Oneida Dispatch, Oneida, NY, April 27, 1867
Marriages
BROWN - CAMPBELL: At the house of the bride's father in Canastota [Madison Co. NY], March 20, 1867, by the Rev. Mr. Barnes, Mr. D.H. Brown of Bridgeport [Madison Co. NY] to Miss Blinnie Campbell.
SAWDEY - PERKINS: In Cleveland [Oswego Co. NY] on the 26th ult. by Rev. Mr. Cooley, B.W. Sawdey Esq of Titusville, Pa., to Miss Florence H. Perkins of Madison, N.Y. [Madison Co.].
FISH - THOMPSON: In Morrisville [Madison Co. NY] on the 21st inst. by Rev. Samuel Miller, Mr. M.C. Fish of Scriba, Oswego Co. [NY] to Mrs. M.N. Thompson of Morrisville.
GOFF - CLARK: In Utica [Oneida Co. NY] on the 3d inst. by Rev. O.H. Warren, Mr. James Goff to Miss Mary Clark of Augusta [Oneida Co. NY].
KENYON - ST. JOHN: In East Homer, N.Y. [Cortland Co. NY] on the 19th ult. by Rev. S. Hinman, Mr. George A. Kenyon of Brookfield [Madison Co. NY] to Miss Frances A. St. John of Homer.
Deaths
OSTRANDER: In Smithfield [Madison Co. NY] on the 13th inst. Mr. Alexander Ostrander aged 84 years.
BURGESS: In New Woodstock [Madison Co. NY] April 11, 1867, Mrs. Burgess wife of Celim Burgess, aged 62 years. [Margaret Maris (Cady) Burgess]
WELLINGTON: In New Woodstock [Madison Co. NY] April 20, 1867, Mrs. Ann J. Barker [Wellingtoin], wife of Erastus Wellington, aged 49 years.
MOSELEY: In Hamilton [Madison Co. NY] on the 9th inst. suddenly of apoplexy, Miss Betsey Moseley aged 67 years.
NEWCOMB: In Munnsville [Madison Co. NY], on the 17th inst. after three days illness with inflammation of the bowels, Delos [Newcomb] son of Marcus P. Newcomb, aged about 14 yrs.
LEONARD: In South Brookfield [Madison Co. NY] on the 10th inst. Mr. Rufus Leonard late resident of Clarkville, aged 7 yrs.
SEATON: At Pine Woods [Madison Co. NY], on the 22d inst. Lenna [Seaton] only child of George Seaton, formerly of Hamilton [Madison Co. NY] aged about 2 years.
Peterboro, Madison Co. NY: The funeral of Miss Julia Abbott [d. 21 Apr. 1867, age 41y] was attended at this place on Tuesday and that of a little daughter of Mrs. Willoughby [Gerty Willoughby, d. 20 Apr. 1867, aged 7y] at the residence of the child's grandfather, Neal Eastman, Esq. on Monday. The child died with measles, Miss Abbott with consumption.
A strange affair occurred one night last week near Knoxville [Madison Co. NY], which resulted in the death of Mr. Butler, a resident of that place. He spent the evening at the hotel of Mr. Hinman in Stockbridge [Madison Co. NY]. During the evening, he drank quite freely and started for his home about 10 o'clock. As he did not reach home as was expected, search was instituted and about 5 o'clock in the morning he was found dead, suspended by the neck from a high picket fence. His coat, especially on the back part, was covered with mud, while the hands and face were free from it. there were a large number of foot tracks on the side of the fence where the remains were found. It was thought by some that he had committed suicide. And at the inquest held by coroner Douglass, of Peterboro, the following verdict was rendered: "That the deceased came to his death by strangulation while under the influence of intoxicating drinks." There are many mysterious circumstances connected with the case and the friends of Mr. Butler have serious suspicions that he was murdered. On leaving home, he took with him ten dollars, but no money whatever was found upon him. We understand the body will be taken up and a careful examination made with a view to ascertain whether there was foul play or not in the case. Mr. Butler leaves an interesting and sadly afflicted family. [Charles Butler, d. 17 Apr. 1867, aged 55y]
News Item
It is stated by the present occupant that the farm, known as the Muller farm, situated three miles west of the village of Georgetown [Madison Co. NY] on the hill road to DeRuyter has been sold by the owner, Mr. James O. Van Houghvenburg of Kingston, Ulster Co. to parties near New York for $25 per acre. There are 735 acres assessed in this farm. There are some facts which go to make the history of this place quite interesting.
In the year 1810, an individual known at that time by name as Lewis Anathe Muller, and as a French refugee, settled on this tract, then a wilderness more desolate than now and attempted the establishment of a village. He erected a spacious dwelling, strong and solid walls being constructed of hewn timber, every bent being raised closely against another, making a wall of solid timber twelve or fourteen inches thick. This fortress like frame was well covered with boards without and most carefully finished within, after a style best fancied by the strange builder. The walls present a nice finish, and time has proved their durability. The building is of the European style of architecture of that time, being not far from eighty feet long and of proportionate width, divided into rooms and halls. Originally there were seven fireplaces. It is said that in the cellar an apartment, undiscoverable by a stranger, whose secret purposes were never told, was provided. Large commodious out buildings were erected, two large store houses, numerous fruit trees planted and an artificial pond raised, the dam of which years ago was leveled by subsequent occupants, none of whom to my knowledge have owned it or any part of it.
Muller brought here with him about one hundred and fifty hands, as stated by some of our oldest men, who knew him and assisted him in his enterprise and $150,000. Many supposed him to be Louis Phillippe himself, King of France, and that he sought this secluded hill and constructed this house in its peculiar manner as a means of defense in case of danger. At any rate there was not and is not today any doubt that he was one of the nobility of France, for when Bonaparte abdicated he returned to France leaving his family (wife and children) in New York. Evidently no pains were spared to make this lonely place pleasant and render the lands, naturally sterile, fruitful, agreeable to the apparently cultivated taste of the exiled Frenchman. Consequently, forests were leveled and hundreds of acres cleared with particular care. Money was lavished and labor without stint applied to beautify this wild secluded hill.
On going to France, he left his property in care of some of his servants who accompanied him here. But after a few years he returned to New York, thence to Georgetown to find his adopted home nearly deserted, everything in a dilapidated state; his valuable and costly furniture carried away or broken and of all the property which he brought, amounting to $150,000, or more, it is related that he did not recover over $150. He returned to New York, disposed of his lands and immovable estate at a ruinous bargain and sailed for France. None in this vicinity know to this day who he was, or what was his real character.
The farm has ever since been owned by parties living in New York, or in eastern counties, and has been worked, when worked at all, by tenants who wanted to live bad enough to do it, always at a "poor lay," even if all their own way. An air of romance has ever since clung around that stern but stately mansion with its lofty poplars and spacious green in front, and until recently reports were rife and frequently believed, that this house was haunted and its occupants have been frightened pale and some have been known to leave, actually believing in the mysterious tales of haunted houses and that this was one.
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