Vital Records, Chenango County, NY, June 1873 (continued)

 Chenango Union, Norwich, NY, June 12, 1873

Marriages

GIBSON - HOVEY:  In Oxford [Chenango Co. NY], May 5th, by L. Rev. D. Turner, Mr. Robert Gibson to Miss Ellen A. Hovey, all of Oxford.

BRONSON - NEAL:  In Nichols, Tioga Co. N.Y., June 5th, by Rev. George Comfort Mr. D.C. Bronson of Great Bend, Pa., to Miss Mary A. Neal, of the former place.

Deaths

HUBBELL:  In this village [Norwich, Chenango Co. NY], June 6th, Mr. Ira Hubbell, aged 77 years.

DWIGHT:  In Preston [Chenango Co. NY], June 10th, Almira T. [Dwight] wife of Dr. Thomas Dwight, aged 56 years.

SKILLMAN:  In McDonough [Chenango Co. NY], May 28th, Lucy L. [Skillman], wife of Benjamin L. Skillman, aged 54 years.

FARR:  In Oberlin, Ohio, April 2d, Mr. Bela Farr, Jr., aged 52 years, formerly of this village [Norwich, Chenango Co. NY].

The funeral of Willard Smith, whose death upon the railroad we mentioned last week, was attended on the 4th inst. by a squad from Co. E, 103d Regt. N.G.S.N.Y., acting as escort to the remains, accompanied by the Regimental Band.  The hearse was covered with the stars and stripes, and the appearance of the military was alike creditable to the members present, and to Capt. Sholes, who did the correct thing on this occasion.

Bainbridge [Chenango Co. NY]:  John H. Freiot, whose sudden death on the Beaverkill we noticed last week, was a son of Dr. J.W. Freiot, and son-in-law of Geo. H. Winsor, Esq.  He enjoyed the respect and esteem of all who knew him, and his sudden death is a great blow to his family and friends.  He leaves a widow and two little daughters.

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FARR:  In Norwalk, Ohio, May 31st, Mr. Joseph M. Farr aged 62 years, formerly of this village [Norwich, Chenango Co. NY].

The Norwalk (Ohio) papers bring to us the announcement of the death of Joseph M. Farr, a highly respected citizen of that place, which occurred on the 31st ult.  Deceased was a son of Bela Farr, formerly of this village and will be remembered by our older residents.  He learned the trade of printing in the old Journal office, under Hubbard & Johnson, after which he went to New York and thence to Norwalk. We copy from the Reflector of that village.

"He was born in Manlius, Onondaga Co. New York, October 15th, 1810.  While yet a child he removed with his father to Norwich, in the same State, where he learned the trade of printing.  After learning his trade, he worked a few months in New York City as composition on the old Courier and Enquirer. At the age of nineteen he became editor of a paper at Greene, Chenango County, but left shortly after to take charge of the Journal published at Lowville, Lewis County.  The spring of 1835 found him at New York again without any definite plans and it was just at this time that he met the late Samuel L. Hatch, an old friend and fellow compositor. The latter had been invited by a number of citizens of Norwalk to come to that place and start a Democratic paper, and the two decided to go into partnership and start the paper at once.  Procuring an outfit, they came to Norwalk in July and on the 20th of August 1835 the first number of the Experiment was issued by Hatch & Farr.  After a few years Mr. Farr became sole proprietor of the paper, finally disposing of it in the spring of 1854 to Redfield & Rule.  Mr. Farr was interested in the Gas Works from their first inception, and for the past twelve years has been the Secretary and Superintendent of the company.  In politics he was always a Democrat, and by that party was elected delegate from Huron and Erie Counties to the constitutional Convention of 1850-51.  In the labors of that Convention, he took an active part and performed his duties to the satisfaction of his constituents. All through the war he was an outspoken War Democrat and was appointed by the Governor one of the military Committee of this county.  Since the war he has taken no active part in politics.  For many years his health has been feeble, and during the past winter he suffered much, having been confined to the house since the early part of February.  Latterly his disease developed into quick consumption and on Saturday morning May 31st, in the 63d year of his age, he quietly and peacefully breathed his last."

