USA > New York > Chenango County > Oxford > Annals of Oxford, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and early pioneers > Part 15
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At the time of rededication in 1874, when fifty years had passed, three persons were members of the church who had been on the list for half a century : Mrs. Melinda Jud- son, Mrs. Mary Walker and Mrs. Lucia Symonds. The Hon. Solomon Bundy was the first child baptized in the first church.
On October 4 and 5, 1899, the Society celebrated its 100th anniversary, the opening remarks were made by Rev. Ward T. Sutherland, pastor, followed by prayer by Rev. Dr. B. F. Bradford of Upper Mont Clair, N. J. Addresses were made by Rev. J. W. Keeler of Greene, Rev. Henry P. Collin of Coldwater, Mich. ; Hon. Wm. A. Sutherland of Rochester; Rev. Inman Willcox of Wor- cester, Mass. ; Rev. Chas. N. Thorp of Oswego ; Rev. James Chambers, D. D. of New York; Rev. Charles Janes and Rev. Ethan Curtis of Syracuse. A history of the Sunday school was given by Mrs. W. T. Sutherland; John E. Miller gave the history of the church, and Mrs. R. Yale of Norwich, a great granddaughter of the founder, Rev. John
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Camp, supplied some interesting information in regard to him.
At a special term of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, held in Binghamton, May 3, 1904, Hon. Gerrit A. Forbes, Justice, granted a decree whereby " The Asso- ciated Presbyterian Society in Oxford" was changed to "The First Congregational Church and Society of Ox- ford."
In November, 1906, there was placed on the east and west walls of the interior of the church two bronze tablets, one in memory of Ebenezer Huntington Coville and his wife, Thankful Cook Hotchkiss, and another in memory of Joseph Addison Coville and his wife, Lydia S. More. The memorials were placed there by Dr. Luzerne Coville of Ithaca, and Frederick V. Coville of Washington, grand- children and children respectively. The tablets are artis- tic and oblong in shape. The inscriptions on the tablets read as follows :
Ebenezer Huntington Coville 1784-1838 Thankful Cook Hotchkiss 1786-1884 Natives of Burlington, Conn., and Settlers of Preston, N. Y., 1809. Tithemen and Covenanters of this Church at its Establish- ment. She was a Member of this Church and Presbytery
Joseph Addison Coville 1820-1895 Lydia S. More 1828-1904 He was a native of Preston, N. Y. Later a Resident of Oxford and Trustee of this Church. She was a Native of Roxbury, N. Y., and a Member of this Church and Congregation.
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The succession of the ministers is as follows : Revs. John Camp, 1799; Eli Hyde, 1808; Edward Andrews, 1818; Marcus Harrison, 1822; J. D. Wickham, D. D., 1823, died May 12, 1891, in his 95th year; Elijah D. Wells, 1826; Charles Gilbert, 1829; James Abell, 1830; George W. Bassett, 1837; Arthur Burtis, D. D., 1839; William H. Richards, 1846; Charles Jerome, 1847; Henry Callahan, 1850; Elliott H. Payson, 1862; Charles F. Janes, 1870; Henry P. Collin, 1873; Henry N. Payne, 1879; B. F. Bradford, D. D., 1881; Howard Billman, 1889; W. T. Sutherland, 1893; Theodore W. Harris, 1903, present pastor.
R EUBEN BANCROFT wasa good physician, a man of genius and very eccentric in his ways. He was a cousin of George Bancroft, the historian, a native of Con- necticut, and educated at Litchfield, where he received his diploma from the Connecticut Medical Society in February, 1816. He soon after came to Oxford and commenced prac- ticing with no advantage of friends and fortune, but with a heart bent upon success. His ruling ambition was to excel in the profession of his choice; to this the entire energies of his life were devoted, and in it he succeeded to an eminent degree. His residence was on the site of the house now owned by Frank T. Corbin on Clinton street. He always kept a fine horse, but was seldom seen occupying the sad- dle, and when in the greatest hurry went on foot leading the animal. He died in Oxford January 21, 1847, aged 52.
