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 16
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D ANIEL SHUMWAY, a native of Oxford, Mass., came to this village in 1806, where he resided twenty- seven years. He was the first hatter in Oxford, and sold "Castor, Rorum and Water proof Hats of Superior qual- ity." His factory was opposite the VanDerLyn house. In 1833 he went to Steuben county with many others from Chenango county to engage in lumbering, and died at Beecher's Island, Penn., May 10, 1848, aged 68. He was universally esteemed for his integrity, kindness of heart and public spirit. A son, Daniel H. Shumway, M. D., died January 2, 1861, in Berlin, Wis., aged 43 years.
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With mug in hand to wet his whistle
-COTTON.
Levi Breed.
Levi Breed, an eccentric colored character, was well known up and down the valley, and often made his home in this village. His parents were slaves in Connecticut and re- moved to Norwich with Deacon Elias Breed about the year 1808. Levi received a good common school education, and at " spelling bees " it was not uncommon for him to " spell down " the boys and girls. In later life he was dubbed " Counsellor," having picked up a smattering of law from text books loaned him. At a colored celebration in Bing- hamton, July 6, 1857, he delivered an address, which was published and favorably noticed by the press. The last years of his life he traveled, often a foot, between Oxford and Norwich, gathering rags, and carrying messages from one town to the other. He died at Norwich in the fall of 1873, aged 65. As early as 1835 he lived at the foot of " Button" lane in this village. Among his children were a daughter, Sarah Maria Reynolds, who became a missionary teacher and died August 18, 1855, in Liberia, Africa, while yet in young womanhood ; and a son, Robert, who in his early youth attended the district school on State - street, and was known as Bobby Breed. A Mr. Trip was the teacher, who had three modes of punishment for unruly scholars: the ferule, a turkey quill with which to snap the ears of his pupils, and a piece of leather sus- pended from the ceiling. The latter was called " chewing the cud." Pupils could have their choice of punishment, and Bobby Breed was the only one who chewed the " cud," standing on tip toe to reach the leather with his mouth, and chewing until the master released him from his un- comfortable position.
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His heart as far from fraud as heaven from earth. -SHAKESPEARE.
Charles B. Haynes.
Charles B. Haynes was born July 18, 1793, in Prince- ton, Mass., and came to Oxford in 1834, where he died August 6, 1879. He married November 18, 1821, Sarah Mead, who was born October 23, 1797, in Rutland, Mass., and died March 28, 1867, in Oxford.
Mr. Haynes, on his arrival in Oxford with his family, purchased a farm at Haynes, which, after occupying for a number of years, he sold to his son Edwin, and moved into the village. Here he remained but a short time, not being satisfied with village life, and then bought a farm on the east side of the river at South Oxford, near the Greene town line. Five of his children were born in Mas- sachusetts, and two in this town.
CHARLES CHAUNCEY, married Harriet M. Grant of Cam- bridge, Mass .; died June 8, 1896, in Binghamton.
WILLIAM, married Ursula Turner of Preston, and moved to Steamboat Rock, Iowa. Died in November, 1906.
EDWIN M., married Rhoby U. Keach of Preston; died suddenly May 24, 1888, while on a business trip to Phila- delphia, Pa.
SARAH E., married March 26, 1856, Stephen A. Sheldon of Oxford; died March 14, 1901, in Oxford.
ESTHER A., married Lemuel Bolles, and moved to Bing- hamton, now resides in Oxford.
ALMIRA, married Robert T. Davidson of Oxford.
MARY E., married George E. Stevens; died October 22, 1874, at Fort Wayne, Ind.
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Character is a diamond that scratches every other stone. -BARTOL.
Mead Family.
Gideon Mead came from Port Chester, Conn., in 1804, bringing with him his wife and three children: Sarah Maria, six years of age, and twin boys, Andrew and Syl- vanus, four years younger. They stopped with Andrew Miller, who kept a tavern at South Oxford, and stayed until he could clear a place large enough to build a house. He then moved upon the land he had purchased, reared a family of eight children, one daughter and seven sons, and died October 28, 1851, aged 80 years. Mr. Mead was buried on the homestead. Children :
SARAH MARIA, married William Banks of Bainbridge. Children : James, Samuel, Mary, John, Charles.
