USA > New York > Schoharie County > History of Schoharie County, New York : with illusustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 24
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Physicians .- We do not know for a certainty who the first physician of the town was, but as far back as 1816 we are creditably informed, Dr. Davis and Dr. Burton were in practice, and were followed shortly after that date by Dr. Teunis Cooper. Eli Boice settled in 1820, and remained until 1854, when he removed to Warnerville, where he died in 1857. Drs. Alexander White and William A. Laurens came in 1850 or a short time before, and were suc- ceeded by Drs. Flint and Watson, the latter of Fultonham. A. A. Wood purchased the prac- tice of Laurens in 1864, who in that year was made a contemporary of J. D. Havens, who located here. The present practicing physician, Dr. R. Grant Havens, came the year after, and was followed by J. R. Mathew in 1872, who remained to the year 1874, when Dr. Bartlett, followed. The latter soon removed to give place to Dr. R. Hubbell, who came in 1878 and still remains. Of the preceding list, Dr. Cooper was in practice the greatest number of years, having kept in the field until 1872, when he died at an advanced age. The Doctor when at the age of seventy-five met with an accident that deprived him of an arm, which it was feared
I48
HISTORY OF SCHOHARIE COUNTY.
would prove fatal, having arrived at an age when the bones become brittle and obstinate in healing. Upon the 4th of July, 1865, a cele- bration was held in the village and a cannon was used upon the occasion, in front of which the Doctor passed as it was discharged. Having his arm thrown out, the gun's charge took it off below the elbow. Dr. J. D. Havens performed the amputation and it proved successful, as the stump became as sound as upon younger per- sons. We cannot pass on without referring to Dr. J. D. Havens, whose struggles in the pro- fession were dampened by ill health and its chilling adversities. He was born in this town in 183-4 and studied medicine and surgery in the office of Dr. Alden March, of Albany, and graduated at the Albany Medical School in 1861. He located at Albany and removed to Jefferson in 1865, from whence he again settled in Blenheim, where he was taken sick and closed his life on the 14th of February, 1875, in the forty-first year of his age. But few young practitioners possessed the medical skill of Dr. Havens, and had he lived in the enjoy- ment of health, few would have been his super- iors in the profession.
The Judd Family,-There were five brothers bearing that name who settled in this town, namely, Stephen, Freeman, Thomas, Erastus, and Eben, beside a cousin, Marvin Judd, who became one of the prominent men of the Coun- ty. The family previously came from New England, and a few of them settled in the present town of Harpersfield, years before they located here. Stephen, familiarly known as Cal Judd, for many years kept an "inn" at that place and became a large landholder, when he removed to this place and became the "lord" of the settlement. His brother, Freeman, as the story is told, was a peculiar personage, and un- doubtedly. half-crazed, and spent a goodly por- tion of his time in wandering around making pretentions of skill in various trades, especially in carpentry, also as a preacher, taking the book of Revelations as the foundation of his remarks, referring particularly to the "horses and their riders." We are told that he claimed to be the first white traveler in the neighbor- hood of the village, unless it be those that ac-
companied the Indians from and to the valleys of the Schoharie and Susquehanna during the war. He claimed he passed the first night beneath a hemlock tree that stood upon the farm, later purchased by his brother Stephen. "Uncle Free," as everybody called him, says the manuscript of Peter R. Dyckman, a gentle- man who has made himself familiar with the early history of the town, used to measure timber for building by pacing, and using a hatchet to mark when he wished a mortise made, saying " make a mortise somewhere hereabouts." In some of his wanderings in a western county he built what was called a saw-mill. Some time after visiting that section, a farmer overtook "Free" and invited him to ride. Being strangers to each other and in the vicinity of the mill Uncle Free asked "how does the mill go?" The man replied not knowing with whom he was talking, " It goes, curse my Maker, curse my Maker - c-u-r-s-e m-y ın-a-k-e-r." " Aye," replied Free, "then it remembers its maker yet ?" Taking the original Judd settlers together, very few families possess the ability and energy that they displayed, and still less that make as proper use of them.
There is a tradition in the family that Daniel Judd, an elder brother of Colonel Stephen's, was murdered by the Indians during the Revo- lution, and they carried his head to Canada upon a pole.
