Rochester Daily Democrat
Rochester, NY
Dec. 17, 1869
page 1

MARRIED.
    NEWMAN - SWINBURNE - In this city, on the evening of the 15th last., at the residence of the bride's parents, by the Rev. James Shaw D. D., T. H. Newman Esq., of New York City, and Allie W., youngest daughter of Dr. Geo. Swinburne.

DIED.
    MASON - In this city, Dec. 15th, James Mason, aged 50 years. Funeral will be attended, Dec. 17th (to-day) at 2 P. M. from the corner of Franklin and Andrews streets.
    MARKS - In this city, Dec. l6th, Mary Marks, aged 28 years. Funeral from St Bridget's Church at 9 o clock Saturday morning.
    McDOWELL - In this city, on the morning of the 16th inst., Mary McDowell, at the residence of her brother-in-law Wm. G. Watson. Funeral from the house, No. 8 Cypress street, on Saturday, the l8th inst., at 2 o clock P. M. Friends of the family are invited to attend.
    GAGE - In Chili on Thursday. November 25th, at the residence of P. Widener. Sophronia T. Gage, aged 67 years.
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page 4

BROCKPORT ITEMS. - The Brockport Republic of yesterday says: - Col. N. P. Pond's stable was entered last night by thieves, who stole his horse, (a very valuable one), a harness and robe. They also stole from the proprietor of the American Hotel, a valuable buggy. Search was being made this forenoon for the rogues and property stolen - The annual festival of the Good Templars of this village came off on Thursday evening last, as per announcement. The rooms were well filled, and the occasion appears to be pleasant for those present. The Good Templar's Lodge is Said to be in a prosperous condition, its numbers being weekly augmented, and that it is exercising a good influence by restraining persons from 1ives of intemperance - The Brockport Choral Society is about to inaugurate a course of twenty lessons in vocal music. - The papers, in which a wife seeks to obtain a divorce from her husband, were served in this village on Saturday last. We understand that the divorce is asked for on the ground of alleged brutal treatment. We are informed that an injunction was also served on the husband, enjoining him from molesting two children in charge of the wife. It is a very unpleasant affair, and the subject of much talk.  RH


Rochester Daily Democrat
Rochester, NY
Dec. 23, 1869
page 4

Ira Lapham of Macedon.

    Ira Lapham was born in 1778, at North Adams, Mass. His father's name was Abraham Lapham, and his mother's maiden name Esther Aldrich, a sister to Brice Aldrich, who came into this country about the same time. His grandfather's name, on his father's side, was Joshua Lapham, and on his mother's side Peter Aldrich. His predecessors were of Scotch, Welch and English decent. Immigrating to this country about the first of the seventeenth century. So far as he now remembers, his ancestors were members of the Society of Friends. When he was thirteen years old his father removed with his family from North Adams in company with several others to this part of the country. They crossed the river at Troy, which was then a small, insignificant village, taking nearly a direct route through the forest to about four miles of where Utica now stands and stopped at Nathan Smith s, formerly of North Adams. Not a house then stood where the beautiful and thriving city of Utica now stands. They stopped at Smith's to rest a little and while there they baked up a quantity of bread and prepared meats, &c., for the further journey into the then deep wilderness.
    Ira, then but thirteen years old, footed it all the way from North Adams to this point, driving sheep and cattle behind Henry Wilbur's team, it being in mid-winter. At this point his father insisted on his riding the rest of the way, which was reluctantly acceded to. They passed through the country where Auburn now stands, and where there was not a single house, if his memory serves him right crossing Cayuga lake on the ice near where the "old bridge" stood so long. They followed the trail which afterwards became the great "turnpike," until they reached Canandaigua, where there was then just one stone house owned by old Gen. Chapen. His father purchased about one thousand acres of land in this section (Farmington) at 18 pence per acre. Their first "stopping place" was about four miles north of Canandaigua. For the first two nights they had no protection but their blankets. During that time they threw up a shelter of round logs, covering it with brush. They then built a house by splitting basswood logs and set them up edgeways, dovetailing the ends together and putting poles across the top and over them spreading elm bark. Immediately the forest resounded with their axes, and Ira, then in his fourteenth year, having a small axe of his own, commenced clearing the land. He was properly the only "pioneer" of his father's children, the others who were then born being younger than himself, and following him in age as the names show, David, Daniel, Lydia, Stephen and John - the last two years old. Those born after they came into the country and among the first births were Esther and Wm. Savory. Lydia afterwards married Johnathan Ramsdell, a well-known minister of the Society of Friends, both deceased, and Esther, who is deceased, Thos. Hance, who is still living with son, Abram Hance, at Macedon Centre. The first birth in this section of the country was Jacob Gannet.
    Among those who came into this settlement about the same time or followed soon after, were Nathan Comstock, Nathan Aldrich, John Macomber, Jeremiah Smith, Joshua Herendeen, Jacob, Joseph and Jeremiah Smith, Israel Delnoe, Nathan and Welcome Herendeen and Henry Wilbur - all Friends, with but one or two exceptions. One company followed just one day behind, the remark of one of them being, "We'll follow just one day, and when they build the fires in the morning we'll have them at night;" probably well thought of, as a bed of coals came very acceptable then. Little do we know of the hardships that those old settlers endured, and the trying times they passed through to bring up their families. -  Could their children and their children's children, who are now thickly scattered through this part of the country, but pass through but a year or two of their trying times, they, might the more fully realize the comforts and blessings they now enjoy.
    Many a property that was then earned by patient hard work has since then squandered foolishly away. They did not know how it had come. They thought there was no bottom, to the purse. When, lo! it vanished like the mist before the rising sun. Will not some of our "Grecian benders" or "fast" young men take the warning? More anon. [Palmyra Courier, Dec. 3].
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TEACHERS INSTITUTE AT THE FREE ACADEMY.
    There will be an Institute of the Teachers of our Public Schools on Friday morning, at 10 o'clock. The exercises will consist of recitations by a class in Elocution from the Free Academy. Recitation of Maud Muller by Jessie Booth, of No. 9; an Institute exercise by Miss Flora T. Parsons, and music by the Quintette Club of the Free Academy. The public are invited.
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POLICE COURT - BRYAN P. J. - Dec. 22.
    Peter Sherman - drunk. Discharged.
    James Brown - drunk. Not disposed of.
    Reman Albert - foolish. Discharged.
    Anthony Maher - assault and battery. Sent up 90 days M. C. P.
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MARRIED.
WAITE - BENTLEY - On the evening of the 21st inst. at the residence of the bride's father, by Rev. F. G Hibbard, D. D., Irving D. Waite and Miss Ella G. Bentley.

