Lydia Holdridge - Biography

Submitted by Charles B. Stanley <cbs@erols.com> on September 27, 1998.

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LYDIA HOLDRIDGE BORN May 30, 1818 IN SMITHVILLE, NY

IN THE YEAR 1826 THERE LIVED IN THE EASTERN PART OF THE TOWN OF
SMITHVILLE,NY, A FARMER BY THE NAME OF HOLDRIDGE. MR HOLDRIGE WAS A
HATTER BY TRADE AND SOMETIMES KEPT SCHOOL. HE HAD JUST COMPLETED A
COSTLY BONNET FOR A LADY BY THE NAME OF ELIZA NORRIS. SHE WAS A TEACHER
IN A SCHOOL AND ON THIS OCCASION WAS PERFORMING HIS DUTIES AS SUCH.
MRS. HOLDRIDGE AND HER BABY GIRL WERE AT HOME ALONE. WHILE BUSILY
ENGAGED ABOUT HER KITCHEN, THE DOOR UNCEREMONIOUSLY OPENED AND A NUMBER
OF INDIANS ENTERED. THE LADY WAS VERY MUCH FRIGHTENED AS THEY MUTTERED
IN THEIR RED TONGUE. HER BABY QUIETLY SLEEPING IN ITS CRADLE. AMONG
THE INDIANS WAS A FEMALE. SHE STOOPED OVER THE LITTLE ONE AND FINALLY
TOOK IT IN HER ARMS. OH, WHAT AGONY FILLED THE MOTHERS HEART AS SHE
THOUGHT HER CHILD WAS TO BE CARRIED AWAY BY THE INDIANS. BUT SOON TEARS
BEGAN TRICKLING DOWN THE WILD, COARSE FACE OF THE SAVAGE WOMAN AND SHE
COVERED THE CHILD WITH FONDEST CARESSES. FINALLY, THROUGH MOTIONS SHE
COMMUNICATED TO MRS. HOLDRIGE THAT SHE HAD RECENTLY LOSS A LITTLE BABE
AND THAT SHE NEED NOT BE IN THE LEAST ALARM,  ALTHOUGH MUCH APPEASED THE
MOTHER HEART WAS STILL WITH FEAR. THE INDIANS WENT ABOUT THE HOUSE,
LOOKING OVER THE INGENUITY OF THE CIVILIZED RACE AND FINALLY THE BONNET
CAUGHT THE EYE OF THE CHIEF WHO EXCLAIMED, "ME WANT". MRS. HOLDRIDGE
DARE NOT DENY THEM AND THEY WENT AWAY WITH THE BONNET. MRS. HOLDRIDGE
WHO SUBSEQUENTLY MARRIED THOMAS TYLER, LIVED TO BE 86 YEARS OF AGE AND
DIED A FEW YEARS AGO IN SMITHVILLE. SHE WAS MOTHER OF THE LATE RICHARD
HOLDRIDGE OF NORWICH, NY.

THE LITTLE BABE WHO THE INDIAN WOMAN CARESSED SO TENDERLY LONG AGO, GREW
TO WOMANLY YEARS AND MARRIED JOHN C BLIVEN, WHO DIED NEAR CHENANGO LAKE
1885, FROM DISEASE WHICH HE CONTRACTED IN THE REBELLION. MRS. BLIVEN
WAS A MOTHER OF TEN CHILDREN AND LIVED TO BE 84 YEARS OLD.

BY ONE OF HER GRANDCHILDREN,  1905