History of Oneida County, New York, 1667-1878, Part 139

Author:
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Fariss
Number of Pages: 932

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The first framed house in town was built by Zerah Phelps, and the second by Ebenezer Hale. In those days bricks were exceedingly scarce, and none could be proeured with which to build ovens. Mrs. Minierva Hale was the fortu- nate possessor of a bake-kettle, which, being the only one in the settlement, was consequently in great demand, and hardly had time to cool. Mrs. Ebenezer Hale said she baked in it altogether the flour and meal of forty-two bushels of grain, mostly by the fire of burning log-heaps in the clear- ings. This is two bushels ahead of Mrs. Samuel Royce, the wife of one of the first settlers of Camden, who, during the first summer that she lived in that town, baked eight barrels of flour in her bake-kettle. That convenient utensil, in Mrs. Hale's ease, was finally allowed to rest, as Mr. Hale secured some bricks in the fall and built a bake-oven, when his wife in turn dispensed its benefits to the neighborhood.

In this year (1794) Justus and Ebenezer Hale opened . at their dwelling-house the first store in town, and also furnished accommodations to travelers.

* Jones,

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HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

During the same summer the first school was taught by Polly Dyer, in the house of Colonel Norton.

The first death-that of Sibyl Knowlton, daughter of Henry Knowlton-occurred the same season, and her mother died about a month afterwards. They were buried near the residenee of Nathaniel Ford.

In consideration for naming this town Sangerfield, Col- onel Sanger agreed to present a cask of rum at the first town-meeting, and fifty acres of land to the church of any religious denomination which should build the first house for public worship.

" Many of the first settlers had selected New Lisbon as the name for their new town, and their disappointment and chagrin were manifested by giving that name to the Congregational society which was formed soon afterwards, and thus they made the society with the rejected name the recipient of Colonel Sanger's bounty. It does not appear that the colonel was at all chargeable with the 'unfair means' which were attributed by those displeased with the name to those who had been instrumental in procuring it. His promise was honorably fulfilled by furnishing a eask of choice rum for the first town-meeting, and by eon- veying twenty-five aeres of land to the Congregational society and twenty-five acres to the Baptists, the former being the first religious society and the latter erecting the first church editiee. The two twenty- five aere lots were parts of lot No. 45."

The number of taxable inhabitants in what is now San- gerfield, in 1796, was 85 ; the total assessment of real and personal property was $4475, and tax upon it, including collector's fees ($5.35), was $108.56. The highest indi- vidual tax was that of Benjamin White, who paid the sum of $5.04.

In September, 1795, Dr. Stephen Preston became a resi- dent of the town, and was the first physician who settled within its limits. For over thirty years he enjoyed an extensive practice, and was also for many years a justiee of the peace.

Daniel Eells, Sr., settled in that part of Sangerfield after- wards included in Bridgewater in 1796, but in 1797 re- moved to New Hartford, where he died. He was a native of Connecticut, and a veteran of the Revolution, being one of the number who aided in throwing up the earthwork at Bunker Hill on the night of June 16, 1775.

SCHOOLS.

The first school in the town of Sangerfield has been mentioned. From the town records it appears that the proportion of school moneys appropriated for the town of Sangerfield in 1795, by the Board of Supervisors of Herk- imer County, was £46. The Supervisors at that time were James Dean, Roswell Fellows, Ludwick Campbell, David Norton, Joshua Remington, Joseph Jennings, Isaac Bray- ton, Stephen Hoxic.

Schools were established as they became necessary in various parts of the town, and from the first have been well sustained, even when only lines of blazed trees showed the children the way to the primitive log buildings in which they received the rudiments of an education. The schools at present in existence in the town are in a flourishing eon- dition. Select schools have in several instances existed for longer or shorter periods.

The present union school building in Waterville was erected in 1872, at a cost of $20,000. The school has four departments,-academic, grammar, primary, and sub-

primary. The annex, used for the sub-primary department, is a two-story frame building, standing thirty feet north of the main structure, and was purchased in the spring of 1878; it was formerly used as a dwelling. Nine teachers are employed, the principal for 1878 being George R. Cutting. The school is regularly graded, and has the entire attend- ance of the village, averaging from 350 to 400. The total value of the school property, exclusive of furniture, is about $25,000. The Board of Education consists of the following persons, viz. : G. H. Church, President ; H. P. Bigelow, Secretary ; C. B. Terry, W. B. Candee, F. H. Terry, M. P. Cady, J. J. Bennett, H. J. Coggeshall, W. B. Goodwin.

RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES,

Congregational Church, Sangerfield Centre .- On the 5th day of January, 1794, a subscription paper was circu- lated to raise funds to pay for preaching. On the 14th of the same month a meeting was held to appoint a committee to carry into effect the wishes of the settlers. David Nor- ton was chairman, and Nathan Gurney clerk. The members of the committee were Nathaniel Ford, Ebenezer Tenney, and Justus Halc. The last vote passed at this meeting was, " that the above committee-men shall hire a minister four Sundays on probation." This was the first organized effort to seeure preaching, and the germ of the First Con- gregational Society. Religious services were usually held on Sunday, from January, 1795, to March, 1797, with occasional preaching by the Rev. Mr. Steele, Rev. Aaron Bogue, Rev. Mr. Minor, Rev. Mr. Mozier, and Rev. Mr. Crane. Regular meetings were held at Colonel Norton's, at the eentre ; at the house of Giles Mix, who lived at the east end of the settlement; and at the house of Ebenezer Tenney, in the west part of town. Late in 1795, or early in 1796, the First Congregational Society was formed, known as the "Society of Lisbon, in Sangerfield." The style of the society was variously written as the " Trustees of Lisbon Society," " Trustees of the Lisbon Congrega- tional Society," and " The First Congregational Society of Sangerfield." The church was formally organized as an independent body Mareh 15, 1797, with eighteen ment- bers,-eleven males and seven females. The first settled pastor was Rev. James Thompson, who labored here from 1800 to 1806. Among the early pastors were Revs. Samuel Rich, from 1806 to 1816; Evans Beardsley, 1816 to 1823; John D. Pierce, 1825 to 1830; H. J. Lombard, - 1831-32 ; F. H. Ayers, 1834-35 ; John B. Fish, 1838-44; E. S. Barrows, Mr. Beecher, Mr. Butts, and Mr. Wilkins. A house of worship was erected by the society in 1804 on the village green at the centre. This green is eighteen rods wide and forty long, and was conveyed to the society for that purpose, Oct. 17, 1796, by David Norton, Ebenezer Hale, Justus Hale, and Oliver Norton. In 1823 about half the congregation withdrew, and formed the First Presbyterian Church and Society. They removed their house of worship in 1824 to a lot a short distance north, on the road to Waterville. It was taken down in 1846, and the present one erected.

The Congregationalists at the centre now attend services at Waterville, and the church at the former place is occu- pied by an Episcopal mission, services being held every

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HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

Sunday by Rev. William L. Mott, who preaches also at " Congar Town," or Stockwell Settlement, at Oriskany Falls and at Augusta Centre. The membership of the mission at Sangerfield Centre is made up of communicants of Grace Church at Waterville, and the number is small. The Con- greg itionlists do not hold meetings at the centre, owing to the proximity of a larger church and society at Water- ville.

Baptist Church, Waterville .- Previous to the 14th of April, 1798, the Baptists had mnet with the Congregation- alists, but finally, wishing to hold meetings according to their own faith, they resolved to form a society. Accord- ingly, on the above date, eight persons met at the house of White Osborn, and formed themselves into a society for worship, which they held as regularly as possible until the 19th of the following December, when they met at Benja- min White's, in Waterville, and were received into the fellowship of the neighboring associate churches. The first elergyman who preached to them was Elder Peter P. Roots, and their first settled pastor Elder Joel Butler, who con- menced his labors early in 1799. In 1800 a house of worship was erceted on the "Green," as the entire triangu- lar plat now in the centre of the village was then called. This land had been granted them by Benjamin White for that and other church purposes. This church was taken down in 1833, and the present brick one erected on its site the same year. The "Green" is now all inelosed and built over.

