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 19
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Child by first wife :
JOHN B., born November 24, 1837. Assistant surgeon in the United States Navy during the Civil war. Died Sep- tember 23, 1863, of yellow fever at Pensacola, Florida. Un- married. Children by second wife:
JOSEPH G., born July 26, 1841. Served in the Civil war, at first a sergeant, Co. A, 114th Regt. N. Y. Vols. Pro- moted first sergeant May 17, 1863. Wounded in arm, thigh, and shoulder at Opequan. Mortally wounded at Cedar Creek, and died October 19, 1864, twelve hours after receiv- ing wound. A brave and accomplished soldier. Unmar- ried.
WESLEY, born August 4, 1843; died September 7, 1895, in Norwich. Served during the Civil war in Co. E, 89th Regt. N. Y. Vols. Married Melantha Baker of Norwich, who died February 11, 1905, in Norwich.
Children by third wife :
ANTIONETTE, born June 22, 1845; died November 10, 1876; married Andrew S. Seeley. Her husband and one child, Sarah, still survive.
SARAH J., born June 20, 1847; died July 6, 1853.
MARGARET F., born April 2, 1849; died August 22, 1849. MARY ELIZABETH, born November 14, 1850; married
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Henry E. Babcock of Norwich. Both are now living in New York city with one son, Charles E. Babcock, a civil engineer.
CHARLES, born March 6, 1853 ; died November 5, 1864.
WILLIAM B., born April 29, 1855; died February 29, 1856.
FRANK, born June 13, 1857; died July 16, 1877. Un- married.
CYRUS V., born September 27, 1860; married Lizzie F. Bulkley of Oswego, N. Y. Resides and practices law in New York city. One daughter, Irene.
WILLIAM A., born December 5, 1862; died January 19, 1892, at Mansville, N. Y., where he successfully practiced medicine and became a skillful physician. Married Mary B. Carl of Candor, N. Y. Child: John Carl, drowned while skating at Mannsville, January 27, 1906, aged 18.
The most important part of every business is to know what ought to be done. - -COLUMELLA.
Alamanzar Watson.
Alamanzar Watson, born in Palmer, Mass., July 22, 1809, was one of six children, three. sons and three daugh- ters. By the death of the father. the mother was left alone to care for the children at an early age, and they did what they could toward supporting the family, from which grew habits of industry and frugality. At the age of eleven, as was then the custom, Mr. Watson served an apprenticeship and learned the saddler's trade, after which he started west to seek a fortune. Empty handed, with only a brave heart and his mother's blessing, he worked his way through
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Albany, Schoharie, and Otsego counties to Bainbridge, where, learning that William Mygatt was in need of help in his tannery and leather store, he came to Oxford. Thus in 1830, at the age of 21, he was working on a salary of eight dollars per month, and by his industry and faithful- ness soon won the confidence of his employer, who en- trusted to him the most important part of the business for a period of more than ten years. Mr. Watson then com- menced business for himself in the Fort Hill block, which he continued until 1856, when he engaged in the loaning of money in Illinois, which he made the field of his financial interests for several years. He was trustee of Oxford Academy and was one of its heartiest supporters. The unfortunate and friendless were often remembered and assisted by his aid. The Congregational church received his warmest support, with which society he united by let- ter in 1835. On September 9, 1845, Mr. Watson was mar. ried to Miss Jennette M. Hall of Sullivan, Madison county, then preceptress of Oxford Academy. They immediately commenced housekeeping on Washington avenue, where they resided until their decease. Their own hands planted the trees, graded and beautified the grounds from year to year. Mr. Watson died May 8, 1886, in his 77th year. Mrs. Watson's death occurred June 20, 1889, at the age of 70 years.
In 1848 a son was born to them and christened Charles Alonzo. He was educated at Oxford Academy and Am- herst College, at which institution he graduated in 1870. The remaining years of his life were spent in mercantile business in Lockport, N. Y., with the exception of a few months in 1873, when he was abroad with his invalid mother. On March 19, 1879, he was drowned by the acci- dental upsetting of a boat in the Gulf of Mexico, where he had been spending a few weeks for recreation.
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With wisdom fraught, Not such as books, but such as practice taught. -WALLER.
George D. Avery.
