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 17
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Early Friday evening, March 17, Jacob Rheinwald, James McEneny, John S. White, Patrick Keyes and Charles Brabazon, started from the Tuttle block in a small boat for a pleasure trip over the flood to the east side of the river. They had reached the main channel a few rods above the river bridge, when the boat became un-
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manageable, resisting all efforts at control, and shot sud- denly down the rushing waters under the bridge, when White managed to grab the bridge and save himself; Keyes held fast under the bridge and was drawn out through an opening made by the lifting of a plank. McEneny and Rheinwald, by lying flat, floated under, but Brabazon was precipitated into the rapids, passed over the dam in the seething, raging current, quickly followed by his comrades in the boat. By the vigorous efforts of those two and his own dexterous and cool management, he was rescued and drawn into the boat some distance down stream, al- though much exhausted and soaked by the icy water. It was a marvelous escape from a fearful adventure.
W ILLIAM BEARDSLEY was born in Shaftsbury, Vt., May 13, 1793. He went as a soldier from Ver- mont in the war of 1812, first by draft, afterwards by en- listment, and remained until the close of the war. He was in the naval engagement on Lake Champlain, between Commodore McDonough and Commodore Downie, and after the surrender went on board the vessel on which Commodore Downie was killed, saw the rigging all cut in pieces, and all the ghastly and harrowing sights consequent upon such combats. At the age of 23 he married Anna Maria Catlin, a native of Canada. They came immediately to Oxford, where they resided for many years. They were the parents of twelve children. Mr. Beardsley died Jan- uary 20, 1878, in Preston, aged 84.
NE OF THE PHYSICIANS of the early days of Ox- ford was Dr. Mead, of whom the youngsters used to sing his professional services in the following lines : , " Dr. Mead, he goes full speed, And rides on a gallop ;
He visits all, both great and small, And fills them up with jalap."
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Men drop so fast 'ere life's mid-stage we tread, Few know so many friends alive, as dead.
-YOUNG.
Westover Family.
Elisha Westover came about 1835 from Massachusetts and settled on a fifty acre farm east of the Leonard Rich- mond farm and near the Alvin Ingraham four corners, but soon transferred or sold the same to his son Calvin Westover. He then moved into Smithville where he re- sided for a time, thence into the town of Dryden, N. Y., upon a farm and lumber tract, where he died January 25, 1852, aged 75.
Calvin Westover, son of Elisha, born in 1806 at New Milford, Conn., came to Oxford between the years 1830 and 1835; died September 7, 1882, in Oxford; married (1) Hadsell; married (2) Urania Howland, born in 1810; died August 6, 1879. Children :
EMELINE, married Orlando Beardsley.
ORLIN J., married Mary Britton.
PHOEBE, unmarried, lives in California.
ELMER, died April 11, 1851, aged 16.
BURTON, married October 28, 1862, Amelia Weeks of Oxford, resides in California.
CLARISSA E., died April 27, 1859, aged 15 years.
DIMICE, died December 20, 1860, aged 14.
Calvin Westover, after a few years, bought the Hiram Snow farm, now occupied by Francis Hill, on the four corners mentioned above, where he resided until about 1849, when he purchased the Nicholas Rogers farm, now
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occupied by Henry H. Hill, where he resided until his death. He was for several years associated with his brother Ranslow in the oyster business. Afterwards he dealt in live stock, shipping to Binghamton by the Che- nango canal.