Elder Butler remained here about five years. Elder Joy Handy preached a short time in the early part of 1806, and Elder Hezekiah Eastman preached occasionally, as the people desired. From 1807 to 1814 the church barely existed, and had but occasional preaching. In June of the latter year Rev. John Upfold became pastor, and re- inained three years, and among his successors were Revs. Joel Clark, 1817 to 1823; Daniel Putnam, 1824-32; Chancellor Hartshorn, 1833-37; Warham Walker, 1838- 41; David Wright, 1841-43; John N. Murdock, 1843- 46 ; George W. Davis, 1846-47; Mr. Pierce, 1847-48 ; and L. H. Hayhurst, 1849. The present pastor is Rev. G. J. Travis, and the membership (June 7, 1878) 125. In June, 1877, repairs were completed upon the church amounting to $5000, and the present value of the church property is estimated at $10,000, besides a parsonage worth $1800. In the tower of the church is the town-clock. A Sabbath-school is sustained with a membership of 120, and an average attendanee of about 70. It possesses a library of 150 volumes; the pastor is the Superintendent.

First Presbyterian Church, Waterville .- This church was organized May 19, 1823, by twenty persons, who pre- sented letters of dismission from the Congregational Church in Sangerfield. Rev. Evans Beardsley became the first stated supply, and retained the position until April 27, 1824. During the latter year Rev. Daniel C. Hopkins was installed pastor, and remained until 1828. Rev. John R. Adams was stated supply in 1829, and was succeeded by Rev. E. S. Barrows, who was installed pastor, and remained until 1833. Succeeding him some of the pastors have been,-Revs. Aaron Garrison, 1833, until February, 1836; Salmon Strong, stated supply ; Joseph Myers, Oet. 5, 1836,

to June, 1839; John Frost, who died in 1843; Samuel W. Whelpley, pastor a short time; E. S. Barrows, stated supply till April, 1845 ; and A. D. Gridley, who began his labors in May, 1845, and was installed pastor Feb. 22, 1847. Mr. Gridley held the position for a long term. He was the author of the excellent " History of Kirkland," pub- lished in 1874, and is since deceased. He was deservedly popular, and a man of large attainments, fine social abilities, and all the qualities of a true gentleman.

This society erected its first house of worship in the sum - mer of 1823, on the "Green," purchased and prepared for that purpose, in the west part of the village. In 1844 this building was sold to the Methodists, and a new frame struc- ture erected on the site of the present elegant brick edifice, in the central part of the village. The latter was built in 1872, and, including the lot, cost $37,000. It is the finest house of public worship in the village, and has a seating ca- pacity of about 600. It occupies, aside from the lot on which the former church stood, an adjoining lot, previously the site of a dwelling. In the tower of the church is an 1800- pound bell, manufactured by Meneeley & Kimberly, of Troy, N. Y. The present pastor is Rev. Albert H. Corliss, whose brother, George II. Corliss, was the inventor of the famous stationary steam-engine at the Philadelphia Expo- sition of 1876. The membership in June, 1878, was 190. The Sabbath-school has an average attendance of about 135, and possesses a library of 350 volumes. Its Superintendent is C. Wilson, M.D.

Grace Church ( Episcopal), Waterville .- Rev. Fortune C. Brown was the first rector of this church, which was organized in 1840, and he continued until 1845. In 1842 the society organized as " The Wardens and Vestrymen of Grace Church, Waterville," and erected the church now owned by the Welsh Congregationalists. Among other early rectors were Revs. David M. Fackler, William A. Matson, and J. H. Benedict. The present rector is the Rev. Thomas Bell, who is also Superintendent of the Sab- bath-school. The present frame church was built in 1854, and consecrated June 15 of that year, by Rt. Rev. William H. De Lancey, Rev. William T. Gibson being reetor at the time. The present value of the church property, aside from the rectory, is $12,000, and that of the latter $3500. The communicants in June, 1878, numbered 93. The at- tendanee at Sunday-sehool averages 75 or 80. The school has a library of 100 volumes.

In 1843 the " Congar Settlement" society of the Metho- dist Episcopal Church was formed, and the old Presbyterian Church edifice in Waterville purchased. It was sold in the winter of 1848-49. In April, 1847, the Second Methodist Episcopal Church was organized, and a neat house of worship built at " Congar Settlement," or more properly Stockwell Settlement.

