Chenango Union, Norwich, NY, January 16, 1879
Marriages
LEVERSEE - MERRIHEW: In this village [Norwich, Chenango Co. NY] Jan. 7th, by Rev. H. fox, Mr. Ransom H. Leversee of Baker City, Oregon to Miss Electa A. Merrihew of Sherburne, N.Y. [Chenango Co.].
RICHMOND - SHARP: In Oxford [Chenango Co. NY] Jan 8th by Rev. S.C. Fulton, Mr. George H. Richmond of Preston [Chenango Co. NY] to Miss Hattie R Sharp of McDonough [Chenango Co. NY].
WHEELER - BLY: In Greene [Chenango Co. NY] Dec. 25th by Rev. G.A. Pelton, Mr. Dan W. Wheeler to Miss Mina A. Bly, both of Greene.
MOFFATT - HALL: In Greene [Chenango Co. NY] Jan. 1st by Rev. G.A. Pelton, Mr. W. Arrimon Moffatt to Miss Dora L. Hall, both of Greene.
ROBINSON - HUBBARD: In Greene [Chenango Co. NY] Dec. 31st by Rev. H.N. Van Deusen, Mr. Henry M. Robinson of Guilford [Chenango Co. NY] to Miss Aurelia L. Hubbard of Smithville [Chenango Co. NY].
LEWIS - McFARLAND: In Smithville [Chenango Co. NY] Dec. 26th by Rev. H W. Congdon, Mr. Edgar M. Lewis of Westmorland, N.Y. [Oneida Co.] to Miss Minnie McFarland of Smithville.
HITT - FULLER: In Afton [Chenango Co. NY] Jan. 1st by Rev. N.J. Hawley, Mr. William H. Hitt of Sanford [Broome Co. NY] to Miss Luella R. Fuller of Afton.
McCORMICK - ARNOLD: In Afton [Chenango Co. NY] Jan. 1st, by Rev. N.J. Hawley, Mr. John W. McCormick of new Berlin [Chenango Co. NY] to Miss Esther L. Arnold of Pittsfield, N.Y. [Otsego Co.].
NICHOLS - PEARCE: In North Afton [Chenango Co. NY] Jan. 1st, by Rev. N.J. Hawley, Mr. George E. Nichols, to Miss Frances E. Pearce, all of Afton.
CARPENTER - PLEW: In Brookfield [Madison Co. NY] Dec. 25th by Rev. F.A. Batson, Mr. Henry W. Carpenter of New Berlin [Chenango Co. NY] to Miss Jennie Plew of South Edmeston [Otsego Co. NY].
BROOKS - SMITH: Near Poolville [Madison Co. NY] Dec. 26th, by A.C. Brooks, Esq, Mr. Charles Brooks of Oxford [Chenango Co. NY] to Miss Hattie Smith of Greenport L.I. [Suffolk Co. NY].
MAY - MANNING: In Harpursville [Broome Co. NY] Jan. 11th, by Rev. G. Pritchett, Mr. George A. May of Harpersville to Miss Ida P. Manning of Coventry [Chenango Co. NY].
Deaths
WESCOTT: At the Insane Asylum in Utica [Oneida Co. NY] Jan. 11th, Miss Cynthia Wescott, aged 51 years, daughter of the late Daniel K. Wescott of Norwich [Chenango Co. NY]. Her remains were brought to this village and interred on Wednesday.
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BACON: In Oxford [Chenango Co. NY] Jan. 12th, Mr. Cyrus A. Bacon aged 89 years.
Cyrus A. Bacon died at his residence in this village [Oxford] on the evening of Sunday, the 12th last, at the age of eighty-nine years. Mr. Bacon was the oldest resident of the village and his career as a merchant at this place dates backward more than half a century. No one now survives who was in business at so early a day. The deceased until only a short time since could be seen daily upon the street and engaged more or less in business. Mr. Bacon held positions of local trust; he was Town Clerk for a number of years, Supervisor of the town, and Postmaster for nearly a quarter of a century. In all his business and official relations he sustained a high character for correctness and integrity and as a citizen was without reproach.
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KING: In Columbus [Chenango Co. NY] Jan. 1st Bernice [King] wife of J.M. King, aged 40 years and 9 months.
The wife of Joseph M. King died on New Year's Day. He has the heartfelt sympathy of all, for not only has he lost a faithful wife, but his little children are motherless.
