Their funeral was attended at the meetinghouse the next Sabbath by a large congregation; Rev. A. Stowell preached a sermon from these words:
"They were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided." 2nd Samuel, 1st c., 23d v.
The congregation was so large that part of them repaired to the town hall, where Rev. J. C. Paine preached from the text found in Proverbs, 4th, 27th.
"Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy feet from evil."
The subjects of this murder were daughters of Timothy Kneeland, whose name has been mentioned among the early settlers of Gardner. Miss Kneeland was 85 years of age, and Mrs. Phinney, 75. For a number of years they were the only occupants of the house. They were humble and exemplary Christians.
In 1856, Mrs. Lorenzo Cheney died in consequence of being burnt; a fluid lamp was broken setting fire to her clothes, and burned her so badly that she lived but a few hours. Her age was 48.
In 1857, Hammond Hardy, aged 21, was frozen so that he died. George W. Davis, aged 68, was drowned.
