Vital Records, Chenango County, NY (1879)

 Chenango Union, Norwich, NY, April 17, 1879

Marriages

WOOSTER - BEARDSLEY:  In Delhi [Delaware Co. NY] Ap[ril 2d, by Rev. F.A.M. Brown, Mr. Moses E. Wooster Jr. of Smithville [Chenango Co. NY] to Miss Alice E. Beardsley of Delhi.

DENISON - THAVER:  At the residence of the bride's parents, in New York, April 10th, by Rev. Thomas Gallandot, Mr. J.W. Denison formerly of Greene [Chenango Co. NY] to Miss Madeline V. Thayer all of New York.

CLARKE - VAN SICLEN:  In Cincinnatus [Cortland Co. NY] March 19th, by Rev. Edson Rogers, Mr. Thomas M. Clarke of Winsted, Conn. to Miss Julia Anna Van Siclen of Cincinnatus.

Deaths

PENDLETON:  In this town [Norwich, Chenango Co. NY] April 5th, Ralph [Pendleton] twin son of Hadial F. Pendleton, aged 8 months and 21 days.

TIFFANY:  In the town of New Berlin [Chenango Co. NY] April 13th of pneumonia, Mr. Brown Tiffany aged 64 years 3 months and 24 days.

Brown Tiffany died at his residence in the town of New Berlin on Sunday last of pneumonia in the sixty fifth year of his age.  Deceased was a son of the late Humphrey Tiffany of this village and a brother of John M. Tiffany, now of this place.  He was a farmer by occupation and enjoyed the respect and confidence of his neighbors and acquaintances, who knew him as an upright man and a good citizen.

COOLEY:  In Plymouth [Chenango Co. NY] April 5th, Eugene [Cooley] wife of Job Cooley, aged 66 years.

STANBRO:  In Beaver Meadow [Chenango Co. NY] April 3d, James Stanbro, M.D., aged 51 years.

BENTON:  In Earlville [Madison Co. NY] April 9th, Mrs. Hattie M. Benton wife of the late Jason Benton, aged 26 years, 8 months and 22 days.

ALCOTT:  In New Berlin [Chenango Co. NY] April 3d, Lydia L. [Alcott] wife of Amon Alcott, aged 75 years.

BOWERS:  In Sherburne [Chenango Co. NY] April 6th, Bertha May [Bowers] daughter of Eugene and Nellie Bowers, aged 6 years, 7 moths and 5 days.

CAMPBELL:  In Afton [Chenango Co. NY] April 7th, Mrs. Susan Campbell aged 22 years.

HUBBARD:  In Greene [Chenango Co. NY] April 4th, Mr. Jehial C. Hubbard aged 55 years.

NAGEL:  In Macon City, Mo., Jan. 29th, 1879, Mrs. Margaret Pauth Nagel widow of the late John G. Nagel, formerly of Norwich [Chenango Co. NY].

News Item

The Grand Jury, now in session, has found an indictment for murder against Fred Jackson for killing his mother in Oxford [Chenango Co. NY] on the 15th of February last.  His case will be certified to the Oyer and Terminer to be held on the 10th of November next, at which Judge Martin will preside.

Oxford Times, Oxford, NY, February 19, 1879

Saturday morning last the report circulated thro' our village [Oxford, Chenango Co. NY] that Mrs. Sylvia Jackson, a colored lady residing on State St., had fallen down the cellar stairs of her residence and broken her neck.  Later reports stated that her neck was not broken but that she was subject to heart disease and had fallen during an attack.

Her son, Frederick, was the only person in the house with her at the time, and his account of the affair as told to persons who went to the house on hearing of the death is substantially as follows:

His mother complained of feeling bad and said she would go down cellar and get some cider.  She raised a trap door in the floor and went down the stairs, and on coming up soon after exclaimed "Oh, Fred," and fell down the stairs.  Fred ran to her assistance and found her lying at the bottom.  He attempted to carry her upstairs and fainted and both fell back down the stairs. Again, he raised her and carried her up the cellar stairs and laid her on a bed in a room adjoining the main room and then called to someone in the street who notified the neighbors.

Telegrams were sent to relatives announcing her death, and a nephew, E.H. O'Dell of Canastota, who was visiting in Norwich, came down here.  He says certain things excited his suspicions and he suspected foul play in regard to the death of Mrs. Jackson, and he went back to Norwich and notified Coroner Avery.

The coroner came down at 8:30 that evening, and after visiting the house summoned a jury of inquest composed of citizens, whose names appear in the verdict.  Fred Jackson, son of deceased, was ordered under arrest and was found by Deputy Sheriff June at Warn & Miner's stable where he had been employed of late. The jury viewed the body and premises and then the inquest was adjourned until next day at 1:30 P.M.

On Sunday at the appointed hour the coroner and jury assembled at the St. James Hotel, where the testimony which is published in full was taken. District Attorney Chruch appeared for the people and James W. Glover for the accused.

Mrs. Jackson was the widow of Henry Jackson, a worthy colored man who died some five or six years ago and the father of Fred. She had been previously married to a man named Bailey, by whom she had a daughter, who is married and lives at Auburn.  Mrs. J. was a Brushell.  Her age was 49 years.  Her residence is a one-story house with a cellar underneath, which has a depth of 7 feet. To reach the cellar a small trap door has to be raised and a steep flight of steps descended the bottom step coming within two feet of the wall. At the bottom of the stairs stood a soap barrel on an old-fashioned bed rail in front of which was a pool of blood, and the rail had blood stains on it. The cider barrel was further in the cellar.  The other pool of blood 15 feet from the stairs is hard to account for.  The wounds on the body of Mrs. Jackson are numerous, and it would seem as tho' a person could not receive them by falling down a flight of stairs. The wounds and bruises are minutely described by Drs. McFarland and Thorp, who made an autopsy. We cannot give the different theories advanced in this case, the testimony carefully read will post the reader on all the points and evidence that has yet come to light.

Fred Jackson, the accused, is 23 years of age, of quiet disposition, and has born a fair reputation.  He is light complexioned, straight black hair, and not bad featured.  During the inquest he appeared unconcerned and showed no guilty sign. The evidence thus far is circumstantial against him, and he may be able to throw much light on the dark sides, but as yet he has made no statement nor testified in his behalf.