Methodist Episcopal Church, Waterville .- Previous to 1857 Waterville had been in a eireuit with other places, Deansville (town of Marshall), etc. In 1857 it was organ- ized as a separate society, and was one of three appoint- ments-Waterville, Sangerfield Centre, and " Congar Town"-then under the pastoral care of Rev. F. W. Tooke, brother of the present pastor. The frame church owned by the society in Waterville was erected in 1860,

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HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

at a eost of about $5000. It is at present valued at $9000, and the parsonage at $3500. In 1857 the members in the charge (three stations) numbered 97. The society at Waterville now has a membership of 112, with 31 proba- tioners (June, 1878). The Sabbath-school has a member- ship of 133, and is superintended by the pastor. Its library contains 175 volumes. The following is a list of the pas- tors of this church sinee 1857 : Revs. F. W. Tooke, R. S. Southworth, Loren Eastwood, O. H. Warren, G. C. Elliott, Charles Morgan, I. D. Peaslee, A. L. York, J. C. Darling, C. W. Brooks, and the present incumbent, Rev. W. F. Tooke.

St. Bernard's Catholic Church, Waterville .- We are unable to give a history of this church, from the failure of its pastor, Rev. Father T. W. Reilly, to send us the de- sired information as promised. It has been in existenee probably about thirty years, and has a considerable mem- bership.

The Welsh Congregational Church, Waterville, was or- ganized in 1852. The building used by the society is the one formerly occupied by the Episcopalians, and has been to some extent repaired. The subject of building a new ehureh is agitated. The pastors of this ehureh have been Revs. Edward Davies, now of the village, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Owen, and Benjamin Williams,-the latter still in charge. The membership in June, 1878, was about 100, made up mostly of people living in the adjoining town of Marshall. Isaae Jones is Superintendent of the Sabbath-school.

MILITARY.

A number of the pioneers of this town were veterans of the great struggle for independenee, and their sons per- formed valiant duty during the second war with the sub- jeets of the British erown; and when volunteers were ealled to suppress a rebellion in the home-country, hun- dreds sprang to arms, and the vaeant places in various home-circles and the grassy graves on the sanguinary fields of the South tell the sad tale that not all returned. The following is a list of those who volunteered from this town, compiled from the records in the town clerk's office :

Company I, 26th Infantry .- Henry J. Flint, Lieuten- ant ; William P. Gifford, Third Lieutenant ; Alonzo Thomp- son, Seeond Corporal ; George M. Hotelkins, Fourth Cor- poral. Privates : Osear M. Atwell, died of wounds ; J. E. Montgomery, John Garvey, Richard Feun, Stanton Park, Jr., J. T. Burroughs, Charles P. Williams, A. B. Cleve- land, Peter Bardun, James Cox, Owen Graham, Henry A. Webster, William Plunkett, Stephen Duffy, George W. Ritter, Eugene R. Wood, John Leavins, Seymour Hayes, Oscar Burdiek.

81st Infantry .- Walter C. Newbury, Captain ; Lewis B. Chase, Corporal ; William H. MeKee, Corporal. Pri- vates : Erastus Bugbee, Alfred Bugbee, Henry Ellis, Eager Gilbert, John Jones, William Kent, Llewellyn King, Peter Lord, John Livermore, John Myers, John J. Owens, Pu- laski Rhodes, William Shaw, Thomas Westnage, James K. Walters, Joseph Witsenbarger, Calvin Wheat, William Bridon, Ezra S. Beebe, David W. Davis, Sables W. Davis, Albert Johnson, Julius Clarke, Henry Clarke, Samuel Oliver, Leroy Palmer, Daniel Patterson, Charles Davis,

Rufus K. Cheadell, Lewis Williams, C. E. Green, James Burney, Joseph Petrie, John Seott, Edward Jones, Alonzo O. Main, Henry Button, John Jones (re-enlisted), A. Gil- bert, Albert Johnson, William Kemp, Joseph Witsenbarger, Pulaski Rhodes, L. B. Chase, Erastus Bugbee, Frank Post, Captain William Breden.

117th Infantry .- Edwin Risley, Lieutenant. Privates : George Dearflinger, Myron Wait, Charles W. Vibbard, William T. Kelly, William H. Carpenter, John Jones, Andrew F. Childs, C. A. Munger, George B. Day, Andrew F. Rowell (killed), Jerome Burdick, Ira Speneer, William Jordan, Albert Beebe, Sylvanus D. Brown, Henry S. Rowell, Cornelius A. Nolan, Henry Baldwin, Elias A. Brown, Samuel Shipman, John Reed, George R. Russell, Rowland E. Jones, James Jones, John H. Jones, Michael Cary, Benjamin Judd, John Davis, James B. Cox, Charles H. Malone, Thomas Keen, Michael Dowd, Charles Edsell, John Whalen.