ANDREW, married Lydia Ann Dickinson, died November 14, 1851, aged 49. Children: Whitman, died in infancy ; Mary; Sarah, married Joseph J. Hull of Oxford.
SYLVANUS, married Lucretia Bartoo, died while on a visit to his son Philo at McPherson, Kan., August 12, 1882, aged 80. His accuracy in repeating scripture was truly wonderful. It is told that, being wakeful one night, he repeated the whole book of James, the 119th Psalm, and the 15th chapter of First Corinthians. Mr. Mead had two sons, Philo S., married Alverda Minor, resides at McPherson, Kan .; William, married Adella Padgett, and died in 1906 at Guilford.
JAMES, married Nancy Cooley, and lived at Laurens,
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Otsego county. Children : William, Mary, Morris, Damon, Albert, Frances, Augusta.
WHITMAN, moved to Ohio and married Jane Hanson. Children : Charles, George, James, Helen, Stella.
HENRY, married Sarah Maria Waterman, who died April 13, 1870; lived on a part of the old homestead. Died October 10, 1872. Children : Adelaide, died Feb. 5, 1901; Polly Ann, unmarried; Henry W., married Mary E. Cone; George P., unmarried, a prominent business man of Oxford.
UNDERHILL, married (1) Eliza Ann Tyler, died January 18, 1853, aged 33; married (2) Catherine Waterman. Children by second wife: Eliza, Smith, Sackett H., Lacka- wanna station agent at Oxford, married Marion Davis; James, Merritt, Lottie.
SACKETT, married Anna Collins; lived and died in Cov- ington, Ky. Children : William W., Omer.
L ARGE FLOCKS OF PIGEONS-During the spring of 1822 innumerable flocks of pigeons filled the air in every direction. In the woods they occupied a space for nesting nearly ten miles in length and from two to five in width. Every tree and bush was literally covered with them and their nests. Hunters who spent but two or three hours in the woods returned with from one to two hun- dred pigeons. So thick were they that twenty or thirty were killed in a single shot. Five thousand were killed in one day.
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Now spurs the lated traveler apace To gain the timely inn. - SHAKESPEARE.
Andrew Miller.
Andrew Miller, born February 15, 1743, in Connecticut, died April 11, 1812, in South Oxford. He married Sarah Lyon, daughter of Gilbert and Jane (Kniffen) Lyon, born January 28, 1748, and died March 22, 1813, in South Oxford.
Mr. Miller came to South Oxford about the year 1803, from Rye, N. Y., and settled on the north side of the brook at Coventry station, the farm on which he and his wife died and were buried. He kept a tavern for a number of years, at which settlers often remained until they could locate and erect a cabin for their families. The stone sign post in front of the tavern remained standing until the summer of 1905, when a runaway team collided with it and thus an old landmark was removed.
In early times, when it took three days to hold an election, the second day session was held at Miller's tavern in the afternoon. The polls were opened in the forenoon at Parks' tavern on the west side of the river, and at noon transferred to Miller's on the east side, the majority of the voters following the ballot box from one district to the other. Quoit pitching, wrestling, and kindred outdoor amusements were heartily entered into by men who came early in the day and remained until long after the polls were closed. The landlord did a thriving business and very few quarrels arose, owing to the purity of the liquor sold.
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Mr. Miller, who was something of a surgeon, was often called upon to perform operations for his neighbors, which usually terminated successfully. His children were:
THOMAS, born November 3, 1768.
SARAH, born May 25, 1771.
MARY, born June 14, 1774; died October 12, 1832; married Gideon Mead.
ABIGAIL, born September 11, 1778; married Daniel Wilson.