M UNSON SMITH, a prominent farmer in the eastern part of the town, was born March 4, 1819, and died August 3, 1893. He married April 7, 1841, Lauraette Dodge, born June 30, 1819; died July 15, 1901. Children : HARRIETT, 'married Joseph Spohn; THEODORE, married Kittie Doty; ADA, married Charles M. Stone.
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Lay hold of life with both hands, whenever thou mayest seize it, it is interesting,-GOETHE.
Charles Eccleston.
-
Charles Eccleston, born September 13, 1795, in Preston, N. Y. ; died December 26, 1873, in Oxford; married De- cember 24, 1824, Mary Lewis, born November 18, 1804, in Preston ; died January 27, 1883, at the residence of her daughter, Harriet, in Bainbridge, N. Y.
Mr. Eccleston and family came to Oxford in 1850. On the night of September 18, 1851, the Oxford House, which he had but recently purchased and moved into, together with the barns and out buildings, and the barn of Major J. V. N. Locke, were entirely consumed by fire. The house occupied the site of Dr. C. H. Eccleston's residence, and was for many years kept by David Brigham, a prom- inent hotel man of that day. The fire originated in the barn, which was entirely enveloped in flames when dis- covered. A large portion of the furniture was saved from the hotel. It was only by the extraordinary exertions of firemen and citizens, and the providential fact that the night was perfectly tranquil, that the adjoining houses of Messrs. T. G. Newkirk and J. V. N. Locke were saved. Had either been burned a large portion of one of our most beautiful streets must inevitably have been swept away. The hotel property was insured for $1,000.
Children of Charles and Mary (Lewis) Eccleston, all born in Preston :
CHARLES H., born May 28, 1826; married January 22,
SAMUEL W. KINNEY
DR. CHAS. II. ECCLESTON
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1851, Amanda N. Foote of Franklin, N. Y. Children : Charles, G., married Minnie Cook of Oxford; Edson F., married Clara B. Homer of Elmira; Maria, married Dr. Geo. D. Johnson of Oxford; Mary McC., and Walter L. .
HARRIET C., born June 4, 1828 ; married June 2, 1847, Leroy L. Eccleston, born at Preston, N. Y., September 22, 1824; died January 4, 1902, in Bainbridge. For many years they were residents of Oxford. Children; Erwin D., Freeman W., and William A.
DAVID L., born December 27, 1829; died March 20, 1849, in Preston.
NOYES B., born September 8, 1833; married September 8, 1858, Mary E. Willson of Chenango Forks, N. Y. He was educated at Oxford Academy, and for a number of years was engaged in the jewelry business, though a greater portion of his life has been devoted to the drug business. For a short time he represented a wholesale house on the road. Mr. Eccleston is now doing a flour- ishing business at the Central Drug Store, Oxford.
Dr. C. H. ECCLESTON lived on a farm in Preston with his pa- ROOT'S BLOCK rents until 1845, when he en- tered Oxford Academy and the following year Norwich Acad- emy. In 1847 he began the study of dentistry in the office of Dr. E. H. Parmlee in Norwich, having previously clerked in a jewelry store, and become quite adept at engraving on wood and copper plate. The wood cut above is a specimen of his early handiwork, and represents the old Root block (now Cor- .
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ner store) in which was located his first dental office, and a portion of the old wooden bridge that spanned the canal close by. In May, 1848, Dr. Eccleston began practice in Corning, N. Y., but shortly thereafter removed to Utica, where he practiced a short time and then came to Oxford in 1849. Here he practiced his profession and in spare hours made moulds for and manufactured teeth. Later he took a course of instruction under Dr. N. W. Kingsley in carving and making block or sectional teeth, and in 1860 organized the Union Tooth company for the manu- facture of artificial teeth, which was a successful venture, the teeth being sold to dentists throughout the United States and in many foreign lands. Of an inventive mind he perfected and patented many articles in use in his busi- ness. In 1901 Dr. and Mrs. Eccleston happily celebrated their golden wedding, at which numerous relatives and friends were present.