3d Artillery .- A. M. Lewis, Levi Hubbard, Patriek Mahony, George P. Hotehkins, Joseph Wicks.

97th Infantry .- William Shepherd, James E. Johnson.

146th Infantry .- Privates: John Owens, David B. Lack (killed in serviee), David Edwards, Joseph Whalen, Addison Cheesebrough (wounded at Petersburg; died), James Gibson (died of wounds), Chester E. Burgett, John Burnham (died in service), Lueien S. Tooley (wounded at Wilderness, Va .; died), John Reekhard, Charles L. King, Joseph Penner (died of wounds in rebel prison), William R. Hopkins, Edward Morris (died in rebel prison), Charles Risley (died of wounds), George W. Wright (severely wounded), Henry Penner, Rensselaer Wright; A. J. Wilson, lieutenant.

14th Heavy Artillery .- Byron H. Reynolds, Sidney Smith (died in service), William S. Cheesebrough (died in serviee), Volney D. Carter, John H. Padley, Albert A. Maek, Franeis D. Young, Henry A. Champlain, George Denn, John Lovell, Andrew C. Nelson (wounded in shoulder), Henry A. Rhodes, Seott Hayes, P. F. Avery, George Jackson, John Stoner.

Scott's Nine Hundred .- James H. Young (died in ser- viee), Dennis Cain, George Russell.

10th Cavalry .- H. A. Webster.

15th Cuvalry .- Isaiah Bellefield.

20th Cavalry .- John E. Wheaton.

24th Cavalry .- M. Y. Hill, John E. Walker.

25th Cavalry .- Abram Beeker.

133d Infantry .- John Regan.

157th Infantry .- George G. Clark, Fred. C. Hall, J. F. Martin.

101st Infantry .- Peter Nolan, Rowland Roberts, Thomas Murphy, Lyman Van Allen, Darwin Dennison, Stafford Williams, Speneer Allen.

51st Infantry .- James Butler.

91st Infantry .- Charles E. Norton, Amos Drake.

184th Infantry .- George H. Williams, James Brady.

192d Infantry .- Joseph MeCarthy, Thomas Howard, Francis Gilehrist, James Robinson, William Ward, Patrick Reilly, Joseph Barton, Thomas Goff, Frank La Bare, Thomas Moore, James Rankin, William Smith, John Smith, William Shanger, Thomas Davidson, Michael Reilly, Patriek MeCarthy, Charles Stanton, John Cooney.

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HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

Navy .- P. R. Huggins, John La M. Russell, Albert Cheesebrough.

SANGERFIELD CENTRE.

This place lies a mile and a quarter south of Waterville, and now contains a post-office, a store, two hotels, three blacksmith-shops, two wagon-shops, and a shoe-shop. It was once the village of the town, but it was in time foreed to give way to Waterville. The post-office here is called Sangerfield, and was removed from Waterville in 1808, at which time Colonel David Norton was appointed first post- master. He held the office until his death, which occurred in 1829, and he was universally mourned by all his ae- quaintances. His son-in-law, Daniel North, was appointed in his place, and held the office until subsequent to 1850. The present incumbent is E. H. Mott, who is also town clerk, and proprietor of the only store in the place.

THE VILLAGE OF WATERVILLE

was incorporated by act of the Legislature, April 20, 1870, with the following boundaries, viz. :

" Beginning on lot No. 26, at the centre of the north end of the arch of the bridge across the creek, running through the Edwards farm ; thenee running first north 3 degrees east, 42 chains, to a point on lot No. 158, in the town of Marshall, 18 chains and 15 links north of the town line of Sangerfield ; thence south 87 degrees east, across lot No. 157, parallel with the south line of lots Nos. 39 and 40, in Sanger- field, 111 chains and 50 links, to a point on lot No. 154, 20 ebains north of the town line of Marshall; thence south 3 degrees, west 80 chains, to a point on the south line of lot No. 51 in Sangerfield, 5 chains east of the southeast corner of lot No. 40; thence north 87 de- grees west along the south line of lots Nos. 40 and 39, one hundred and eleven (111) chains and 50 links, to a point on the south line of lot No. 26, to the northwest corner of Cortlandt Terry's land; thenee north 3 degrees east, 38 chains to the place of beginning; contain- ing 892 acres of land, of which 22226; are in the town of Marshall."

