Tuesday, September 12, 2023

Vital Records, Chenango County, NY, September 1876 (continued)

 Chenango Telegraph, Norwich, NY, September 14, 1876

Marriages

Coventry [Chenango Co. NY]:  Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Tifft celebrated the twenty-fifth anniversary of their wedded life on Saturday afternoon, the 9th inst.  A goodly number of friends gathered at their home where every arrangement was found for a good merry making time.  A rustic bower had been built out of doors in which was served a bountiful repast.  In short it was one of those rare occasions when everyone is willing to lay aside the petty annoyances of life, and see everybody else happy, and the guests after enjoying themselves to the fullest extent, at last retired to their homes, leaving besides some substantial tokens of esteem, together with their best wishes for the bride and groom for a golden wedding.

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On Wednesday evening, at St. Paul's Episcopal Church [Oxford, Chenango Co. NY], occurred the beautiful and impressive ceremony which united in marriage Mr. William R. Mygatt, one of our junior members of the bar, and Miss Agnes P. Hull.  Rev. Mr. Duff gracefully performed the marriage service.  Soon after 7 o'clock the seats at the Church were being rapidly filled, under direction of the ushers, Messrs. W. Mygatt miller and Robt. M. Cannon, Ben S. Miller and Gerrit H. Hull, and at the hour of 8, there was scarcely standing room for more.

The bridal party entered the Church accompanied by Misses Kitty Hull and May Mygatt, as bridesmaids, and Messrs. Jonas Brooks, of Albany, and Mr. Charles Rhodes, of Philadelphia, as groomsmen.  Mr. John T. Mygatt of New York afforded most acceptable music from the organ.  The bride was charmingly attired in a rich white silk with a profusion of bridal veil and orange blossoms, which added new luster to an ever-attractive face and manner.  "She was good as she was fair."

The groom, in the usual dress of black, lost none of his bright and ruddy look, and moved towards the altar, with a brisk business air, though it was evidently necessary to make haste slowly, if one kept time with the very deliberate wedding march.

At the pleasant residence of A.J. Hull, Esq., father of the bride, were afterwards gathered relatives, numbering sixteen families, with scores of other friends, to speak words of congratulation and enjoy the rare feast of good things so amply provided.

Seldom do we see a happier company.  Seldom are met more genial souls than were assembled to convince the fortunate pair that they were indeed one and inseparable.  The bright lighted parlors furnished a brilliant scene of fair faces, and rich dresses among whom were several recent brides, of no small attractions, while the perfume of flowers and strains of sweet waltz music, filled the air.  Beneath the traditional marriage bell, of varied texture and bright colors, a work of deft fingers, the bride and groom received good wishes from their many friends.  In a cozy little room adjoining, were spread out in most tempting array, an almost countless number of rich and costly gifts of gold and silver, cut glass, etc. upon which many bright eyes were constantly bent.  Numerous friends and relatives were present from a distance bringing choice gifts and congratulations.  The happy party was prolonged with dancing and sociality till long after midnight.

Mr. Mygatt and his bride are now on a trip to Philadelphia, Saratoga and Lake George.  We hope for them a safe return.  May they see a silver lining in every cloud, and may "love rule without law," in their future home.

Deaths

John Wikoff of Cherry Valley [Otsego Co. NY], 80 years of age, was fatally injured by a horse Thursday of last week.  He was standing in the barn, where his son, Thomas Wikoff, was threshing with horses, leaning against a post, when one of the horses bumped its head against a scaffolding and sprang back against him.  His collar bone and two of his ribs were broken and several internal injuries received.

Deacon Comfort Lee, an aged citizen of North Otselic [Chenango Co. NY], was found dead in his field near the barn on Thursday morning last.  He went out at evening to do his chores, and not returning, his wife, an aged lady, thought he might have gone to one of his neighbors to settle a matter of account.  Mrs. Lee, becoming somewhat concerned, asked Rev. Mr. Davenport, who occupied as a store a portion of the building in which the old people resided, to have his boy, if he had not gone to bed, go to the neighbor's house and see if the old gentleman was there.  The boy having retired, and no fears having been excited in the minds of Mr. Davenport's family, no search was made till morning, when the deacon was found dead, apparently having died in a fit.  The aged wife spent a night of anxiety, yet scarcely dreamed that so bad a fate had befallen her husband as the morning revealed. Deacon Lee had long been a resident of Otselic, and he was respected wherever known.  Dr. Mason examined the body and an inquest was deemed unnecessary.

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A correspondent of the Cazenovia Republican gives an account of the death of Mr. Charles Jackson, formerly of Cazenovia [Madison Co. NY] which took place recently in San Francisco.  It was his daughter's wedding day.  Some five hundred invitations for the wedding were issued about two weeks since, and today being the birthday of the groom was selected for the bridal. brilliant preparations had been made. Grace Church to which the family belonged was to be the scene of the nuptials.  the guests were assembling; the streets were thronged with carriages, elegantly dressed ladies, and gentlemen who had left the marts of trade to see their friends united in marriage.  At half past twelve the nuptials were to be solemnized, when suddenly, like an eclipse at noon the announcement came that Mr. Jackson had fallen dead in his room, and there would be no wedding at the church.  A thrill of sympathetic grief, mingled with terror, ran through that gaily attired and expectant throng.  It did not seem possible that such could be the case.  Mr. Jackson was never ailing, never sick.  Friends felt sure it must be Mrs. Jackson, who had been an invalid for several months, but who had for some time been improving and was to be present at the church today.  But the sequel revealed the sad fact of Mr. Jacksons sudden and really shocking demise which is thus told in the San Francisco Bulletin:

"The bridal party was ready to leave the house and proceed to the church, the arraying of the bride in her wedding habiliments had been finished, and with a face beaming with smiles, she presented herself before her father to receive his admiring approval.  Mr. Jackson heard his daughter, when she tripped into the room, and his attention being called to her presence he turned around, looked admiringly at her, and dropped dead at her feet.  His sudden death is ascribed to heart disease."  At the wise suggestion of friends, the marriage was solemnized in the house of mourning and in the presence of the dead, by Revs. Dr. Platt, of Grace church and Easton, of Benecia

Oxford Times, Oxford, NY, September 13, 1876

Death

PARSONS:  At Brightly, Goochland Co., Va., Sept. 2d, Carrie Elizabeth [Parsons], daughter of W.A. and Anna P. Parsons, aged 1 year, 11 months and 25 days.

Chenango American, Greene, NY, September 14, 1876

Marriage

At the residence of the bride's father in this town [Greene, Chenango Co. NY], Sept. 7th, by Rev. J.H. Sage, Mr. Eugene Marcey Spencer to Miss Alice A. [Harrington] daughter of William S. Harrington, Esq.

Deaths

Smithville [Chenango Co. NY], Aug. 29th, Jesse E. [Perkins], youngest son of Oscar R. and Jenny C. Perkins, aged 4 months. 

In Marathon [Cortland Co. NY], Sept. 4th, Nellie [Kelley] oldest daughter of Wallace and S. Louesa Kelley, aged 8 years.

Sherburne News, Sherburne, NY, September 16, 1876

Death of Nellie Pratt Avery

Everyone has an interest in the city of the dead.  The ground where the good are taking their final sleep has a sacredness for the living.  Such a place is the one on earth the nearest to heaven, and their friends love to go there.  Should certain of the readers of The News go to Greenwood they will be glad to visit the grave of one from them.  She read the News with deep interest and felt that Sherburne [Chenango Co. NY] was her real home.  Turn to the right at the main entrance of the cemetery past "Arbor Water" on the right and "Valley Water" on the left and along "Landscape Avenue," by "Evening Dell" and "Mathews" monument and beyond a few steps to "Sunset Path" go down that a few steps to a bend in it and to the right and close to the path lies all of earth there is of her that was once Nellie Pratt [Avery].  All that now marks the place is the gentle gray mound surmounted by a wreath of white immortelles, graced with the tender words, "My Nellie" traced in purple ones. A few call there and all that do drop tears of unfeigned grief, because they believed in and have felt the soft pressure of her generous hand.

She tried constantly, her whole life, wisely or not, to tide the poor, the sorrowing and suffering over their wants, griefs, and pains.  Such was her largeness of heart that hunger, thirst, pain, cold and wretchedness, day or night, on her part was not to be thought of or counted as anything if by suffering one or all she could aid a fellow mortal.  Of the severest simplicity, yet of such queenly feelings, she must be supreme in her social circle and loved to adoration to be happy. She kept to the last read up in the literature of the day and daily increased in knowledge for her own and the pleasure and comfort of her near friends and spoke of what she read and knew in the most unobtrusive manner and bore with the ignorance of others without giving them the least pain or mortification. She observed every article of taste and domestic use and studied minutely its actual value and informed her friends. She was so thoroughly versed in metaphysics and told others their thoughts and feelings with such precision that she seemed almost inspired.  

For years she suffered almost constant pain and apprehension with scarcely a complaining word, and for the neglect of those near and dear to her she had a silent, smothered grief. The beauty of her soul shone with its brightest luster as she breathed her last prayers. She as it were took each of her relatives and friends in her arms and brought them to her God and begged of Him for each, every blessing heaven can bestow, with all the pathos and earnestness of her sympathetic nature.  Unfortunately for her she was led to feel that she was an orphan, and while she lived sighed night and day for an own mother's single love, and yet loved her father with an unbounded affection.  

She was born in Sherburne, May 10th, 1838, the child of Joshua and Rebecca Pratt.  Her mother died when she was only two years old. She was educated with care, enjoying the advantages of the schools at home and of the Seminaries at Binghamton, Cazenovia, Cooperstown and Poughkeepsie.  In the year 1856, Oct. 21, she was married to Geroge P. Avery.  She continued to reside in Sherburne until June 1861, and before that time united with the Congregational Church of the place upon a profession of her faith in Christ.  In the last year named she moved to Prattsburgh in Steuben County, the girl home of her mother and there by letter became a member of the Presbyterian Church of that place.  In 1870 she left there and finally took her last home in the city of Brooklyn. She became a constant attendant at Dr. Talmage's Tabernacle so long as her health would permit and until this summer's vacation.  After years of suffering from a complication of chronic diseases and when those near her began to think she might yet get well, the typhus fever set in, and in a short time burned out her remaining life and unconsciously and placidly she dropped into eternity on the 28th of August 1876.

Bainbridge Republican, Bainbridge, NY, September 16, 1876

Death

In Rockdale [Chenango Co. NY], Sept. 3d, 1876, Mr. Enos Brainard, aged 77 years.

News Item

Mr. Leroy Scott, marble dealer of this village [Bainbridge, Chenango Co. NY], has just completed a set of tomb stones for Floyd Wylie of Coventry, which, for quality of marble, beauty of design and finish, we have not seen anything to compare with in this vicinity.

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