August 1995

More on

Robert G. Ingersoll

contributed by

Herbert S. Wisbey

A Note on Robert Ingersoll by Herbert Wisbey

Yates County Chronicle, Oct. 9, 1889

This clipping was made available by Mrs. Betty Smalley, Town of Torrey Historian. The original article was copied by Catherine Spencer and printed in a column she wrote for a Penn Yan newspaper. It was checked against the original item in the Yates County Chronicle, Oct. 9, 1889, page 1, column 8.

Dresden. Col. Rob't G. Ingersoll honored our place last week. The family, Judge Struble and Mrs. John Shepperd accompanied him. They made his old home a visit. The place is now owned by Dr. G. W. Brundage. The exterior has been changed considerable by new siding and painting during the summer. The Col. had sketches taken of each room in the house; he also visited the Presbyterian church in which his father use to preach. After scanning its walls he exclaimed to his daughter, 'We must have a sketch of this, for one of the best men that ever lived preached here.' The company took in every point of interest while here, and was wonderfully pleased with the place. He remembered to some one that he was looking for a place to locate, and it might be the town that gave him birth. This town is proud to know that one so brilliant sprang from it.

Yates County Fair, Sept. 25, 1889

Quotations from Robert Ingersoll's Speech

"The first duty of man is to become self supporting; his next duty is to help someone else."

"Suppose a man steals a few dollars. He is sent to the penitentiary. If he steals millions, he is ususally sent to the United States Senate."

"I want to see the world governed by kindness and affection."

"I want to congratulate myself that I was born in Yates County, the most beautiful spot in New York State, although I went away from here nearly fifty-six years ago. Since that time I have seen much of the world. I have been in many places and seen many people. As I come back again I will congratulate myself that I was born in such a splendid, lovely county."

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