T HE FOLLOWING is copied from the town records and explains itself :
Strays 1797. Received Personal Information of James Phelps, that he has now in his possession a red brindle Ox, he supposes straid from the owner, about four or five Years of age last spring, no artificial mark ; his right horn appears to have been broken, and now grown out a new about four inches long a much larger Size than the other. Sign'd Elihu Murray, Clk. October 25th, 1797.
L AMBERT INGERSOLL, whose father, Oliver Inger- soll, came from Great Barrington, Mass., about 1802, and settled in Guilford, located on the east line of Oxford, and afterwards removed into the village, where he died September 16, 1849, aged 67. Polly, his wife, died March 16, 1867, aged 76.
ST. PAUL'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH
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Where, through the long-drawn aisle and fretted vault, The pealing anthem swells the note of praise .- GRAY.
St. Paul's Church.
The occasional erection of structures to religion and science, mark eras in our village history frought with pe- culiar local interest; such events scattered along the track of years give pleasing assurance of internal improvement in those matters which most nearly concern our hearts and homes. They furnish occasion too, for grateful recol- lection of those early pioneers who, as soon as they had surrounded themselves with the necessities of life, set about the work of laying deep and firm the foundation of religion, virtue and intelligence.
The first meeting of the friends of Episcopacy was held at the house of Abijah Lobdell, Jr., May 23, 1814, for the purpose of forming a church under the statue, to be called St. Paul's church, Oxford. Captain Frederick Hopkins and Captain John Backus were the first elected wardens; Ebenezer Hull, William M. Price, John Spoor, John Church, Peter Burghardt, General Ransom Rathbone, Chauncey Morgan and Abijah Lobdell, Jr., were elected vestrymen of the new parish. Rev. William B. Lacy then officiated during one half the year in the Academy, as would appear from a resolution of thanks January 3, 1815, to General Rathbone "for his spirited exertions in pre- paring and ornamenting the Academy for Christmas day."
It is said that on that occasion it was profusely decorat- ed with evergreens, and a tallow dip was in front of every
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seven by nine pane of glass. A choir was formed led by Captain Farnham, Austin Hyde and General Rathbone, as first, second and third choiristers, respectively.
" Oh, I need not a wing ;- bid no genii come With a wonderful web from Arabian loom, To bear me again up the river of Time, * * *
* * * * * *
For a sprig of green caraway carries me there, To the old village church and the old village choir, Where clear of the floor my feet slowly swung And timed the sweet pulse of the praise that they sung, Till the glory aslant from the afternoon sun Seemed the rafters of gold in God's temple begun!"
Efforts were early made to procure a suitable place of worship. Henry VanDerLyn interested himself in the cir- culation of a subscription for this purpose, and on Febru- ary 23, 1815, the amount subscribed having reached $1,995, a contract was executed with Smith & McGeorge to build an edifice, forty by fifty feet, for $2,250. The first induce- ment at that early day to build so large a church came from a source that many would object to in these times. A gentleman residing in New York city drew $10,000 in a lottery, and shortly after moved to Oxford and gave $1,000 toward the building fund. The church was consecrated September 8, 1816, by Bishop Hobart, and stood for nearly half a century. The first site selected was what is now the park on Fort Hill square, upon lands conveyed by the village trustees. The location seemed more controlled by necessity and a regard to economy than by any sense of beauty or taste. By this location the vestry came into collision with Platt Brush of New York city, who owned a lot in the rear of the church, and who claimed that al- though their intentions were otherwise very pious, they had no right to shut him out from the common. The mat- mer was, however, amicably adjusted. This position ex- posed the building and those who worshipped there to va-
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rious annoyances, and it was removed in 1842 to a lot ad- jacent to the Academy. The building was taken in 1864 to Chenango Forks and is still used for a church edifice. This apparently was the first church edifice erected in the village. A bell was purchased in 1818, which was then the only one in the county. The first rector, Rev. Wm. B. Lacey, was a good sized man though not tall. His coat- tails nearly reached the ground, and a white handkerchief hung by one corner from the pocket, pinned in no doubt, presenting a comical appearance.
