Vital Records, Chenango County, NY, May 1978

 Chenango Union, Norwich, NY, May 23, 1878

Anniversary

It was our good fortune to be present at the fiftieth anniversary of the day Lysander Moore and his  wife, formerly Esther Willcox, settled upon the farm they now occupy in McDonough [Chenango Co. NY].  It was projected by their children, and a complete surprise to Mr. and Mrs. Moore, until the procession of fifty-six teams began filing into their yard.  Mr. Moore being one of a family of twelve and his wife having several brothers and sisters, an assemblage of two hundred and twenty were present, all of whom, with the exception of less than fifty, were related.

A feast of good things was provided, including all of the necessaries and very many of the luxuries, with a liberal supply of ice cream, to which all did ample justice.  Speeches were then made by Rev. Mr. Towner, of McDonough; S. Moore, of Mt. Upton; Samuel Root and Samuel Lewis, of Preston; Kinyon Terry, of Norwich; E. Haynes, of Oxford; and George Church, of Smithville; all of an interesting an entertaining character, which space forbids us to copy.  A gold-headed cane was presented to Mr. Moore and a set of solid gold sleeve buttons to Mrs. Moore, by the children.  Miss Amelia Church of Norwich discoursed appropriate songs, and H. Haynes acted the part of general manager, to the eminent satisfaction of all concerned.

In this connection it may not be out of place to give some interesting particulars connected with the first settling by Sylvanus Moore, father of Lysander, who emigrated to this County [Chenango Co. NY] form the State of Connecticut in the year 1795, for the purpose of settling.  From Oxford he followed a line of marked trees five miles into the wilderness before he found a place he chose to locate.   He then and there resolved to make a beginning in the world for himself. being a single man, his entire wealth consisted of an axe and his clothes. The former he first used in constructing a rude cabin in which to lodge and cook his meals. This cabin was by the side of a large tree which he felled, and with it partly constructed his cabin, and cut a shelf into the side for his dishes.  It remained there a number of years, intentionally, no doubt, for some of his children remember playing on the same log and sitting on the shelf.  He soon had sufficient land cleared to put in some crops which he did without the aid of a team.  He then built a more convenient abode and married Betsey Curtis, of Oxford.  A few other families moved near about the same time, so they were not entirely without neighbors, but not without great privations, on which a history might be written, which is fresh in the memory of some of the eldest of the family - one incident in particular being worthy of note:

His wife remarked, on one occasion, that they were about out of meat.  He replied that he would go out after he had done his day's work, and kill a deer, Berkshires being not as abundant then as now, but bears, wolves and deer were without number.  Making good his word, he took down his gun and loaded it with a ball and seventeen buck shot and started into the woods a few rods distant.  He had traveled but a short distance, as luck would have it, which was generally on his side through life, when a deer started up.  It made a few jumps and stopped.  At that instant he fired.  The deer fell and he lost no time in reaching the place to make sure of his game.  But to his surprise he saw another lying on the ground, but a short distance from the first, in the last agonies of death, and more surprised still on seeing a third about getting upon his feet to make his escape, but being possessed of more than common muscular strength and activity, he succeeded in getting hold and holding him until he could cut his throat. The most singular part of all was that he had not seen but one when he fired.  Instead of the one he had three full grown deer, enough to replenish his small meat tub, and an abundant supply for all his neighbors. The lucky gun with which this was done is in the possession of one of the older children.

Sylvanus Moore lived upon this farm until his death at the age of eighty-one years.  Fifty years ago, Lysander left his father's house and went into the wilderness about four miles, where he began life, the results of which we that day enjoyed.

The company dispersed with resolves to have a purpose in life and though no one present could commence under such disadvantageous circumstances, yet we doubt if any ever attain better results.

Funeral of Edwin W. Brown

Last week we mentioned in our obituary column, the death of Edwin W. Brown, of Preston [Chenango Co. NY], after a brief illness. The funeral was appointed for Thursday afternoon at the residence of his father, Dudley Brown, Esq., and there was a very large attendance of neighbors and friends, many of whom came from a distance, there being some seventy carriages.  A dispatch was received from the widow of the deceased, who, with her daughter, had been visiting relatives in Kansas for some months past, and who had been summoned home by the announcement of his death, that they were detained several hours at Corry, Pa., and would be unable to reach home in time for the funeral, requesting a postponement of the burial.  Rev. L.F. Moore, of Flushing, L.I., former pastor of the Baptist Church in Preston, and an intimate friend of the family, delivered an impressive discourse when, in compliance with the request, the final services were postponed until Friday morning.  

The bereaved widow and daughter arrived on Thursday evening, and on the following morning there was again a large gathering of sympathizing friends who had not neglected to contribute a profusion of choice flowers for the occasion.  A long line of carriages followed the remains to the cemetery, where the last sad rites were performed, the remarks of the officiating clergyman being appropriate and affecting.

Of a family of eleven children, we learn that this is the ninth which Mr. Brown has buried, seven of whom had reached manhood and womanhood, and lie side by side in the cemetery.  One son and a daughter survive them.  The bereaved widow and daughter, the aged parents and other relatives have the sympathies of a large circle of friends.

Chenango Semi-Weekly Telegraph, Norwich, NY, May 22, 1878

Death

OLNEY:  In Brookfield [Madison Co. NY], May 9th, at the residence of his father, after a lingering illness, George [Olney] only son of Anthony Olney.

Chenango Semi-Weekly Telegraph, Norwich, NY, May 25, 1878

Deaths

WHEELER:  In Brisbin [Chenango Co. NY], May 16th, Mrs. Jennie K. [Wheeler] wife of Garry D. Wheeler, and daughter of S.J. Gray, aged 27 years and 4 months.

THOMPSON:  In Gilbertsville [Otsego Co. NY], Monday May 29th, 1878, wife of Asel L Thompson, aged 59 years.

WITHEY:  In Morris [Otsego Co. NY], May 19th, Josiah Withey, aged about 40 years.

ADAMS:  In Otselic [Chenango Co. NY], May 14th, 1878, Timothy Adams, aged 76 years.

HEALY:  In Otselic [Chenango Co. NY], of cancer, May 19th, 1878, Mrs. Eliza Healy, aged 56 years and months.

Mrs. Healy, wife of Seth Healy, died Sunday morning. The remains were taken to Columbus [Chenango Co. NY] for interment on Tuesday.

TRACY:  In Hamilton, N.Y. [Madison Co.], May 16, 1878, Mrs. Mary [Tracy] wife of John tracy, aged 53 years.

MOAK:  In New Berlin [Chenango Co. NY], May 22d, of diptheria Katie [Moak] daughter of F.A. moak, aged 11 years.

GROVES:  M.E. Groves, Midland ticket agent at Bernhard's Bay [Oswego Co. NY], died of lung fever last week.

News Item

Sidney, Delaware Co. NY:  Diphtheria has been raging in this vicinity for the last three or four months.  Last Sunday Samuel Swort buried a son of thirteen years, at East Guilford [Chenango Co. NY], two miles, from here, which makes the twentieth death from that disease.  They were all children or young persons who have died.