Friday, March 24, 2023

Vital Records, Chenango County, NY, September 1874 (continued)

 Chenango Union, Norwich, NY, September 10, 1874

Marriages

EATON - BRAND:  In Norwich [Chenango Co. NY], August 31st, by Rev. W.R. Waldron, Mr. William B. Eaton to Miss Hattie L. Brand, both of Norwich.

HIBBARD - LOOMIS:  At the home of the bride, Sept. 1st, by Rev. B.B. Carruth, Mr. Morell Hibbard, of Triangle, N.Y. [Broome Co. to Miss Ella S. Loomis, of Willett, N.Y. [Cortland Co.].

KINNEY - MAXSON:  At the residence of L.W. Ellis, in Otselic [Chenango Co. NY], August 23d, by Rev. J.M. Allen, Mr. Lymus B. Kinney to Miss Hattie H. Maxson, both of Georgetown [Madison Co. NY].

SABIN - BENTLEY:  At the home of the bride's parents, in Lincklaen [Chenango Co. NY], August 25th, by Rev. A. Harroun, Mr. Erwin D. Sabin to Miss Rosalia S. Bentley, both of Lincklaen, N.Y.

Deaths

STEERE:  In this village [Norwich, Chenango Co. NY], Sept. 6th, Lydia Steere, aged 78 years.

WOOD:  At the residence of George Polhill, in this village [Norwich, Chenango Co. NY], Sept. 3d, Loie [Wood], daughter of Stephen and Estella Wood, of Sherburne [Chenango Co., NY], aged 1 year and 8 months.

WILLARD:  In East Norwich [Chenango Co. NY] Sept. 6th, Charles W. [Willard] son of John W. and Clista Willard, aged 7 weeks and 3 days.

FORD:  In Oxford [Chenango Co. NY], Sept. 2d, Mary Elizabeth wife of Norman Ford, aged 53 years.

BURTON:  In Guilford [Chenango Co. NY], Sept. 3d, Mrs. Mary Burton, aged 65 years.

New Berlin [Chenango Co. NY]:  Charles D. Skinner, formerly of this place, was killed near Bangor, Maine on the 31st ult. while coupling cars on the railroad, his neck being broken by a stick of timber, projecting several inches from the car.  His remains were brought to this villa on Wednesday night last, by Julius Angell, with whom he left home a few years since.  Deceased was a son of Amasa Skinner. Gazette.

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RANSFORD:  In this town [Norwich, Chenango Co. NY], on Thursday, Sept. 3d, 1874 Mr. James Ransford, aged 60 years.

The subject of this sketch deserves more than a passing notice at our hands, having been identified with Chenango County, its growth and prosperity, for nearly three score and ten years.  His father, William Ransford, Jr., came to this town about the year 1790, and purchased the farm which has since been owned and occupied by the deceased.

When Mr. Ransford was but eight years of age, and within the period of six months, his father and mother both died, leaving five children, two younger than himself. The privations and hardships of the early settlers were met and conquered by him, and through his perseverance and frugality he had become one of the first farmers of Chenango County.

Although not assuming to lead in public affairs, no object intended for public or private good failed to meet his hearty approval and support and no appeal for aid or sympathy was ever passed unheeded by him. A kind and loving husband and father, a social and friendly neighbor, has gone; and while we mingled our tears and sympathy with those of the family and friends, we could but feel that we had all lost a friend, and that a good man had passed away.

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Homicide

The Pitcher [Chenango Co. NY] Register publishes an account of the violent death of Judson Hinman, formerly of that town, and son of the late John Hinman, which occurred in the town of Belmont, Wisconsin, on the 8th ult.  Hinman had hired a cousin of his, Calvin Warner, a crippled boy of sixteen years, to do some work for him, paying him for the job.  On the evening of the 8th, a dispute occurred between the two, at a neighbor's, Hinman claiming that the work had not been done as agreed.  After some words, Hinman got upon his horse and rode away, but presently returned, dismounted, and declared his intention of settling the matter then and there, taking young Warner by the throat, when an old brother of Warner, named Edwin, dropped his knife with which he was engaged in skinning a sheep and raised a stick of Stovewood for the purpose of deterring Hinman from striking the crippled boy.  Hinman let go of the boy and struck at Edwin, who parried the blow and struck him on the left side of the head, knocking him down and fracturing his skull.  Hinman gradually failed until the 10th when he died, never speaking a word after the blow.  An inquest was held, and Warner was exonerated for protecting his brother from assault.  Hinman was intoxicated.

Chenango Telegraph, Norwich, NY, September 10, 1874

Deaths

WILSON:  In Smyrna [Chenango Co. NY], August 31st, at his residence, Mr. Samuel Wilson, aged 82 years.  He was born in Hancock, Mass., 1792, took part in the war of 1812; afterwards elected to the Legislature of his native State; thus, lending his services to his country in war, he became her counsellor in peace.  About the year 1840 he removed with his family to Smyrna village, where he gained the respect and confidence of all who knew him.  A man of too good sense to interfere in the business of others, he at the same time was competent to take charge of his own and having served his generation and enduring a protracted illness, he passed away, leaving his family to mourn his loss.