Orlin J. Westover, son of Calvin, born March 7, 1832, in Oxford; died September 11, 1865, in Andersonville prison, having been taken prisoner at Guntown, Tenn., June 11, 1865, while in the U. S. service during the Civil War. Mr. Westover went to Minnesota in 1853, and mar- ried in 1856 Mary M. Britton of Mankato, Minn., born March 17, 1835, died April 24, 1863, in Mankato. He enlisted August 15, 1862, under Capt. Dane in Co. E, 9th Minnesota Volunteers, and was stationed at Fort Ridgeley, on the Minnesota river, where he was engaged in fighting Indians at the outbreak of the Sioux tribe led by Chief Little Crow. He witnessed much hardship and suffering by the settlers, one instance in particular he related. While with a company, they came upon an emigrant party of two men, two women, and two small children. The men were dead, scalped, their hearts cut out and hung on the wagon stakes; one woman was dead, and the other, an old lady, was shot in the back by an arrow, which nearly passed through her body. The chil- dren were unharmed. The old lady had been left for dead, but she regained consciousness and succeeded in ex- tracting the shaft of the arrow, but the flint point remained in her body. She had taken the children and managed to crawl to the shade of a tree some distance from the wagon, where she was found by the cavalrymen uncon- scious, but death ended her suffering soon after. Mr. Westover's father-in-law, Mr. Britton, took two of his children and his grandsons, Maurice and Calvin Westover, to Fort Ridgeley, where they remained two months for
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protection from the Indians. He left his two eldest sons to take the women to the fort, where they arrived safely in a day or two. Soon after there was a severe Indian fight in that vicinity and thirty-eight of the tribe were captured, taken to Mankato, and executed in public on December 26, 1862. The refugees at the fort witnessed the execution, which ended the Indian outbreak.
Children of Orlin J. and Mary (Britton) Westover :
MAURICE N., married Clarissa Bradley, resides in Mesa Grande, Cal.
CALVIN E., married Lina, Benjamin of Preston, and resides at Herkimer, N. Y.
A daughter died in infancy.
Ozias Westover, son of Elisha, born in Sheffield, Mass .; died September 27, 1860, in Barker, N. Y .; came to Oxford in 1829; married June 18, 1829, Eliza Hadsell of New Marlboro, Mass., born May 11, 1810, died October 9, 1886, in Barker, N. Y. Mr. Westover settled on the farm in the west part of the town, known as the Beardsley farm. After a few years he moved to Barker, Broome county.
Children :
POLLY A., married Abel W. Beach; died April 6, 1885. JANE P., married Myron S. Root; died August 31, 1887. DORUS, married Fannie Gaylord, and resides in Barker. Ranslow Westover, son of Elisha, born April 8, 1809, in Sheffield, Mass .; died December 15, 1858, in Oxford; married December 31, 1835, Clarissa A. Tift of New Ber- lin, born April 10, 1816, in New Berlin, N. Y., died April 5, 1888, in Lanesboro, Pa.
Soon after their marriage Mr. Westover purchased a pair of strong horses and a heavy lumber wagon, upon which he placed a canvas top. In this vehicle he and his bride took their wedding trip, driving to Plainfield, Ill.
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They carried with them cooking utensils and bedding, and cooked their meals whenever opportunity offered, lodging in their wagon wherever night overtook them. At Plain- field he built the first frame house erected in that town. After remaining there five years, during which time Mr. Westover suffered more or less from fever and ague, they returned to Oxford, coming from Utica on the Chenango canal, in the fall of the year that waterway was opened. He purchased the farm in " Dodge Hollow," now owned by William Wells, and later came into the village and purchased the Burghardt farm, at the lower end of Clinton street, now owned by F. P. Newkirk. He built the house now owned by Frederick Dibble, then belonging to the farm, and the two large red barns. Here he remained until his death. In 1840 Mr. Westover in partnership with his brother Calvin entered into the oyster trade. They were the first to bring oysters into this section of the State, which were brought to Oxford from Catskill by teamsters, and then distributed throughout the country by their regular routes, north, east, south, and west. Strange as it may seem, Binghamton, Elmira, and Corning were among the places which received their first oysters from the Westovers. Their trade covered a large section and proved very remunerative. Oysters were then put up in pint and quart kegs, later in square tin cans.
The children of Ranslow were:
OSMER M., born October 2, 1838, in Plainfield, Ill .; married January 21, 1863, Sarah Eliza Chapman, daugh- ter of William E. Chapman of Oxford, born March 6, 1842, died May 6, 1902. Children : Anna B., married Jay W. Hopkins; Herbert G., married Alice Benjamin; Howard C., and Dr. Robert R.
