Oxford Times, Oxford, NY, December 17, 1879
Marriages
HAMILTON - KETCHUM: In Smithville [Chenango Co. NY] Dec. 10th, by Rev. W.R. Baldwin, Mr. Frank R. Hamilton and Miss Lillie A. [Ketchum] only daughter of Mr. Egbert Ketchum.
MANWARREN - HACKETT: In Norwich [Chenango Co. NY] on 4th Dec. by Rev. L.M.S. Haynes, Mr. W.L. Manwarren and Miss Fannie Hackett, both of Oxford [Chenango Co. NY\].
PACKARD - BEALE: In Norwich [Chenango Co. NY] Dec. 10th, by Rev. J.O. Woodruff, Henry Packard and Rosa A. Beale, both of Coventry [Chenango Co. NY].
CARY - WATROUS: In Norwich [Chenango Co. NY] Dec. 10th, by Rev. J.O. Woodruff, George P. Cary of Coventry [Chenango Co. NY] and Lois Watrous of Colesville [Broome Co. NY].
Deaths
McNEIL: In this village [Oxford, Chenango Co. NY], Nov. 25th, Philura [McNeil] wife of Charles A. McNeil, aged 73 years. (incorrectly printed two weeks ago)
HOLMES: In Taylor, Cortland Co. [NY] Nov. 30th, Jane E. [Holmes] wife of Leonard Holmes.
McGOWAN: In Smithville [Chenango Co. NY] Dec. 8th, Mrs. Mary McGowan aged 91 years.
SPICKERMAN: In Rockdale [Chenango Co. NY] Nov. 26th, Mrs. Sally Spickerman aged 71 years.
THOMAS: John D. Thomas, a farm employee of S.A. Millard of Clayville [Oneida Co. NY], was killed by President Sam Sloan's special train on the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Road Tuesday morning. The train consisted of only an engine and the car of the President of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western railroad, Samuel Sloan. On board were Mr. Sloan, Superintendents Hallstead, Niver and Reasoner. The unfortunate man was endeavoring to drive some cows across the track and miscalculated the speed of the train, which was running a mile a minute. He was thrown some distance from the track and was picked up dead.
FISH: Norwich, Chenango Co. NY: Charles H. Fish, in employ of George Harris, while working in the store on Friday morning was seized with a fit. He was taken home and lies in a very precarious condition. Telegraph. We learn that he died on Monday, Ed.
SALISBURY: Jacob Salisbury, aged 70 of Afton [Chenango Co. NY] met with a fall which caused his death on the 9th inst.
Chenango American, Greene, NY, May 6, 1880
Marriages
In Utica [Oneida Co. NY] April 24th, by Rev. J.L. Humphrey Mr. Solomon J. Titus, 2d, to Miss Isabella Green, both of North Norwich [Chenango Co. NY].
In Afton [Chenango Co. NY] April 10th by Rev. N.J. Hawley, Mr. Oliver D. Phelps of Afton to Mrs.. Frances Dykeman of Colesville [Broome Co. NY].
At the home of the bride's parents, Afton [Chenango Co. NY], April 27th, by Rev. D.N. Grummon, Charles E. Tarbell and Ellen J Rounds, both of Afton.
Deaths
In Du Quoin, Ill. April 21st, Mrs. Elenor Monk, relict of the late Christopher Monk, formerly of this town [Oxford, Chenango Co. NY], in the 78th year of her age.
In Titusville, Penn., April 8th, suddenly, Mr. Thomas J. Squires aged 46 years, formerly of Smithville [Chenango Co. NY].
In Smithville [Chenango Co. NY], April 27th, Mr. Thomas Tyler aged 85 years.
In Bainbridge [Chenango Co. NY], April 28th, Mrs. Daniel Campbell aged 71 years.
In Afton [Chenango Co. NY] April 9th, Roby A. [Davis] wife of Jno. Davis, int he 64th year of her age.
In Norwich [Chenango Co. NY] April 24th, Mr. Newman Gates, aged 74 years.
In Guilford [Chenango Co. NY] April 25th, Merton H [Winsor] son of Edson and Mary Winsor, aged 17 years and 3 months.
In Norwich [Chenango Co. NY] April 21st, William J. [Cook] son of Jason Cook, aged 2 years and 9 months.
