Oxford Times, Oxford, NY, March 12, 1879
Marriages
PRIME - SWEET: In this village [Oxford, Chenango Co. NY] March 7 by Chas. W. Brown, Esq., William W. Prime of Norwich [Chenango Co. NY] and Sarah Sweet of Oxford.
BURNAP - HUNTLEY: In Cincinnatus [Cortland Co. NY] Feb. 20th, by Rev. W. Huntley, Mr. Wm. Burnap of German [Chenango Co. NY] and Miss Minney Huntley of the former place.
FITCH - PHETEPLACE: In Cazenovia [Madison Co. NY] March 4th, by Rev. S.H. Greene, Mr. David Fitch and Deborah A. Pheteplace both of Norwich [Chenango Co. NY].
RORAPAUGH - TILLOTSON: In East Smithville [Chenango Co. NY] Feb. 19th by Rev.j T.P. Towner, Mr. Willie Rorapaugh and Miss Emma Tillotson.
Deaths
MARTIN: In Coventry [Chenango Co. NY] March 2d, Mr. Samuel A. Martin aged 65 years.
CROWELL: In Rockdale [Chenango Co. NY] Feb. 28th, Miss Mary Crowell aged 18 years.
BLOOD: In Guilford [Chenango Co. NY] March 4th, of consumption, Flora A. [Blood] wife of Lewis Blood and only daughter of J.H. and C.A. Bliss of Smithville [Chenango Co. NY] aged 23 years and 6 months.
GARTSEE: In Norwich [Chenango Co. NY] March 2ed, Mr. James Gartsee aged 41 years.
BENEDICT: In Afton [Chenango Co. NY] March 2d, Mr. Wm. Benedict aged 51 years.
ASHCRAFT: In Norwich [Chenango Co. NY] Feb. 28th, Eda M. [Ashcraft] infant daughter of H.M. and E.A. Ashcraft.
WATERS: In Church Hollow [Chenango Co. NY] Feb. 23d, Mr. Charles Waters aged 54 years.
CHURCH: in Afton [Chenango Co. NY] Feb. 24th, Levi Church aged 76 years.
POPE: In Bainbridge [Chenango Co. NY] Feb. 21st, Mrs. Hamilton Pope aged 48 years.
WIGHTMAN: In Willett [Cortland Co. NY] Feb. 9th, Mr. Warren Wightman aged 35 years, formerly of New Berlin [Chenango Co. NY].
WEAVER: In Pharsalia [Chenango Co. NY] Feb. 17th, Betsey C. [Weaver] widow of David Weaver, aged 86 years.
WHITTENHALL: Quite a number of Ladies and gentlemen from this village attended the funeral of Mrs. Uri Whittenhall at Greene [Chenango Co. NY] Monday afternoon, whose death occurred on Saturday. She was a resident of this village [Oxford, Chenango Co. NY] many years ago. [Harriet Whittenhall, d. Mar. 8, 1879, AE 71 years]
PUTNAM: Mt. Upton, Chenango Co. NY: The friends of Dr. John Putnam will be pained to hear of his death, which occurred in Madison [Madison Co. NY] a few days since.
PHILLIPS: About five o'clock Monday afternoon last week, Deloss Phillips, who resides three miles northeast of Chenango Lake in the town of New Berlin [Chenango Co. NY] returned home and not finding his wife in the house, began search for her about the premises and finally found her lying dead at a spring near the house, whither she had evidently gone for a pail of water. Dr. Avery was called and held an inquest which developed the fact that she had died of dropsy of the heart and chest. She was about thirty years of age and had no children. Union
News Item
Mr. H.L. Miller has left at our office a copy of the Oxford Gazette published in this village [Oxford, Chenango Co. NY] sixty-five years ago. It is a small sheet four columns to the page and bears date Saturday, Sept. 24, 1814, being Vol. 1, No. 43. On the first page is an original poem "On Seeing a Flake of Snow Descend and Fall Into a Lady's Bosom"; proclamations from President Madison and Governor D.D. Tompkins, in relation to the invasion of Washington by the British troops; and an advertisement offering $130 reward for Isaac Miner and Daniel Collins, deserters from the 29th Reg't of infantry, the former "by profession a farmer, but by practice a villain, last place of residence Lisle, Broome County." [NY]
The paper contains no local news, but is filled with extracts from other papers and letters giving accounts of Com. McDonough's naval victory, engagements with the British at Fort Erie, Plattsburgh, etc. The news in those days traveled slow, and was then from ten to fifteen days old. But the editor was enterprising for he states that he issued "a hand bill" Sunday containing "particulars of the repulse of the British Army."
The marriage notice of S.G. Throop, Esq. appears in the paper, as also does a call for a meeting of the Chenango County Medical Society at Gregory's hotel in Norwich, Oct. 2d, Geo. Mowry, Sec'y. Henry Mygatt has an advertisement as does Price & Clapp and there are several legal notices and sales by Isaac Foot, Sheriff. The paper is in a remarkable state of preservation and Mr. Miller means to take further good care of it, as should be done.
Bainbridge Republican, Bainbridge, NY, March 6, 1879
Marriage
We are in receipt of an invitation to attend the marriage ceremony of Arthur H. Bunnell formerly Editor of this paper, to Miss Mary P. Hathaway of Tioga, Pa., on Tuesday evening March 11, 1879.
Death
LYON: In Bainbridge [Chenango Co. NY] March 3d, 1879, Charles Lyon aged 94 years.