ROOD:  In Holmesville [Chenango Co. NY], August 30th, of lingering consumption, Lovina [Rood] wife of Henry H. Rood, formerly of this village, aged 58 years, 6 months.  Mrs. Rood had been a sister in the M.E. Church for 49 years and died in living faith in God pointing toward heaven.

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Charles A. Wetmore, whose death we chronicled last July, is thus kindly but deservingly spoken of in a recent issue of the Worcester, Mass. Daily Spy:

With the earlier portion of Mr. Wetmore's life, who had no personal acquaintance, but his maturer years had developed so strong and noble a character, so rich and active a mind, that many in this vicinity are desirous of testifying their sense of his worth and of the loss which the cause of education has met in his death.

He was born in Norwich, Chenango County, N.Y.  In youth and early manhood, he was called by necessity, to a more than usual amount of physical labor.  Every year, however, deepened his purpose to devote himself to study, and to the work of the Christain Ministry.  He was, at length, enabled to enter Hamilton College, graduated there, and pursued a course of theological study.  But when entering upon the duties of the ministry, a serious asthmatic affection disabled him for public speaking.  He lost no time in vain lament, but turned to the congenial work of instruction, at least until he might find himself able again for his chosen profession.  In March 1871, he came to Leicester, to take the responsible post of principal of the Academy.  And now, after over three years of most conscientious work, in which he fairly won for himself the highest respect as a thorough teacher, as a scholar of high aims and pure tastes, and as a high-minded man, he is summoned away from all earthly labor.  It seems a manifest duty to make this simple record of his character and worth, speaking of him as he was, and as he worked for us, and among us here.

He was a most loyal scholar and enthusiast in teaching.  He believed in close study and was himself a student.  Neither bodily weakness, nor positive severe suffering could quench the ardor of his nature, his hopefulness or his high resolves.  He worked hard when little able to work at all, and in circumstances when most others would have declined work altogether.  Had he lived, and in health, the cause of good learning in our land would unquestionably have had in him an able and honored advocate.  For he was of a large and generous nature, without bigotry of opinion in any direction, loving and desiring truth, and giving a welcome to all that scholars and earnest thinkers had gained or might gain in every department of knowledge.  He was in full sympathy with every sincere endeavor to enlarge the field of human attainment and kept himself ready to adopt every real improvement in the art of teaching.

And he was no mere routine teacher, following a well beaten track, and content with exercises performed mechanically.  He sought to awaken in his pupils' minds an interest in their studies akin to his own, that it might be within them a self-moving force and insure their successful attainments.  So, he studied them, while they studied their books, studied their dispositions, tastes and mental qualities, and their moral characters and aims not less.  He watched them carefully and patiently, to discover, if he might, the secret spring that should open mind and heart, unlock their faculties and show them the fountains of knowledge and honorable excellence.  He was not discouraged, though the soil proved hard and unyielding at first, and seldom failed to see the good result of his methods.

The manner of his death was in strict accordance with the whole course of his life. Death came to him while still hopeful, still forming plans of work for himself, and aspiring to do good and great things in the earthly life which he believed was yet in store for him, with renovated power.  He had fought his persistent and painful disease, asthma complicated with other maladies, through long months and years of pain, had never surrendered, never despaired.  His last day on earth was a hopeful and happy one.  Suddenly the supreme moment came to him, and, as by a shot on the field of battle, he fell, literally fell, a brave and constant soldier to the last.

"Come from the heat of battle, and in peace, / soldier, go home; with thee the fight is won."

And what an example has he left to his pupils and to us all.  Cast down perhaps sometimes, but never in despair, during all the three years that we knew him, years of scarcely intermitted sufferings, he gave the diligence, devotedness and hearty interest as a strong and healthful man to the institution of which he was the head, and to the pupils who were committed to his trust. Though his life was much of the time a painful struggle, he kept faith and courage, kept his eye steadily upon his work, and would rarely relinquish any details of it into other hands.  He will long be remembered by many with honor and admiration, while the affectionate and grateful regard of many pupils are a rich reward and unfading crown.

Leicester August 24th, 1874

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News Item

On Saturday last we had the pleasure of meeting in our village, the surviving sons of the late Jabez Robinson, who was Sheriff of this county, during the term commencing in 1834.  There were four of them, viz:  Samuel M. Robinson of Oxford, John W. Robinson, of Jackson, Mississippi; Rev. James A. Robinson, of Jamestown, New York, and Charles L. Robinson, of Bolton, Miss.  Their visit was a welcome one to their many friends and acquaintances, all of whom have pleasant recollections of the boys when they resided here.  The second son, John W., removed from Oxford to Jackson in 1846; and Charles, to Bolton, in 1860. The latter was born in the jail residence in this village, while occupied by his father as Sheriff. Though these have been so long in the south, we are glad to know they do not sympathize with the disastrous persecutions inflicted upon later emigrants, and upon the recently enfranchised.  All these brothers are in their manhood, what their youth gave promise of honest, upright, conscientious citizens, who each bear their part successfully in the drama of life. We hope their re-unions may be oft repeated.

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