HAWS - HARRIS - In this city Dec. 22d, 1869 by Rev. John Parker, Henry C. Haws and Sarah Elizabeth Harris, both of West Bloomfield, N. Y.

DIED.
    CURRAN - In this city, on Wednesday Dec. 22d, 1869, of Scarlet Fever, Eva, daughter of R. H. and Jane Curran, aged 6 years.
    Funeral will be attended from the residence of her parents, No.115 North St. Paul street, on Friday, Dec. 24th, at 2 o clock P.M. Friends of the family are invited to attend.    RH


Rochester Daily Democrat
Rochester, NY
Dec. 24, 1869
page 1

MARRIED.
    BALLINTINE - HOW - In Chili, N. Y., December 22d, 1869, by Rev. D. D. McColl, Wilson H. Ballintine, Esq., and Miss Anna M. How, all of Chili.

    SEVERANCE - BALLINTINE - In Chili, N. Y. December 22d. 1869, by Rev. D. D. McColl, Horace W. Severance, Esq., and Miss Ella Ballintine, all of Chili.

    TRUESDALE - YOUNG - On the 23d of December, at the residence of the bride's father, by Rev. Dr. J. B. Shaw, Mr. William H. Truesdale and Agnes E. Young, all of this city.

DIED.
    CURRAN - In this city, on Wednesday Dec. 22d, 1869, of Scarlet Fever, after an illness of 48 hours, Eva, daughter of R. H. and Jane Curran, aged 6 years.
    Funeral will be attended from the residence of her parents, No.115 North St. Paul street, , to-day (Friday), Dec. 24th, at 2 o clock P.M. Friends of the family are invited to attend.
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page 4

    M. S. Britton, letter carrier, had his leg severely injured yesterday by falling through a defective floor at the factory of F. G. King on Warehouse street.
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SANTA CLAUS  HEADQUARTERS. - We had the pleasure yesterday of invading at our leisure the very headquarters of Santa Claus  -  Messrs. Cunningham & McQuillian, 28 Buffalo street, or better known as the Metropolitan Book Store -  and we had considerable difficulty in taking notes of what we saw, so vast was the crowd of Christmas present seekers, and so abundant the supplies of the Present-King. We noticed, however, that everything called for was readily furnished by the gentlemanly clerks, and in nearly every instance the visitor went away anything but empty-handed. One marked feature of their assortment of books is the display of Family Bibles, Prayer and Hymn Books, which we are free to say has never been surpassed before in this city. Nothing can be more welcome or appropriate for a Christmas or New Year's gift than the Holy Bible. You will find all styles at the establishment and at prices to suit the leanest as well as the bulkiest purses. The novelties here displayed for the children are endless, among which are some very ingenious and entertaining contrivances, such as building blocks, railway trains and games of all descriptions.
    In the centre of the store, we noticed an elegant collection of writing desks, inlaid with silver and pearl, glove and handkerchief boxes, bronze table and desk ornaments, and several other articles of ornament.  -  Upon the counters and shelves are arranged thousands of handsomely illustrated and clearly printed books, bearing the imprint of such well-known publishers as Harper, Appleton, Tieknor, Scribner, Field, Roberts Bro.'s, Field & Osgood and other publishers. In library sets their stock is large and valuable, comprising admirable editions of Irving, Prescott, Bayard Taylor, Motley, Bancroft, Cooper, Ruskin, Macaulay, Montaigne, Millman and other historians, the binding and price of which is adapted to every purse. Dickens  complete works can be purchased from $l6 to $125, according to the binding and paper also Chambers  and Appleton's Encyclopedias, Dore's edition of Hood's poems, Don Quixote and Paradise Lost. Toy and juvenile books of every grade, from Oliver Optic to Mother Goose, will gladden the eyes of the little ones on Christmas morning when their stockings arc scrutinized, and the Metropolitan Book Store is the place to purchase them. RH