ANDREW, born January 8, 1782; died April 30, 1865; married Zeruah Mowry, born October 14, 1782, died March 25, 1860. They lived, died, and were buried on the farm his father had cleared. Children: Inman L., born June 14, 1808, married Permelia Symonds; John G., born Oc- tober 12, 1809, married Hannah Race; Albert S., born April 7, 1811, married Laura Race; Sarah, born July 31, 1813, married Harvey Jacobs; Uri T., born May 23, 1815, died unmarried; Andrew, born April 7, 1817, died un- married; Thomas, born November 11, 1819, married Susan Maine; Mary, born March 5, 1821, married William Race; Daniel W., born February 9, 1823, died unmarried; James U., born July 11, 1825, married Angeline Symonds.
UNDERHILL, born July 14, 1788; died May 8, 1861; mar- ried Mary Symonds.
JOSIAH.
Children of Inman L. and Permelia (Symonds) Miller :
HENRY, born August 10, 1834; died September 26, 1905; married Emmogene Lamb. Lived and died on same farm occupied by his father and grandfather. Children: Jose- phine, married Alvin Webb; Robert, adopted son, married Sarah L. Taylor, of Madison, N. Y.
LAVINNA, born January 12, 1837; married Charles Wil- COX.
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LUCIA, born September 17, 1839; married George L. McNeil.
GEORGE, born February 28, 1843; died January 27, 1898; married Amanda Miller. Child: Ella May, married Joseph Rounds.
JOHN, born May 2, 1846; died March 28, 1849.
A MOSA. HITCHCOCK, known as "Gusta," came to this village in the year 1849, and with M. Augustus Perry purchased of Thomas Morris the Stage House, now Hotch- kiss House. The partnership was dissolved in April, 1850, by Mr. Perry retiring. Mr. and Mrs. Hitchcock earned golden opinions as host and hostess of the Stage House, winning the respect of all by honesty and integrity of pur- pose and action. He died April 7, 1866, aged 57. Lucy L., his wife, born February 3, 1812, in Sherburne, N. Y., died January 15, 1889, in Wilkesbarre, Pa. She was a grandniece of President Monroe. They had one daughter, Mary M., who became the wife of Horace S. Chamberlain February 13, 1866. He died January 20, 1900, in Wilkes- barre, Pa.
R OBERT BROOKSBANK was born at Market Weigh- ton, Yorkshire, England, January 3, 1779. He came to Troy in 1804, and in 1816 moved to Oxford, and was one of the old residents of the east part of the town. He died January 11, 1856, aged 77. Barbara, his wife, was born in Troy, and died in Oxford, November 19, 1881, aged 100 years and five months. Descendants of theirs are still liv- ing in town.
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Buried were all war-like weapons, And the war-cry was forgotten ; Then was peace among the nations.
-LONGFELLOW.
Independence Day, 1865.
There was no public celebration of the national birth- day in Oxford in 1865, but there was everywhere preva- lent a spirit of quiet joy, which extended itself throughout all classes and ages. All business ceased and the day wore a holiday attire. The dark horizon of the previous four years had been illuminated with joyful light, and the very air seemed pervaded with a sense of peace. The day was delightful and everybody seemed to take to picnics. Indeed one might have supposed that the entire commu- nity regarded that the declaration of rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, ennuciated by the patriots of '76, was a little else than an assertion of the right and duty of universal picnicking. About nine o'clock in the morning two canal boats laden with the devotees of free- dom in the open air, and such things as make such freedom enjoyable, moved off for Lake Warn, accompanied by the Oxford Band. After a fill of those things which make patriotic stomachs, the company proceeded to a platform under the trees, where Dr. J. W. Thorp, then of the Academy faculty, clearly and forcibly read the Declara- tion of Independence, and Mr. L. R. Brewer, now Bishop Brewer, in an eloquent address, did justice to the day and its glorious memories.
There were other picnics at the Halfway House, Lud- low pond, feeder dam; one on the East hill by the chil-
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dren, and one on the lawn at the residence of Thomas G. Newkirk, Clinton street.