In 1855 and '56 the building of the present church edi- fice engaged the attention of the parish, and $10,000 was subscribed towards that object. Its construction was com- menced in 1856 and was finished in 1857, at a cost of $13,- 387, and consecrated October 14, 1857, by Bishop Coxe.
The chapel was begun in 1859, and completed and paid for in 1860. In 1861 the iron fence around the church was built at a cost of $1,505. In 1873, $4,000 was subscribed for the purpose of adding a stone porch and bell tower to the church. In 1870 a new organ was purchased at a cost of $3,200. In 1877 the interior of the church was richly decorated, newly carpeted, and a new bell hung, at a cost of about $2,000.
The first communion was held December 18, 1815, at which time there were seven communicants : Samuel Ross and wife, Margaret Ross, Catherine Rathbone, Ebenezer Hull, Lucinda Backus, Ursula Perkins, Susan Tracy.
Of the partarkers of the first communion ever held in St. Paul's church, the following were those who were at the seventh on December 8, 1816 : Uri Tracy, Ruth Tracy, Frederick Hopkins, Asenath Spoor, Patty (Church) Daily, Flora Jackson.
The following have been the successive rectors of this
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parish : Revs. William B. Lacey, D. D., 1814-18; Leverett Bush, D. D., 1818-42; Thomas Towell, 1822-44; T. R. Chipman, 1842-44; Benj. W. Stone, D. D., 1845-50; S. son Coxe, 1850-53; Mannsell VanRensselaer, 1853-54; S. Hanson Coxe, 1854-57; D. H. Macurdy, 1857-65; Walter Ayrault, D. D., 1865-75; Robert M. Duff, D. D., 1875-79; J. M. C. Fulton, 1879; Edwin M. Colloque, 1881; Charles DuBois Broughton, 1901, the present rector.
The glass chandeliers in the church possess a historic interest. These, with one other destroyed by fire in the burning of the Episcopal church at Scarsdale, N. Y., in April, 1882, were sent from England before the Revolu- tionary war to the corporation of Trinity church in New York city, and were long in use in St. George's chapel, Beekman street, having been once in the meanwhile safely removed from the burning building, which was afterwards rebuilt. In 1868, when the demands of business finally rendered its removal necessary, the daughters of Gerrit H. Van Wagenen, for many years a warden of the parish, made application for the chandeliers, which was granted. and St. Paul's church received them in the same year. About 1879, the missing pieces, and those broken in trans- portation, were replaced at a cost of over $200, from which can be judged the considerable value of the property de- stroyed. On September 12, 1882, while the largest of the five chandeliers was being cleaned, the rod support- ing it became loosened from the ceiling and it fell with a crash, being totally wrecked.
A story is told of the first visit to Oxford of Bishop Walker, after he became Bishop of Western New York. He prefaced his sermon by saying, that he felt at home as soon as he entered the church, for what did he behold but the same crystal chandeliers he had watched for years in old St. George's, during his boyhood, with the exciting
.
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anticipation, and, he must confess, wish, that some of those pendants might fall on the heads of the grave and reverend worshippers. He paid more attention to the chandeliers than to the sermon in those days.
In the spring of 1891, $2,400 was laid out in repairs and repointing the stone work and rebuilding the top of the square bell tower. Beautiful memorials of friends de- parted have been placed in the church. New windows in the body of the edifice with redecorated sidewalls and brass prayer desks, for members of the family of Mr. F. G. Clarke. A brass angel-lectern to the memory of Mrs. Julia Clapp Newberry, accompanied by a solid silver com- munion service, gold lined. An altar-rail with brass standards to the memory of William and Ursula (Glover) Van Wagenen. A costly and artistic brass pulpit "To the memory of Wilhelmina Maria, Sarah Brinckerhoff, and Catherine, daughters of Gerrit H. VanWagenen." An electrolier in memory of Mrs. Catherine O. Packard, and a brass Litany desk to the memory of Mrs. Sarah Eliza (Mygatt) Sands.
