Wyllys Gaylord was born in Bristol, Connecticut, 1792. In 1801, Lemon Gaylord, the father of Wyllys, moved to the town of Otisco, he being the third settler in the town. At that time his son was but nine years old. At this early age, the deep shade of an almost unbroken forest, as the wandering pioneers penetrated its dark recesses in the beginning of summer, guided only by “blazed trees,” made an impression upon his mind and excited a passion for woodland scenery which was never effaced. Admiration, and even enthusiam filled his mind, as in after years he spoke of the scenes and perils of early forest life. In a letter written but a short time before his death, he says :* “When we entered these forests, the heavy foliage wore its richest green, and the elm, the maple and the linden, were successively laden with flowers; and never shall I forget the rich, the indescribable perfume which filled the air, as tree after tree was cut down ; and day after day passed away before the blossoms had ceased to exhale their odors from their withered cups.
At this early period, it was his misfortune to be necessarily deprived from the advantages of schools; for as yet, none had been established in the town. But to compensate in a measure for this, the father at intervals gave wholesome lessons of instruction. By these he was benefitted, and limited as it was, it laid the foundation of his future usefulness. At the early age of twelve years, he was violently attacked with a rheumatic affection, which resulted in a curvature of the spine, and completely unfitted him in all after life for any active or laborious pursuit. His desire for knowledge and his love for books was such, that physical infirmity presented no obstacle to his researches after knowledge. Being unable to attend school, he studied such books as chance happened to throw in his way. The catalogue at that early period was small; but such as he had access to, lie mastered with great avidity, aided in the more difficult portions by those to whom circumstances gave him admission. He was remarkable for his assiduity in studying all books which came within his reach and at an early age his mind was stored with a fund of intellectual wealth, from which in after years he could draw with pleasure and profit. Often has he been known to sit for hours under the shade of some wide spread tree, listening to the songs of the birds and the chirping of insects, pursuing his studies with pencil and note book in hand preserving the current of his thoughts. While thus anxiously engaged in the quiet pursuit of knowledge, and in the enjoyment of such a measure of health as permitted him to engage occasionally in the lighter labors of the field, he met with an accident, which entailed upon him a vast amount of suffering, and rendered him nearly helpless until death. It was occasioned by a fall, from which at the time, he noticed only a slight bruise on the left arm. It afterwards swelled and became a running sore inclining to scrofula, causing a sloughing off of the bone, rendering his arm ever after entirely useless. This affection of the arm continued for many years, and when it healed, an abscess formed in one of his sides, which was troublesome, with occasional alleviations till the day of his death. Notwithstanding these bodily infirmities and excessive pain, he was remarkable for his cheerful and happy disposition, and under the most acute suffering, was never known to complain. His physical constitution was exceedingly slight. His weight was less than one hundred pounds, low in stature and by no means prepossessing in personal appearance; but when he opened his mouth, the melody of his voice, tile richness of his tones, and his happy manner of expression. Immediately dissipated all preconceived opinions of his inferiority.
His favorite resort was to the beautiful shore of the lake in the vicinity of his house; there, while gazing upon the charming view, inhaling the balmy breeze, and contemplating the works of a beneficent Creator, his mind was refreshed, his imagination enlivened, and from these quiet resources have flowed in uncontaminated streams the workings of his admirable genius.
For more than twenty years he was a valuable contributor to many of the scientific journals of the day, in this country; and in several instances, to some of the most popular map-mines of Europe. His contributions to the newspaper press of this country, on every variety of topic, literary, scientific, religious, miscellaneous, and occasionally poetry, have been numerous and of the highest order of excellence. He was the author of several prize essays upon various subjects, published in the magazines of New-York, Boston and Philadelphia. It is believed, that in no instance where his talents were exerted, has he failed in taking a premium. It has been remarked by Judge Buell and other distinguished men, that he had not his equal in the land as a ready prose writer. He composed with wonderful facility and so correctly, that his first productions needed little or no criticism, extra embellishment or correction. He possessed the most fascinating colloquial powers, and his conversations were marked for being highly intellectual, execedingly chaste, agreeable and instructive. He had made the study of medicine an accessory to his pleasures and pursuits; and physicians who have enjoyed his acquaintance, award to him the merit of being theoretically, a man of science, well skilled in all the minutia of the Materia Medica, and second to few in the depths of investigation, and in correctness of judgment.
He was fond of music and possessed considerable mechanical genius. He constructed a very fine toned organ, without the aid of an instrument to look upon, solely from a drawing and description given in the Edinburgh Encyclopedia. With this he beguiled his leisure hours, and made that time agreeable, which to many hangs irksome and heavy. Among his early productions was a history of the late war; he was then quite young, it being in the year 1816—17. The manuscript was offered to a publisher, who judging more from the personal appearance of the author than from the merits of the production, discouraged him and his father from proceeding with its publication. This manuscript, since his reputation as a writer has been confirmed, has been sought for with great solicitude, but has never been re-produced. The refusal to publish this his early production, fortunately was not a cause of discouragement, but he pressed vigorously on, till he reached a high elevation in the walks of literature and science.
His writings collected in a volume, would no doubt be received by the public with approbation and delight; and some one who is competent to do justice to his merits, we trust my yet come forward as his historiographer, and do honor to his memory.
The versatility of his talents, the rapidity with which he wrote, and the variety of his productions, have excited the admiration and astonishment of his friends. To him the agricultural portion of community more than any other, are greatly indebted for his scientific and literary labors in their behalf. In every department of his darling profession was he thoroughly versed, and with Virgil, in truth might he say, “Cecini pascua, rura, duces.” His essays on practical, scientific and theoretical agriculture are the most valuable, and will be the most enduring of his writings. The services he has rendered his country in these departments are incalculable, and are a rich legacy, which will endure to remote generations. His connection with the old Genesee Farmer and Albany Cultivator, from 1883 to 1844, will long be remembered with lively interest. He labored to elevate the condition of society and to benefit mankind; and the town of Otisco and the county of Onondaga will feel the power of his influence in the vista of future years; and long will the dwellers in this favored county deplore the loss of an eminent man.
He died without a groan or struggle after a short illness of thirty-three
hours, at Howlet Hill, town of Camillus, Lime Rock Farm, on the 27th of
March, 1844, in the fifty-first year of his age. He had been for more than
thirty years an ex-emplary member of the Presbyterian Church, and expired
in the hope of a joyful resurrection.
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