The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1876-04-04
BRIDPORT.

BHfDEOhf.
The smallpox pestilence is on the
increase. Twenty persons have been
down with it, and four cases have proved
fatal. The French families have been
very careless, and if it does not continue
to spread the people will be rojoiced.
Deferred from last week.
GOLDEN WEDDINo.--It was Thurs
day evening, March 23,at the Doty
cottage, in the northern part Of Bird.
port. Tho company consisted OF about
one hundred substantial people OF
the town, besides relatives from abroad,
Miss Allen and Mrs. Bellinger, from
Gloversvilc, N. Y; Mr.. aud Mrs. Skin.
ner, from Vernon, Oneida county, N.
Y; Lyman Pcase was there, hale and
hearty at eighty.one years Of age, with
his wife; the two brothers, Asa and
Jonas Hemenway, fer up in the seventies,
and their wives Asa Rice and wife, who
will be entitled to their golden wedding
in less than one year two Cranes, Jesse
LIST and I'd, residents Of the neighbor'
hood, both over seventy Abel Skiff,
who since bis recent illness seems good
for another decade or two; Mrs. Sally
Miner, sister Of Mr.. Doty, seventy.four
years Of sge. The Hon. Paris Fletcher
and his brother, james Fletcher, the one
eighty.two and the other eighty.seven
years of age. sent thoir congratulations,
but were not present. Conspicuous
among them was the bridegroom himself,
seventy. eight years Of age, perhaps the
most sprigbtly and entertaining of sll the
group.
Referring to old people it was recently
noticed that we have among US twelve
couples, all over seventy years old.
Also twelve other couples, of whom one
person in each couple is over seventy
years old. Quite lately death has changed
this statement.
Captain Doty lives on the spot where
he VS. born, where no was married,
where his father lived before him, and
tills with noble content the same paternal
acres. 1t is q beautiful, sunny place.
enough to weau any sensible man from
the desire to stray away.
Mr.. Jesse Crane, End, and Mrs
Chilion Crane, who were present on this
occasion we're also present at the we'd
ding fifty years ago. Four other per-
cons, three of whom were present, live il
the neighberhood, who also lived there
fifty years ago, but who were quite toe
small on that earlier occasion to compre
bend wedding ceremonial. Besides
these six the Inhabitants Of the neighbor
hood have all changed, moved away
gone to heaven,
The occasion itself-who can describe
--.L d.. ~,-4L..;-a " H.-.uy .-i-ti,~~ 49,
neighbors, the fine arrangements o
flowers aud evergreens throughout tn
} house, tie table and its load Of elegan
} provisions, much of it the work Of lovinl
neighbors whose helpful hands can not b
kept back when such generous enter
, prise once starta And then the pres
ents, rich and substantial, which cam
l pouring in several costly easy chairs
. center table, many gold coins, solid an
genuine, gold spectacles for the BRIDE
, the list would be long one. How tn
r dear old couple must have felt, how the
r did feel as they stood there and took
r all this and thought of the past and c
. the life they have lived among thes
, neighbors. Well, the first wedding
, good, no donbt, but commend me to tn
golden wedding, when the race is VOL
the victory near, the sun setting in me
, low glory, and the crown in sight
e From carefully prepared sketch {
. the Doty lineage, which was given on th
S occasion, it appears almost certain ths
C Captain David f. Doty is connected wit
Edward Doty of the Mayaower an
s Plymouth Rock, whose name is foun
d along with those of Carver, Winslov
). Bradford, Brewster and others, attacbe
!, to that immortal compact signed IN Gap
'. Cod barber, and whose blood can b
e traced in such patriots as Gen. Jane
8 Warren, president of the Massachusett
0 Council in 1910, James Otis, the cel'
h brated Revolutionary patriot and orato
o the late Harrison Gray Otis, Unite
e States Senator from Massachusetts.
b Certainly the Doty stock presents th
. true Pilgrim characteristics. Many ind
It viduals along the line of descent answt
It to this early description, STRONG sta
o wart, upright in every senae of the wore
3, a man of deep feeling and noble chara
u ter, religious man, held in great re
d poet, standing next to the minister 10 Il
l. esteem of the church"
e.