In Elmira [Chemung Co. NY] April 16th, Mr. William Guthrie aged 79 years, formerly of Bainbridge [Chenango Co. NY].
News Item
Reminiscences of Fifty Years Ago
As I incidentally remarked in my last letter, there was not much temperance in those days. Everybody kept his bottle and thought no harm of it. One man whom I remember well and who was a member of the Congregational Church, and one of its pillars, kept whisky for sale. This I know, for I have myself been sent there for it and in order to make up the required quart, the daughter was obliged to take some from a custard cup in the pantry. This same man afterwards kept a tavern in the building on the corner, afterwards occupied by Hunt & Rathbone as a store. I forbear naming him, but this same daughter afterwards married a minister, and the last I knew of them, they were all living together in Lewisburg, Pa.
But why select him from among other church members! If one sold rum, a dozen other church members bought and drank it.
I well remember the first and only time I was ever intoxicated. I could not have been more than ten years old. My father had been butchering a beef in the barn. Of course, he and his helper had the inevitable black bottle. After they had finished, something called my father to the village. The rope by which the beef had been hung up was left hanging, and my brother Jared and myself found that it made a capital swing. After swinging awhile, we discovered the bottle in an old-fashioned cheese press. we soon made its acquaintance and between swinging and imbibing, I was soon in a condition to be put to bed. My father used sometimes to tell the story and add, "He has never drank any since." But for once he was mistaken; for how could it be otherwise, when the creature was to be met at every turn? In the hay and harvest field, at raisings, at corn hustings and mynah other places, liquor was as free as water. I have seen men mix it with molasses and call it "black strap." Others would mix it with buttermilk and then it was "stone fence." Even ministers countenanced its use, and a few years later I heard a pastor of the Congregational Church advocating the use of wine and only regretted that he was too poor to indulge.
How well I remember old Tracy Allen. For one glass of grog, he would lie down and roll through mud and slush from one side of the street to the other. and creatures calling themselves men (?) enjoyed the sport. By the way, I think I have heard that "OldTrace" had reformed. I wish I knew it to be true.
Myself and younger brother were once sent to the store to get the bottle replenished for the harvest field. Just as we were passing the house of Mr. Charles Cameron, I put the "bottle to my brother's mouth." Miss Ringer (afterwards Mrs. Dr. Willard) was sitting at the window and saw the performance and reprimanded me severely. She need not to have been alarmed for the bottle was securely corked, but of course she did not know it.
I remember the first temperance raising I ever attended. It was gotten up by Mr. James Burroughs, familiarly known as "Uncle Jim Burroughs." Invitations were given out, far and wide, with the express understanding, that there would be no liquor. The almost invariable reply was "Yes, I will come, but you won't get men enough to raise the house." "Then." said Uncle Jim, "the timber may lie on the ground." The result was that one-half the men who were there, could have raised the frame with ease. Everything passed off pleasantly, with an occasional call for the "bottle," and after all was done, the horn sounded for supper. This was indeed a surprise. Nothing of the kind had been expected. We all went in, of course. The order was given out, "old men first table." A better meal I never set down to, and all went home satisfied and sober. By the by, this was but forty-five years ago. Shortly after that, Mr. Lot had a temperance raising, which was equally successful. For refreshments, he had crackers, cheese and small beer.
You will see Messrs. Editors, that I have occupied my accustomed space and all on the subject of "drink." I must beg you to indulge a little longer, and I will send you one more letter, in which I propose to sketch, in my disconnected manner, some of our boyish pastimes "fifty years ago."
By the way, your compositor made me say that we used to call Rev. J.B. Hoyt, "Birt Hoyt." this was incorrect. It should be "Priest Hoyt." A little colored boy, living at Judge Monell's would have it "French Hoyt." But call him what we might, he was one of God's noblemen and has now gone to receive the reward of the faithful servant.
Lewis Hoyt, Hammonton, N.J., April 30, 1880
As Mr. Hoyt speaks of "Old trace" in the above letter, for his information we would state that the poor old man never reformed. A number of years ago he was found in a dying condition, by the roadside in Page Brook and taken to a house nearby, where he shortly afterwards died, through the effects of old age and rum.
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