Oxford Times, Oxford, NY, January 28, 1880
Marriages
WEBB - NIGHTINGALE: In McDonough [Chenango Co. NY] on Jan. 1st, by Rev. Charles Steere, Mr. Charles E. Webb and Miss Mary A. Nightingale.
STUART - BOSWORTH: In McDonough [Chenango Co. NY], Jan. 14th, by Rev. A.W. Barrows, Mr. Robert L. Stuart and Miss Ida Bosworth, both of German [Chenango Co. NY].
WOODRUFF - HASTINGS: In Colesville [Broome Co. NY] Jan. 15th, by Rev. I.P. Towner, Mr. John B. Woodruff of Guilford [Chenango Co. NY] and Miss Ida E. Hastings of Colesville.
KEELER - PORTER: In Coventry [Chenango Co. NY] by Rev. W. Burnside, Mr. Charles J. Keeler and Miss Henrietta F. Fowler, both of Coventry.
Deaths
WESCOTT: In Oxford [Chenango Co. NY] Jan. 18th, Mr. James Wescott aged 69 years.
LYON: In Bainbridge [Chenango Co. NY] Jan. 14th, Mrs. Lois Lyon aged 65 years.
BENNETT: In Bainbridge [Chenango Co. NY] Jan. 20th, Mr. Hanford Bennett, aged 67 years.
TINKER: In Sherburne [Chenango Co. NY] Jan. 14th, Miss Emily Tinker aged 67 years.
SAYRE: In Bainbridge Jan. 20th, William S. Sayre, Esq. aged 77 years.
MATTHEWS: The remains of Mrs. Frances Matthews of Hoboken, N.J., arrived in this village [Greene, Chenango Co. NY] on Saturday morning last and were buried in Sylvan lawn Cemetery during the afternoon of that day, after burial service in Zion Church. Mrs. Matthews was a former resident of this village and an aunt of Mrs. John R. Juliand. Mr. Fred Matthews, son of the deceased, and also a former resident of this village, accompanied his mother's remains here, and saw them beneath the sod of her native valley. Mrs. Matthews died of pneumonia, after a brief illness. she was a pleasant lady, a kind neighbor, and a firm friend. Her death will be mourned by a large circle of friends in this locality. Chenango American
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McFARLAND: In Oxford [Chenango Co. NY] Jan. 21st, Mr. Ira B. McFarland aged 90 years.
Ira B. McFarland, an old and well-known citizen of this town, died on Wednesday last at the residence of his son, Charles A. McFarland, at the advanced age of ninety-one years. He was the father of Drs. S.F. and H.A. McFarland, of this village [Oxford]. Deceased was born at Kinderhook Landing on the Hudson River in 1769 and came to Oxford in 1816 and settled upon a piece of land three miles below this village, which is now the farm of his son, Charles, where he died. He devoted his early days to lumbering, clearing the forests here and about Sidney Plains [Delaware Co. NY] and was known as one of the most skillful pilots on the Susquehanna in running rafts of lumber. Later he turned his attention to farming, which he followed for many years, he having made the old homestead a fine farm amid the then wilderness of forests. He retained his mental and physical powers in a remarkable degree, and it was a pleasure to listen to his tales of the times and early history of the pioneers of the Chenango Valley. Through his long life he carried a record for integrity and good purposes, taking an active interest in all public affairs that tended for public welfare and was a kind neighbor and friend to the poor and needy.
Bainbridge Republican, Bainbridge, NY, March 5, 1880
Deaths
S.D. Maples head brakeman on Conductor Wiles' train on the Erie railroad, was killed by his own train in the Waverly [Tioga Co. NY] yard Tuesday morning. He was engaged in coupling cars, and it is supposed fell. The whole train had passed over his body before the accident was discovered. They were taken Tuesday night on Erie railway train No. 12, to Port Jervis [Orange Co. NY], where the deceased resided.
Thomas S. Purple Esq. well known in Chenango County [NY], died February 14th, at his late residence in Windsor, Broome County [NY] at the ripe old age of 84 years. He was born in Connecticut in 1796 and removed to Chenango County when a child with his parents. In 1829, he married Rebecca, daughter of Andrew Race, of Greene [Chenango Co. NY], and about two years later removed to Smithville [Chenango Co. NY] where he lived many years, much respected and often holding positions of trust, being elected Justice of the Peace several terms, and at one time Supervisor of the town. All of his family, his wife, three sons and three daughters, survive him. He died of no particular disease, but a gradual decline in old age.
The afternoon express on the Albany & Susquehanna railroad, which left Albany at 3:50 p.m. Friday, met with a narrow escape from being totally wrecked near Richmondville [Schoharie Co. NY], between six and seven o'clock that evening, and the accident which ensued resulting in the death of the engineer. The train, which consisted of a baggage car, one drawing-room coach and two passenger cars, were drawn by locomotive "Canada," [with] Engineer Ostrander, and at the time of the mishap was under good headway. When near Richmondville, the driver of the locomotive broke and before the train was brought to a standstill the engine tumbled over on the right side, and buried Engineer Ostrander underneath, who remained at his post. The fireman leaped from the locomotive and escaped with slight injuries. The sudden stop threw the passengers in the coaches in every direction, but all escaped with slight injuries. The passengers, immediately on discovering what had happened, and learning that Engineer Ostrander was under the debris, set to work to extricate him. Word was sent to Oneonta [Otsego Co. NY] for a wrecker, which was instantly dispatched to the scene. Among the passengers who worked energetically to extricate Ostrander was Senator Halbert, and after an hour's hard work the engineer was rescued from his perilous position. He was carried to a house nearby, where several doctors attended him. He was scalded in a frightful manner and otherwise injured so badly that his death ensued on Monday. The track was blockaded for several hours, and the passengers had to be transferred to a train which was dispatched to the scene from Oneonta.
Ransom Wood of East Afton [Chenango Co. NY] who has been sick with typhoid fever for several weeks, was taken with a violent bleeding at the nose last Monday, and it bled form eleven o'clock until four, and was then stopped by the timely arrival of Dr. Wilsey. Mr. Wood died on Saturday morning.
Nineveh, Broome Co. NY: Emory Ruland was taken with pneumonia last week and died Sunday. His funeral was held Tuesday.
Afton, Chenango Co. NY: The funeral services of one of Mr. Joel Ruland's sons [Emory Ruland] took place at his father's residence, last Tuesday afternoon, after which the remains were conveyed to the cemetery on the east side of the river.
Barbourville [Delaware Co. NY]: On Friday Erwin Axtell's little boy [Harry E. Axtell, aged 2y] was buried, who died with the scarlet fever.
