Oxford Times, Oxford, NY, December 3, 1879
Marriages
HOPKINS - COOK: In Oxford [Chenango Co. NY] Nov. 10th, by Rev. S.C. Folton, Mr. Jay D. Hopkins and Miss Mary L. Cook, both of Norwich [Chenango Co. NY].
RAABE - OBENAUER: At the home of the bride's father in Guilford [Chenango Co. NY] Nov. 27th, by Rev. S.C. Folton, Mr. George Raabe of this village [Oxford, Chenango Co. NY] and Miss Christina Obenauer of Guilford.
CRANNELL - PARVY: In Oxford [Chenango Co. NY] Oct. 27th, by Rev. M.H. Abby, Mr. Georbe Crannell and Miss Ida S. Parry both of Oxford.
DILLENBECK - BARBER: In Binghamton [Broome Co. NY] Nov. 6th by Rev. L.D. Turner, Mr. Ray Dillenbeck of German [Chenango Co. NY] and Miss V.A. Barber of Triangle [Broome Co. NY]
CRANDALL - EVANS: In Preston [Chenango Co. NY] Nov. 18th by Rev. J.B. Santon, Mr. Harrison Crandall of Truxton [Cortland Co. NY] and Miss Flora A. Evans of Preston.
BUNNELL - HUBBARD: In Greene [Chenango Co. NY] Nov. 29 by Rev. H.N. Van Deusen Mr. Charles G. Bunnell and Miss Frankie Al. Hubbard.
MERCHANT - HARRIS: In Norwich [Chenango Co. NY] Nov. 25th, by Rev. L.M.S. Haynes, Mr. O.D. Merchant of Guilford [Chenango Co. NY] and Miss Mary E. Harris of Norwich.
Guilford, Chenango Co. NY: Mr. O.D. Merchant, having become weary of the smooth, monotonous waters of celibacy, has embarked upon the matrimonial sea, Miss Mary Harris, of Norwich, being chosen by him as his mate. May their course be marked by sunshine and fair sailing is the wish of [the] Recorder
Deaths
McNEIL: In this village [Oxford, Chenango Co. NY] Nov. 25th(?), Philura [McNeil] wife of Mr. Charles McNeil aged 73(?) years.
BETTS: At the County Home in Preston [Chenango Co. NY] Nov. 18th(?), Mr. Lyman Betts aged 59(?) years, Formerly of Greene [Chenango Co. NY].
Chenango American, Greene, NY, April 22, 1880
Marriages
At the house of Mr. A.A. Van Horn, Bainbridge [Chenango Co. NY], April 1st, by Rev. D.N. Grammon, Mr. Samuel M. Thornton of Rockwell's Mills [Chenango Co. NY] to Mrs. Jeanette A. Wells of Masonville [Delaware Co. NY].
In Oneida [Madison Co. NY] April 6th, by Rev. G. Hibbard, Mrs. Peter Dorsy to Mrs. Kate F. DeLancy both of Norwich [Chenango Co. NY].
In Oxford [Chenango Co. NY] April 13th, by Rev. J.C. Ransom, Mr. James H. Wells and Miss Martha A. Gensee both of Gilbertsville [Otsego Co. NY].
Deaths
In this town [Greene, Chenango Co. NY] April 20th, Mrs. Matilda [Ackerman] wife of Edward Ackermann, aged 53 years.
In Colesville [Broome County, NY] april 16th, Mr. Larkain Packard aged 85 years.
In this town [Greene, Chenango Co. NY] April 17th, Mrs. Lucy Beardsley mother of Edmund Beardsley aged 90 years.
In East Pharsalia [Chenango Co. NY] April 10th, Maria [Totman] wife of Edsel Totman and sister of David Maydole, aged 68 years and 25 days.
At his residence in Brooklyn on Sunday evening, the 11th last, Charles N. Wheeler, aged 51 years. He was the brother of Mrs. B. Gage Berry of Norwich [Chenango Co. NY] and Miss Eunice Wheeler. His remains were taken to North Stonington, Conn. for interment.
In Norwich [Chenango Co. NY] April 14th, Carrie M. [Brown] daughter of George W. and Hattie Brown, aged 19 years.