SYLVANIA ARLINE, born October 5, 1840, in Oxford;
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married Thomas E. Chapman; died January 13, 1885, in Marathon, N Y.
MARY ANNETTE, born June 14, 1844, in Oxford; mar- ried Theodore F. McNeil. Resides in Binghamton.
ALICE U., born February 8, 1849, in Oxford; died July 5, 1895, in Elmira ; married J. W. Hamilton of Oxford.
EARLE H., born February 22, 1853; died April 24, 1858.
WILLIAM G., born October 5, 1855, in Oxford; married May 20, 1880, Lottie E. Waite of Muncie, Ind. ; resides in Philadelphia.
RANSLOW, born August 9, 1858; died April 12, 1866.
Orlin Westover, son of Elisha, born November 27, 1810, in Sheffield, Mass .; died May 27, 1852, in Oxford; mar- ried April 30, 1835, Betsey Howland, born July 5, 1812, in New Milford, Conn., died February 11, 1897, in Dryden, N. Y. Mr. Westover came to Oxford about 1834 and bought of Jeremiah York the farm now owned and occu- pied by his son, Miles L. His death occurred from pneu- monia after a short illness and while in the full prime of manhood. He possessed those Christian attributes which stamped character on the worth of true citizenship and marked the career of a man passing through life with the full assurance of receiving the reward of " Well done, good and faithful servant." He was a just man, living in peace and with enmity for none.
Children :
ADAH M., died Oct. 2, 1854, aged 18 years.
MILES R., born in 1839; married Mary P. Root of Tioga, Pa. Children: Florence M., died December 6, 1886, in early womanhood, leaving a memory green in the friendship and love of a host of sincere friends. Orlin E., married Nettie M. Burdick of Norwich; Albert W., married Annie B. Cook of East Norwich; Addie E., mar-
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ried Ira D. McNitt, and resides in Kansas; Minnie B., married Thomas M. Dunning of Oxford.
ROXCIE M., died December 31, 1905; married Dr. Robert E. Miller of Oxford.
PHILANDER CHASE, died January 7, 1906, in his 62d year, survived by a son.
O LD LETTERS are always interesting. Here are two, the first one was written by a student at Oxford Academy the first year of its existence. The writer was a son of Gen. Jacob Morris of an old Colonial family that settled at Morris, N. Y. The second letter was written by the founder of the town of Oxford :
OXFORD, 14 Sept., 1794.
DEAR PAPPA:
I received yours of the 14 this morning. Richard and myself are in good Health at present and will be over on Saturday with Mr. and Mrs. Tracy if we are all well at that time. I got our Clothes and I find a coat of Richard's missing which I am in hopes to get on the road.
I remain your affectionate son, LEWIS LEE MORRIS.
OXFORD, May 28th, 1799.
DEAR SIR:
The Adgt. Gen'l will be at Oxford on Saturday, 8th of Jnne, at which time I hope to be honoured with your Company. On Friday morning the Reverend Mr. Camp will address himself to the Militia, in the afternoon you and the Gen'l can go to the Butternuts, and on Monday morning be at Otego. Pleas to give Majr Edwards an invitation and be so kind as to in- form me by Next Post. I am with esteem your Humble servt, BENJ HOVEY.
GEN'L MORRIS.
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In an age When men were men, and not ashamed of heaven. -YOUNG.
Cyrus A. Bacon.