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PERKINS: In Columbus [Chenango Co. NY] suddenly, Jan. 11th, Mr. A. Yates Perkins.
On Saturday morning last, A. Yates Perkins died, almost instantly, while eating his breakfast. He had been suffering from an attack of pneumonia but was supposed to be recovering. The funeral will occur from his residence today (Monday).
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BENNETT: In Smyrna [Chenango Co. NY] Jan. 11th, Mr. William Bennett aged 21 years.
A friend writes us from Smyrna that Willie Bennett of that town died on Saturday morning last from the effects of injuries received by the falling of a barn door upon his head, about a month since. His age was twenty-one years, and he had been married but thirteen weeks and three days. He was a young man much respected in the community and leaves many friends to mourn his loss. His young wife and aged father and mother and the entire family have the sympathy of the whole community. Some ten years since, his oldest brother, Algernon, died at about the same age, having been married thirteen weeks and five days.
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BILLINGS: In Smyrna [Chenango Co. NY] Jan. 9th, Mr. John F. Billings aged 72 years.
BULLIS: In Sherburne [Chenango Co. NY] at the residence of his son, W.M. Bullis, Jan. 9th, Mr. Joseph I. Bullis aged 80 years and 5 months. His remains were carried to Cooperstown [Otsego Co. NY] his former residence for interment.
WHITE: In Coventry [Chenango Co. NY] Jan. 5th, Susie May [White] daughter of Vincent and Mary R. White, aged 5 years and 18 days.
McMASTER: In Afton [Chenango Co. NY] Jan. 3d, Mr. Cyrus McMaster aged 77 years.
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LEWIS: In Hesperia, Mich. Nov. 13th, 1878, at the residence of Charles Camp, Mrs. Rhoda Lewis aged 98 years, formerly of Pharsalia [Chenango Co. NY].
The remains of one of our worthy and aged citizens, the late Rhoda Lewis, were this day brought to this place [Pharsalia] for interment from Hesperia, Mich., her late residence. She was the last one of both her own and her deceased husband's family, all having gone before her several years ago. She was born in Stonington, Ct., July 1st, 1780, and immigrated to Pharsalia with her parents, Joseph and Rhoda Breed in 1795, and was married to the late William Lewis, December 3d, 1807, with whom she happily lived until his decease, bearing seven children, all of whom are now living, save one. She resided with her daughter and son-in-law, Judge Camp, at the time of her last illness, which was of short duration, being pleuro-pneumonia, which resulted in death on November 13th, 1878. She possessed rare mental faculties and physical endurance, retaining them admirably until her death. Reared in the days when mothers and daughters manufactured from raw material nearly every fabric, both of wearing apparel and household goods, that were needed to make home comfortable and happy, performing all this with neatness and agility; ever industrious ever anxious to assist the needy; a kind, loving mother, a true and able friend in counsel; always directing her energies in the direction of harmony and happiness. And as we stood around the grave wherein her remains had just been lowered considering all the circumstances that had brought us there under those conditions, our thoughts went back to her recently bereft home whose occupants by whom she was dearly beloved and by whom everything had been done to comfort and perfect her cherished desire, which we had just accomplished by placing her remains beside her husband's who had gone before her twenty-five years ago, and as cousin truly said, we have done all we can. We have finished that which she has been anxiously waiting to have done for her so many years, and now her spirit has entered that condition of spiritual existence wherein knowledge and wisdom naturally gravitate together, growing better, greater and wiser, gong to and comprehending world's innumerable, that spin their blazon censors around the god of day, for endless ages. Friends, let us be like her, work patiently, wait fearlessly. It is only a brief period or step, and we will all be there. Pharsalia, N.Y., Nov. 18, 1878.
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Our former townsman, Nelson O. Wood, Esq. met with a serious accident on Monday evening last, soon after his return from this village to his farm near Plasterville. He had put out his team and while leading one horse from the stable to water, in passing behind the other, the latter kicked, upon which the horse he was leading sprang forward against Mr. Wood, throwing him violently to the floor, and breaking his right hip. Dr. Lewis, of North Norwich, and Dr Avery of this village were called, who reduced the fracture, and the patient is comfortable.
WOOD: In North Norwich [Chenango Co. NY] Jan. 8th, Mr. Nelson O. Wood in the 69th year of his age.
