Saturday, February 19, 2022

Vital Records, Greene, NY, December 14 & 21, 1865

 Chenango American, Greene, NY, December 14, 1865

Marriages

In this town [Greene, Chenango Co., NY], on the 13th inst. by Rev. F Rogers, Mr. Thomas L.B. Salisbury to Miss Almeda [Beach], all of this town.

At the residence of S. Thompson, in this village [Greene, Chenango Co., NY], on the 8th inst. by Rev. I.B. Hyde, Charles Carter to Miss Anna Thomas, both of Towanda, Pa.

In Union Valley [Chenango Co., NY], on the 26th ult. by Rev. B.H. Brown, Charles Clark, of Deposit [Delaware Co., NY] to Miss Mary Price of Bainbridge [Chenango Co., NY].

Deaths

In Smithville [Chenango Co., NY], on the 11th inst. Ann [Harrison], wife of James J. Harrison, aged 45 years.

In Smithville [Chenango Co., NY], on the 5th inst. Margarey [McEnaney], wife of Onan McEnaney aged 40 years.

In Norwich [Chenango Co., NY], on the 8th inst., Sarah C. [Kershaw], daughter of James Kershaw, aged 16 years.

In Norwich [Chenango Co., NY], on the 10th inst. Mr. Francis J. Eschbech, aged 41 years.

In Sherburne [Chenango Co., NY], on the 11th int. Benoni H. Marks, M.D. aged about 70 years.

Chenango American, Greene, NY, December 21, 1865

Marriages

In Oxford [Chenango Co., NY], on the 15th inst. by R.T. Davidson, Esq., Mr. Thomas Sanders of Norwich [Chenango Co., NY], to Miss Laura A. Drake of Oxford.

In Oxford [Chenango Co., NY], on the 18th inst. by Rev. W.C. Bowen, Mr. Thomas Birdlebough to Miss Mary E. Stokes, both of Pitcher [Chenango Co., NY].

In Howard, Steuben Co. [NY], on the 13th inst. by Rev. Mr. Rork, Mr. Melvin W. Graves and Miss Julia A. Baker, formerly of Norwich [Chenango Co., NY].

In Croton, Del. Co. [NY], on the 7th inst. by Rev. W.W. Shaw, George W. Rice, of Norwich [Chenango Co., NY] to Mrs. Amelia A. Rice, of Croton.

At the house of the bride on the 13th inst., by Rev. J.H. Barnard, Wm. W. Chapel of Pitcher [Chenango Co., NY] and Miss Alice G. Pritchard, of Cincinnatus [Cortland Co., NY].

Deaths

At Pepperell, Mass. on the 9th inst. Hon. Abel Chandler, for many years a prominent and influential citizen of Norwich [Chenango Co., NY], aged 68 years and 10 months.

Shocking Murder in Brookfield [Madison Co., NY]

Chenango American, Greene, NY, December 21, 1865

On Thursday last (Thanksgiving Day) a most atrocious murder was perpetrated in the town of Brookfield, Madison Co. [NY].  It appears that an aged couple, named Crandall, resided on the road leading south from Leonardsville to New Berlin (near a place known as Coontown) living entirely alone with the exception of a hired man, who was gone to Utica to spend Thanksgiving Day. At about five o'clock in the evening a couple of men entered Mr. Crandall's home, and boldly confronted the old gentleman, commanded him to inform them of the whereabouts of some money belonging to the man in his employ, and which they professed to know was secreted in the house.  Mr. Crandall indignantly refused.  Finding intimidation useless, they seized Mr. Crandall, and telling him they knew that he had a large amount of money secreted, threatened him with instant death if he refused to inform them where it could be found.  At this point, old Mrs. Crandall, who had been in an adjoining room, becoming alarmed rushed into the room and discovered the situation of her husband, raised cries of alarm and calls for assistance, at the same time attacking the villains with a broom stick.  At this demonstration, one of the rascals is supposed to have drawn a revolver and deliberately fired at the old lady, with almost immediate mortal effect. The wretches then beat Mr. Crandall with a club or chair about the head until he was rendered insensible and, leaving him for dead, proceeded to search the house for money to the amount of $3,000, which was understood to be secreted there. The wretches thoroughly searched the house to no purpose.  Mr. C. had quite a respectable sum of money in his pockets when attached by the villains, none of which was taken. The house was search with the closest scrutiny, drawers, boxes, trunks, chests, &c, being ransacked throughout the house. The money, which was in U.S. Bonds, and was secreted between the straw and feather ticks of one of the beds was unmolested.

Mrs. Crandall was buried on Sunday last, and her funeral was attended by a large and sympathetic gathering of relatives and friends.

The Utica Observer of Monday evening states that at the latest advices, Mr. Crandall was alive, with some probability of his ultimate recovery.  About an hour after the departure of the murderers, Mr. C. became conscious, and fully realizing the horrors of the whole affair and his necessity for medical aid, by an almost superhuman effort, procured his lantern and walked nearly a mile across the fields to the residence of his brother, where he narrated the particulars of the crime and procured assistance.

A Jury was empaneled, and a Coroner's inquest commenced on Saturday.  No additional facts were elicited, and no clue has been gained by which the perpetrators of the dreadful deed may be identified.

The Crandall Murder

Chenango American, Greene, NY, December 28, 1865

Two men, says the Chenango Union of yesterday, were arrested at Auburn last week who were suspected of being the parties guilty of the Crandall murder at Coontown.  On being taken to the latter place, Mr. Crandall failed to identify them, when they returned to Auburn to answer to a charge of theft, that being the accusation under which they were arrested.

Telegraph & Chronicle, Norwich, NY, August 28, 1867

We find the following paragraph in the Brookfield correspondence of the Oneida Union.

Henry D. Crandall has been summoned to Auburn Prison, to see a man supposed to be the murderer of Mrs. Crandall.  He recognized him at once as one of the men who assaulted him and murdered his wife.  He even shows the scars on his head where they hit him with his cudgel.  Crandall is positive there is no mistake in the identity.  He says he knows he is the man.  He will be taken from prison and tried for murder.

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