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 26
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William H. Hyde was called upon. He said that he was forcibly reminded by the carniverous visit of certain ill-disposed persons of a historic reminiscence quite in point. After the destruction of Troy by the Greeks, and when Aneas and his companions, after long wanderings, had landed upon the Strophades and spread on the shore their tables for a repast, the Harpies, flying monsters, at- tracted by the savory viands, flew down and stripped the tables. We had received a similar visit, but thanks to a few gallant patriots, our tables are unharmed-our noble ox was untouched. We do not blame them very much. A strong southern breeze wafted the savor of beef northward. They had had no beef for many weeks, and through their streets rang beef! beef! beef! Unlike the Harpies, they left their feathers behind them, and got no beef. If they will send down that wagon we will send them a bone. He closed with the following toast :
The Harpies who hovered around our Ox: If their impudence con- tinues to keep pace with their rapacity, we hope soon to be taxed for a jail enlargement.
Three tremendous cheers followed.
S. Bundy then presented the banner which the " Har- pies " had hoisted upon their ill-fated vehicle when enter-
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ing the town, which was captured by one of the gallant Oxford Guards, accompanied by the following :
The unwelcome Delegation from the North: Behold, their once proud banner has become the plucked feathers of the "Harpies."
G. H. Perkins, after a few appropriate remarks gave the following toast, which was drank standing and in silence :
The Memory of Henry Clay: As his life was an emblem of the progress, success, and glory of our country-the recollections of his life will grow dearer to every true-hearted American. (Henry Clay died June 29, 1852.)
So when the great and good go down, Their statues shall arise To crowd those temples of our own, Our fadeless memories.
By James W. Glover-Hungary and Ireland-deserving to be added to the catalogue of independent nations; may a day like this soon be theirs.
By T. S. Packer-The Oxford Firemen. They will never be able to throw water enough, even through their extra 100 feet of hose, to quench the fires of their patriotism.
By Wm. H. Hamilton-The Fair of our County. Unlike our County Fair, for the reason that the largest does not always take the pref- erence.
By James Coley-The Ox roasted here to-day ; his has been the un- usual and distinguished honor of being sacrificed in the cause of liberty.
By a Guest-Captain Frederick Hopkins; The last survivor of Revo- lutionary times in Oxford. Would that Providence might prolong his days in comfortable health, with the power, fairy-like, never to grow older until the Fourth of July shall cease to be celebrated by the American people.
The best feeling prevailed at the table, and the toasts were drunk amid the most patriotic demonstrations. In the evening there was an exhibition of fireworks, including the throwing of fireballs, which were large balls of cotton soaked in camphene, lighted and hastily thrown from one direction to another until burned out.
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Of manners gentle, of affections mild ; In wit a man, simplicity a child. -POPE.
George Stone.
Among the early settlers in the eastern part of the town was George Stone, who emigrated from Foster, R. I., in 1827, where he was born in 1788. He, with his wife and four sons, the eldest eleven years of age, came with an ox team over a rough road, traveling many days on the way through an unbroken wilderness, encountering many a wolf, panther, and other wild beasts. He bought a farm of Joshua White, which was partly cleared and had a small frame house, and
"A rusty-gray curb, round a rugged stone well,
Where with dangle of bucket the sweep rose and fell."
Here Mr. Stone passed the remainder of his days, dying May 14, 1839. He married in 1813 Naomia Bennett, born in 1788, and died February 10, 1835, in Oxford. Children :
GEORGE W., married Jane Stratton and settled in Penn- sylvania.
JONATHAN, married Minerva Price and settled in Illi- nois.
ZEBULON, died in Oxford ; unmarried.
JOSHUA B., born October 11, 1816, in Foster, R. I .; died December 26, 1867, in Oxford; married February 5, 1840, Anna Matteson, born August 26, 1813, in Otsego county ; died April 26, 1895, in Oxford. Mr. Stone remained on the homestead, and the same farm is now owned by his son, Charles, having been in the family well toward one
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hundred years. Three years after her husband's death, Mrs. Stone married Lewis B. Anderson. Believing in early life that she had a special work to do for God and human- ity, for nearly half a century she devoted her life to that purpose. She often conducted services in the Free Will Baptist Church in East Oxford and was a preacher of more than ordinary ability. She had lived in that vicinity nearly sixty years, and her kindly ways and social disposition gained for her friends from all stations of life.