Cyrus A. Bacon came to Oxford early in boyhood and began his mercantile career as clerk for Ira Willcox in the brick store on Fort Hill. He married Mary A. Mc- Calpin, daughter of Thomas McCalpin of Oxford, who died December 25, 1857, aged 65 years. He took his young wife to his mother's home in Preston, a few miles from the village of Oxford, where she remained several weeks, when he rented the Stephen O. Runyan house on the east side of the river. James Clapp also occupied a portion of the building for a law office. In 1825, in connection with Uri Tracy, son of the early settler by that name, Mr. Bacon commenced a mercantile business which was con- tinued till the death of Mr. Tracy in 1856. His active business career lasted for a period of fifty-four years, or up to the time of his death, which occurred January 12, 1879, at the age of 89 years. Mr. Bacon was for over forty years a trustee of Oxford Academy. He also held the town offices of supervisor and clerk, the latter for a long term of years. He was the fifth in succession of postmasters, holding the office from 1841 to 1849, and from 1853 to 1861.
During the night of November 3, 1847, the residence of Mr. Bacon, now the Baptist parsonage, was entered, and a cash box taken from his sleeping room, containing nearly $600 in cash and a larger amount in note. He was aroused by a noise made by the burglar and discovering his loss
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rushed to the door, but only in time to hear the retreating footsteps of the midnight visitors, one of whom left his boots behind. In the morning the cash box was found half a mile from the village rifled of the money and the best part of the papers. One person was arrested on suspicion, examined and discharged. In May, 1851, sev- eral more of Mr. Bacon's papers were discovered under a barn five miles north of the village. They were in a leather case, which, with its contents were much decayed, though many were legible.
Mr. Bacon married October 2, 1864, for his second wife, Mrs. Catherine (Cook) Kinyon of Oxford, who died No- vember 14, 1892, aged 87 years. Children by first wife:
MARGARET R., died January 7, 1843, aged 22 years.
JANE M., died August 12, 1895, in Syracuse, aged 72 years; married Geo. W. Gray.
JAMES H., died February 25, 1847, aged 22 years.
ELIZABETH, H., died August 19, 1862, aged 34 years.
R ANDALL MAIN, for many years a well known citizen of Oxford previous to 1846, in which year he moved to New York City, died suddenly in North Stonington, Ct., March 12, 1852, aged 59 years. He was prominently iden- tified with the Baptist Church in this village. His wife was Fanny York, sister of Dr. Edward York, Jeremiah York, and Ruth York. She died August 17, 1878, in North Stonington, Ct., aged 82 years. Among their children were Dwight and Randall W.
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On thy calm joys with what delight I dream, Thou dear green valley of my native stream! Fancy o'er thee still waves th' enchanting wand. -BLOOMFIELD.
Joseph Gifford.
Joseph Gifford came to Oxford on horseback about the year 1802, and purchased of Ezekiel Olds the farm, on which he lived and died, now owned by his grandson, John H. Gifford, on the east side of the river two miles below the village. Mr. Gifford was born in Connecticut, October 24, 1775; married in February, 1804, Priscilla Root, who died April 4, 1807, leaving two daughters, Jerusha and Priscilla, who died in infancy. His second wife was the widow Betsey Turner, whom he married October 24, 1807. Her death occurred May 22, 1860. Mr. Gifford died February 15, 1865. Children :
JULIAN, born August 25, 1808; died April 13, 1849; married Ira R. Noble.
MARYAN, twin to Julian, died December 9, 1898; mar- ried John Hicks of Norwich.
PRISCILLA, born March 4, 1810; died February 7, 1844; married John Y. Washburn.
JOSEPH, born November 15, 1812; died in 1885; mar- ried Eliza Adams.
JESSE H., born August 16, 1816; died October 31, 1886; married Elizabeth C. Hopkins, died January 1, 1882.
HIEL T., born May 29, 1819; died October 25, 1850.
JAMES M., born February 20, 1823; married Marcia C. Rhodes, both now living in town.
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An old farm-house with meadows wide, And sweet with clover on each side; A bright-eyed boy, who looks from out The door with woodbine wreathed about. -ANONYMOUS.
John Webb.
John Webb, born December 2, 1756, in Egremont, Mass .; died March 27, 1832, in Oxford. His wife was born De- cember 22, 1777, and died in middle age.