George D. Avery was born at Groton, Conn., August 19, 1763, a colonial subject of George IV., and a witness of some of the exciting scenes of the American Revolution, among which was the burning of New London by the British. He was a pupil of Nathan Daboll of arithmetic fame. On the 8th of August, 1796, Mr. Avery took up his residence at Belleville, Va., after a toilsome journey of 800 miles, having in his train thirteen teams. He there under- took the arduous task of pioneer settlement, sawing his own timber and erecting houses, against the disadvantages, not unknown there, of building in a new country. He was familiar with many of the stirring events of the early set- tlement of that locality, prominent among which were the romantic incidents in the life of Harman Blennerhasset ;_ his island paradise in the Ohio, and the strange adventures of Aaron Burr connected therewith, of all of which he was personally cognizant. Adverse fortunes at Belleville in- duced Mr. Avery to remove to Georgetown, Va., about the year 1812, where he engaged in surveying for nearly twenty years. He surveyed and laid out Georgetown. He was an observer of the important political events, being frequently in the society of public men of that period. In the year 1830, through the kindness of Benjamin But- ler, who married his sister, he was induced to come to this place, where he resided until his death, April 26, 1860. Mr. Avery was twice married, but had long survived his children, one of whom was a midshipman in the U. S.
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Navy, with Commodores Rogers and Decatur, and died in 1815. Mr. Avery voted at every election for president since the formation of the government, which act was performed by him with a religious sense of duty. When his life jour- ney began, Napoleon and Wellington were yet to be; dur- ing his career the leaders of the English parliament and of the American Revolution, that race of Titans, have lived and died; the wars of Napoleon and the war of Independ- ence have become historical, and a new republic, with a network of railroads and a web work of electric wires, have been extended from the Atlantic to the Pacific. The latter years of Mr. Avery's life were passed quietly. On Tuesday, November 9, 1859, at the age of 97, he de- posited his last vote, and while he extended his feeble hand to present the ballot, there was manifest a solemn feeling, as if a cotemporary of Washington had arisen from the tomb, appearing again in person upon the earth.
He was not merely a child of the old block, but the old block itself. -BURKE.
Gen. Peter Skenendoah Smith.
General Peter Skenandoah Smith, better known as Sken Smith, came from Utica at an early day and remained in Oxford till the spring of 1829. He was the eldest son of Peter Smith, founder of Smithfield, Madison county, who in 1794 succeeded in leasing from the Oneida Indians for a term of 999 years a tract of land comprising over 50,000 acres, and which embraced nearly all of Smithfield and Fenner, that part of Cazenovia lying north of the Gore, a part of Stockbridge, and a large portion of Augusta, in
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Oneida county. This tract he secured by treaty with the christianized part of the tribe through negotiations with their chief, Skenandoah, a warm friend of his and after whom he named his son.
Peter Sken Smith was the only brother of Hon. Gerrit Smith, the philanthropist. He was an attractive looking man, nearly six feet in height, strong, active, and com- manding in appearance. He was educated at Hamilton College and became a merchant before he had reached his 21st birthday. He established a large store in Utica, and often would buy at one bid a store with its various con- tents. He soon became involved and failed for upwards of $100,000, and took the benefit of the bankruptcy act. He then entered a law office in Utica as student, and after- wards settled in Sherburne for a few weeks, and then came to Oxford and studied a short time in James Clapp's office. He then went to Pharsalia and entered the law office of John Clapp, where he studied until he was admitted to practice. He married at Catskill, May 15, 1826, Anne V. B. Prentiss, daughter of the Rev. Joseph Prentiss. He then bought the John Rathbone house, better known as the McKoon house in later years, and laid out about $1000 in repairs on the property. In 1829 he removed to Oswego, and afterwards resided in Pennsylvania and Florida, where he was an officer in the U. S. Army, bearing the title of Major-General. For several years he was a prom- inent politician in Philadelphia, but his eventful life was ended May 6, 1858, in an insane asylum at Springfield, Mass.
A rare jest or witty repartee fell musically from his lips. Many balls and banquets owed their chief attraction to his exquisite tact and courtly manners.
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He is happiest, be he king or peasant, who finds peace in his home. -GOETHE.
Stephen Turner.
Stephen Turner was born January 14, 1772, in New London, Conn., and married Patty Prentiss of the same place. Shortly after his marriage he located in Butter- nuts, Otsego county, and in 1813 came to Oxford and set- tled in the eastern part of the town. He was industrious and energetic, spending little time in idleness. It is re- lated of him that when he stopped in the field to rest he sat upon a sharp stone that he might not sit too long. With strong hands and a brave heart he cleared the forest and planted the apple, plum, and cherry where the birch, maple, and lofty pine once flourished. He lived in a log cabin until able to build a frame house, which until the present day has been occupied by his descendants. When unable to reach the distant mill, the family subsisted on samp made from corn pounded in a rude mortar. Mr. Turner gave his children what in those days was considered a good education. The daughters were not only well versed in the homely duties of the household, but were proficient in the art of fine embroidery and lace making, besides teaching the three Rs in the district school. Children :
MARGARET, married Lucius Parker and settled in Steu- ben county.
