Vital Records, Norwich, NY, January to April 1840

 Chenango Telegraph, Norwich, NY

Marriages

In Smyrna [Chenango Co., NY], on the 6th inst. by Jacob Hecox, Esq., Henry H. Willcox to Miss Marion Purdie, all of that town. [Jan. 15, 1840]

In Norwich [Chenango Co., NY], on the evening of the 16th inst., by the Rev. L.A. Burrows, Mr. Marenus Janes, of Plymouth [Chenango Co., NY] to Miss Mary Dunkin, of North Norwich. [Jan. 22, 1840]

In Hamilton [Madison Co., NY], on Wednesday evening last, by the Rev. Mr. Backus, Mr. Mathew O. Wells of Preston [Chenango Co., NY], to Miss Mary S. Taintor of Colchester, Connecticut. [Apr. 15, 1840]

In Oxford [Chenango Co., NY], on the 29th inst. by the Rev. Mr. Sperry, Mr. William E. Chapman to Miss Sarah Livingston Lowe, all of that place. [Apr. 29, 1840]

Deaths

In Galveston, Texas, October 28th, with the Yellow Fever, Mr. Augustus C. Hinkley, formerly of this village [Norwich, Chenango Co., NY], aged 27 years. [Jan. 8, 1840]

Another case of death is to be added to the long catalogue which has already accumulated in consequence of carrying fire into sleeping rooms at night.  Two interesting daughters of Mr. C.N. Slocomb of our village [Cortland, Cortland Co., NY], of the ages of 10 and 12, on retiring to bed on Sunday evening last, carried with them a kettle of coals from the stove to warm the air in their room.  In the morning about 8 o'clock the father wanting the kettle, went into the room, and found the oldest child dead, and the other perfectly insensible.  From all appearances, the oldest one had been dead for some time, and the youngest one was with some difficulty resuscitated, and is now alive and well.  It is sincerely hoped that this will be a warning to all.  The mother of these dear children was knowing to their carrying the fire into the room and was well aware of the danger of burning charcoal in a close room but supposed that the burning of common coal from the stove or fireplace was perfectly harmless.  It should be known by al that one is equally fatal with the other, the only difference being the rapidity with which one or the other will be consumed.  Cortland Rep. [Jan. 29, 1840]

In this village [Norwich, Chenango Co., NY], on Friday morning last, Harriet Platt [Sanford], daughter of Augustus Sanford, aged two years. [Feb. 5, 1840]

William Pike Andrews, son of Burt B. and Lorine Andrews, of this village [Norwich, Chenango Co.., NY], departed this life on the 7th instant, of that dreadful disease the scarlet fever, after a sickness of five days, aged 1 year 7 months and 17 days.  Too pure for Earth, he has left us for Heaven. [Apr. 8, 1840]

In this village, [Norwich, Chenango Co., NY] on Thursday, the 19th inst. of Scarlet Fever and Canker Rush, Girard [Smith], only child of James H. Smith, Undersheriff of this county, aged 8 years and 6 months.

There was an early determination of the disease to the head which deprived him of reason, except at short intervals, after throwing him into a state of frantic wildness.  This rendered his sickness much of the time heart-rending and agonizing.  Of a sudden, nature sunk, the storm subsided, and he fell quickly into the peaceful slumbers of death, greatly to the relief of his agonized parents and attendants.  His funeral sermon was preached by Rev. A. Wheelock, Pastor of the Baptist church in this village from Isa. 52, 7 - "Thy God reigneth." The speaker endeavored to illustrate the doctrine of the wisdom and goodness of God in the dispensation of the darkest and most mysterious Providences.  Thus, has died among us another as lovely a child probably as ever lived. Girard was comely in his person, possessing one of the sweetest dispositions and in his manners was uncommonly graceful and attractive.  He loved the sanctuary and was always cheerful and glad to accompany his pious parents to the house of God for their sabbath devotions.  A smile of gladness was often litup upon the countenances of the father and mother as they marked the sprightliness of their boy and observed the modesty and gracefulness of his manner in entering the church. He was one of the idols of the Sabbath school, full of animation, imparting life and spirit to his class and to the public examinations which are conducted by the pastor during the sabbath intermissions.  What he was in the sabbath school room he was also in the domestic circle, constituting a kind of central attraction to all the family and giving a -?- all their enjoyment, especially during the more leisure hours of winter evenings when they [-?-] upon being enlivened by Girard and his books [rest unreadable]  [Mar. 25, 1840]