Thursday, October 26, 2023

Vital Records, Chenango County, NY, February 1877 (Continued)

 Chenango Semi-Weekly Telegraph, Norwich, NY, February 14, 1877

Deaths

Mrs. George Curtis a venerable lady residing at White Store [Chenango Co. NY], was buried Feb. 11th.  Rev. Mr. Barnard and the well-known Elder Chamberlin officiated.  Rev. Mr. Chamberlin said that over fifty years ago he came into Unadilla Valley when Mrs. Curtis was a youthful bride.  She was among the last of the friends of those years.  They were gone.  Their children and their children's children filled their places.  Such is life.  The large congregation assembled at the funeral, proved the great respect in which the deceased was held by the community.

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Philo Robinson well known to the older citizens of this county [Chenango Co. NY], died at Ecorse, Mich, on the 2d inst. at the advanced age of 86 years.

Mr. Robinson was born in Stockbridge, Mass.  In his early youth he removed to Sherburne, N.Y. [Chenango Co.] where he lived until the spring of 1856, when he moved to Homer [Cortland Co. NY] where he remained until the fall of 1862.  He then moved west with his son, living with him at Toledo and Ecorse until his death.

He was a man of more than ordinary intelligence and ability, of high moral character, genial disposition, scrupulous integrity, and an active spirit which prompted him to participate in all efforts to promote the general welfare of society.  In 1841, he was appointed Associate Judge of this County, a position which he held for years with credit to himself and honor to the County.  In Sherburne as well as throughout the entire county where he was known, he was greatly loved and respected, as well indeed in the places in which he more recently resided.

His son, William Robinson, will be remembered by many of our middle-aged people as an esteemed popular teacher of theirs while Principal of the Norwich Academy.

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A shocking and fatal accident occurred on Friday morning at Sidney Plains [Delaware Co. NY] by which Gabriel Rathbone of Oneonta [Otsego Co. NY] met with a horrid death.  He was in the employ of the D.&H.C. Company as brakeman, and while backing in on a sidetrack to make a connection of three "flats" to a "gondola" standing on the end of the rear car, within a few feet of the gondola, he jumped forward to the ground, having in his hand a coupling pin.  He fell across the rails and one car passed over him, crushing and mangling his legs in a fearful manner.  The engine was at once stopped and the poor fellow was placed upon the car and taken down to the depot and from thence to the Delaware House, where physicians were quickly summoned, Drs. White of Sidney and Meachem of Bainbridge.  Nothing could be done to save his life.  He died in great agony about two hours after the accident.  He leaves a hard-working mother to mourn his death.  

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The severe attack of illness of the aged and lamented Mr. Harry Per Lee, mentioned in my items last week, was unexpected, and when the sad intelligence of his sudden death reached our ears, it seemed almost incredible.  Mr. Per Lee did not apparently show any peculiar symptoms to indicate more than his usual infirmity, consequent of advanced years, until Tuesday morning at the store, he was taken then in a sleigh and carried to the residence of Mrs. Cuyler Per Lee, where immediate attention and excellent care was employed to alleviate his sufferings.  Late in the afternoon the pain nearly subsided and he was able to walk out and inhale the fresh air once more, and hopes were manifested of his sure and speedy recovery.  On Wednesday evening he went to his bedroom and retired for the night in his quiet, usual way, and undoubtedly enjoyed a pleasant refreshing sleep till about two o'clock, he awoke, restless and uneasy, and those two last hours he endured, wrestling with the strong messenger of death, must have been to him long and tedious, but at last the time had come when he must bid adieu to friends and try the realities of another world, and last of all, "Death was swallowed up in Victory through Christ our Lord."