The Jefferson Working Lodge No. 554, was instituted in June, 1864, and chartered the same month, 1865 with ten members, and is one of the active lodges of the County, number- ing at the present time sixty members. Soon after its organization, a large building was erected for lodge purposes, but the expenditure being too great for the society to overcome, the property was sold, and has since been rented by the order in connection with that of the G. A. R.
The charter members were :-
O. D. Young,
L. H. Brewster,
S. L. Curtis,
S. L. Mayham,
Aaron Stevens, David Stevens,
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TOWN OF JEFFERSON.
Chas. Beard, E. G. Brockway, Joseph Merchant, John Stevens.
G. A. R .- This organization was formed December 10, 1879, and named Tyler Post No. 131, in honor of a townsman that laid his life upon the "altar of his country." The charter members were :-
Rev. C. H. Travis, William Kennedy, P. S. Tabor,
Robert Veley, Benjamin Reynold,
John Lambert, Edward Bruce, George W. Evans,
Joseph S. Perry,
Isaac P. Nichols, Wesley Spoor.
CHURCHES .- The Methodist Episcopal Church of West Jefferson is the oldest organization in the town, being formed in the fall of 1800, by "circuit riders" as traveling preachers were called. Services were held in private houses and the forest, until 1816, when a special house for wor- ship was erected, but for many years was not lathed or plastered. The means of warming dwellings at that time was by fire-places, and not deeming it safe, the settlers' ingenuity was taxed to provide other means. An old potash kettle was obtained and set in masonry, inverted and a hole pierced through the bottom from which a stove pipe of their own invention and make, protruded, and formed a convenience similar to the modern box-stove. In 1850, the old house was deserted and the present one oc- cupied, being built in that year.
The First Methodist Episcopal Society .- Through the kindness of Mr. Frank A. Galt and Mr. A. W. Clark, we present the following in regard to the First Methodist Episcopal Society and others of this section :-
The First Methodist Episcopal Society was organized in 1800 at West Jefferson, with about twelve names. The first pastors were Zenas Covel and Daniel Ireland. The house of wor- ship was erected in 1817.
The First Methodist Episcopal Church of Jefferson Village was organized in 1819, with thirteen members. Two years later the Jeffer- son Circuit was formed, this being set off from the Sharon Circuit. 'The following named places were included in the circuit, but have since been made into separate charges, viz :-
Hunter, Lexington, East Jewett, Windham, Ashland, Prattsville, Gilboa,
Livingstonville, North Blenheim,
Jefferson,
Stamford,
Summit, Eminence, etc.
The present appointments are Jefferson, West Jefferson, and North Harpersfield, the oldest being West Jefferson, the pioneer church of this section.
The first church which was built in 1844, was removed to the present location in 1859, and reconstructed in 1869, at a cost of $2,coo. The church property is valued at $6,000. The pres- ent membership is one hundred and forty-eight.
Pastors since separate organization :-
1821-John Bangs and Henry Ames. 1822-John Bangs and Roswell Kelley. 1823-Jesse Pomeroy, Quartus Stewart and C. Pomeroy.
1824-Daniel J. Wright and Quartus Stewart.
1825-Daniel J. Wright and John Wait. 1826-Friend W. Smith, D. Poor and John Finnegan.
1827-Cyrus Silleman, Alexander Calder and John Finnegan.
1828-Alexander Calder, Philo Ferris and John Finnegan.
1829-Philo Ferris and John Bangs.
1830-Eli Dennison and Paul R. Bronson. 1831-Eli Dennison and Paul R. Bronson. 1832-Harvey Brown. 1833-Harvey Brown.
1834-Desivignia Starks and John Bangs.
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HISTORY OF SCHOHARIE COUNTY.
1835-Elbert Osborne, John Bangs and R. H. Bloomer.
1836-Philip L. Hoyt and J. D. Bouton. 1837-John Carver and Olif G. Hedstrom.
1838-John Carver, Olif G. Hedstrom.
1839-Aaron Rogers, Arad Lakin.
1840-Aaron Rogers, Arad Lakin.
1841-Reuben H. Bloomer, Daniel Bullock. 1842-Daniel Bullock.
1843-Eben S. Hibbard, W. F. Gould.