Children of Joshua B. and Anna (Matteson) Stone : MARY C., married December 27, 1859, Joseph P. Turner of Oxford. CHARLES M., married October 21, 1874, Ada Smith of Oxford. (Children : Jessie, married Jesse Jacobs of South Oxford; Anna, married Irving McNitt of South Oxford, and resides in Norwich.) Mr. Stone has been supervisor of the town two terms. He has been prominent in town politics and is an influential and able member of the Republican organization. JENNIE F., married O. A. Campbell of Brooklyn. GEORGE H., married Grace Beebe of Marathon and resides in Tacoma, Wash. JESSIE F., died August 12, 1874, aged 17.
List ; a brief tale.
-SHAKESPEARE.
Visited by Indians.
In 1826 there lived near the western part of the town Richard Holdridge, a hatter by trade, and he also taught the school in that neighborhood. One morning he arose early and finished a bonnet that a neighboring housewife had ordered, and then proceeded to the school house. .
Mrs. Holdridge and baby were alone in the little house,
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and while busily engaged about her household duties was startled by the opening of the door and the entrance of a number of Indians. Among them was a squaw, who, seeing the infant at play on the floor, picked it up tenderly and chanted an Indian lullaby. Mrs. Holdridge was now greatly alarmed as she thought her baby was to be taken from her, but soon saw tears trickling down the dusky face of the squaw, who by gestures indicated that she had recently lost her papoose, and that Mrs. Holdridge need feel no alarm as the little one would not be harmed or taken away.
In the meantime the remainder of the party had made a tour of inspection in the little house, and among all the articles they inspected the new bonnet was the only thing that really caught their eye. The chief, or leader of the party, who was tall and very stout, approached Mrs. Hold- ridge, and with the bonnet in his hand exclaimed, "Me want this!" She endeavored to explain that it was not her property and could not give it away, but to no purpose, and reluctantly granted the request, rather than have them make further search in the house for articles that could not be as easily replaced. The unwelcome guests soon departed with the chief in the lead wearing the odd head- gear with much sedateness and pride.
The' unwieldy elephant, To make them mirth, us'd all his might, and wreathed His lithe probocis. -MILTON.
Early Exhibitions.
One of the first exhibitions of wild animals to appear in Oxford was held in the hotel barns in August, 1822. In
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one barn was a large African lion and a monkey; in the other was a leopard, tiger and monkey. It was the town talk for many a day and but few missed the wonderful sight brought to their doors by the caravan. The follow- ing announcement appeared in the Oxford Gazette:
TO THE CURIOUS. A FULL GROWN AFRICAN LION.
With several smaller ANIMALS, to be seen at Mr. CLARK's hotel in Oxford, on Saturday the 24th and Monday the 26th of August. Hours of exhibition from 9 o'clock in the morning until 5 in the evening-with good music on an Organ .- Admittance 12 1-2 cents, children half price.
THE BRAZILIAN TIGER AND
AFRICAN LEOPARD,
with several smaller Animals, also to be seen at the same time and place as above-with good music on different instruments .- Admittance 12 1-2 cents, children half price.
The first theatrical troup that came to this village was the Walsteins in September, 1823. The performance was given on Fort Hill in an old store, situated between the brick block and the building now occupied by the Me- morial library. The building was then used as a Lancas- terian School, in those primitive days of the scholastic reign of Joseph Lancaster. It was a huge barn-like, un- painted barracks. The stage and its gaudy decorations were fitted up for a week's campaign. The following is the advertisement taken from the Gazette:
OXFORD
THEATRE,
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THIRD NIGHT.
MR. & MRS. WALSTEIN, (late Mrs. Baldwin, of the London and New York Theatres, ) have the honour respectfully to announce to the inhabitants of Oxford and its vicinity, their intention of performing with a Theatrical Party, at Fort Hill Old Store, this evening, Sept. 24, when will be presented the celebrated Comedy of
MATRIMONY;
Or; the Castle of De Limburg.
After which the following Vocal Entertainments:
A favourite Hunting Song, by
" Barney leave the Girls alone,"
" The Hayband "-a Yorkshire Song,
" Five to One, or the Rival Lovers,"
Mrs. Walstein, Mr. Gilbert, Clarendon, Walstein.
To conclude with the celebrated Comic Opera of the
POOR SOLDIER.
TICKETS twenty-five cents, to be had at Mr. Clark's Bar, & Mr. Throop's Office .- Doors open at seven, and curtain to rise at half after seven .- Front seats reserved for the Ladies.
