, he secured the universal esteem and respect of the community in which he lived. For two successive terms through the partiality of his friends, rather than his own seeking, he had served his district in the Assembly, and during each term was a member of the judiciary committee, the duties of which he discharged with an ability and fidelity which secured the approval and confidence of his associates of all parties.  But of him it may truly be said, that his promotion was less than his merits, and all the artificial honors of office which he received, were less than his sterling worth of character.  His best eulogy was from the lips of a friend and neighbor, who remarked to us at his funeral, that those who knew him best loved him most, and that intimacy with him ever increased confidence in and respect for the man.  Such too was the testimony of the sad and reverent concourse who crowded Sunday last to his funeral from St. Andrew's church, where with the solemn words of the Episcopal burial service his ashes were consigned to their kindred dust.