1844-Eben S. Hibbard, Amos N. Mulnix.
1845-Addi Lee and John Bangs.
1846-Jason Wells.
1847-Jason Wells, Orrin P. Matthews.
1848-William Lull and Ezra S. Cook.
1849 -- William B. Mitchell, Milo Couchman
1850-William B. Mitchell.
1851-Edward S. Stout, James W. Smith.
1852 -- Russell S. Scott, James W. Smith.
1853-Zepaniah D. Scoby.
1854-Orrin P. Matthews.
1855-Orrin P. Matthews.
1856-Asahel M. Hough.
1857-Asahel M. Hough.
1858-Noble Lovett.
1859-John F. Richmond, Noble Lovett, superannuated.
1860-John F. Richmond, Noble Lovett, superannuated. 1861 -- Charles Palmer.
1862-W. V. O. Brainard.
1863-W. V. O. Brainard.
1864-Orrin P. Dales.
1865-Orrin P. Dales.
1866-Edwin P. Pierce.
1867-Edwin P. Pierce.
1868-J. P. Burger. 1869-J. P. Burger. 1870-J. P. Burger.
1871-William D. Fiero.
1872-William D. Fiero.
1873-George Woodruff. 1874-George Woodruff. 1875-Lorenzo G. Niles.
1876-Lorenzo G. Niles. 1877-Lorenzo G. Niles. 1878-C. H. Travis. 1879-C. H. Travis. 1880-C. H. Travis. 1881-William Blake.
The Presiding Elders since the organization of the Prattsville District are :-
1853-Seymour Van Dusen.
1854-Seymour Van Dusen.
1855-Jarvis Y. Nichols.
1856 -- John R. Beach.
1857-John R. Beach.
1858 -- John R. Beach.
1859-John R. Beach.
1860-Paul R. Brown. 1861-Paul R. Brown. 1862-Paul R. Brown. 1863-Paul R. Brown.
1864-William Goss.
1865-William Goss.
1866-William Goss.
1867-William Goss. 1868-Thomas W. Chadwick.
1 869-Thomas W. Chadwick.
1870-Thomas W. Chadwick.
1871-Thomas W. Chadwick.
1872- Aaron R. Sanford.
1873-Aaron K. Sanford.
1874-Aaron K. Sanford.
1875 -- Aaron K. Sanford.
1876-John E. Gorse.
1877-John E. Gorse.
1878-John E. Gorse.
1879-John E. Gorse.
1880-Lucius H. King. 1881-Lucius H. King.
The West Kill Methodist Church .- A class was formed in 1816, as a branch of the above church, and called The West Kill Methodist Episcopal church, under the preaching of Rev. Arnold Scofield, and held their meetings in pri- vate houses and the school house until 1854, when the present edifice was erected. The same clergyman, who was assisted in his pastoral labors by Rev. N. Bice, formed the Methodist church of Jefferson village, as before stated, in 1819.
At a later date, as the country became more settled and for the convenience of residents that usually attended church service on foot for miles, each Sabbath, the neighborhood of Morse- ville in the northern part of the town organized a class as the " Methodist Episcopal Church of Morseville," under the labors of Rev. Harvey
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TOWN OF JEFFERSON.
Brown. The organization was effected some time in 1832, and during the following year a house of worship was begun and made ready for occupancy in 1834, at a cost of nearly $1,200.
Revolutionary Incidents .-- During the Revo- lution, there was not a single civilized white residence within the present territory of the town. But a short distance from the county line, in what is now called "Smith street," was located a family by the name of Clawson, upon lands now owned in part by Henry Van Buren, Edward Dayton and Charles Lamb. Clawson made himself obnoxious as an inveterate Tory. It was at his house, that Patchin and his brother captives were taken, as intimated in his narra- tive, elsewhere in this work. The prison- ers were jeered at by two buxom daughters of Clawson's who fancied they would be pleased to relieve them of their checkered lives, and in- sisted upon Brant's permission to allow them the honor. One of the prisoners named Chris John Richtmyer, escaped the following night and re- turned to the Schoharie valley and reported the events of that day, when a squad of scouts made the " affable" family a visit and "cleaned the house." At the close of the war the property was sold under the confiscation act and we believe was purchased by the Smith family. If not, it soon came in that family's possession and gave the name of "Smith Street " to the settlement.
