At
Trenton, Oneida County, N.Y., died Gen. Melancton Lloyd Woolsey of Plattsburgh.
An officer during the Revolutionary war and an early settler o Cumberland
Head, his home the place now known as “The Old Homestead, “ he was appointed
first board of trustees of the Presbyterian Church (1803);
the Clinton County Bible Society and one of the committee for the sale of
pews in the new church edifice. As
a military exempt he assisted in building the redoubt ordered by Gen. Izard on
Cumberland Head. His wife and seven
children survived him. “He
died a Christian” said the United Patriot at the time.
-
God’s helpers, whether great or
small, In the result are neither low nor high;
For each hath used his gift of brain or hand, And god, the Master
Builder, wrought through all.
-James Buckham
Tuesday, March 2, 1819
Caleb Luther of Chazy became Sheriff of Clinton county, which office he held until Dec. 31, 1824.
Sunday, March 28, 1819
Birth of Matthew Davidson, brother of the sisters Lucretia and Margaret.
September 4, 1819
On Saturday at 11, P.M. the Phoenix left her dock at Burlington, in command of Capt. Richard W. Sherman, son of Col. Jehaziel Sherman, the regular captain. It was a clear moonlight evening and the route lay near Rock and Appletree points, between Colchester reefs, on the west side of Stave and Providence Islands. Among the passengers were George Burnham, the Custom house Officer and John Howard, on his way to Montreal with $8,ooo as a special messenger from the Bank of Burlington.
September 5, 1819
About 1 o'clock in the morning the pantry of
the Phoenix was discovered to be on fire by John Howard,
occupying an adjoining room. The flames soon reached the engine in the centre of the boat
cut off all communication between the two ends. The starboard boat with 20 passengers made
for Providence Island (the nearest land), but the larboard boat, the larger of the two,
was cut loose with but 14 passengers leaving 11 to their fate. These sought escape on any
floating material. Five found a watery grave, among them Mrs. Wilson of Charlotte, the
stewardess, who had remained to save others, and Harvey Blush, a deck hand, whose parents
erected a stone to his memory in Elmwood cemetery, Burlington, to this day a pathetic
reminder of the disaster. Captain Sherman was the last to leave the boat and was picked up
near Stave Island insensible. He, with John Howard, Harry Thomas and Mrs. Wilson made
heroic efforts to save others. Early morning brought help from Burlington, Captains Robert
and Lavader White, Dan Lyon and Almas Truman, coming in their sloops.
November 27, 1819
The Plattsburgh Republican of this date has the following notice:
"ASSIZE OF BREAD
"Two pounds eight ounces.
"Agreeable to the by-laws of the village of Plattsburgh, it is ordered
that a shilling loaf, made of good wheat-flour, shall weigh two pounds and eight
ounces, and sixpenny loaf one pound and four ounces, until a further
order." –G. Sperry, President."