At a very early day, Mr. Webb, accompanied by his wife, came to the State of New York and located on Panther Hill in the town of Oxford. The journey was long and tedious as they came overland by means of an oxteam and encountered many hardships. The country was wild and unbroken, and the hand of civilization had as yet made but few changes. They often went to bed hungry, subsisting mainly on wild game and fish, in which the forests and streams abounded. One by one these old pioneers have passed away, and they live only in the memory of their descendants; but the work of their hands will continue as a monument to their deeds, and as a reminder of the trials and struggles through which they passed in developing the town.
Children :
WILLIAM.
DANIEL, died in 1812 in Canada, unmarried.
LYMAN, found dead in road near schoolhouse; un- married.
SALLY, married - Wall; died in Minnesota.
JOHN.
LORRY, married Erastus Ingraham; died in McDonough.
JOEL, married Abigail Loomis.
MARGARET, married Leonard Ingraham; died in Oxford.
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Joel Webb, son of John Webb, born April 11, 1804, in Oxford; died January 5, 1888; married February 6, 1828, Abigail Loomis of Smithville, born September 9, 1811, died May 8, 1888.
Mr. Webb was born, lived and died on the farm settled by his father on Panther Hill, and reared a family of nine children. Mrs. Webb was a daughter of Edward Loomis of Smithville, one of the first settlers in all that region, which was then an unbroken wilderness, inhab- ited by deer, bears, wolves, and other wild beasts. The Webb homestead had
"-a roof with a slope down behind,
Like a sunbonnet blown partly off by the wind."
Mr. Webb was honest and faithful in the discharge of his duties, respected by all and beloved by his kindred.
Children :
· BENAIAH, married Christina M. Smith; resides in Greene.
HARRIET, resides in Utica, and for over fifty years was a successful teacher in public schools.
CHARLOTTE, married Charles A. McFarland of Oxford; died October 2, 1901.
BETSEY M., married Rev. Daniel Ballou; resides in Utica.
GEORGE M., married Harriet Ketchum; resides in Ox- ford. .
WHITMAN J., married Augusta Lansing.
JOEL JULIAN, died August 31, 1844.
MARION L., married Clark L. McNeil; resides in Oxford. ALVIN G., married Josephine Miller; resides in Oxford.
EDWARD L., married Ida C. Towslee; resides in Hig- ganum, Conn.
FRED E., died October 4, 1851.
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The manner of saying or doing a thing goes a great way in the value of the thing itself. -SENECA.
Epaphras Miller.
Epaphras Miller, born June 2, 1778, in Glastonbury, Conn., died July 5, 1860, in Oxford; married July 14, 1810, at Wilkesbarre, Pa., Elizabeth, daughter of Dr. Samuel Baldwin, born March 26, 1787, in West Stock- bridge, Mass., died July 14, 1853, in Oxford.
Mr. Miller was among Oxford's earliest settlers, coming in 1800 and engaging in mercantile business, which he followed for a period of about fifty years. He was identi- fied with many plans for the growth and prosperity of the youthful village, and, among the active men of that day, none were more zealous to advance the standard of education, to open public thoroughfares, and add to the beauty of the village.
From 1807 Mr. Miller was associated with Samuel Farn- ham, Sr., for two years; in 1818 he was a partner of John F. Hill for two years in this village, and then for the two succeeding years the same firm conducted a store in Mc- Donough. In the year 1831 he formed a partnership with Thomas G. Newkirk, which terminated in 1836. In 1834 he received his son, Henry L. Miller, as his partner, who retired in 1841 to join William Mygatt in his store on Washington Park, in part the present residence of Mrs. D. M. Lee. Epaphras Miller retired from business in 1843, and died in 1860 in the same house in which he and his wife began housekeeping in 1810. He was one ever ready to assist those around him struggling with pecuniary
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difficulties, an obliging and sympathizing neighbor, a kind and ever affectionate parent, but unyielding in purpose and opinions he deemed right. Children :
ROBERT, born September 23, 1812; died June 21, 1814.
BENJAMIN, born November 15, 1813; died November 16, 1813.