The sugar bush in which the captives were at work when taken, was but a short distance to the southeast.
Skirmish with Tories and Indians .- It was upon the banks of the small lake on the south border of the town that Captain Hager with his militia force, and Captain Hale with a few eastern troops, overtook the Tory Crysler and his party that murdered Isaac Vroman near the upper fort. This skirmish was the only one which occurred during the war that was disgrace- ful on the part of the patriots within the borders of our County. And much to our regret, it occurred under the command of the best officer here in service. The enemy was overtaken early in the morning, a short distance from their encampment, but not without being apprised of the patriots' approach. They had stationed themselves upon the brow of a knoll and 1
formed a half circle, in the center of which Captain Hager and force were expected to march; but bearing to the left, he came in front of their right line, when they sent a volley of bullets that would have done fatal work had they not been fired too high. Captain Hager instantly saw the enemy's position and ordered Captain Hale to flank to the right and charge, which would have turned the enemy's left, as they had not time to re-load and perhaps did not in- tend to, but retreat. Instead of obeying orders, being in the rear of Hager's company, Hale turned to the left (which brought him out of the range of the Indians' position) and made a retreat. The Indians saw the opportunity and quickly reloaded, but the keen eye of Hager saw his dangerous position, and he ordered his men to drop as the Indians fired the second time, but two of the brave patriots fell, not divining the order quick enough. Hager ( rdered a retreat as the circle began to draw around them, and overtook Hale some distance below, and then made a great mistake in not ridding earth and the cause of freedom, of an inveterate coward. Getting in front of them he was ordered to halt, (and undoubtedly German invectives were pretty freely used in reprimanding the villain,) and to renew the charge. Without waiting to form in order, Hale carelessly turned about and would have marched into the jaws of death with his force, had not Hager seen the sprig's incom- petency and ordered him back. It was thought that Hale was incapacitated to act through fear. The patriots' force was formed in line at the camping grounds, (as they expected the In- dians saw their approach, retired to gain a position for defense,) and marched cautiously along the trail, but were fired upon unexpected- ly; which frightened the young captain out of his wits if he ever had any. The patriots came to- gether as ordered by Hager, and were consult- ing as to the next movement, when the crackling of dry sticks and rustling of disturbed leaves drew the attention of the party to the back trail, when the presence of Colonel Vroman with a force of nearly fifty men infused cheer in their hearts.
A pursuit was decided upon, but the enemy could not be found. They had taken to the forest and eluded the search of the patriots.
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HISTORY OF SCHOHARIE COUNTY.
After spending nearly the day in the vicinity, the force numbering about one hundred and twenty men according to historian Simms, re- turned to the upper fort with solemn tread, as two of their brave companions, Joachim Van Valkenburgh and James Sackett, were lifeless and bleeding corpses, the former of whom was known as one of Schoharie's bravest scouts. The facts relating to that engagement were taken from one Richtmyer and Pollock, who par- ticipated, and were kept in manuscript, which we are assured is a genuine statement of the affair.
OFFICIAL.
Justices .- The first justice of the peace elected by the people at their annual town meeting was John Avery, in the spring of 1833. At that time there were eighty-six persons in the town " liable" as the records say, to serve as petit jurors.
From the well kept records we have drawn the names of the supervisors that have served, with the date of service, which are as follows ;-
1803-Ezra Beard.
1804-Stephen Judd.
1805-Heman Hickok.
1806- do
1807- do
1808- do
1809- do
1810- do
18II- do
1812 -- do
1813-Marcus Andrews.
1814-Marvin Judd.
1815- do 1816-Abner Bissell.
1817-Ezra Beard.
1818- do
1819- do
1820-Marvin Judd. 1821-Abner Bissell. 1822-Marvin Judd.
1823- do
1824-John Daley.
1825- do
1826-Isaac Buckingham. 1827- do
1828-John Daley.
1829-Enos Minor.
1830- do
1831-Benjamin Bruce.
1832- do
1833-Hiram Judd.
1834-Ezekiel Gallup.
1835-Benjamin Hickok.
