Spirit of the Times Batavia, Genesee County, New York State August 23-1884 part 1 MARRIED. ECCLESTON-WATSON.--In Rochester, on the 13th inst., by Rev. A.D. WILBOR, Mr. William ECCLESTON and Miss Cornelia WATSON, both of Batavia. PHILLIPS-ROWCLIFFE.--At the Presbyterian parsonage in Elba on the 12th inst., by Rev. E.W. CUMMINGS, Mr. George PHILLIPS and Miss Rettie ROWCLIFFE, both of Oakfield. + DIED. CALKINS.--In Oakfield on the 13th inst., Daniel CALKINS, aged 85 years. PERVORSE--In Linden on the 20th inst., J.W. PERVORSE in the 29th year of his age. ++ REMARKABLE LONGEVITY. The following list of old citizens is, I think, in every case correct, as I had nearly all the dates from them personally:-- Libbeaus ALLEN, Batavia, 1793 Deacon Ezekiel HACKLEY, Batavia, 1794 Uriah NORTON, Elba, 1794 Sylvester WILLIS, Oakfield, 1796 Peter RAPPELYE, Alabama, 1796 Joseph LUND, Alabama, 1797 Aaron LANCKTON, Alabama, 1799 Daniel HOSSELKUS, Oakfield, 1799. Noah KELSEY, Batavia, 1799 E.J. PATTIBONE, Elba, 1799 John THOMPSON, Batavia, 1801 Geo. COLE, Batavia, 1801 Thomas R. WOLCOTT, Alabama, 1802 Sylvester BROOKS, Oakfield, 1802 Thomas J. KENNEDY, Oakfield, 1804 Barnum BLISS, Oakfield, 1805 Loren RATHBONE, Oakfield, 1806 C.P. TURNER, Batavia, 1806 Wm. C. McCRILLIS, Oakfield, 1806 Otis L. FREEMAN, Paw Paw, Mich., 1806 J.J. SMITH, Oakfield, 1806 Marcus L. BABCOCK, Batavia, 1807 Wm. HAIGHT, Oakfield, 1808 Abner DODGE, Oakfield, 1808 Parley V. INGALSBE, Oakfield, 1810 Joseph FIELD, Oakfield, 1810 Daniel T. GRIFFIN, Oakfield, 1811 Wm. CRAFT, Elba, 1811 Alfred UNDERHILL, Oakfield, 1811 Wm. N. McINTYRE, Oshkosh, Wis., 1818 Oliver ROOT, Oakfield, 1818 Wm. ALLEN, Batavia, 1819 Norris BURR, Batavia, 1819 Wm. C. DUNLAP, Oakfield, 1820 Matthew McGUIRE, Oakfield, 1820 Isaiah OLCOTT, Oakfield, 1820 Some well known citizens may be omitted in this list. Mr. Sylvester WILLIS mentioned above, is the oldest ex-Justice in the State. He received his commission from Gov. Daniel TOMPKINS, and council in 1820 he is also the only one living in this vicinity who saw the "three THAYERS" hung in Buffalo, May 17, 1825. The oldest married couple is Deacon HACKLEY and wife, married in 1817. The oldest resident is Mrs. Holland FULLER, who has resided in the town seventy-three years. The oldest person in town is Mrs. Margaret KIERSTED, born in 1790, and living with her nephew, John EIGHMY on the town line road. ++ Professor SILLIMAN of Yale college, recently made a trip over the West Shore railway to Syracuse, and on reaching his destination thus enthusiastically wrote to the New York 'Commercial Advertiser.' "No more delightful excursion at this season of the year can be found within a day of New York than the ride over the West Shore railroad to Syracuse. The views on the Hudson and to the valley of Weehawken, from the moment of leaving Jersey City, are full of novel interest. The whole surroundings are novel. The geology is also of interest, shaping the features of the country in harmony with the character of the trassics and stones in the lower portion of the valley. The palisades of trap, with their castellated columnar fronts, which form so conspicuous a feature from the east shore of the Hudson, are not seen from the road built on the west shore, which runs along the sloping back of his old volcanic dyke, and no suggestion of its remarkable frontage is to be seen. The views of the town and villa sites of the east shore, which we now enjoy from the new standpoint, are full of interest. The rapid whirl of the swift-moving train soon leaves the palisades behind, and a plunge into one and then another tunnel shuts out the moving panorama to open new views of a strangely contrasted character--the lofty ranges about West Point, the noble heads of the Highlands, with Anthony's nose and the lake-like enclosure of the beautiful river, containing features of grandeur; with the slow-moving fleets of "tows" or the swift flight of a graceful yacht united to keep the interest of the traveler constantly awake. The Hudson river slates, the beds of impure limestone explored for the famous Rosendale cement, and above them the quarries of the flags of Roudout and Coxsackie, suggest the resources of this region for a varied and permanent commerce, to increase with the circulation of a constantly growing country. Everywhere one is impressed by the thorough and excellent construction of the West Shore railroad. The roadbed is perfection, and al the stations are marked by a liberal good taste which commands our admiration. Branching off for Albany and Troy, as before for the Catskills, the detached cars still leave the west-bound trains of ample dimentions, as it leads us up the charming valley of the Mohawk, fertile, with heavy hay crops, now gathering, and the corn, which, sadly withered by the drought in the lower country, stands laughing in the July sun, drinking succulence from the rich alluvial soil. We are provided with a full supply of literature, but the moving panorama, passing before us, was a more potent charm even than the August 'Harper' and 'Century,' beautiful as these are. The lovely river, fringed with golden yellow willow, lay in silvery brilliancy, with its graceful curves beside the rigid lines of the Erie canal, bearing fleets of heavily laden barges, and on its shores patient animals moving steadily along. It was a striking contrast to the noisy whirl of the trains on the two great railways, often within pistol shot of each other. We are amused to se the easy-going drivers sitting sleepily in a sulky, at the horses' heels, realizing the dream of the new recruit who wished to go to the war in his gig. And so the day passes most delightfully. ++ SUDDEN DEATH IN LE ROY. The 'Gazette' states that early Saturday morning Messrs. David CAREY and Christian SMITH, of Carey's Mills, were surprised to find the lifeless body of Mr. Edward GILBERT leaning face downward over a fence in such a way that only his toes touched the ground. He left his house on the evening before in usual health, and started for a stroll, as was is custom. It is thought that he was attacked by dizziness or something of the sort, and falling against the fence was unable to regain a standing position. Coroner SKINNER decided that an inquest was not necessary, he believing that his position was such as to cause strangulation. Mr. GILBERT was about 80 years of age, and one of the pioneer residents of the county. ++ to be continued... submitted by Linda C. Schmidt