Vital Records, Norwich, NY, February 3 & 10, 1869

 Chenango Union, Norwich, NY, February 3, 1869

Marriages

At the residence of the bride's brother, Smith Steere, Jr., on Wednesday morning, Jan. 27th, by Rev. J.D. Pope, Caleb G. Burrows, Esq., of Providence, R.I., to Mrs. Maria L. Gibson, of Norwich [Chenango Co., NY].

In Greene [Chenango Co., NY], Jan. 27th, by Rev. H. Garlick, Mr. L.M. Stanton, to Miss Em Sherwood, all of Greene.

In Oxford [Chenango Co., NY], Jan. 12th, by Rev. L.E. Spafford, Mr. A.A. Holladay, of Greene [Chenango Co., NY] to Miss H.M. Smith, of the former place.

In Brookfield [Madison Co., NY], Jan. 27th, by Rev. O.C. Wightman, Mr. Horatio Woodard, of Beaver Meadow [Chenango Co., NY], to Miss Theresa Larkin, of Brookfield.

In Conneaut, Ohio, Nov. 14th, by Rev. A. Hull, Mr. Joseph J. Agard, of Smithville, N.Y. [Chenango Co.], to Miss Sarah L. Andres, of Ohio.

In Bainbridge [Chenango Co., NY], Jan. 25th, by Rev. L.V. Ismond, Mr. Daniel E. Fletcher, of Guilford [Chenango Co., NY], to Miss Emily A. Hoyt, of Bainbridge.

In Afton [Chenango Co., NY], Jan. 27th, by Rev L.V. Ismond, Mr. Austin J. Water, of Newark Valley, Tioga Co. [NY], To Miss Mary A. Davis, of Afton.

Deaths

In this village [Norwich, Chenango Co., NY], Jan. 29th, Mr. Elijah Lewis, in the 75th year of his age.  He was for more than fifty years a much-respected resident of this place.

Mr. Lewis was one of our eldest inhabitants, having removed into our village nearly or quite fifty-three years ago, from the State of Massachusetts in which he was born.  And during all that long time he has been universally respected and esteemed as one of our most reliable and upright citizens.  Some thirty-eight years ago, he experienced religion and united with the Baptist church in this village of which he was an active and consistent member till he died, and, in his last hours, he gave full evidence that his trust, and that hope which had so long sustained him were not in vain, for he died as he had lived, in the full triumph of the Christian faith.  His life was an active one.  No one got any encouragement for idleness from his example.  He was always diligent in his business and excelled in his profession - that of a housebuilder, and his workmanship is found in every part of our village, and it was seen too in both the old Baptist and the Congregational Churches, both of which he helped to build, and both of which he saw burned to ashes.  But he, too, like so many of our old residents within the past few years has passed to his rest.  And to all of us came a feeling of sadness, as for the loss of a friend, when we heard that Elijah Lewis was dead. [Telegraph & Chronicle, Norwich, NY, Feb. 3, 1869]

In South New Berlin [Chenango Co., NY], Jan. 20th, Mrs. Genevie P. Rich, wife of Palmer C. Rich, aged 21 years 5 months and 5 days.

In Smyrna [Chenango Co., NY], Jan. 30th, of inflammation of the bowels, Emily [Vaughn], wife of Capt. Henry S. Vaughan, formerly of this village.

In Sherburne [Chenango Co., NY], Jan. 25th, Mr. Joseph S. Dennison, aged 69 years.

In East Hampton, Mass., Oct. 20th, Miss Rosa S. Hinckley, formerly of Norwich, aged 43 years.

In Harlem, IL, Jan. 8th, Mr. Uriah Thompson, aged 69 years, formerly of Oxford [Chenango Co., NY].

Chenango Union, Norwich, NY, February 10, 1869

Marriages

In this town [Norwich, Chenango Co., NY], Feb. 6th, by Rev. J.D. Pope, Mr. James French, to Mrs. Mary O. Lewis, all of Norwich.

In Norwich [Chenango Co., NY], Jan. 28th, by Rev. Wm. N. Cobb, Mr. Austin Halsy, of North Norwich to Miss Mary A. Palmer of Norwich.

In Sank City, Wisconsin, Jan. 27th, by Rev. J.W. Dinsmore, Mr. William D. Randall to Miss Amanda Bavin, both formerly of Norwich, N.Y. [Chenango Co.].

In Oxford [Chenango Co., NY], Jan. 27th, by Rev. J.C. Ransom, Mr. Luman Ingraham, to Miss Julia Thompson, both of McDonough [Chenango Co., NY].

In North Pitcher [Chenango Co., NY], Jan. 19th, by Rev. E.W. Allen, Mr. Daniel B. Neal, to Miss A. Rosetta Eldridge.

In Geneseo City, Illinois, Feb. 3d, b Rev. F.L. Smith, Dr. H.E. Pendleton, of Moline Ill, formerly of Chenango Co., N.Y., to Miss Julia McAvoy, of Geneseo.

Deaths

In this village [Norwich, Chenango Co., NY], Feb. 2d, Mr. Benjamin Randall, aged 74 years.

In this village [Norwich, Chenango Co., NY], Feb. 4th, at the residence of her son-in-law Samuel Palmer, Mrs. Rosannah Berry, aged 82 years.