In Norwich [Chenango Co. NY] April 10th, Mr. Charles S. LaHatt aged 53 years.
In McDonough [Chenango Co. NY] March 30th, Mr. Alexander E. Dean aged 64 years.
In Oxford [Chenango Co. NY] April 10th, Mrs. Ann Comstock aged 85 years.
In McDonough [Chenango Co. NY], April 14th, Mr. Mason Whipple aged 84 years.
In Preston [Chenango Co. NY], Ap[ril 18th, Mr. Edward Doolan aged 24 years.
News Item
Reminiscences of Fifty Years Ago
Thanks, Messrs. Editors for your kindly notice of my former communication. My future letters, by the way, are not intended so much to describe "Men and things" of fifty years ago, as to recall simple events which occurred among the boys and girls of that period. In this paper I propose to speak of my school days.
My first recollections of school life were going to school in the old red schoolhouse, which stood at that time on the ground, or near to the ground, where the Episcopal Church was afterwards built. It was afterwards moved by ox power to grounds where the M.E. Church was afterwards built. The name of my first teacher, I cannot recall. But while yet a small boy, we had a lady teacher named Gaylord. A part of every Saturday's program was repeating the catechism. We little ones used to think it a bore, but it was required by the authorities. I remember perfectly the day that my brother J. first went to school. He was dressed in a suit, jacket and trousers, made of fire red flannel with brass buttons. He was rather a pretty boy and created quite a sensation.
Our teacher used to give us as rewards of merit, tickets which she herself painted. At one time she had no pencil [paintbrush] and a friendly cat coming in, teacher caught her, and clipping off a little of her fur, manufactured a pencil, which answered every purpose. Oh! those tickets were beauties. Afterwards, a lady name Beckwith taught us; but of her, my recollections are indistinct.
The one whom I most distinctly remember and undoubtedly the best teacher of all was Gideon B. Miner of Coventry [Chenango Co. NY]. As I remember him, he was rather short, but well built, and decidedly a handsome man. He had a faculty of making the scholars love him. He offered at one time, a prize of fifty cents to anyone who would write one line across the page, as good as the copy. He was a splendid penman, but there were those among us who boldly competed for the prize. It is hardly necessary to say that none of us got it. Mr. Miner had a habit of conferring titles upon the boys. There was Commadore Chauncey (Marvin), Capt. Joyn (Hoyt, son of Rev. J. B Hoyt) Dr. Charles (Clarke), Schoolmaster John (Little) and others whom I forget. Among my schoolmates, I distinctly remember two sons and two daughters of the Hon. Robert Monnell, Eugene and William Barnard, a daughter of Mr. Anthony Squires, Henry Hoyt and one or two sisters, my cousins Uriah Chauncey, James and Emiline Marvin, Benjamin, M..., and Emiline Birdsall, George Juliand, Philip and John Lansing, Henry and Antoinette Smith, William Cameron, Fred Lyon and others.
We had one teacher named Thompson, rather a poor stick. At the close of one term [--?--] in the forepart of the spelling book to commit to memory, appointing the next Saturday to meet him and the one who could repeat the most of it correctly, was to receive a present. On the day appointed, we went, some of us, myself among the number, prepared to repeat the whole lesson perfectly. He pleaded poverty but gave us each a small coin. I received a quarter. I afterwards learned that Thompson went around and begged this money of our parents. To say that we were disgusted, is putting it very mildly. It was rumored moong the boys that he played cards nights and got asleep in school next day.
The old methods of teaching were simple in the extreme and would hardly be countermanded in these days of improvements. But simple as they were, some of the most solid men in Greene laid the foundation of their education and prosperity in the school, kept in that same old red schoolhouse.
With the exception of one month's "schooling" while an apprentice in Sherburne [Chenango Co. NY], my education was finished the winter I was 15, in that same dear old house.
In my next letter - possibly my last - I propose to speak of incidents among the men and boys of my time, not connected with school.
I had not intended Messrs. Editors that my name should be appended to my communications, but it should savor of egotism. But all right. Lewis Hoyt, Hammonton, N.J., April 15, 1880.
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