In 1893 James Clapp, who died while traveling in Egypt, bequeathed $2,000 for the use of the church and $1,000 for the stained glass window which was placed in the chancel in April, 1895. The design represents St. Paul on Mars Hill, and is wrought in fabrile glass in colors soft and rich. The central figure is St. Paul, but the others are imaginary characters. The portion of a building represented is a part of the Acropolis, Athens. At the base of the window is a brass plate with the following inscription :
To the Glory of God and in Memory of the Butler-Clapp-Newbury Family 1895
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This was a way to thrive, and he was blest. - SHAKESPEARE.
Bernard Farrell.
Bernard Farrell, who lived for thirty-four years in the town of Oxford, died at his home in South Oxford, Feb- ruary 11, 1890, at the advanced age of 97 years.
Mr. Farrell was born in County Longford, Ireland, in the year 1793, and came to America in 1842, on a sailing vessel, which was thirteen weeks making the passage. A few months later he came to Chenango county and located in the town of Smithville, near Tyner, then called "Sod."
Of an agricultural turn of mind, which pursuit he fol- lowed through life, he had no difficulty in finding plenty of work, and being thrifty was enabled about the year 1845 to send to Ireland for his wife and four children to join him in this country. They lived in Smithville and Preston until 1866, and then came into this town to spend the remainder of their days. Mary McCormick, wife of Mr. Farrell, was born in County Leitrim, Ireland, in 1806, and died at her homein South Oxford, November 13, 1886, aged 80 years. To them were born eight children, two died in childhood in Ireland. Their eldest son, EDMUND, was killed on the railroad at South Oxford, April 11, 1873, aged 43 years. RICHARD, died in New York city, May 6, 1891, aged 55. For a number of years in the commis- sion business. His wife, Mary Kennedy of New Bruns- wick, N. J., died in New York city, April 5, 1904, aged 63. (Children : Edmund, William, Frank, John, died in
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1902, Mary, Annie, Loretta.) BRIDGET, died in Oxford, November 23, 1904, aged 68. Married Thomas H. Don- nelly of Choconut, Penn. (Children : The first child died in infancy ; Augustus, resides in Chicago, unmarried ; Frank E., married Jean Lee of Wilkesbarre, Penn., where he resides ; Mary Agnes, married John J. Lillis of Oxford ; Isabel, married Lewis A. Foote of Scranton, where she re- sides ; Richard J., married Catherine P. Crowley of New Haven, Conn., and is a resident of that city.) BERNARD, JOHN and PETER A., all unmarried, reside on the home- stead at South Oxford. The latter went to New York in April, 1873, and after working a few years for his brother Richard, entered into partnership with him in the com- mission business, which lasted for several years. Later he conducted the business alone and after a while disposed of it and returned to Oxford.
F ROM THE OXFORD GAZETTE, May 22, 1822: A footman, a few days since traveling from this village, and a few miles from it, came in contact with several young cattle in the public road, and not having a very consci- entious idea of meum et tuum, took them into his posses- sion, drove them directly past the house of their owner and sold them at a short distance farther on, put the money in his pocket and escaped.
S EVERE HAIL STORM .- May 18, 1822, a severe hail storm visited this village. Considerable damage was done, though the duration of the storm did not exceed two minutes. More than 2000 panes of glass were destroyed. Some of the hail stones measured three inches in cir- cumference.
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I know the dancin's nonsense; but if you stick at every- thing because it's nonsense, you wonna go far i' this life. -- GEORGE ELIOT.
Chenango Canal Ball.
On the 7th of March, 1833, a ball was held in Oxford to celebrate the passage of the canal bill. The assembly room was on the third floor of the hotel now known as the Hotchkiss House, the only public hall the village then had. The hour appointed for the festivities to begin was at five in the afternoon, whether this was on account of the smallness of the room and that all might have a chance
"To brisk notes in cadence beating, Glance their many twinkling feet,"
in honor of the great undertaking, or that the beaux and belles retired in good season the writer knoweth not. The invitation reads as follows :
Chenango Canal Ball.