On Wednesday evening of last week, Nelson O. Wood expired at his residence in North Norwich, from the effects of injuries received in his horse barn on the evening of December 31st, an account of which we published at the time. For a few days after the accident it was thought he might recover, but his case took a more alarming turn, pneumonia set in, and notwithstanding the efforts of physicians and friends, death ensued.
Deceased was the only son of the late Newell Wood, who early settled in North Norwich (then Norwich) on the farm upon which Nelson was born and upon which he spent the greater portion of his life, acquiring by unceasing toll a handsome property. In politics Mr. Wood was a Whig, and afterwards Republican, and repeatedly represented North Norwich in the Board of Supervisors. Removing to this village several years since, he was chosen Supervisor of Norwich for one year and was for one year a Trustee of the village. Reverses came upon him and within a few years his well earned competency was gone. He was a poor man, and that through no extravagance on his part, and he returned to the old farm, now owned by another, to end his days in toil and hardship, where he had begun them sixty-nine years ago.
Both in public and private life, Mr. Wood discharged his duties faithfully and well, and although stripped of his hard earnings, his integrity was unquestioned, and he leaves behind him a name untarnished, while his memory will be cherished by a large circle of friends, who knew his worth Deceased was never married, and leaves one sister, the last of the family.
The funeral was held at his late residence, on Sunday afternoon and was attended by Masons and Odd Fellows of this village, of which lodges he was a member, as well as of the Commandery and Encampment. Members of these orders from other lodges were also in attendance, as also a large number of friends and neighbors. Rev. S. Scoville conducted the services and the remains were interred in the cemetery east of Plasterville [Chenango Co. NY].
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Judge Balcom's Funeral: The remains of Hon. Ransom Balcom reached Oxford [Chenango Co. NY] on Wednesday evening of last week, from Binghamton [Broome Co. NY] accompanied by several members of the bar from that city. Funeral services were held at St. Paul's Church on Thursday morning at ten o'clock and the edifice was well filled with friends and relatives of the deceased. Judge Follett, Judge Jenks, District Attorney Church, W.N. Mason and Albert F. Gladding, Esqrs., of this village, were in attendance, as were Judges Murray and Martin, of this Judicial District, Judge Edwards and Ex-Judge Loomis and others, of Binghamton. Judge Follett, of Norwich; W.R. Osborn, Edward R. Clark and J.S. Wells of Binghamton and J.W. Glover and F.P. Newkirk, of Oxford, acted as pallbearers. The services at the church were conducted by Rev. R.M. Duff of Oxford, Rev. M.C. Lightner and Rev. R.H. Parke, D.D. of Binghamton, and were very impressive.
News Item
A family called Huckster alias Hogstead resides in an old house owned by Mr. Ertz about two miles north of this village [Sherburne, Chenango Co. NY], in an out of the way place. the family is (or at least was) composed of Mr. Huckster, wife and four children. Mrs. Huckster married a man named Cook in Germany before marrying Huckster, by whom she had two children, William and Charles, aged 24 and 20 years respectively. She afterwards at the decease of Cook, came to this country and united her fortune with Huckster by whom she has two children, the one a boy aged 6 years, the other a girl aged 2 years. Huckster and his little son were in the habit of going around the town begging. Now Huckster has mysteriously disappeared and cannot be found. His wife and her two sons insist that he went to New York two weeks since on legal business. His little son affirms that Hiram Prince shot his father in the woods. At about Christmas it is reported that his family turned him away, telling him not to return. However, he did return, and it is alleged has been foully dealt with. Mrs. Huckster tells several things concerning his disappearance which prove untrue. Again, it is stated that Charles Cook was told by William that the old man had gone to Utica to make rope. A part of Huckster's clothes are at home and as he was poorer than Job's turkey, he must have left home almost naked if he left at all. No official notice has been taken of the affair as yet. Though Coroner Lyman stands in readiness to take such notice when the facts will warrant. The Darwinian theory would find in Huckster a typical subject of "Evolution," and a subject not many times evolved from Darwin's original.
Chenango Union, Norwich, NY, Feb. 13, 1879: Huckster has been carried "over the hills to the poor house." He arrived here Thursday, in a very destitute condition. His face, hands, feet and a portion of his body, were badly frozen. On his way to the alms house, it is reported that he called on his family, now residing at North Norwich, and met with a very warm reception. It seems impossible that a man could endure such suffering in so enlightened a community. However, he is very ignorant, as well as very lazy.