In Preston [Chenango Co., NY], Feb. 1st, of gravel, Mr. Daniel H. Clark, aged 44 years.  He was a constant sufferer for upwards of three years.

In Oxford [Chenango Co., NY], Jan. 16th, Fanny B. [Burton], wife of Andrew Burton, aged 24 years.

In Greene [Chenango Co., NY], Jan. 28th, Mr. George Cook, aged 44 years.

In Otselic [Chenango Co., NY], Jan. 29th, Mr. James R. Brown, aged 67 years.

In Omaha City, Nebraska, Jan. 15th, Clara Williams, daughter of S. DeWitt and Grace E. Beals, formerly of Greene [Chenango Co., NY], aged 17 years.

In Pharsalia, N.Y. [Chenango Co.], Dec. 12th, 1868, of cancer in the stomach, Mr. Avery C. Keator, aged 37 years.  Thus, a good man has passed away.  He lived a Christian and died in the full assurance of the Christian's home in heaven.

Death by Drowning

We noticed at the time, the death by drowning, of Miss Mary P. Gilbert, granddaughter of the late Capt. James Packer, of this village [Norwich, Chenango Co., NY], which occurred at Caton, Steuben Co. [NY], on the night of January 9th.  We copy from a Corning paper, the following particulars of the sad event:

"She left the kitchen door of the house for an outhouse a few rods distant.  She had to cross a ditch two feet wide and two feet deep through which, in the rainy season, water flows.  There were three pieces of plank over it for a bridge, but no railing.  A few feet above was a little dam erected by a boy for a tiny waterwheel. The melting of the snow filled the channel to overflowing.  The water ran over the dam, on which a board had been place, and also around each end of it with a strong current.  As Miss Gilbert did not return soon, search was made for her, and she was found dead, lying on her side, her head on one plank, her feet on the other, and her body sunk down into the ditch or channel.  The water was pouring over her face.  The body was immediately taken out, and for an hour and a half, efforts were made for resuscitation by Dr. E.S. May, of Caton, but in vain.  At the coroner's inquest it was considered that she must have fallen in on returning to the house. The little footbridge was not in a direct line with the light at the kitchen door, as the pathway diverged somewhat. there was a bruise upon the forehead, probably caused by falling against a post. Whether she was thus stunned and unable to get up or was wedged in as she fell so that she could not arise, nor get her face above the strong current of water that was flowing over it, none can tell.  In either case it is a terrible thought that she perished within the sound of the voices of the family, unable to raise a cry for help to rescue one beloved as a daughter and sister, and whose mournful fate will never cease to afflict a large circle of kindred."

She was a worthy young lady, about twenty-five years of age, and had resided with her grandfather for a number of years previous to his death.

Sudden Death

Suddenly, in this town [Norwich, Chenango Co., NY], Feb. 1st, Mr. James P. Curnalia, aged 74 years.

On Monday, February 1st, about 4 P.M., while returning home from a visit to some friends in Preston, Mr. James P. Curnalia instantly expired on the road, about three miles east of this village.  He was about half a mile from his son's, when found.  Mr. David Field, who resides in the east part of this town, and was returning home from this place, was the first to find him.  Mr. Field thinks the deceased could not have been more than five minutes ahead of him.  When found, his body was warm.  He was soon taken to his son's but means of restoring him were useless, as he was quite dead.  

Death of William Weiler

Suddenly, in this village [Norwich, Chenango Co., NY], Feb. 5th, Mr. William Weiler, aged 42 years.

Our citizens were shocked on Friday morning last, by the announcement of the sudden death of William Weiler, which took place at an early hour that morning.  He had for some time previous been indisposed, and remained at his home, although there was nothing alarming in his symptoms.  During Thursday he was feeling much better than formerly and sat in his chair reading through the evening, retiring to his bed about 11 o'clock.  Between twelve and one o'clock his wife was awakened by his unnatural breathing.  Help was summoned at once and every effort made to arouse him, but to no avail.  He lived but a few minutes after his situation was discovered.  It is the opinion of his physician that his death was caused by the rupture of the main artery, near the heart.  He was a native of Germany.

Telegraph & Chronicle, Norwich, NY, February 10, 1869

Mr. Weiler's death deserves more than a passing notice at our hands.  He was one of our adopted fellow citizens, who knew well how to prize our institutions, and whose habits of industry and thrift made him at once the leader and counsellor of his fellows, who like him had fled from a land of oppression and tyranny.  He came to our village about fifteen years ago, and with but little, if any, means commenced the business of a cigar manufacturer, and by a course of honest, fair and polite attention to the wants of all, had built up a manufacturing business which at the time of his death was second to but one in our village.

His kindness of heart attached to him friends from all circles.  His prompt attention to business gave him the confidence of all.  His fidelity to the principles of true freedom, and his persistent advocacy of them, won for him the respect even of his opposers, while his love for his fellow men and his genial good nature bound him to all with whom he came in contact.

The respect and affection of the people for him was shown by the large attendance at his funeral on Sunday.  His remains were fittingly attended to their last resting place, by the members of the Cigar Makers' Union, the Norwich Fire Department, and the members of the Masonic order, from this and other towns, of which organizations he was an honored and trusted member.  He strove to do his duty in all positions of life, and upon his completed record we may endorse, "Well Done," in the assurance that we render the verdict of all who knew him.