Vital Records, Chenango County, NY, May 1875 (continued)

 Chenango Union, Norwich, NY, May 13, 1875

Marriage

BURR - COCKET:  In Poolville [Madison Co. NY] April 17th, by Ason C Brooks, Esq., Mr. George W. Burr of Poolville to Mrs. Betsey J. Cocket of Sherburne [Chenango Co. NY].

Deaths

BAINES:  In this village [Norwich, Chenango Co. NY], May 11th, Jane [Baines], wife of Edward Baines, aged 24 years.

KENYON:  At Pitcher Springs [Chenango Co. NY], April 30th, Mrs. Elizabeth Kenyon widow fo the late Manson Kenyon.

STRATTON:  In Oxford [Chenango Co. NY], April 29th, Nettie [Stratton] daughter of Charles E. and Marion . Stratton, aged 2 years 3 months and 13 days.

BACON:  In Pharsalia [Chenango Co. NY], April 12th, Dell Vera [Bacon] youngest daughter of Hendrick and Lucinda Bacon, aged 1 year 1 month and 2 days.

Alfred Brockay died in Cooperstown [Otsego Co. NY] April 17th, aged 91-1/2 years.

Hon. Jason C. Osgood a prominent citizen of Troy [Rensselaer Co. NY] and a former resident of Chittenango [Madison Co. NY], died on the 28th ult.

The body of Charles Ludwig, formerly of Oneida [Madison Co. NY] was found in a grove in Geddes, Onondaga Co [NY] a few days since, by some boys.

A son of Sidney White, aged ten years of Windsor [Broome Co. NY], was crushed to death by logs on the log way of a sawmill on the 30th ult.

Thomas A. Sedgwick a well-known citizen of Binghamton [Broome Co. NY] died on Sunday last, aged 56 years.

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HICKS:  In this town [Norwich, Chenango Co. NY], May 6th, Mr. Gurdon Hicks, aged 75 years.

Colonel Gurdon Hicks:  Of him whose honored name heads this article, and whose loss we mourn, much good may be truthfully said.  Born in that land, then in reason called "the land of steady habits," whose early boast was that her offspring were "by no -?- parental defiled," he came to this County in 1810, aged eleven years, the youngest of four brothers, who with their parents and a sister settled on the turnpike south of the Collins Gate, and about two miles below the village of Norwich.  The family brought with them the wealth of New England culture, sobriety, integrity, industry, and prudent enterprise. They built the first sawmill on Gillmore Brook, at the foot of the gorge and helped on in many similar works.

When approaching manhood, Gurdon is remembered as having the blushness of health upon his cheek, with strong and willing muscles, ready for any feat of bold and manly daring offering itself, to which a kind, just and generous nature, were ever inciting him.  School children struggling through the drifting snows always found a sympathizing hand to lift now one, then another, on his brawny shoulder for a ride, and himself going before with shuffling feet, making a path for the smaller scholars to follow after.  Rudeness in the larger boys towards the smaller hid its ugly head when "good Gurdon" was near or within call.

Milton says, "The boy shows the man, as morning shows the day."  So in this instance.  Hence, and with his manly form, came the Colonel's great popularity with the earlier military.

Coming to years, to him came also the paternal acres.  Here he built a modest home, not spacious, but large enough to lodge content.  Here he lived "Free from the bonds of credit and of debt," passing peaceful years - the summer, watching the friendly flocks grazing upon the green hillsides - the winter, in care for them in the pleasant plain below.  Later came the generous kine, bringing golden gains. Hence diminishing coffers were replenished, and balances over common wants were used to educate well and start in useful life grateful sons and daughters.  Here, too, the patriot offered up his first-born son, a brave and noble boy, a willing sacrifice to the god of war.  Here a fond father burthened himself with woes unutterable for his country's weal and through meekness and a high sense of duty wrung repose from suffering.

Though few men have greater equanimity of soul than had Mr. Hicks, yet with greatly waning years, night vexing day more and more, and still, day vexing might not the less, the greatest fortitude yields, and no power can stay the soul.  It hastens whence to the pure in heart a glad escape is given.  It is so ordained.

So, this good man departed by the same way which the great and good have taken in all ages and under all conditions, on Thursday, the 6th inst.; and in the quiet and calm of the latter part of the following sabbath, was followed to this rest by a large concourse of sorrowing and sympathizing friends.

Requiescat in pace.  H.P.

Oxford Times, Oxford, NY, May 12, 1875

Deaths

WOOD:  In Coventry [Chenango Co. NY], on 4th, Mrs. Wood wife of Henry Wood, aged 28 years.

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STRATTON:  In Oxford [Chenango Co. NY], April 29th, Nettie [Stratton] daughter of Charles E. and Marion L. Stratton, aged 2 years, 5 months and 13 days.

In Earth's wide spreading garden, / God is cultivating flowers, / they share His richest sunlight, / They drink soft summer showers, / They brighten countless places / With beauty in its bloom. / Till death, the reaper, calls them / And lays them in the tomb.

The Rose whose precious fragrance / Filled the household with delight, / The Lily, fair and spotless, / Are taken from our sight; / Then hearts are torn with anguish, / Joy seems forever fled, / Till they find the consolation / Faith and hope undying abed.

The ministry of children; / Soon finished and well done. / Lifting heavenward bereaved exes / When their earthly race is run; / Ere the winds of rains had blighted / Through the skies they swiftly passed, / Still sweet with lingering fragrance / and beauteous to the last.

Death, then, is not destructive, / Death, is not for them decay, / Death is harvesting our treasures / For a holier, happier day; / God strengthen faith, to see them, / Through the veil transparent made, / Where in His heavenly garden / The blossoms never fade.

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INGRAHAM:  In this village [Oxford, Chenango Co. NY], April 28th, Hattie E. [Ingraham] wife of George Ingraham, aged 26 years and 7 months.

Dearest sister, thou has left us, / Here thy loss we deeply mourn. / Still we feel that He has called thee / To a higher, happier home.

Thou hast left a lone companion, / Who for thee dost sadly mourn; / But we trust ere long to meet thee / Where sad parting is unknown.

O, thy three lonely little children, / Could'st thou to them have been spared we say, / For we feel a mother's care is needed / To guide them on this worldly way. /T

Thou has left a lone, and stricken mother, / Here thy worldly cares to maintain; / Still with all our deep afflictions, / We trust ere long to meet again.

Sherburne News, Sherburne, NY, May 15, 1875

Death

DONALSON:  At Canastota, N.Y. [Madison Co.], April 15th, of pneumonia, Mrs. Polly A. Donalson, sister of the late Dea. Williams Avery of Sherburne [Chenango Co. NY] and mother of Oliver A. Benedict of Lebanon [Madison Co. NY].