NANCY, married Simeon Parker, brother of Lucius, and settled in the same county.
MARTHA, married Abel Polly and moved to Kansas.
STEPHEN PRENTISS, married Lucinda Harris.
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Stephen Prentiss Turner, born September 23, 1806, in Butternuts, Otsego county; died December 24, 1900, in Oxford. Married February 25, 1834, Lucinda Harris of Guilford, N. Y., born September 27, 1814; died December 4, 1867, in Oxford.
Prentiss Turner came to Oxford in 1813 with his parents when but seven years of age. He was not favorably im- pressed with his new home and the surroundings, and long- ing for his former playmates he started early one morning to return to his former home. When search for him proved unavailing, his father recalled how homesick the lad had been, decided to go to Butternuts, where, to his delight, Prentiss was found among relatives. He had traveled the whole distance, over twenty miles, in one day by means of marked trees. It is not stated what course the father took to impress upon the mind of his son that it would be better for him to remain at home. It was, however, effectual, for during a life of fourscore years he seldom left his home, either for business or pleasure, till the infirmities of age made it necessary for him to seek a home with his children. Children :
SAMUEL, died in infancy.
FRANCIS M., married T. M. Williams.
JOSEPH P., married Mary C. Stone; died January 28, 1884.
SIMEON A., married Lucina M. Post.
RICHARD M., married Christianna Walker.
NELSON J., married Helen R. Ives. LUCINDA A., died November 12, 1848. MARTHA M., married Hubert Post.
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Learned he was in med'c'nal lore, For by his side a pauch he wore, Replete with strange hermetic powder. -Butler.
Dr. Perez Packer.
Among the eight children born to William and Persis Packer, who left Guilford, Vt., in 1804, and took up about 300 acres in Preston, was Perez, born January 31, 1790. He became a physician and commenced practicing at Latham's Corners, in the town of Guilford, about the open- ing of the war of 1812, but soon after removed to Oxford and resided in the house now occupied by Charles W. Brown. He became noted in his profession, and his circuit of practice was very wide. As a surgeon he had no super- ior in those early days. During the year 1823 he went to France for the benefit of his health, and while there at- tended chemical and anatomical lectures in Paris. Among those who were students in his office were the late Dr. Ben- jamin H. Throop of Scranton, Dr. Austin Rouse and Dr. William G. Sands of Oxford. Dr. Packer died of consump- tion in Oxford July 10, 1832, aged 42, honored and re- spected. His wife, who was formerly Miss Nancy Davis of Oxford, died February 16, 1843, aged 47. Their children were :
WILLIAM W., married Mary D., daughter of Colonel Otis J. Tracy, and carried on the drug business while practic- ing dentistry four or five years till his death, which occur- red March 21, 1851, at the age of 32.
NANCY MARIA, married Roswell Hewett of Preston, and died at Havana, N. Y., September 1, 1849, aged 29.
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CAROLINE, aged 19, in attempting to alight from a car- riage to which a restive horse was attached, was so vio- lently thrown against a wall in this village as to induce concussion of the brain, which resulted in her death May 16, 1845.
THEODORE S., died March 28, 1855, aged 26.
A peace above all earthly dignities, A still and quiet conscience.
-SHAKESPEARE.
Joel Smith.
Joel Smith was born in Southington, Ct., December 9, 1781. His father was a Connecticut patriot, who served in the Continental army, and who brought up his children in the old-fashioned New England way, " in the fear and admonition of the Lord." In 1812 Joel Smith left his home in Southington and came to Oxford, making the journey of about 200 miles with a pair of oxen attached to a gen- uine Connecticut cart. The spot where he located is known as " The Desserts," about six miles southeast of the village. He cleared away the dense forest for a home, and in a few weeks his wife and two children came with Romeo Warren, for many years a prominent resident of Coventry, who drove from Connecticut with a fine pair of black horses. Mr. Smith built a stockade for his sheep and on many a night was aroused from his slumbers by the howling of wolves, which he drove away with firebrands or by lustily blowing a tinhorn. Long afterward Mr. Smith described his journey to the "Chenango country " by forbidding roadways through unbroken forests, through sparsely set-
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tled valleys and the cabins of the settlers with their genial hospitality, till the embryo village of Oxford was reached. The surrounding country was a primeval wilderness, with here and there a settler who, with ax and brush hook, was making a clearing. His children during their youth suf- fered all the vicissitudes of frontier life, and attended such transcient schools as were open in the neighborhood. Mr. Smith after residing in Oxford many years moved to Cov- entry, from there to Guilford, thence to Newark Valley, N. Y., where he lived for over twenty years, and died Octo- ber 27, 1878, in his 97th year. He married (1) November 22, 1809, Almira Bradley of Northampton, Mass .; married (2) May 13, 1812, Sophia Andrews of Southington, Ct., born March 20, 1787; died October 9, 1877, in Newark Valley. Child by first wife:
MARY ALMIRA, born September 26, 1810, in Southington, Ct .; married (1) William Copley; married (2) Peter Moore; married (3) Lambert Bradley. Resides in Newark Valley. Children by second wife:
LOIS SOPHIA, born December 16, 1812, in Southington, Ct .; married Almander Sprague. Resides in Binghamton.