The subject of the above sketch was born in Bedford, Westchester County, N.Y., August 10, 1784, and removed to this town [Bainbridge] in 1805 and was consequently one of our oldest settlers. His farm is located in West Bainbridge and from the time he purchased or moved on to it, seventy-three years ago, he has enjoyed the best of health and was hale and hearty, chopped his own wood and built his own fires up to within three or four days of his death. He had a family of twelve children and what is quite remarkable he could look down upon the fifth generation of his offspring.
News Item
Captain Milton Johnston
Captain Milton Johnston son of Colonel Witter and Jane Johnston and brother of Mrs. John Baxter, was born at Sidney Plains [Delaware Co. NY] Sept. 17, 1800, and is the oldest manor born citizen in this place. He followed the occupation of his father, who was a farmer and lumberman, until the year of 1825 when he commenced teaching school and in which business he continued for nearly five years. In 1827 he was elected ensign with a commission from De Witt Clinton, then Governor of the State. In 1830 he was elected captain of a Militia Company which office he held for nearly five years. In February 1832 he was married to Miss Delia Hull daughter of Lawrence Hull, esq of Bridgewater [Oneida Co. NY], one of the wealthy and prominent citizens of that place. In the year of 1835, he went to hotel keeping in the house now known as Dr. Hodgins residence, where he remained till May 1838, when he again returned to farming.
In 1841 and under General Harrison's administration, he was appointed postmaster for Sidney Plains, and at that time the principle mail route was along the valley of the Susquehanna from Binghamton to Albany, and during the great ice freshet of February 1848, the bridges at Sidney Plains and Bainbridge were carried away, and the stages from necessity ran upon the opposite side of the river. The Captain, true to his motto "go ahead, and if you are wrong get righted," immediately transferred the post office (against the protestations of friends and enemies) for the convenience of the mail carriers, to a private residence in the town of Unadilla, Otsego Co. [NY] and then wrote to the Postmaster General, for instructions relative to what he had done, and it was at a critical period in political affairs. He had received his appointment from Postmaster General Gideon Granger of N.Y. of President Harrison's Cabinet, but Harrison dying he was succeeded by Taylor who made a general change in the plans of the administration by forming a new cabinet and favoring the Democratic party, and those who were holding offices under Harrison's appointments were being hurriedly removed, and the inhabitants of Sidney Plains, irrespective of their political proclivities, joined in one general denunciation of so flagrant a use of an unauthorized power on part of the Captain. But he was not only sustained by President Taylor's administration but continued to hold the office for two years under President Polk. When feeling that they were unable of obtain his removal and that he had really "beat," he tendered his resignation, and it only illustrates one of the leading characteristic principles of the Captain's independence of seeing how the rest of the world is going and then doing "just as he is a mind to," (excepting in politics, where he is always to be found, true to party interests).
He has voted at every presidential election since 1828 and still feels a large interest in political affairs, making them a constant study and his memory of facts and dates relative to the general issue is truly remarkable. In 1860 he was elected supervisor of the town and discharged the duties of that office with much honor to himself and to the party by whom he was elected. In the winter of 1824, he joined the Masonic Lodge in Unadilla and for many years was an active member, but of late he has paid but little attention to the working of the "craft." In the year of 1832, he united with the Congregational Church in this place and became an influential member and at a later day was a prominent and a devoted sabbath school superintendent and held a warm and affectionate place in the hearts of both teachers and scholars.
He had a family of 6 children, 3 sons and 3 daughters. Five of whom are now living. One daughter, an amiable young lady having died, June 1865. Mr. Johnston now resides on a portion of what formerly constituted his father's land grant about one-mile west of the business part of the village. His residence is a white cottage standing on the brow of the hill or table land overlooking the Plains, honored and respected by the community for his good morals, love of friendship, and his neighborly kindness. In person he stands about 5 feet 10 inches high with an erect body, but an inclining head covered with the whitened locks of age. He usually carries a heavy cane with a bent handle, silver mounted, and a present from a kind friend. His features are round and ruddy while his blue eyes sparkle with fun and merriment, and he seldom misses the opportunity of telling a good story, (even if at his own expense) as the following may illustrate:
In 1830 they formed their first temperance society in Sidney Plains, and Captain Johnston became a member, but it was the custom in those times for the Captain of a military company "to stand treat on training days" and as the time drew nearer for the "annual muster" the Captain saw a dilemma and waited upon the president of the society, Rev. John B. Fish, requested that his signature might be removed from the temperance roll, but the president objected and urged him to do the best he could to promote the temperance cause. A happy thought occurred to the Captain. The society admitted the use of "cider and small drink." So on training day, when the Captain, called out his company, he told them of his recent interest in the cause of temperance and made what he believed to be a stirring appeal in behalf of the society and closed by stating, that though a temperance man, he did not wish them to think that it was his intention to wholly shrink from an old established custom. But if they desired it, he was willing to furnish a little wine on the occasion and would like an expression from the company by a vote, which was readily given in favor of the captain's proposition, who feeling much elated at the growing signs of temperance, thanked them for their kind appreciation of his efforts. But when night came and he settled his bill, he found they had drunk 5 gallons of wine and had strong symptoms of something besides temperance principals, and he has never attempted to lecture upon that subject since.
[Note: Captain Milton Johnston d. Apr. 8, 1890, AE 89y, Pioneer Cemetery, Sidney, NY]
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