Vital Records, Norwich, NY, May 27, June 3 & 10, 1868

 Chenango Union, Norwich, NY, May 27, 1868

Marriages

In Coventry [Chenango Co., NY], May 11th, by Rev. D. Bullock, Mr. Albert Picket, of Rush Township, Susquehanna Co., Pa., to Miss Sarah C. Pittsley of Coventry.

In Cleveland, May 7th, by Rev. J.A. Thome, Mr. John Bladerson, of Cleveland, to Miss Ann Hall, formerly of Oxford [Chenango Co., NY].

At Trinity Church, Elmira, N.Y. [Chemung Co.], May 20th, by Rev Wm. A. Parci, D.D., Mr. Jesse H. Read, to Miss Nellie G. [Cooke], youngest daughter of George J. Cooke, Esq., all of the above-named city.

In McGrawville Cortland Co. [NY], May 20th, by Rev. W.C. Dye, Mr. James Harvey of Pitcher [Chenango Co., NY] to Mrs. Addie Bently, of Cincinnatus [Cortland Co., NY].

At the Felt House, in Earlville [Madison Co., NY], May 19th, by Rev. A.C. Smith, Mr. Salmon Stone, of Charlestown, Mass., to Miss Nellie M. Beals, of Fitchburg, Mass.

Deaths

In Delhi [Delaware Co., NY], May 19th, Mr. Samuel Gordon, Jr., aged 29 years.

In Guilford [Chenango Co., NY], May 9th, Mrs. Hannah L. Leonard, aged 69 years.

In Bainbridge [Chenango Co., NY], May 1st, Mr. Martin K. Dibble, aged 86 years.

In Coventry [Chenango Co., NY], May 14th, Clarissa [Smith], wife of Lyman Smith, aged 86 years.

Chenango Union, Norwich, NY, June 3, 1868

Marriages

At the residence of the bride's father, in this village [Norwich, Chenango Co., NY], on Monday morning, June 1st, by Rev. S Scoville, Mr. Henry M. Knapp to Miss Mary S. Denslow, daughter of George W. Denslow, all of Norwich.  

At the residence of the bride's father, in this village [Norwich, Chenango Co., NY], on Tuesday morning, June 2d, by Rev. S. Scoville, Mr. Horace P. Breed, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Miss Ella J. Wescott, daughter of Guy R. Wescott.

In this village [Norwich, Chenango Co., NY], May 26th, by Rev. S. Scoville, Mr. Elisha Parker, of Sandusky, Ohio, to Miss Mary Tompkins of Norwich.

In Mogadore, Ohio, May 13th, by Rev. J.M. Monroe, Mr. John J. Fish of Oxford [Chenango Co., NY] to Miss C.M. Bradley, of the former place.

Deaths

On the 1st inst. at the State lunatic Asylum, Utica [Oneida Co., NY] Gen Henry De Forest of this village [Norwich, Chenango Co., NY] aged 79 years.  His funeral will take place at Emmanuel Church, today (3d inst.) at 3-1/2 o'clock.

In East Norwich [Chenango Co., NY], May 22d, Mrs. Nancy Goodrich, wife of Alvah Goodrich, aged 76 years.

In Greene [Chenango Co., NY], May 24th, Mr. Alexander J. Graham, aged 88 years.

In Greene [Chenango Co., NY], May 20th, Mary [Verrill], wife of John Verrill, aged 64 years.

In Greene [Chenango Co., NY], May 4th, Simon Willard [Kinyon], infant son of Peter and Josephine Kinyon, aged 11 months.

Chenango Union, Norwich, NY, June 10, 1868

Marriages

In Greene [Chenango Co., NY], May 23d, by Rev. H. Garlick, Mr. Oscar Bronson of Smithville [Chenango Co., NY], to Miss Julia E Porter of Greene.

In Pharsalia [Chenango Co., NY], June 2d, by Rev. E.W. Allen, of Pitcher, Mr. W.T. Ford of Des Moines, Iowa, to Mrs. Frank Follett, of Pharsalia.

Deaths

In this town [Norwich, Chenango Co., NY], June 7th, Carrie V. [Burlingame], daughter of Enos H. Burlingame, aged 8 years.

In Sherburne [Chenango Co., NY], May 22d, Uzial Follett, Esq., father of D.L. Follett, Esq., of this village [Norwich, Chenanog Co., NY], aged 67 years.

In Mt. Upton [Chenango Co., NY], May 16th, Mr. James D Graves, aged 59 years.

In Greene [Chenango Co., NY], April 2d, Mr. John Furlow, aged 66 years.

In Sherburne [Chenango Co., NY], June 1st, Harriet A. [Newton], wife of Lucius Newton, aged 39 years.

In Guilford [Chenango Co., NY], May 31st, Mr. Almon F. Dimock, aged 61 years.

In Guilford [Chenango Co., NY], June 3d, Mr. Richard Odell, aged 46 years.

In Plymouth [Chenango Co., NY], June 5th, of diptheria, Viotie [Cushman], daughter of Geo. P. Cushman, aged 3 years and 2 months.

Death of Gen. Henry De Forest

As noticed in our obituary column last week, this well-known and highly respected citizen of Norwich [Chenango Co., NY], died on the 1st inst., aged 79 years.

Gen. De Forst early in life commenced business as a merchant at Richfield Springs; thence he removed to New Berlin, continuing the same business, and soon became joint proprietor of a woolen factory, under the firm name of Knapp & De Forest.  Thence he removed to Olean.  Here resided judge Benjamin Chamberlain, who was then a poor young man; but had just commenced a promising business, when suddenly his sawmill and a large quantity of lumber were consumed by fire, by which he lost his all, and was moreover in debt. The following is quoted from a biography of Judge C., published by the Cattaraugus Agricultural Society in 1857:

"At this time there was but one merchant in the County.  This was Capt. Henry De Forest, who was trading at Olean.  To him Chamberlain applied for aid, and told him the story of his loss, and laid before him his plans for the future.  Capt. De Forest readily granted him a credit of $1,000 in goods, which enabled him to reconstruct his mill, and again embark in business.  We have occasion to know that judge Chamberlain attributed his successful commencement in the world to Capt. De Forest and to this day regards him in grateful remembrance as the founder of his fortune."

At Olean, Gen. De Forest became engaged in the great lumber trade.  This place was known throughout the State and New England for a long time and until the opening of the Erie Canal, as the point of emigration to the vast West, by rafts and flat boats down the Alleghany and Ohio Rivers. Gen. Dr. F. was the first man to ship lumber by raft through to New Orleans. This was at the time a great enterprise.  A New Orleans paper announced the adventure by heading it:  "See what the Yankees can do!:"

The lumber trade took Gen. De F. to Cincinnati, where he was a member of the firm of Moss, De Forest & Warren.  Here he would have remained, but the serious and protracted illness of Mrs. De F. recalled him to New Berlin.

\In 1829 he became proprietor of the Eagle Hotel, Norwich, which, under his intelligent and energetic management, became, perhaps, the most popular House in the Chenango Valley.  Just twenty years thereafter he retired from this Hotel; three months after which viz, July 4th, 1849, the old Eagle Hotel was burned to the ground.  He at once devoted his time and untiring energies to the rebuilding of this House upon a larger scale, and the structure of the Eagle Hotel upon its present foundations is entirely due to his indomitable perseverance.

In 1849, Gen. De F. was appointed Postmaster at Norwich, by President Taylor.  This was his last active business.  Soon after he came to this town he became a member of the Episcopal Church, and for many years filled the office of Senior Warden.