Vital Records, Chenango & Otsego Counties, NY (1879)

 Chenango American, Greene, NY, August 7, 1879

Marriages

At the residence of the bride's parents in this village [Greene, Chenango Co. NY], July 30th, by Rev. J.F. Taunt, Mr. Charles H. Mills of Brooklyn to Miss Alice J. [Gould] daughter of Mr. E. Gould.

At the M.E. Parsonage in this village [Greene, Chenango Co. NY] Aug. 3d by Rev. H.N. Van Deusen, Mr. George P. Miller of North Fenton [Broome Co. NY] and Miss Minnie S. Brown of the former place.

In Norwich [Chenango Co. NY] July 24th by Rev. J.L. Egbert, Mr. William Haight of north Norwich [Chenango Co. NY] to Miss Nora Landers of Afton [Chenango Co. NY].

In Wellsburgh [Chemung Co. NY], July 23d, by Rev. R. Everts, Mr. Uri Bradley of Guilford [Chenango Co. NY] to Mrs. Mary E. Peckteam of the former place.

In Binghamton [Broome Co. NY] July 20th by Rev. Father Harigan, Mr. David Donovan of Binghamton, to Miss Nelly Keefe of Afton [Chenango Co. NY].

Chenango Forks, Broome Co. NY:  A wedding occurred in a remote part of our village last Thursday evening at which the nuptials of Mr. John Hogan and Miss Mary Brown were solemnized. A large gathering was present to witness the ceremonies.

Deaths

In this town [Greene, Chenango Co. NY] July 29th, Mrs. Mary [Benedict] wife of the late Ezera Benedict, aged 65 years.

In Norwich [Chenango Co. NY] July 23d, Mrs. Sarah C. [Waters] wife of George P. Waters, aged 30 years.

At South Plymouth [Chenango Co. NY] July 31st, Sarah A. [Dimmick] wife of Marvin Dimmick, aged 57 years.

In Philadelphia, Pa., July 28th, Willie [Sturgeon] infant son of J.W. and Mary Sturgeon, formerly of the town [Greene, Chenango Co. NY]. The remains were interred in Sylvan lawn Cemetery July 31st.

In Oxford [Chenango Co. NY] July 29th, John P. [Nowland] son of Thomas F. and Margaret Nowland aged 7 months.

In Preston [Chenango Co. NY] Aug. 1st, Frances [Wescott] wife of Sidney Wescott and daughter of Consider Button, aged 23 years.

News Item

Our readers are probably aware of the terrible calamity which befell a party of Binghamton [Broome Co. NY] excursionists on the St. Lawrence River on Thursday morning of last week.  The following letter to the Binghamton Republican from one of the party, giving a detailed account of the sad affair, will be read with interest:

Your readers have already heard of the great calamity which has befallen some of the Binghamton excursionists and will be anxious to hear further particulars.

The accident occurred about a hundred rods from the Clayton dock, at about nine o'clock.  Two steam yachts, the G.B. Farrington and the Josephine steamed up the St. Lawrence from Thousand Island Park for an all-day's trip to Kingston and among the Thousand Islands. the Farrington carried thirty and the Josephine twenty passengers.

At Clayton it was decided to run the boats side by side and thus bring the party all together.  This caused the spray from the prow of the Farrington to fall upon the party in the Josephine and to obviate the trouble they undertook to let the latter fall astern.  But in trying to protect them from a few splashes of spray they only succeeded in capsizing the whole party into the river.  As the bowline was loosened, the bows began to separate until at a distance of about twenty-five feet, when a knot in the rope caught, and the Josephine was pulled over on her side and went to the bottom in less than two minutes.  As she went over, the Farrington was saluted with a shower of hot coals from the smokestack of the Josephine and for a moment it seemed as though we were doomed to experience the horrors of both fire and water.  Fortunately, however, the fire was extinguished.

The passengers of both boats preserved great presence of mind.  there was no screaming nor frantic crise for help, but all seemed determined to do the best for themselves and for others.  Some floated on the surface, some sank and rose again, and some were never seen after the Josephine went down.  All who came to the surface were picked up and saved.  Mrs. Craver was rescued by small boats, and the rest were pulled into the Farrington.  Five found a watery grave.  The following are their names:  Mrs. Persels, Binghamton; Mrs Bostwick, Mrs. Berkalew and daughter, of Kirkwood; Mrs. Pollock, of Morrisiana.  How sudden the transition from life to death!

We left the Clayton dock singing "Light After Darkness," and all were lighthearted and gay.  How soon the cup of pleasure was dashed from our lips, and we were compelled to taste the cup of sorrow.

The people of Clayton were very kind and rendered all the assistance they could.  The event has cast a gloom over our excursion party and over the whole community.  Flags are at half-mast at the park and all sympathize with the afflicted.  The bodies have all been recovered and taken to their respective homes and buried.

Freeman's Journal, Cooperstown, NY, October 9, 1879

Marriage

In New York City, at No. 255 West 37th Street, Oct. 1st, 1879, by the Rev. C. Irving. L,C. Burdick of Burlington, Otsego Co. [NY] to Miss Nancy Hume of Batavia, Genesee County, N.Y.

Deaths

In Pittsfield [Otsego Co. NY] Sept. 28th, Jesse Beardslee, Esq. in the 78th year of his age.  Mr. B. was a man of high character and marked intelligence, esteemed at home as an excellent citizen and neighbor.

In Hartwick [Otsego Co. NY] Sept. 29, Evander Ingolls aged 84 years.  he was born upon the place where he died and had always resided there.

In Unadilla [Otsego Co. NY] Sept. 22, 1879, George R. Chaffin aged 56 years.

In Pierstown [Otsego Co. NY], Sept. 10th, Florence M. [Gardner] youngest child of Elisha and Sarah Gardner aged 3 months and 11 days.

In Unadilla [Otsego Co. NY] Sept. 29th, Wilson Van Dyke aged 84 years.  Mr. V. Was a soldier in the war of 1812 and had been a Mason 68 years.

In Columbus Chenango Co. [NY] at the residence of her father, Deacon S. Brown, Mrs. Ida E. Quincy wife of Rev. W.J. Quincy, pastor of the Baptist church, Morris [Otsego Co. NY] in the 22d year of her age.

At Worcester [Otsego Co. NY] September 22d, 1879, Mrs. Elinda Markham [Bates] wife of A.M. Bates, aged 71 years.  She has been a consistent member of the Baptist church for over 45 years, a kind wife and mother and was beloved by all who knew her.