Chenango American, Greene, NY, November 3, 1859
In Morris, Otsego Co. [NY], on the 12th ult. Capt. Dan Smith, in the 85th year of his age. The departure from life of a good citizen who has lived to a great age in the respect and esteem of his fellow man, deserves something more than the customary brief obituary [announcement]. Captain Smith was born on the 30th day of May 1774, in Chepachet in the State of Rhode island. He was cousin to the late Elisha Smith, Esq. of Norwich, and was descended through his mother in a direct line from Elder Charles Brown who was the first Baptist Clergyman of Rhode Island. He removed in early life on to a lot of land which he had purchased in Plymouth, Chenango Co. [NY], still remembered as "Smith's Clearing." Selling that, he located in Butternuts, Otsego Co [NY] near Gilbertsville, where he acquired and himself chopped and cleared up 200 acres of land. In 1809 he established himself on a newly purchased farm one mile south of the village of Morris (then Louisville) where for half a century and until his death he continued to reside. He there kept for many years a Public House, and it was at his house where the Militia Company were drafted for the war of 1812. He was one of the seven old citizens of Morris who built the Factories at Morris and engaged in the manufacture of cotton goods, and no man had done more than he to found and sustain that beautiful village.
Captain Smith was married in 1800 to Miss Roxce Donaldson who died in 1857 at the age of 78. they have had twelve children of whom nine still survive, viz: Hon. Addison M. Smith, of Morris; J.C. Smith late Surrogate of Kings County; and Lucius Smith of Brooklyn; Rev. Henry R. Smith of Leesburg, Va; Mrs. Ferdinand Walker, of Detroit; Mrs. George J . Peck and Eliza B. Smith of Morris, Edwin Smith, of Sycamore, Ill; and Dan Smith, Jr., of Brooklyn; and all but the two last named were present at his funeral, which was attended on Sunday, the 16th ult. by a very large concourse of citizens.
The deceased discharged throughout his long life the whole duties of a good husband, father, neighbor and citizen; was industrious and prudent, liberal in his aid to the deserving poor and devotedly kind to his family. Without making an ostentatious profession of religion, he lived in the practice of the Christian virtues. In his politics he was of the school of Washington, loving the whole country and attached to the Constitution, and the Union as the only means of securing the blessings of liberty. He had often spoken of death and expressed desire to retain his reason unimpaired to the last, remarking that he did not wish to live through another winter, nor to become infirm and helpless, that he had done with the v..tics of the world and stood ready to go when God called him. His wishes in this were granted. He retained his faculties, mental and physical, to his closing days and passed gently and peacefully from the world. Blessed is the memory of the just.
Chenango American, Greene, NY, November 10, 1859
Married: In East Greene [Chenango Co., NY], on the 9th inst. by Rev. Mr. Virgil, Mr. Jeduthan Kendall to Miss Sarah Smith, all of East Greene.
Married: In this village [Greene, Chenango Co., NY], on the 4th inst. by Rev. J.D. Webster, Mr. Calvin L. Brown of Pitcher [Chenango Co., NY] to Miss Caroline J. Lawton, of Pharsalia [Chenango Co., NY].
Married: In the village of Binghamton [Broome Co., NY], on the 2d inst. by Rev. H.W. Gilbert, Mr. Sether J. Hall to Miss Emily E. Smith.
Married: In Chenango Forks [Chenango Co., NY], on the 1st inst. by Rev. E. Puffer, Mr. Thos. J. Dunning, of Smithville [Chenango Co., NY] to Miss Rebecca J. Terrell, of McDonough [Chenango Co., NY].
Died: In this town [Greene, Chenango Co., NY], on the 7th ult. Aaron Niles, aged 84 years.
Died: In Plymouth [Chenango Co., NY], on the 5th inst. Mr. Daniel Benedict, aged 81 years.
Died: In Hamilton [Madison Co., NY], on the 24th ult. of Consumption, Sarah L. Van Vleck, aged 21 years.
Chenango American, Greene, NY, November 17, 1859
Married: At Paris Hill, Oneida Co., on the 15th inst., by the Rev. Wm. Olin, Mr. Austin H. Fisher, of Utica, formerly of Norwich [Chenango Co., NY], to Miss Belle McCartney, of Utica [Oneida Co., NY].
Married: In Norwich [Chenango Co., NY], on the 8th inst. by Rev. Chas. Blakeslee, Mr. Jeremiah Tinker, to Miss Keziah A. Crandall, both of Plymouth [Chenango Co., NY].
Married: In Sherburne [Chenango Co., NY], on the 9th inst. by Orville Benedict, Esq., Sidney A Felt of Sherburne, to Miss Eliza J. Crandall of Plymouth [Chenango Co., NY].