THE MANAGERS respectfully solicit the company of Mr. Henry Balcom & Lady.
at the Assembly Room of E. CLARKE, in Oxford, on Thurs- day, the 7th inst, at 5 o'clock, P. M.
RANSOM RATHBONE, ) HENRY MYGATT, ETHAN CLARKE, EP. MILLER, Oxford.
( LUKE BALCOM, JOHN DONELLY, J. VAN WAGENEN, W. G. SANDS, H W. RATHBONE, J. G. THORP, ¿ N. H. ORMSBEE,
J. P. FARNHAM,
T. G. NEWKIRK, E. SHERWOOD, ROBERT MONELL, JOHN CLAPP.
| FRED'K JULIAND,
LEVI BIGELOW,
Greene. Norwich. Bainbridge.
W. M. CONKEY, J. B. CLARKE,
ROBERT PAGE, Unadilla.
DATED OXFORD, MARCH 1ST, 1833.
THE OLD "CORNER STORE " IN CANAL DAYS. IRON BRIDGE WHICH REPLACED WOODEN STRUCTURE The Packet Boat Shown plied between Binghamton and Norwich
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Like leaves on trees the race of man is found. - Now green in youth now withered on the ground; Another race the following spring supplies; They fall successive; and successive rise .- HOMER.
Thomas Gibson.
Thomas Gibson was born at " Westmoreland," St. James Parish, Barbados, W. I., in 1784; died December 4, 1868, in Oxford. Married Sarah E. Swan, born in 1788; died October 31, 1840, in Oxford.
Thomas Gibson and a friend, Richard Farmer, came to Oxford in 1821, and purchased adjoining farms in South Oxford, the latter remained here but a few years, selling his farm and returning to the West Indies, from where he came. Mr. Gibson sold his farm to Benjamin Welch and in 1834 moved into the village to the house on Washing- ton Square now occupied by Dr. Charles E. Thompson. Children :
SUSAN, married George Farnham, died in 1826.
ROWLAND THOMAS, died in 1832, unmarried. SAMUEL SWAN, married Maria Marsh, died in 1851. JOHN WILLIAM, died in 1857, unmarried.
JOSEPH, died in 1837, unmarried.
FRANCIS MILLER, died in 1844, unmarried.
MARY ELIZABETH, married Warren Delano Smith, who died in 1859. Had three children one only surviving. Frances M., who resides with her mother at Chappaqua, New York.
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Pictures must not be too picturesque .- EMERSON.
River Bridge and Fort Hill in 1840.
In the year 1840 two gentlemen, John W. Barber and Henry Howe, authors of various historical works, gathered the materials and compiled a volume pertaining to the early history of the State of New York. This book em- braced the more prominent and interesting events con- nected with the county histories, and illustrated with some 230 engravings.
Among these we find a view, which we reproduce, rep- resenting the central part of the village of Oxford. This picture was obtained from a position on the west bank of the Chenango canal not far above Dr. R. E. Miller's resi- dence, in the fall of 1840, and presents an excellent out- line of the principal public buildings of our village at that early date. At the left stands the Congregational church with its old fashioned steeple, a pattern which still holds
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a sacred place in the hearts of old timers. Next is the mammoth barn of the Fort Hill House. The Academy with cupola, appearing between the large barn and the Fort Hill buildings, was built in 1830-31 on a site next to the Baptist parsonage. Beyond the brick block, on the site of the old Fort, may be seen the Baptist church with its tall spire; the lower spire at the left belonged to the old Episcopal church, which stood east of the Academy building. The river bridge, then of much greater length than the iron bridge, was built in 1823, the fourth in the order of their erection. The Fort Hill House with the block of stores extending down to the bridge, having just been burned enables us to see across Fort Hill to the old Acad- emy. The grounds about the site of the Indian fort, with its traditions and relics of arrow heads, hatchets, bones and pottery, have always been objects of the greatest in- terest to our inhabitants. The Chenango canal had been running but a few years, and a clever picture of the packet, driver and team add much to the finish of our cut.
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