The funeral services were held at the Universalist Church, last Saturday, at 11 A.M., where many friends and relatives assembled to pay their last tribute of respect and love to the memory of the deceased.  The services were conducted by the Rev. E.W. White of Hamilton. The text selected for the solemn occasion was from Revelation 14th chapter, 13th verse:  "Blessed are the dead which died in the Lord from henceforth: yea, saith the spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them."  Brother White's discourse was carefully and attentively listened to and did credit to his reputation and theme.  After the conclusion of his remarks and the choir had sung, the lid of the coffin was removed and an invitation was given out for all persons who desired to view the remains of "Uncle Harry" for the last time. The invitation was accepted, and many took their last look to bid farewell to those familiar features forever.  

"Then there was a tear for him who died, / A mourner o'er the humblest grave, / And many swelled the funeral cry, / But, he triumphs with the saved."

The remains were then conveyed to the cemetery and then it was lowered into the silent grave to await the final resurrection.

Mr. Per Lee was born in Dutchess County [NY] in the year 1792 and at an early period of his life he became considerably interested in a series of revival meetings that were being carried on in a church near where he was then living, there the Gospel Truth was forcibly impressed upon his mind that he was a great sinner and finally resulted in his thorough conversion and consecration to God.  Soon after this he united with the Presbyterian Chruch, where he remained a true Christian and a brilliant member for many years.

About the year 1853 he left Dutchess County and came to North Norwich to live and made his home with relatives and with the exception of an interval of three years that he was in his native county, he has been a resident of this village, twenty-five years up to the time of his death, and these many years that the was a citizen in this community, it evidently was not his aim and object to shine in wealth and popularity.  His practical experience had taught and convinced him what was most useful and enabled a man to do the greatest good, a character therefore for probity and discretion was far more desirable than worldly possessions or pleasures, nay than the renown of shining talents and splendid performances.  But "a name in the book of life" was the only distinction that would prove finally advantageous.

This was his felicity, and his experience and conduct proved it, and for this reason can his relatives, friends, and acquaintances, rejoice in the thoughts of his death as a removal from sorrow and fear, affliction and disease, and an entrance upon the full enjoyment of all, which he had here loved and thirsted after.  Mr. Per Lee had obtained and preserved an incalculable number of variable friends by cultivating a friendly disposition and acting in a faithful, generous and beneficent manner, and the friends whom God had raised up to him and who were attached to him for his true piety and integrity cleaved close to him in his afflictions and this friendship still remains invariable and shall not be dissolved in death but shall endure forever.  The good examples, pious discourses, wise instructions, fervent prayers and zealous good works that this aged veteran Christian has left this little community of ours, is so indelibly stamped on the memory of his friends as to be ever fresh, and full of meaning and expression and will prove a memento all through our lives, and give strength and encouragement as we journey on toward that rest where he has been taken and when we pass through the valley and shadow of death we can be able to shake hands with him in a hearty welcome on the other shore.

"Then let us, 'midst pleasure and woe, / Still for Heaven our spirit prepare, / And shortly we also shall know / what Uncle Harry is doing there.

G.S.T.

Sherburne News, Sherburne, NY, February 17, 1877

Marriages

SPAULDING - BOOTH:  At the residence of the bride's parents in Sanford, N.Y. [Broome Co.], February 8th, 1877, by the Rev. J.D. Bloodgood, Mr. Willis E. Spaulding of Columbus, Chenango County, N.Y. and Miss Albina Booth of the former place.

DAVIS - BLACKMAN:  At the residence of the bride's father in Columbus, N.Y. [Chenango Co.], Feb. 15, 1877, by the Rev. N.J. Hawley, Mr. C. Sheldon Davis of Philadelphia and Miss Mary E. Blackman of Chicago.

Deaths

BURNS:  In this village [Sherburne, Chenango Co. NY], on the 14th inst., Mr. Frank Burns aged 60 years.

HILL:  At Crystal Lake, Ill, December 29th, 1876, Mrs. Ellen L. Hill, wife of William Hill, aged 45 years.  Mrs. Hill was daughter of William and Abey Champlin, formerly of this town [Sherburne, Chenango Co. NY].

SCOVILLE:  At West Junction, February 7th, 1877, Mrs. Elizabeth Scoville, aged 84 years.

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