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- Newspaper Obituary - Thursday, October 25, 1883 Pulaski Democrat - Pulaski, New York - Died - October 17, Deacon Silas Lyman, aged 89 years. The deacon was born in Hartford, Washington County, New York July 24th, 1794. When four years of age his parents removed with him to Rupert, Vermont, and when about 12 years old his parents again removed to Lorraine, Jefferson County, New York. His father died when he was 17 years old and the care of the family devolved him as the oldest son. The next year after, occurred the war of 1812 with Great Britain. He enlisted and went to the scene of war. He was in the battle of Sacket's Harbor, Niles Creek and Sandy Creek when the British, who had ascended that stream to capture our stores, were themselves captured and held prisoners of war. It was on his suggestion that the celebrated feat was undertaken of carrying a ship's cable weighing five tons from the mouth of Sandy Creek to Sacket's Harbor, a distance of 20 miles, by 84 men. The boats conveying from Oswego the armament and rigging for the ships in process of building at Sacket's Harbor were chased by the British into the mouth of the Sandy Creek. This cable was too large to be put into a wagon. Young Lyman said "Let us carry it." "Can you do it?" asked the commanding officer. "We can try," replied the sturdy lad. They shouldered it and marched on. At the age of 23, January 26th, 1817, he was married to Miss Cynthia Waugh, of Camden, who became the mother of twelve children, three of whom died in infancy and eight of whom are now living. Their marriage relation of peculiar devotion and affection was not interrupted until within nine weeks of his own death, his wife having deceased August 20th, 1883. He received his commission as Captain in the 55th Regiment of Infantry from DeWitt Clinton, governor, the 15th of April 1822, and his commission as Lieutenant-colonel of the same regiment September 1st, 1824, from Joseph C. Yates, who was then governor of this state. He was elected Deacon of the Congregational Church of Lorraine March 10th, 1825, and on May 7th with Deacon Allen Pitkin was formally ordained to this office. The Congregational church in which his father had been deacon, and at this time himself, was without a house of worship. There were no churches where a man was permitted to speak a word either for temperance or for the freedom of the slave. Anti-temperance and pro-slavery ruled not only in the community but over the churches. He, with Deacon Piaci'', of the Congregational church, resolved to erect a house of worship where freedom of speech should be granted to temperance and anti-slavery reformers. At the cost of three thousand dollars, which in those days meant years of labor and privation for themselves and their households, they finally accomplished their noble purpose and when the church which occupied it was disbanded by the removal of its members to other places, they gave it to the town for a town hall. The deceased was first and foremost among his fellow citizens in every work of moral progress and reform. He was an abolitionist when the avowal of anti-slavery sentiments brought only persecution and reproach. His house was one of the stations on the "under-ground railroad" where the fugitive slave found shelter, food and protection and by him was helped on his way to the northern land of freedom. When the anti-slavery party was first organized and James G. Bimey was its nominee for president, the deceased was candidate for member of assembly on the same ticket. He was accustomed humorously to remark that he got the full anti-slavery vote of his town, which was two votes. In 1866 he removed to this village and soon after united with its Congregational church. So far advanced in life, his religious usefulness was by no means ended. Constant and faithful in his attendance not only on the Sabbath in the sanctuary but also during the week at the prayer meeting, ever giving interest to it by some fresh, earnest thought, or disclosing some deep religious experience, or dropping some sympathetic word for the encouragement of the young. His heart never seem to grow old, no one enjoyed a Sunday school picnic more than he. The young about him felt the reach and glow of his love and responded to it. On the occasion of his 88th birthday a number of his young friends sent him bouquets of flowers. To these tokens of remembrance and affection he replied in writing, sending to each a verse of poetry with thanks for their "kind remembrance of an old man" and expressions of interest and good wishes. Old as he was he was not stereotyped, formal or tedious in his prayers or religious exhortations. He carried a clear, active brain and a loving heart onto his grave. There was no effort or enterprise for the good of others in which he was not interested and to which he had not something to give. An earnest, brave, heroic, yet sweet and beautiful Christian character. The funeral service, held at the Congregational Church, the retired pastor Rev. J. Douglas, officiating, was largely attended, not only by the citizens of the town, but also by several of his older acquaintances and friends from Jefferson County. Everywhere that he was known for deceased was universally honored for his moral integrity and worth.
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1794 - 1883 (89 years)