The Clinton street gathering was an extemporized neigh- borhood affair. A rope was strung from tree to tree in front of the house on which branches were suspended, hiding the company from the gaze of the street. National flags in profusion waved to the breeze, and a large banner floated over the entrance way. The table, reaching from end to end of the yard, was literally loaded with the finest viands that the Clinton street ladies could, and did, pro- vide. The company, numbering fifty neighbors and in- vited guests, were seated for an hour, and heartily enjoyed the repast and sparkling wit. At the close Prof. D. G. Barber, in a voice of deep eloquence, read the Dec- laration of Independence, and sentiments appropriate to the day and to the patriotic ladies of Clinton street were offered by Henry VanDerLyn, Esq., and others. The com- pany with three cheers for " our country," separated and long held in memory the picnic of Independence Day, 1865.
'A UNT " SALLY ANN SANNICKS, of African de- scent and born a slave, came to this town about the year 1819 from Dutchess county and was in service in the family of Gerardus VanDerLyn. She united with the Methodist church in 1820 and could recall the time when it included but two families. She was seldom absent from her place of worship and testified the reality of her pro- fession by a bequest in her will, from her scanty estate, of $150 to the Methodist church of this village. By the in- come from the bequest a memorial window has been placed in the church to her memory. She died November 20, 1882, aged 88.
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Nature to each allots his proper sphere.
-CONGREVE.
Horatio H. Cooke.
Horatio Haskell Cooke was a son of Deacon Philip Cooke, an early and respected resident of this town, whose farm was situated on Painter (Panther) Hill. He was a lineal descendant of Nicholas Cooke, the last Royal Gov- ernor of Rhode Island, and the first Governor of the State after the Revolution. He was also a direct descend- ant of Anna Greene, a member of the well known Rhode Island family, of which Nathaniel Greene was the most dis- tinguished member. Mr. Cooke was born at Columbus, N. Y., but nearly his whole life was spent in Oxford. When a young man he was connected with a newspaper published here, and later was engaged in the hardware business, his brother-in-law, David Brown, being his partner. About 1854 he moved to Western New York, and was employed in the construction of the Great Western R. R. between Suspension Bridge and St. Catharines. After a few years he returned to Oxford, and was canal collector at this port for years, and also Justice of the Peace at different times for several terms. He was station agent for the D., L. & W. R. R. Co. from the time the road opened for fourteen years, until a few years before the time of his death, and resigned the position on account of ill health. He died suddenly January 21st, 1887. Mr. Cooke was closely connected with the history of Oxford for half a century, and was an honorable, upright, and much re- spected citizen. October 6, 1841, he was married to Eliza- beth W. Cornish, daughter of Whiting Cornish of Coven-
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try. There were three children: Mary, Philip H., and Catharine. Mary died at the age of three years. Philip H. Cooke was one of the many Oxford boys who chose telegraphy as a profession, and for years has held official positions, first with the Western Union, and afterwards with the Postal Telegraph Co. He was married July 11th, 1871, to Emma J. Coffin, at Montgomery, Ala. Catharine was married on September 9, 1880, to Delos M. Aylesworth of this place, who died June 26, 1883. She still resides in Oxford.
C ALEB P. THURBER, born October 3, 1795, in Coop- erstown, came to Oxford from Delhi in 1824. At the latter place he was a member of the first fire company organized in that village in 1821, and outlived all the original members. He was a shoemaker by trade and fol- lowed that occupation for a long period of years in Oxford. Mr. Thurber was a remarkable man physically and retained his faculties until the last. His death occurred May 28, 1884. He married first Mary Desmond of Delhi, who died in December, 1838, in Oxford. His second wife died No- vember 6, 1893. Children by first wife: ANNE, married Aaron B. Abbott; JOHN, married Jane Smith; MARY T., married, May 7, 1855, James Stowell; ABNER, married Dorcas Christman; ADELIA, married William T. Mande- ville.
W ILLIAM McCALPIN, an early resident of Oxford, was Associate Judge of the old Court of Common Pleas. He was also a member of the first jury ever sum- moned in Chenango county. The court was held in Oxford in July, 1798.