1836- do
1837-Samuel E. Turner.
1838- do
1839-Ezekiel Gallup.
1840-Hezekiah Watson.
1841-Levi Gallup, Jr.
1842- do
1843-Asahel Cowley.
1844-David P. Stevens.
1845- do 1846-Levi Gallup, Jr.
1847- do
1848-Clark Franklin.
1849-Alfred S. White.
1850 -- David Young.
1851-Samuel R. Griggs.
1852-Jesse Brockway.
1853-Benjamin Smith.
1854-John Ruland.
1855-David W. Gallup.
1856-David Young.
1857-Alfred S. White.
1858- do
1859-Elijah Danforth.
1860-Beriah H. Avery.
1861-William A. Loughran.
1862-James T. Treadwell.
1863-William A. Loughran.
1864 -- John W. Gibbs.
1865-William S. Jones. 1866-George Mattice.
1867- do
1868-Charles Mayham.
1869-George Mattice. 1870-Charles Mayham. 1871-Stephen J. Tyler. 1872- do 1873-Charles Mayham. 1874-Beriah H. Avery. 1875-Ezra Twitchell. 1876- do
1877-William S. Jones. 1878 --- do
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TOWN OF SUMMIT.
1879-William S. Jones. 1880-Ezra Twitchell.
1881- do 1882-Moses W. Wilcox.
Ezra Twitchell resigned in 1881. The town was not represented at the annual meeting of the board. Moses W. Wilcox was appointed to fill vacancy and elected in the spring of 1882.
The surface of the town is uneven, broken principally by the West-kill, the outlet of Sum- mit lake and a tributary of the Schoharie. Along this stream the Aborigines early formed a trail to reach the lake and Charlotte. Dur- ing the Revolution it was frequently traversed by them with captives, while at other times the Harpersfield course was taken to reach the Susquchanna. The sheet of water lying upon the south line still bears the Indian name Ut- syantha, and we trust a name will never be thought of that will be considered more appro- priate. At some point upon the northwest bank an angle was made in the Colonial line between old Tryon and Albany counties. The line ran from the northeast corner of Old Dor- lach patent in Carlisle to this point, giving the western part of the town to Tryon and the eastern to Albany.
.
During the Southern Rebellion this town sent a large number of volunteers, and was prompt in filling its quota by bounty at each call for men by the President, and in con- tributing necessary articles for the comfort of the " Boys in Blue."
The amount of bonds issued for bounty pur- poses during the war, as near as can be ascer- tained, was $29,811.39.
The limits of this town have only been de- fined by the act of 1813, and are as follows :-
"And all that part of the said County of Scho- harie, beginning at a point in the northern bounds of Blenheim patent in the east line of the third range of lots in said patent, and running thence along the northerly bounds of said pa- tent to the northwest corner thereof, thence con- tinuing the same line to the bounds of the County, thence along the same southerly and
easterly, until it intersects a line running south- erly from the placc of beginning, between the · third and fourth ranges of said lots, thence northcrly along the said line so intersected to the place of beginning, shall be and continue a town by the name of Jefferson."
CHAPTER XI.
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF SUMMIT.
BEAUTY OF SCENERY-SIGNAL STATION-WEATH- ER SIGNAL - HON. SEYMOUR BOUGIITON- TRADITION OF THE LAKE -- JOHNSON AND BRANT'S HALT-EARLY SETTLERS-BROWN AND OTHER BUSINESS MEN-CHARLOTTE VALLEY -SERVICE TRAGEDY-MURPHY'S OWN STATE- MENT-MURPHY'S PURCHASE-ACT OF 1777 -CONTROVERSY IN REGARD TO THE SERVICE FARM - ABRAHAM BECKER-SUIT GAINED- SERVICE'S AFFAIR CONTEMPLATED-SETTLE- MENT OF THE WESTERN PART OF THE TOWN- SEMINARY-ITS HISTORY-FACULTY ETC .- DAIRY INTEREST - ELISHA BROWN - AS- SEMBLYMEN - SHERIFFS - JOHN LAWYER- S. J. LAKE-ISAAC W. BEARD-JOHN H. COONS-CHURCHES-FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH - SECOND BAPTIST CHURCH - REFORMED CHURCH OF EMINENCE-METHODIST-FREE METHODIST-LUTHERAN OF LUTHERANYILLE- LUTHERAN OF BEARD'S HOLLOW -TOWN VOLUNTEERS-MEDICAL FRATERNITY-FIRST TOWN MEETING-RESOLUTIONS-REPORT OF 1880-OFFICIALS-EMINENCE.