The following advertisement from the Gazette of June 25, 1823, announces the appearance of an elephant, prob- ably the first that was ever exhibited in this town. A single elephant at that time excited more interest than the droves that circus companies own at the present day, and, probably, the small boy with those of a larger growth, were up early in the morning to welcome the great pachy- dermatous mammalia and later, to witness the " sagacious animal draw a cork from a well filled bottle and drink the contents "-a feat that, undoubtedly, many of the patrons imitated successfully, and accounts for the custom that is kept up to this day on public occasions, and especially when Barnum with his "Greatest on Earth " invades the country :
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AN EXHIBITION Of A Natural Curiosity, THE LARGE AND LEARNED
ELEPHANT.
TO be seen at Clark's Tavern, in the village of Oxford, on Friday and Saturday, the 4th and 5th of July, 1823.
This wonderful Animal, which for Sagacity and Docility exceeds any one ever imported into this country, will go through her astonishing performances, which have excited the admiration of every beholder.
The Elephant is not only the largest and most sagacious animal in the world, but from the peculiar manner in which it takes its food and drink of every kind with its trunk, is acknowledged to be one of the GREATEST NATURAL CURIOSITIES, ever offered to the public.
She is nearly 8 feet high, 20 feet from the end of her trunk to that of her tail, 12 feet 6 inches round her body, 3 feet 9 inches round her legs, 3 feet 6 inches round her feet, and is judged to weigh between SIX & SEVEN THOUSAND POUNDS.
Some of the amusing exercises of this animal, are, to kneel to the company, balance her body alternately on each pair of legs, present her right foot to enable her keeper or any other person to mount her trunk, carry them about the room and safely replace them, draw a cork from a filled bottle and drink the contents, and then present the empty bottle and cork to her keeper. She will lie down, sit up, and rise at command, bows and whistles at request, answers to the call of her keeper, she takes from the floor a small piece of money with her trunk and returns it to her keeper, besides many other marks of sagacity. Those wishing to gratify their curiosity, may now have an opportunity. Music on the ancient Jewish Symbal.
Admittance 12 1-2 Cents, Children under 12, half price. Hours of exhibition from 9 in the morning until 5 in the evening.
Alike all ages : dames of ancient days Have led their children through the mirthful maze; And the gay grandsire, skill'd in gestic lore, Has frisk'd beneath the burden of threescore. -GOLDSMITH.
Grand Ball.
In the year 1823 the sympathies of the citizens of Ox- ford were aroused by the revolution progressing in Greece. Her people had long suffered from oppression and cruel-
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ties imposed by the Turks living among them, who little expected that the time of retribution was at hand. As the Greeks became enlightened by contact with the world at large they chafed under the tyranny of their oppressors and resolved to throw off the yoke of the Moslems. They organized a secret society whose members were solemnly pledged to fight for the emancipation of their country. When the signal was given for the rebellion to begin there was a general response throughout all Greece. The spirit of Miltiades and Leonidas possessed them. The uprising became so serious that the Turks resorted to the most extreme cruelties in their defence; churches were pillaged and hundreds of priests slain, while men, women and children were massacred, and towns ruined and given to the flames; the monuments of Grecian glory were trampled beneath the feet of the merciless Moslem. Our people were anxious to assist in relieving such sufferings, and devised a plan for a Greek Ball, for which the price of tickets was to be three dollars and the balance above expenses should be given to the Greeks. A meeting was called and the accompanying minutes prepared :
At a meeting of the Officers of the 32d Brigade of Infantry, and 16th Regiment of Artillery, held at the Hotel of E. Clark, in the village of Oxford, on Saturday the 20th day of December, 1823, Brigadier Gen. Ransom Rathbone was called to the chair, and Lieut. Col. S. G. Throop, of the 16th Reg. of Artillery, appointed Secretary.
Resolved, That we view with painful anxiety the glorious struggle now making by the Greeks, to emancipate themselves from OTTOMAN OPPRESSION, and once more gain a footing among the nations of the earth. With a view to aid them in their Patriotick Struggle, and at the same commemorate an event no less honourable to American arms, than interesting to the Nation-
Resolved, That a MILITARY BALL be given on the evening of the 8th of January next, at the hotel of Ethan Clark, in the village of Oxford, in commemoration of the glorious victory obtained by the gal- lant Gen. Andrew Jackson and the Militia under his command, in his defence of New-Orleans ; and that the surplus funds arising from said Ball, be appropriated for the benefit of the Greeks.
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Resolved, That a committee of arrangement be appointed, including the Chairman and Secretary.