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In the capacious urn of death, every name is shaken.
-HORACE.
Davidson Family.
George A. and Jane (Tier) Davidson came from New York City at an early day and located in Smithville. After remaining there a few years Mr. Davidson purchased a farm in this town on the east side of the river at South Oxford, which is still known as the Davidson farm. They were the parents of twelve children, eight of whom died in infancy. Those who grew to maturity were:
GEORGE, who married Susan Jacobs; ANN, married Dr. R. P. Crandall of Greene; JACOB, married (1) Amelia McIntosh, married (2) Nora Mckinney; and ROBERT T.
Mrs. Davidson died September 4, 1857. Mr. Davidson married a second wife in Greenwich, Conn., and some years later his death occurred at Vineland, N. J.
Robert Tier Davidson, born May 4, 1834, in Oxford; died April 27, 1874, in Greene; married December 28, 1857, Almira Haynes, daughter of Charles B. and Sarah (Mead) Haynes of Oxford.
Mr. Davidson, at the age of 19 years, bought out the bookstore of William E. Chapman. After conducting the business for a few years he found the returns for the money invested smaller than he had anticipated, and dis- posed of the stock, and returned to the homstead, buying the property at South Oxford some years later. Here he remained seven years, and then returned to the village. He was appointed canal collecter in 1857, and from time to time held many important village offices, the duties of which were faithfully discharged. At the completion
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of the New York, Oswego & Midland railroad, now the Ontario & Western, to Oxford, he was appointed station agent, which position he held a number of years, giving entire satisfaction to the officers of the road and the trav- eling public in general. He then received the appoint- ment of freight solicitor for the same company, holding the position up to the time of his death. A man of public spirit, he was prominent in promoting any object that would prove a benefit to the town or village. He was held in high esteem throughout the town and county, his ease and courtesy of manner winning for him the honor and esteem of all.
Mr. Davidson's death was particularly sad and deeply felt alike by relatives and friends. He, with his wife, had gone to Greene to transact some business with his sister, the wife of Dr. R. P. Crandall, and was taken ill soon after reaching there. The disease, erysipelas of the head, rapidly developed and death resulted nine days after the attack. Children :
JANE M., married Dr. Benjamin P. Andrews, and resides in Dansville, N. Y.
CHARLES H., married Annie Trevvett and resides at Utica, N. Y.
ILLIAM HOLLENBECK, a German, came from the Hudson river country at an early day. He was called " Uncle Bill " by the neighbors, and was an indus- trious farmer. His children were: Stina, Jane, John, Mary Ann, Fitche, Louisa, Derrick, Malinda, Rachel, Silas, and Susan.
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Hard thinking opens naturally into strong doing. -F. G. PEABODY.
James A. Glover.
James Aaron Glover, born April 24, 1793, in Plainfield, Conn., came to Oxford in 1802. He was one of six chil- dren of Nathan Glover, who settled in Plymouth the same year. Mr. Glover was first employed by Daniel Denison, but later learned the trade of tool maker and blacksmith, in which he became exceptionally skillful. He conducted for many years the stone blacksmith shop which stood on the site of the present residence of Melvin Walker, and it was there that David Maydole, who made a world wide reputation with his hammers, and George R. Lyon, founder of the Greene Iron Works, served their apprenticeship. Mr. Glover was for a long term of years a trustee of Ox- ford Academy, and prominently identified with the growth of the village. He married June 29, 1817, Ann Bradley of Oxford, a native of Connecticut, and in June, 1867, they celebrated their golden wedding. Mr. Glover died May 23, 1875. Mrs. Glover born July 8, 1792, died De- cember 21, 1871. Children :
URSULA A., born June 16, 1818; died May 24, 1887; married January 8, 1840, William Van Wagenen of Oxford.
ANN VERNETTE, born January 31, 1820; died March 3, 1892; married Nov. 22, 1853, William D. Knap of New Berlin.
JAMES W.