1 [N reaching a point on the road from Rich- mondvillc to Summit village, the traveler may form an idea of the origin of the name given to the town by looking down upon the surrounding country that stretches a panorama of beauty and grandeur -- before the eye, scarcely equalled. And when he ascends Mount Whar- ton, a little to the west, and gains the height
154
HISTORY OF SCHOHARIE COUNTY.
of twenty-two hundred feet above sea level, the hills in the distance, that seemed of prodigious heights and precipitous sides, as traversed, ap- pear to be miniature ones, of easy ascent, placed where they stand as obstacles, to vary the scene. Even the peak of Karker Mountain of Carlisle, from which, it was thought by the early settlers, nearly half of the hemisphere could be seen, vainly rears itself, like a small cone far below. The state surveying party under Horatio Sey- mour Jun., in the summer of 1880, placed a Stan Helio signal upon this mountain, and gave it the name of Mount Wharton, after the owner of the land-J. B. Wharton.
Here, the clouds which to-day, seem to be at as great height above us, as when we stand in the valley below, often rest upon this mountain as a hazy veil, shutting from view its venerable peak, to those in the valleys below, who often catch a glimpse of it, to prophesy the future weather in the absence-perhaps of a barometer or Webster's Almanac, as tradition has told them, the appearance of the peak will tell with as much accuracy as that renowned pamphlet. Upon the very cheek of this mountain, in a little furrow, is found one of those sheets of water, whose beauty makes it a libel to call a pond, and which is too small in acreage, to claim that of lake.
Pleasure and health seekers have found rare sport here in fishing and rowing seasons, as the water is kept lively by the finny tribe, and pleas- ure boats have been placed upon the silvery sheet, which add much to the attraction of the place ; as to "dip the oar" has a peculiar fas- cination by which but very few refuse to be allured.
Our earliest recollection of this resort, is, when but a youth, we sat beside the late " Squire" Boughton, and vainly tried to force the obsti- nate " bullheads" to bite after our patience was exhausted in coaxing, while he, with ease and grace swung out and lured the largest to his well-filled basket.
The Squire's in ward chuckle occasionally found vent. and upon one of those (to us) mortifying times, his boast rang out long and loud, that his basket would hold no more. But not content, he swung out again and his successful hook,
fearful, perhaps, it could do no better, caught the handle of the basket, and to the joy of our crushed feelings, basket and fish were thrown rods from the shore and disappeared to the bot- tom, while the Squire, without a word, sought his home.
Seymour Boughton was a venerable man. He removed to this place from Charlotteville, and represented the town in the Board of Supervisors in 1833-'34-'36 and '53, and the western dis- trict in the Assembly in the years 1840 and '45. Serving many years as Justicc of the Peace and desirous of being competent to perform the duties of the office intelligently, he studied law earnestly, and became quite proficient in trying civil cases, after his term of office expired. Many cases were hotly contested by the Squire and his neighbor, Thomas W. Furguson, whose legal ability was nearly the same, which pro- duced a vast amount of fun, and attracted large crowds to witness.
Mr. Boughton was a thorough business man, to whom one quickly became attached by his whole-souled hospitality and gentlemanly bear- ing. He was the youngest of nineteen children and removed with his father, Shubel Boughton, . from Danbury, Connecticut, in the early part of the century, and settled at Charlotteville. The Squire built the present Van Buren house of that village as a " tavern" and was engaged in the business many years. All the houses of that day in this section, were built of logs and upon putting up a frame building the Squire was cen- sured as being extravagant, and when he painted the same, his economical neighbors imagined he was bent on wasting his property. He ground the paint in a potash kettle with a large iron ball, and applied it to the building himself. It was the first framed house in the present territory of the town. Mr. Boughton died on the 11th day of June, 1872, at the age of eighty-one, leaving but two sons Harvey and Seymour Jun., toper- petuate his family name.
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