Resolved, That Gen. R. Rathbone be appointed Treasurer.
COMMITTEE OF ARRANGEMENT.
Ransom Rathbone, Brig. General 32d brigade Infantry.
S. G. Throop, Lieut. Col. 16th Reg. Artillery of St. N. Y.
A. C. Welch, Col. of the 190th Reg. Infantry.
John Noyes, Jr. Col. of the 105th Reg. Infantry.
Elijah Rathbone, Col. of 133d do.
Joseph Juliand, Lt. Col. do. do.
Robert Monell, Brigade Maj. 32d Brigade Infantry.
R. Van Wagenen, Brigade 2d Major do do.
A. C. Griswold, Aidecamp.
George Farnham, Adjutant.
S. G. THROOP, Sec'y.
The youth and beauty of the town and country about assembled in force, under the auspices of the distinguished array of names which formed the military committee, full of enthusiasm in view of combining the intrinsic delights of the hop with the furtherance of the cause which ap- pealed to their generous sympathies and sense of justice. -Men and maidens, in Roman togas and Grecian gowns, swept the floors of the hotel, even to the small hours, at least to their own intense enjoyment, (except in the case of Judge Robert Monell of Greene, who sundered his heel cord for the sake of Grecian patriots), although it must be confessed that, had it depended on the unwitting Greeks to settle the deficit in Ball expenses versus receipts, they would have been mulcted in the sum of ten dollars.
He had kept
The whiteness of his soul, and thus men o'er him wept. -BYRON.
Samuel Ross.
When the village of Oxford had been settled for about twenty years, Samuel Ross, a graduate of Princeton Col- lege and a contemporary of Theodore Frelinghuysen and
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N. S. Prime, the father of Ireneus Prime of the New York Observer, came from the city of New York to make his future home with his wife, who was Margaret Shepard Revel from the eastern shore of Virginia. His father, Andrew Ross, was a descendant of John Ross of Scotland, who was one of the first settlers of New Jersey. Samuel Ross and wife came here in the year 1815, and Mrs. Ross died the following year. Mr. Ross at one time resided on the Nathan Pendleton farm, and also had a home on Clin- ton street. While at the latter place his grounds extended to the top of the hill west of the street and running paral- lel with Columbia street. Upon this hill Mr. Ross located a private burying ground enclosed in brick walls and pro- tected by a right of way to and from the same against future owners of the adjoining grounds. Several burials were made therein, but after the lapse of some seventy-five years, the only vestige of it now remaining is a headstone to the memory of Margaret Shepard Ross. Mr. and Mrs. Ross were among the first members of St. Paul's church, and at the first celebration of the Holy Communion they were of the seven members who communicated. Mr. Ross was elected warden in 1816 and continued a warden or vestryman for several years. His associates at that time were Hon. John Tracy, Uri Tracy, James Clapp, Simon G. Throop, Jr., Stephen O. Runyan, Ransom Rathbone and Erastus Perkins. Mrs. Ross died at the home of Rev. Wm. B. Lacey and the subsequent marriage of Mr. Ross to Mrs. Maria Stephens is recorded. She was the widow of Alvan Stephens and the daughter of Robert Randall of Brook- field, Madison county. Mr. Stephens died in the first year of his marriage and thus she became a bride, a mother, and a widow in the one brief year of her marriage. In her marriage to Mr. Ross six children were born to them, Samuel R., George, Margaret, Mary E. and Martha, twins;
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and Elizabeth Ann. All of whom have passed away except their eldest son, Samuel Randall Ross. Mary E., married Elijah Jones; died June 5, 1895, in Auburndale, Mass. Early in her married life she went to Paris and studied art, leaving her husband and infant child for a year or so. She became quite noted as an artist in oil. Elizabeth Ann died July 8, 1894, in Andover, Mass., married Rev. J. E. Latimer, a Methodist minister, who afterwards became a professor in the Boston University ; George went to Ports- mouth, Ohio, and became a commercial traveler for his brother Samuel. He was drowned in Kentucky while attempting to ford Big Sandy river. Upon the marriage of their daughters, Mary and Elizabeth, Mr. and Mrs. Ross removed from Oxford to Elmira to enjoy their society, where he died in 1861. When the Rev. J. E. Latimer and wife removed to Boston, Mrs. Ross accompanied them and died there in 1875. They are buried in Elmira. Those who lived in Oxford in the early years of its history recalled his blameless life and integrity, and it was a great satis- faction to them to know that to the period of his death, his sunset of life was serene and happy, with the capacity to enjoy the society of friends and his favorite authors until his brief illness of a week which terminated his life. His death was that of the exultant Christian, and with looks of love and words of tender sympathy to those around him, it was evident that his eyes were turned rapturously to the bright shore which gleamed upon his dying vision from the other side of the dark river of death, and to the very last he spoke of the dear old Oxford friends, and he spoke of them with deep emotion.
