Otsego Herald, Cooperstown, NY, September 11, 1806
Marriage
On Thursday, August the 28th, by the Rev. Dr. Linn, Mr. Paschal Franchot of Otsego County [NY] to Miss Catharine Hansen of this city [Albany, Albany Co., NY]. Albany Cent.I
Otsego Herald, Cooperstown, NY, October 9, 1806
Death
In Cherry Valley [Otsego Co. NY] on Tuesday last, Joel B. Potter Esq. Attorney at Law, of a typhus fever after about three weeks illness.
Otsego Herald, Cooperstown, NY, October 16, 1806
Death
Departed this life at Burlington [Otsego Co. NY] on Wednesday the 1st instant, Mrs. Dolfy Blanchard wife of Capt. John Blanchard in the 41st year of her age, leaving a disconsolate husband and nine children to lament their loss. Mrs. Blanchard was truly an amiable, worthy woman; a kind wife, a tender mother and an obliging friend and neighbor. She left an infant not two weeks old. She was afflicted with excruciating pains and a violent fever from the time of her delivery, until death gave her relief, which she bore with Christian fortitude and died lamented by all her acquaintance.
News Item
A very extraordinary circumstance lately occurred in this town [Burlington, Otsego Co. NY]. One Elisha Peck, an enthusiastic preacher, has declared that he has had an extraordinary vision and that he should certainly die last Tuesday night, between the hours of 9 and 12 o'clock. He gave a public invitation to all around to attend at his house on Tuesday, the last day of his life as he said and hear him tell his experience from his childhood to that time, and then he would preach to them his farewell sermon. Vast number attended on the occasion, more out of curiosity, I believe, than from a belief that his prediction would be fulfilled. However, he began his discourse early in the forenoon to a vast audience collected on the occasion, talked about six hours and declared it was his firm belief that he should be a dead man by 12 o'clock that night. He fixed the day for his funeral and invited the people to attend it on the Friday following for the purpose of burying him and told who was to preach his funeral sermon, and the place where his grave was to be dug by a man he had agreed with. Towards the close of his discourse, he said he felt as if he had done his work and had no more to say and desired a minister present to make a concluding prayer, which he did in a very solemn pathetic manner. Peck than rose and sung a sort of farewell hymn and immediately dismounted the wagon on which he stood and went to his house. Dr. Ross and a number of others, staid till after midnight. Sometime in the evening he stripped and went to bed and gave orders to those present to let him die in peace and not disturb him. After the time was expired, he arose and sung very merrily, and said his reprieve was effected by the prayers of his faithful brethren, some of which had repaired to the groves for the purpose of making intercession for his life. An eyewitness to part of the scene. Burlington, Oct. 11,1806
Otsego Herald, Cooperstown, NY, October 23, 1806
Marriage
At Walton, Delaware County [NY] on the 4th instant, Col. Erastus Root of Delhi [Delaware Co. NY] to Miss Eliza Stockton, daughter of Mr. C.W. Stockton of Walton.
Elopement
Whereas my wife Eunice [Miller] has behaved in such an indecent manner that I am determined not to live with her any longer; these are therefore to forbid all persons harboring or trusting her on my account, as I am determined to pay no debts she may contract after this date. Daniel miller, Burlington [Otsego Co. NY], Oct. 21, 1806
Otsego Herald, Cooperstown, NY, October 30, 1806
Elopement
Whereas my wife Faitha [Allen] has eloped form my bed and board; this is therefore to forbid all persons trusting or harboring her on my acc't, as I am determined not to pay any debts she may contract. Barnabas Allen, Jun., Springfield [Otsego Co. NY], October 30, 1806.
Sherburne News, Sherburne, NY, October 18, 1879
Death of a Pioneer
On Friday morning last [Oct. 10, 1879], after a brief illness, Benjamin Barber expired at his residence, four miles south of this village in the seventy-ninth year of his age. One of the pioneers of Chenango Valley, his death calls for more than a passing notice.
Deceased was born at Richmondville, R.I., June 1st, 1801. In May 1806, he moved with his parents to this county [Chenango Co. NY], settling upon the farm which he afterwards owned and upon which he died. The only house on the farm at that time was a log one, which stood near the site of the present homestead. It was occupied at the time by Ezra Huntley, and the newly arrived family for two weeks lived in a frame barn just across the road, cooking their victuals by the side of a pine stump. The barn was afterwards used as a church. At that time there were only about ten acres of cleared land in that neighborhood. George Knapp lived on the farm afterwards owned by John Shattuck, Ebenezer Wilcox on the first farm north, and Rathbone Gates where the Halfway House is. Bears and wolves were plenty, and the settlers were compelled to shut their sheep up every night to keep them from these pests. About the time of the arrival of the Barber family, a grist and sawmill was put up. Before that the people had to go to Chenango Forks [Broome Co. NY] to get their grain ground.
He remained upon the farm with his parents until he was twenty-one years of age, when he went to work for Isaac Pendleton, who lived north of there, for nine dollars a month and the third year he worked eight months for twelve dollars and a half per month, which in those times was considered high wages. At the age of twenty-six he married his wife, who was then eighteen, with whom he lived happily throughout his life and who survives him. Eight months after their marriage they commenced keeping house, Mr. Barber working for William Mygatt of Oxford for two years, for eleven dollars a month and boarding himself. Then he hired the Darwin Davis farm for three years, after which (1830) he moved upon the home farm, upon which he has since resided. He kept a dairy and made cheese and in the fall of the first year, failing to sell his dairy for five cents per pound, he drew it to Honesdale, Pa., where he disposed of the lot at six cents - a very satisfactory venture for him. Afterwards he turned his attention to butter, which then sold at ten cents per pound, but in 1837, when the canal was opened through the valley, butter went up to fourteen cents and potatoes rose from twenty to fifty cents a bushel. By strict economy and abstemious habits, he accumulated property and added to his farm, until he was the owner of some four hundred acres of as fine farming land as lies in the Chenango Valley.
Twenty-one children have been born to this worthy couple, seventeen of whom are still living - twelve girls and five boys - and nearly all of them are married and have families growing up. All have profited by the teachings of their venerable parents and become useful members of society.
For many years deceased has been a consistent member of the Baptist Church in Oxford [Chenango Co. NY]. His funeral was largely attended on Sunday afternoon, Rev. Dr. Haynes of this village officiating in the absence of the pastor of the Oxford Church.
[Buried Mount Hope Cemetery, Norwich, Chenango Co. NY]
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