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MARY E., born June 5, 1824; died June, 1887; un- married.
ELIZABETH W., born September 11, 1827; died Novem- ber 30, 1902, in Binghamton; married August 15, 1850, John Ray Clarke of Oxford.
James W. Glover, born August 28, 1822, in Oxford, was educated at Oxford Academy and read law with Henry R. Mygatt. He was admitted to the bar in 1843, and practiced for over fifty years in his native place, with the exception of a few years spent in Auburn. He represented Oxford as Supervisor, and held the office of postmaster for several years. Mr. Glover married May 19, 1852, Sarah A. Perkins, who died November 14, 1892, aged 68. Mr. Glover, who had been in failing health for a number of years, died November 22, 1896. Children :
ERASTUS P., born February 22, 1854; died in infancy.
JOHN R., married May 19, 1881, Lillian Henstock of Montrose, Pa.
N ATHANIEL KELLOGG, a soldier and pensioner of the war of the Revolution, lived on a farm which was partly in the towns of Greene and Oxford. It was said his house of two rooms stood on the town line, one room in each town, and that he lived in the Oxford part. His farm was on the west side of the Chenango river, and in 1836 he sold it to Abram TenBroeck, and it eventually became a part of the estate of the late Wheaton Loomis, above Bris- bin. Mr. Kellogg was born at Hadley, Mass., in 1758; en- listed July 1780 in Captain Alvord's company in Colonel Murry's regiment. He died October 26, 1846, in Jasper, Steuben county.
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The rising . of waters dark and deep. -MILTON.
Flood of 1865.
The accumulated snow and ice of the winter of 1864-65, found vent in a most extensive and damaging flood. The warm weather of Tuesday, March 14, culminating on Thursday in a warm south wind, had raised the river to an alarming pitch before night. A little past midnight a slaughter house adjoining the Fort Hill mills, broke loose with a crash and floated off. The flood reached its height about daybreak Friday, and the morning light dis- closed a scene of unequaled magnificence to one who could view it indifferently, and to the sufferers by flood one of anxiety and painful interest. From the present residence of Peter J. Jacobs across to the office of the late Wm. H. Hyde, Esq., and thence in a widening current through the grounds of St. Paul's church, rising within a few inches of the floor, across Merchants, Mechanic, and Greene streets, the water flowed onward to the main channel of the river. Within that circuit first floors were in numerous instances abandoned, the inmates betook themselves to chambers or the homes of their more for- tunate neighbors, and cattle, horses, and pigs were re- moved to more safe quarters, while feathered bipeds held to their roost in sullen silence. Fences, firewood, hay, and the thousand and one necessary and carefully stored luxu- ries of careful housewives floated about in miscellaneous and strange admixture. Across the street leading direct from Fort Hill to St. Paul's church, the current was very
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rapid, rendering boating impracticable, lifting heavy flagging stones from their beds, and forcing dirt, rubbish and smaller stones in scattered heaps upon the opposite premises. The road was washed clear of dirt leaving its bed of stone uncovered, walks undermined, and houses in some instances left bare to their foundation stones. On Merchants street, from the corner below the Methodist church, to its termination near the Methodist parsonage, a ferry was in active use in charge of Charles Fraser, who vigorously and skillfully plied the oars, bringing and car- rying the inhabitants of the flooded district, and boats were also constantly passing from each of said corners through the streets leading to them. On the west side of the river the damage was not as great, cellars in the business parts were early found to be unsafe, and valu- able property generally removed. The river and canal above and below the residence of the late R. E. Spence joined currents, and also below Navy Island, and for once the derisive epithet "raging" applied to the State ditch, became a visible reality. On Albany street at the prem- ises of the late David Bartle, the stream forced its way across the road, went circling in rear of Washington Park to the main channel, filling cellars, making barns unten- antable, and compelling the removal of their occupants. The freshet made a sorry looking wreck of the canal, filling in and tearing out, throwing down docks and causing numerous breaks on this level. The feeder dam at South Oxford was carried away.
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