Samuel Randall Ross was born April 8, 1819, in this village. He was educated at Oxford Academy, and at the age of 24 located in Portsmouth, Ohio, where he has since resided. He engaged in the wholesale grocery business,
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which he continued until 1857, when he retired from busi- ness until 1861. He then entered the wholesale tobacco business in Cincinnati, under the firm name of Kercheval & Ross, from which he retired in 1873.
His wife was Miss Elizabeth Kinney of Portsmouth, whom he married September 7, 1847. Mrs. Ross died October 28, 1897. The surviving children are: Miss Anna Ross, George Kinney Ross, of Portsmouth; Thomas Waller Ross, of Cleveland, O.
Mr. Ross is the only remaining old time merchant of Portsmouth, and a strong church man, having been con- nected with the Episcopal church ever since he has lived in that city. His hospitality is well known and he has entertained more distinguished people than any other per- son in the place of his adoption. Mr. Ross has passed his 87th year, and enjoys excellent health and is in the pos- session of all his faculties. His society and companion- ship are much sought after and highly appreciated.
Whoe'er amidst the sons Of reason, valour, liberty, and virtue, Displays distinguish'd merit, is a noble Of Nature's own creating. -THOMSON.
Henry VanDerLyn, Esq.
Henry Van Der Lyn, Esq., was born on the 24th day of April, 1784, at Kingston, N. Y. He was a son of Peter Van Der Lyn, a worthy and skillful surgeon during the Revolutionary war, and a nephew of John Van Der Lyn, who was considered in his day one of the world's most famous artists. After pursuing his studies in Kingston
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Academy, he entered Union college at the age of 16, grad- uating with the honors of the valedictory in 1802, and soon thereafter commenced the study of law with the distin- guished and able lawyer, Hon. Ogden Edwards in New York, in whose office he acquired those habits of close study and discrimination which distinguished him through life, and that knowledge of law which secured him an ad- mission to the Bar in 1806.
Mr. Van Der Lyn early in life formed the habit of daily writing in a journal commentaries on the works he read, making extracts and noting down the events of his life and of society around him. We make the following extracts :
While at college I got a coat altered and made with a single row of buttons and buttonholes in front. This harmless freak caused the nickname of Count Ramford to be fixed on me, and which has followed to this day.
At this time barbers were in the height of their usefulness and prosperity, when curling tongs and powder were applied to the head of every fashionable, and many torturing twinges have I endured dur- ing the tedious operations of head dressing.
In the winter of 1806 I made a visit to Albany to consult some mem- bers of the Legislature on the subject of my removal to the western part of the State, but without effect. I called on Frederic A. De Long, who was to remove in the spring to Jericho (Bainbridge), in Chenango county, for information about the best place of my settlement, and he mentioned Oxford about 15 miles from Jericho. I yielded to his advice and made my arrangements to bid a final adieu to my native place. In April, 1806, I went to New York to purchase the residue of my law library, which was small but large enough for me at that time. In the latter end of May I put my books, paper case and trunk on board a wagon, and accompanied by my Uncle Philip Newkirk, began my journey to Oxford, and separated from the friends of my youth, from my mother, brothers, and relatives in search of professional fame and the means of support. I was then in my 22d year and felt a sensation of apprehension and distrust in going among strangers to a distant place to commence the novel business of instructing others and managing their legal concerns. My Uncle Philip and I arrived at Oxford in the afternoon on Saturday. I was somewhat disappointed on my first view of the place, it was small with only two painted houses in it and the stumps in the adjoining fields showed that it was a young settlement. We lodged at the hotel of Erastus Perkins. The next day was Sunday and the young people of the village assembled in the ball room of Mr. Perkin's to sing psalms. I took my seat in the hall to see them as they went up stairs. There was no church nor regular divine service in the village. I went to board with Major Dan Throop, who had a number of boarders. Ransom Rathbone, a merchant : Roswell Randall, a student in the office of Stephen O. Runyan; John Kinsey, an old
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bachelor ; and two Miss Bepacs from Hudson, formed the group that daily assembled at the table of Major Dan.
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