EMMA ANN, born November 16, 1814, in Oxford; died September 30, 1904, in Owego; married Samuel Blair.
ELIZA MARIA, born September 14, 1816, in Oxford; mar- ried Andrew McNeil.
LUCENA ELIZABETH, born June 23, 1818, in Oxford ; died June, 1851, in South Oxford; married John Guernsey of South Oxford.
SARAH ANN, born March 24, 1821, in Oxford. Resides in Oxford. Unmarried.
JULIAETT, born January 6, 1823, in Oxford; died Sep- tember 19, 1844, in Owego. Unmarried.
PHEBE LOUISA, born October 17, 1825, in Oxford; died October 1, 1905, in Sidney ; married Watson Clark.
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POLLY LOVINA, twin to above, married Mortimer Cham- berlain. Resides in Honeoye Falls, N. Y.
JAMES WILLIAM HENRY, born February 3, 1829, in Ox- ford; married (1) Angeline Stead; married (2) Kate Bradley; married (3) -.
SUSAN AUGUSTA, born February 29, 1832, in Oxford; married Stephen W. Ames. Resides in Newark Valley.
Habit with him was all the test of truth. CRABBE.
Joseph Mason.
Joseph Mason (Meissonier) was born March 10, 1809. in the southern part of France, and lived with his parents on a farm, which was afterwards sold off into building lots and became a part of the city of D'Hyeres. When Dr. Perez Packer of Oxford spent the winter of 1823-24 in France he boarded with a family named Meissonier. They had a large family, some ten or twelve children, and the doctor became very fond of one little boy, Joseph, the sub- ject of this sketch. The family was poor, the mother dead, and there was but little prospect of providing for so many. The eldest daughter, Eugenia, filled her mother's place to the best of her ability and cared for the younger children. When Dr. Packer proposed to them to give Joseph to him to take home to America, there was naturally great hesita- tion and reluctance, as they would never see him again, which they never did. The father gave his consent, and Joseph was brought to Oxford, and while not legally adopted was brought up as one of the family. The school children could not pronounce his name and used to call
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him " French Joseph " and " Mason," and eventually he went by the latter name.
Mr. Mason did light chores for the doctor. One day just at twilight he was in the woodhouse with an armful of kindlings and looking through the doorway saw a figure clothed in white on the lawn. He dropped the wood, ran into the house and, not having yet mastered English, said in French, " My father is dead ! " He was greatly overcome and the family talked and tried to comfort him, making inquiries as to why he felt that his father was dead. He replied that he had seen an angel. At the time the family thought but little of it, but several months after the news came that his father died just at that hour. Papers were sent on for Dr. Packer to sign, and from that time Mr. Mason never heard from his people again. In 1875 Ameida Podinier, a cousin, spent several months in Oxford with the family of Mr. Mason. He was an artist and a musician, and spoke seven languages. Mr. Mason died February 11, 1866. Married (1) Louisa DeMont, who died May 30, 1842; married (2) in 1845 Nancy Smith, born January 13, 1816; died October 10, 1888. Child by first wife :
HENRY DEMONT, born April 16, 1842; died October 19, 1864. Sergeant Co. H, 114th Regt. N. Y. V. Killed at battle of Cedar Creek. Children by second wife :
CHARLES W., born November 8, 1846; died February 28, 1847.
GEORGE FREDERICK, born May 21, 1848.
MARY GERTRUDE, born October 12, 1851; married Octo- ber 7, 1875, Edward L. Stratton. Children: Henry Meis- sonier, Frederick Lynn, born January 12, 1882; died No- vember 2, 1902; Emmett Abel.
WILLIAM HUBERT, born January 11, 1855; married (1) Jennie Lake; married (2) November 22, 1904, Nancy Hill.