HENRY L., born May 15, 1815.
ELIZABETH, born Dec. 13, 1818; died January 7, 1894, in Buffalo; married July 24, 1838, John Lathrop of West Springfield, Mass., died May 16, 1870, in Buffalo. Chil- dren : Henry M., born July -, 1839, died December 7, 1868, in New York from a street car accident; Mary E., born October 8, 1845.
ANNA M., born January 21, 1821; married June 5, 1844, Benjamin Cannon of Cannonsville, N. Y.
BENJAMIN S., born July 14, 1827; died August ,2 1859, unmarried. Graduated at Yale in 1847, and devoted sev- eral years to teaching in this State and in the South. Later was employed in the survey of a canal in North Carolina.
The Oxford Gazette of June 28, 1814, in mentioning the death of Mr. Miller's first born, says: " In this village on Tuesday, the 21st, a son of Epaphras Miller, æt. 1 year and 9 months .- The Physician by mistake dealt out Ar- senac instead of Calomel: the child took it and in 50 hours expired."
Henry L. Miller, son of Epaphras and Elizabeth ( Bald- win) Miller, born May 15, 1815, in Oxford; died March 10, 1886, in Oxford; married October 15, 1839, Elizabeth, eldest daughter of William and Caroline (Northrup) My- gatt, born November 7, 1817, in New Milford, died Febru- ary 5, 1890, in Oxford.
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Mr. Miller received his education at Oxford Academy and there gave evidence of the intellectual and moral traits of character which made his after life so successful. After completing his academic course in 1834, at the age of 19, he assisted in his father's store, the same now occu- pied by William M. Miller on LaFayette Square. In 1835 he entered the dry goods house of P. Freeman & Co., Pearl street, New York, to acquire a thorough acquaintance with the business, returning to Oxford in 1838, and entering into copartnership with his father. In 1841 he entered into partnership in the leather business with William Mygatt, putting into the store a large stock of general merchandise, and, upon the retirement of the latter in 1851, continued the business alone for two years. In April, 1853, Mr. Miller received Gerrit H. Perkins as a partner, and later George C. Rector, now of Hastings, Neb., also became a partner. In 1868, upon the retirement of the latter, the name of William M. Miller was added, making the firm name Miller, Perkins & Co. The mercantile career of the senior member of the firm extended over a period of more than half a century. During the latter part of this time his extensive private interests, and the management of large estates of others intrusted to his care occupied his mind and time to the serious impairment of his health. A condition of nervous dyspepsia and of enfeebled memory followed, which forced him to abandon all business cares, and from that time he spent the re- mainder of his days in the enjoyment of his beautiful, quiet home, gratefully receiving the ministrations of his devoted wife, and the society of family and friends.
Few men engaged in business so engrossing and exten- sive as was Mr. Miller's have given so largely of their time and means for the public good. In the midst of his most active mercantile life he ever manifested a deep in-
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terest in the prosperity of the village, and was a zealous supporter of the cause of education and religion. From 1862 to 1866 he was president of the village, and untir- ingly exerted himself to promote its welfare. For many years he held a trusteeship of the Oxford Academy, and was one of its most earnest and faithful supporters, spar- ing neither time nor money to elevate its standard of usefulness and influence. He held the position of cashier in the First National Bank of Oxford from 1865 for two years, and was vice president of that institution for twelve years, from 1867 to 1879, when he declined a re-election. Amid all these cares he found time for reading, keeping himself informed in all the current events of the day. He entered the membership of the Congregational church in the year 1849, and from that time until the end of his life he was one of its ablest and heartiest supporters.
Mrs. Miller received her education at Oxford Academy, and, on the 3d of March, 1839, she united with the Con- gregational church, continuing until her death one of its most devout and loyal members. Her life was one long epistle of benevolence, hospitality, Christian charity, and love. The beautiful chapel contiguous to the Congrega- tional church, was built by her as a memorial of her hus- band, and given to the society, a free-will offering.
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