St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1901-03-20
WEST CONCORD.
Death of Mrs. Ranney,

II may DC Vi luIcTcSL 10 SOtnC III OC'
Johnsbury and this vicinity to read Of
the death of Mrs. Lydia Ranney at Ha-
gersville, Ont, which occurred Wednes-
day, February 81. She was sister of
the late Mrs. Russell Hallett of st. Johns
bury, and aunt of the late Sullivan Ran
ney of Concord She formerly lived at
Stafford, Ont, and died at the ripe age of
100 years, 5 months. For some time
past she has been residing with her
granddaughter, Mrs. G. B. Harris, at
Hagersville, and has been quite feeble,
but was able to be around and the day
before her death partook of a meal with
the family. Her death came suddenly
and unexpectedly. Mrs. Ranney s maiden
name was Chase. She had as an ances-
tor one of the three Chase brothers, who
came over from England in the May
flower. She was born in the state of
Massachusetts, on the 22d of September.
1900, and was married to Hiram Ranney
of Vermont, in 1919. The young couple
went into dairying in Vermont and were
soon sending the butter and cheese from
rs COWS to the Boston market. Here
were born to them three children, Hiram,
Homer and Julia. They lost most of
new start in a new land. Setting out
with a covered wagon, and in it their
| ALL they drove into Lower Canada and
there renamed for three years. Hearing
of cheap land and better prospects in
Upper Canada, they again packed up,
and in the month of October, 1887, drove |
for three weeks westward. Stopping |
for few days rest at Peter Hagels, Of |
Hagel's Corners, Dereham Township, |
they were persuaded by him to settle
down and make for themselves a home
near his place. Mr.. Hagel's principal
object was to secure a woman OF Mrs. |
Ranney's ability and education to teach
his own children and his neighbours
children that were fast growing up with
out any school privileges. Under Mr..
Hagels leadership the neighborhood
turned out and soon had up log school
house. The school opened with about
60 pupils, several Of whom were over 20
years OF age. Mrs. Ranney rode through
the woods to St. Thomas, to be exam
ined as a teacher, and on horseback re-
turned duly qualified, and opened the
first school of which we have any official !
account in the county of Oxford. She |
talked OF her boys who shouldered rifles |
and took part in the rebellion OF 81, and |
gave the names of several ofthem, thrifty |
farmers not far from the place where the |
old schoolhouse stood on the winding
cow path, now the main road through |
the village of Stafford.
Soon after they came to this country |
they purchased the first fifty acres of |
land and Mr.. Ranney went to work
hewing out home. To this fifty they |
kept adding until they finally owned 700 |
acres in one block. Four years after
they came to Dereham they had succeeded
in getting into the dairying business
again with the old number of 25 cows
they once hadin Vermont. Mrs. Ranney,
after the year 1899 when her trustees
were Peter Hagel Huson Sinclair and
Henry Hill, gave up teaching and gave
her attention to home duties. London
was their market for cheese and butter,
and as time went on, their COWS kept in
creasing until wag of the village of
Stafford said he and Mr.. Ranney had the
most COWS of any two men in the county,
he owned one and Mr.. Ranney one hun
dred.
Mrs. Ranney has been a widow for the
past 80 years, and has outlived all her
children. Her grandchildren still living
are Sullivan P. Ranney, ESQ.,, OF Stafford,
Judson Harris, Esq, of lugersoll. Rev. E.
J. Harris, B. A., of Toronto, Mrs. Vim.
Craig of Toronto, Mrs. S. ]. Mckee, OF
Brandon college, and Mrs. G. B. Davis
of Hagersville.
Death of George 8. Howard.
The death of George S. Howard which
was briefly mentionedin the CALIFORNIAN
recently was born in Kirby, September
10, 1S45, and died March 3. He was
long resident of this town, he with his
father owning a nice farm at Concord
Corner. He was married first to Mary
Howard of Concord January -, 1867.
She died February &c, 1871. One son
was born to them, Fred Elmore, who
died February s, 1898. This was a
severe blow to his father from which he
never fully recovered. September 25.
1872, MIR. Howard married Susan G.
Wortbey of Bradford, who with one
daughter, Eva E., survives him. also an
aged father and mother in the home and
one sister, Mrs May McAnn, of Monk
ton, N. B. Mr.. Howard has been in
feeble health the past three years and
las UCCl (OuHuSu ~ DSd SillSS lloI |
September. He has been most tenderly
cared for during his long illness by his
devoted wife and loving daughter. He
was received into full membership of the
Methodist church at West Concord Sep
TENDER, 1867, and was one of the first
board OF stewards in 1868. short
time later he was made recording stew.
ard, which office he held till his death.
He was also an active member in the
Sunday school, having been superin-
tendent for several years. He leaves
large circle of relatives to mourn his loss,
but especially in the home will his pres.
ence be most keenly felt, as he was an
affectionate husband and father and low
ing son. Funeral services were held at
his late home March 6, Rev. James E.
Knapp of Irasburg, former pastor, as
sisted by Rev. A. c. Fuller, the present
pastor officiating. Singing was fur
nished by the Methodist choir The Ma
sonic order and O. E. S. of which he was
a member attended in body. Beautiful
flowers were contributed by many
frien dc showing + he love and esteem in