Cherry Valley Gazette, Cherry Valley, NY, February 21, 1855
Marriages
At Canajoharie [Montgomery Co. NY], Jan. 8th, by Rev. Mr. Hammond, Mr. D.W.C. Johnson to Miss Catherine H. Litner.
At Springfield Centre [Otsego Co. NY], on the 7th inst. by Rev. I. Casler, Mr. George McRorie of Springfield, to Miss Ann Wikoff of Cherry Valley [Otsego Co. NY].
In Cooperstown [Otsego Co. NY], on the 13th Inst. by Rev. M.C. Manning, Mr. Charles R. Chamberlain to Miss Mary A. Shelland both of Worcester [Otsego Co. NY].
In Cooperstown [Otsego Co. NY], on the 12th inst. by Rev. Mr. Comfort, Mr. Edwin Eckerson to Miss Henrietta Thompson, both of Clarksville [Albany Co. NY].
In Otsego [Otsego Co. NY], on the 14th inst. by Rev. S. Goodman, Mr. James L. Walker of Middlefield [Otsego Co. NY] to Miss Annie M. Clark, daughter of A.H. Clark.
Deaths
In Cooperstown [Otsego Co. NY], on the 13th inst. Mr. Jacob Waldradt, aged 83 years nine months and one day.
In Unadilla [Otsego Co. NY], on the 29th ult. of apoplexy, Mr. Ebenezer Foote in the 83d year of his age.
In Portlandville [Otsego Co. NY] Jan. 27th, of consumption, Catharine [Doolittle] wife of Zina Doolittle and daughter of Mr. John Phillips, of Hartwick [Otsego Co. NY], aged 24 years.
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General John E. Brackett, who died suddenly in this City on the 25th inst. at the age of forty-two years was the son of the late James Brackett, Esq and was born in Cherry Valley [Otsego Co.] in the State of New York on the 12th of June 1812. At an early age, he entered the military School at West Point and graduated with distinguished honor in June 1832.
He was soon after stationed at Augusta in the State of Georgia and had the command of the arsenal near that city, during the stormy period of Southern nullification with orders from General Scott to fire the building and blow up the arsenal, provided the place could not be held against the enemy, who were momentarily expected to attack it. But the storm blew over without active hostilities, and Lieutenant Brackett with his command was dispatched upon various services in the South, and at one time commanded the gallant body of soldiers who were afterwards, under Major Dade, cut off almost to a man by the Indians in Florida. When the news reached young Brackett of the tragical fate of his old comrades in arms, he made immediate application to re-enter the army, having previously resigned his commission on account of his exemption from active duty.
But the Florida war closed before his new commission was actually received, and he commenced the study of law in his native village, which, after being admitted to the Bar, he continued to practice, as a profession for a number of years. He removed to Rock Island sometime during the year 1839 and devoted himself to his profession until the war with Mexico broke out, when he renewed his application for an officer's commission in the army. About this time, his health became seriously impaired, and it was thought a voyage at sea would materially benefit him. An opportunity was soon offered him, both of serving his country and trying the experiment of an ocean voyage upon his health. Col. Stephenson was dispatched by the government with a regiment to sail around the cape to California and take possession of that country and Mr. Brackett joined the expedition as Captain of one of the companies. While in this service he held command of the garrison at Sonoma, which he fortified as well against the common enemy as the Indians who were beginning to make serious depredations in the Northern part of California.
While at Sonoma, Captain Brackett was elected a member of the first Territorial Legislature of California and in this capacity drafted some of the most important laws for the government of the territory.
On the 11th day of April 1850, he was elected by the Legislature, Major General of the Second Military Division of the State, and after receiving his commission from Governor Burnett did much towards reducing to a condition of order and tranquility the distracted affairs of that distant and fast-growing Territory.
About four years ago, he returned to his old home in our midst with his constitution more feeble than ever. He bore his various bodily sufferings with amazing fortitude and died as he had lived with the most implicit faith in a better future.
To the highest attainments of the scholar, Gen. Brackett united those qualities of honor and integrity, which gained him the esteem of all who knew him. In the practice of his profession as well as in the various offices of public trust, both civil and military, which he filled, he gave the most unequivocal testimony of his capacity and integrity. His mind was richly stored with knowledge derived from many languages which he read and understood in the original. Only those who have perused the manuscripts he left behind him, which he never wished to have published during his lifetime, can form a proper judgement of either the extent or variety of his mental acquisitions.
During the last few years of his life, he was obliged in a great measure to suspend his favorite studies on account of his severe bodily afflictions. for several days previous to his death, he was conscious of his approaching dissolution, and conversed about it with cheerfulness and a mind evidently prepared for the change. On the day preceding his departure, he told his brothers he was liable to be taken off at any moment but persisted in refusing to have anyone sit up with him at night or be present with him in his last moments. He did not appear, however, on that day to be near the final goal than for several days previous, but a few hours before his death conversed as usual with his friends. Rock Island Advertiser
Otsego Democrat, Cooperstown, NY, April 3, 1847
Marriages
In Milford [Otsego Co. NY], on 21st ult. by Rev. L. Bolton, Mr. George J. Philips to Miss Maria A. Barnard, all of Milford.
In this town [Cooperstown, Otsego Co. NY], on the 18th by the Rev. Mr. Fulton, Mr. Van Rensselaer Voorhees to Miss Lydia Cronner.
In Richfield [Otsego Co. NY], on the 24th inst. by H.G. Hardin Esq., Mr. David Z. Curtiss to Miss Martha M. Brooks.
In Westford [Otsego Co. NY] on the 10th inst. by Rev. J. Shank, Alfred Brownell to Eliza Ann Reynolds.
Also, on the 4th inst. by the same, Silas Manzer to Miss Asenath Hubbard.
Deaths
In Otsego [Otsego Co. NY], on the 26th ult. Mrs. Phebe [Scribner] wife of Mr. Andrew Scribner in the 72d year of her age.
On the 30th ult at the residence of Clark D. Parshall in Middlefield [Otsego Co. NY], Alfred C. [Shepard], of Exeter [Otsego Co. NY], aged 19 years.
In Frankfort, Herkimer Co. [NY] on the 11th ult, Rev. Benjamin Harvey, aged 111 years, a soldier of the Revolution.
A young man by the name Daniel Burton, son of John Burton of Middlefield [Otsego Co. NY] when on his way home from a chopping bee late on Friday night 26th ult was frozen to death, when within a hundred rods of his father's house. His body was found on Sunday morning. An inquest was held over his body by Coroner Graves of this village and the jury rendered a verdict in accordance with the facts elicited.1
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