Rochester, Monroe, NY
Rochester Telegraph
Tue
Feb 5, 1822
DIED
At Cherry Valley, on the 8th ult. Mr. Hugh MITCHELL. Aged one hundred and one years and nine months. The deceased
was a native of Carrickfergus, in Ireland, and emigrated to this country about the year 1764 with the little Irish
colony who came out with the Rev. Mr. DUNLAP, who were the first settlers of that town. At the time of the Indian
massacre in that place, in November, 1778. Mr. MITCHELL was compelled to witness a scene, the recital of which
excites all our sympathies. A party of savages burst into his house, and in a most barbarous and shocking manner,
murdered his wife and four children; and after setting fire to the house, carried off his then only remaining child
into captivity. He himself only escaped death or captivity by running up a ravine near his house, in which the
bushes were so thick that he was enabled to elude his pursuers. After the enemy withdrew from the place, he was
compelled alone to put the bodies of his wife and children upon a sled, and to draw them a mile to the fort for
interment. The next year, while at Cherry Valley to see his property, he was walking through the woods unarmed;
an Indian with a drawn knife chased him a great distance, but he was enabled by his swift running to escape from
him. He endured all these afflictions with christian fortitude, and has through life preserved a fair and unblemished
reputation. He had long been a professor of the christian religion, and gave good evidence by his purity of life,
that his profession was sincere. As long as his health would permit him, he was always found on the Sabbath in
the House of God. He now sleeps with his fathers, and let us all be in readiness to follow him.
This child was recovered from captivity, and survives him, as does his second wife, and several children of the
second marriage..
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In Alstead, Dec. 13, after an illness of about four hours, Mrs. Lucy WOOD wife of Mr. Benjamin WOOD aged 70.
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GjS