By the provisions of the act the election to decide the matter of incorporation was held February 8, 1871, the vote standing 231 in favor to 25 against. The first elec- tion for village officers was held March 21, 1871, when the following persons were chosen, viz. : President, Daniel B. Goodwin ; Trustees, E. H. Lamb, George Putnamı, E. S. Peck ; Treasurer, Horace P. Bigelow ; Collector, T. Smith Yale.

At the first meeting of the board, March 25, 1871, Henry J. Coggeshall was appointed Corporation Clerk, Sam- uel L. Daniels Street Commissioner, and Thomas Garvey Police Constable. The village officers since have been :

1872 .- President, George Putnam ; Trustees, Edwin S. Peck, Edwin H. Lamb, R. Wilson Roberts.

1873 .- President, George Putnamn ; Trustees, E. S. Peck, Edwin Westcott, Jasper G. Easton.

1874 .- President, George Putnam ; Trustees, E. S. Peck, Perry S. Risley, Edward W. Buell.

1875 .- President and Trustees same as 1874.

1876 .- President, George Putnam ; Trustees, F. T. Gor- ton, Edwin Westeott, Francis H. Terry.

1877 .- President, D. Smith Bennett ; Trustees, De Witt Conger, Edwin Westcott, F. T. Gorton.

1878 .- President, Reuben Tower ; Trustees, De Witt Conger, Edwin Westcott, Clark E. Hewett ; Clerk, Her- mon Clarke ; Treasurer, Horace P. Bigelow ; Collector, C. Merton Felton ; Police Constable, George Dearflinger.

The power furnished by the cast branch of the Oriskany Creek at this place is the only durable power in the town, and this favorable circumstance caused a collection at this point, very early, of settlers, whose buildings stood in a " huddle," and the place was long known as "Sangerfield Huddle." From that small beginning it has grown to be one of the most important villages in the county.

The first settler on the site of Waterville was Nathan Gurney, in 1789. Benjamin White, who located in 1792, settled in the town in 1789, and was second at Waterville. In 1793, Judge Sanger built the first saw-mill, and M.r. White built a second one in 1794, on the site of the build- ing now used by Messrs. J. A. Berrill & Sou as a foundry and machine-shop. In 1796, Mr. White also erected a grist-mill, and it was long known as " White's Mills."

Sylvanus Dyer removed here from the centre in 1799, and built a house at tle west end of the village, in which he opened the first store in the place, and also kept tavern. Brown and Hewett, who had previously kept a store on the road to Oriskany Falls, opened one here in 1801, and Rob- ert Benedict established a third soon after.

" Esquire Benedict is said to have been very much of a gentleman, both in his manners and style of living. He was the brother-in- law of Dr. Nott, since president of Union College, and soon after he commenced trade the doctor, then a young clergyman, male him a visit. Although Esquire B. was the son of a elergy man, and brought up in the faith of 'the most strictest sect,' yet neither he nor his household possessed a copy of the holy Scrip- tures. Fearing the reproof he would receive from the doctor if his destitution should be discovered when the family were sum- moned to worship, he borrowed a Bible of Colonel Sylvanus Dyer, his next neighbor, and placed it upon the table in the parlor, to appear as if his own. In the morning, after the family had assembled for prayer, the doctor took the sacred volume, and very reverently open- ing it and turning over its leaves to select a chapter suitable to the occasion, saw the name of Sylvanus Dyer written on a blank leaf, but which he passed without seeming to notice, and proceeded with his devotions. In the course of the day the esquire returned the borrowed volume, and thinking he would not again be caught in the awkward dilemma, proceeded to the store and purchased a copy, and in the se- lection he strove for as near a resemblance to the one borrowed as possible, and placed it in the same position in which the doctor had left the other in the morning. When the family were all again pres- ent for evening prayers, the doctor took tho new Bible and leisurely opened it to read as before. Probably the newness of the book caused a little suspicion in his mind, for after a close search on the blank leaves he quietly arl quizzingly remarked, 'Brother Benediet, I don't see Sylvanus Dyer's name here.' No description is necessary of the confusion of the brother-in-law in his unpleasant predicament."#

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History of Oneida County, New York, 1667-1878, Part 139

Author: Publication date: 1878 Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Fariss Number of Pages: 932

Author:
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Fariss
Number of Pages: 932