We learn that Bella Farr, Jr., brother of joseph M. died at Oberlin, Ohio, on the 2d of April last, aged 52 years.

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A friend has furnished the Cooperstown Journal with the following sketch in regard to Mr. Harmon Stoddard, who died in Otselic, this County [Chenango Co. NY], on the 2d of May last, aged 76 years.  He had for many years been a subscriber for the Journal, as he was also a patron of the Union.

"Mr. S. was born in Litchfield, Conn., in the year 1797.  He removed with his parents to German [Chenango Co. NY], since called Otselic, in the year 1802, and settled within the neighborhood where he died. The family consisting of his father, mother, and four boys, came all the way from Connecticut with an ox team and a wagon, in which they brought all they possessed at that time.  German was then an unbroken wilderness with only one settler, Ebenezer Hill, in what is now included in the town of Otselic. They endured all the hardships and privations, incident to a settlement of a new country, making clearings on nearly all the lots in sight of the home where he died, selling their betterments, as he called their clearings to settlers as they came in.  At the age of 7 years, he had to take his axe in the morning, go with his elder brothers to the woods, and chop all day, and watched many a night to scare the wolves from the sheep fold.  On arriving at manhood, he and his brothers in harvest time would go to Genesee County where they could get money for their work, the journey to and from there being on foot. The grain at that time was cut with sickles, cradles and reapers being unknown in those days. Wishing, when about to return from one of these journeys, to bring something as a present for his mother, he could think of nothing more acceptable than a family Bible, which he purchased, lashed to his back, and brought from there and presented to her.  Just before her death, which occurred about 40 years ago, she gave it back to him, and he retained and preserved it with care, called for it but a short time before his death, tried to read from it, but the hands could not hold the volume, nor the tongue perform its office.  He died in full possession of his mental faculties, surrounded by his family and friends in the firm hope of blessed immortality.  He was the last survivor of his father's family.  He has told me that he and his eldest brother commenced taking the [Freeman's] Journal when they were young men, being the first paper taken by them, and he has taken it ever since with the exception of a short time."

News Items

Binghamton, Broome Co. NY:  Mrs. Thomas Conning is in jail, charged with the murder of her mother-in-law, Rosa Connity, aged seventy years.  The prisoner was addicted to the use of liquor, and she and her children were in the habit of terribly pounding the unfortunate old lady, hitting her over the head with broomsticks, washboards and clothes poles, knocking her down with clubs, turning her out of doors, throwing stones at her, and like recreations, from the effects of which ill treatment she died.  The coroner's jury rendered a verdict of murder, which led to her arrest.  It is indeed a case of slow, brutal murder.

Mr. Cook St. John celebrated his one hundredth birthday at the residence of his son, T.S. St. John, in Walton, Delaware Co. [NY], on Tuesday, June 3d.  From the Chronicle we learn that upwards of one hundred relatives and friends assembled to pay their respects to the patriarch, who had looked forward anxiously to that day, which he was spared to see, and his satisfaction was complete.  On the green surrounding the house a dining room was prepared, decorated with evergreens and the American flag.  Here the company sat down to a bountiful repast, Uncle Cook occupying a seat at the middle of the long table, having on either hand his descendants to the fifth generation. short addresses were delivered by Rev. Messrs. Purinton, Huntington and White.  In the afternoon a public reception was given, when a large number of citizens assembled, and were agreeably entertained.  The Walton Band added an additional attraction to the occasion, as did also the discussion of a huge century cake, with ice cream, fruits, &c.  The old gentleman was born in Norwalk, Ct., and is of Huguenot descent.  He removed to Walton in 1802, where he has since resided.  His mental and bodily faculties have been remarkable preserved, except his eyesight, which for years has been gradually failing, until now he cannot distinguish objects.