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Here files of pins extend their shining rows, Puffs, Powders, Patches, Bibles, Billet-doux .- POPE.
Cyrus Tuttle.
Cyrus Tuttle, born in 1793, at Middlebury, Ct., came to Oxford, then in the far west, about the year 1814. He bad formed those thrifty and economical habits character- istic of the place of his birth, and was endowed by nature 'with an inherent love of trade, which was almost a passion in his case. He was possessed with a remarkable intuition regarding the relation of the lesser to the greater as applied to the laws of trade, and conducted his business, that of a general storekeeper, always on the principle that " Many a little makes a mickle." When in want of some certain article not to be found at other stores it was said, " Go to Tuttle's and you'll find it," which often proved the case. Thus with forecast, caution, and perseverance, adding dol- lar to dollar for nearly forty years, Mr. Tuttle was enabled by the severest economy and greatest self-denial to secure a fine competency. But, with all the exactions of a busy life he was duly sensible of his duties as a man and as a Christian, having filled the office of vestryman and warden of St. Paul's church, of which he was also treasurer for many years, and until his death. He began business in 1834, and built the stone block on North Canal street in 1843, where he continued till his death, July 20, 1870. The stone for his block was quarried near the river bridge at South Oxford by George Symonds and brought here on canal boats. Its cost was about $450 only. In 1850 Mr. Tuttle opened a branch store in East Greene, now Brisbin, which was continued about two years. Mr. Tuttle married
1
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in Oxford Catherine Bennett, who died November 23, 1867, aged 74. Their adopted daughter, Catherine, died March 25, 1889, aged 52. She married, May 9, 1860, James B. Brown of New York, who died December 23, 1902, in New York. Children: Gertrude, Catherine, and Philip. The daughters reside in New Haven, Ct.
He either fears his fate too much, Or his deserts are small, That dares not put it to the touch, To gain or lose it all. -MONTROSE.
Cornelius Conover.
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While the country was yet new, Cornelius Conover, of Dutch descent, with his wife, whose maiden name was Polly Furman, came from Glen, Montgomery county, and settled at South Oxford in the section known as "The Desserts." They brought all their worldly possessions in a cart drawn by oxen, and on the journey were often alarmed, though unmolested by wild beasts. Through his efforts the farm now occupied by his daughter, Julia, was made to blossom and bring forth the fruits of civilization and prosperity. He erected a frame house instead of the usual log cabin of the pioneer, and one standing in the large fireplace could look up the stone chimney and see the branches of the trees waving overhead. Mr. Conover and family attended church at Coventryville and went through the forest guided by marked trees. Deer often came to the brook near the house, but were unmolested by him, al-
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though he had firearms. Mr. Conover's second wife was Julia Horton of Coventry, who was born in Connecticut.
Children by first wife:
SOLOMON, married Roxy Barton.
ISAAC, married Eliza Applegate.
JANE, married Obadiah Canniff of Cincinnatus.
JEMIMA, married Leonard Horton of Coventryville.
Children by second wife: FURMAN, died unmarried.
PETER J., married Ann L. Havens.
JULIA, unmarried; lives on the homestead farm.
MARY, married Franklin Knickerbocker of Cincinnatus; died April 14, 1900, in Holly, N. Y.
For we the same are that our sires have been. -KNOX.
Judson Family.
The Judson brothers, David, John, Lewis, Everett, and Philo, came to Oxford in 1812 from Stamford, Ct., and conducted a woolen mill on the Georgetown road for sev- eral years. John, Lewis, and Everett finally moved from town; the latter died October 27, 1864, at Candor, N. Y., aged 71. David purchased the property now known as the David G. Barber place, and resided there until his death. Philo came into the village and conducted a mill near the present site of the Harrington block. He lived on Wash- ington street, in the house now occupied by Miss Clarinda Lewis. Their father, John Judson, was a Revolutionary soldier.
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David P. Judson was born February 28, 1786, in Stam- ford, Conn .; died February 15, 1862, in Oxford; married (1) in 1812, Jerusha Stillson of Stamford, Conn., born June 14, 1791; died April 9, 1832, in Oxford. Married (2) April 4, 1833, Melinda Billings of Preston, N. Y., born in Preston; died October 4, 1892, in Oxford.
Children by first wife :
LEWIS, born in 1815; died June 17, 1817; poisoned by arsenic, which he found while at play in the mill.
CAROLINE, born in 1819; died November 24, 1821, from scalds received by falling into a dye vat.
CHARLES, married Julia Jerome. Died in 1900.
JULIA E., married Orville L. Mead. Died August 17, 1855. Child by second wife :
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