USA > Connecticut > Litchfield County > Woodbury > History of ancient Woodbury, Connecticut : from the first Indian dead in 1659 to 1872, Vol. II > Part 52
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Such is a description of the terrible character of the wounds which caused Foot's death. A Court of Inquiry, which continned its sessions for a week, made rigid inquiry of all, high and low, as to the cause of this death. Excitement ran high. It was thonght, if a man could be murdered in the early evening, right under the " eaves of St. Paul's Church," when the street was full of people, that no one was safe, and that it was well to be afraid, even on our own hearth stones. Circumstances strongly pointed to Edward E. Bradley, as being the perpetrator of this horrible erime. He
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HISTORY OF ANCIENT WOODBURY.
was arrested on this suspicion, brought before Hon, Thomas Bull, a full hearing was had, and he was bound over, without bail, to the next Superior Court to be held at Litchfield. A Grand Jury was duly summoned, and a true bill for the crime of murder was found. The trial of the accused on the indictment commenced at Litchfield on the 14th of April, 1856, before Judges William L. Storrs and Origen S. Seymour-Hon. Gidcon Hall, State's Attor- ney, Hon. Charles B. Phelps, and the writer, appeared for the State; and Hon. Charles Chapman, of Hartford, Gideon H. Hol- lister and Henry B. Graves, Esqrs., appeared for the prisoner. Not only very nice questions of circumstantial evidence, but other intricate questions of law, were involved in the case, and the trial excited a more general interest than any one which has been tried in this county. On the tenth day of the trial the presiding judge charged the jury, and on the 11th day, they having failed to agree on a verdict, after having been sent out for consideration several times, the papers were taken back, the jury discharged, and the prisoner remanded to jail. The jury stood five for con- viction of murder in the second degree, and seven for acquittal.
At the Sept. term of the Court the case came on again for trial. It was commenced Oct. 3, 1856, before Hon. David C. Sanford, and Hon. John D. Park, presiding judges. The same counsel, ex- cept Mr. Chapman, appeared. After a careful and laborious trial, continuing for the space of twelve days, the jury again disagreed, the papers were again taken back, and the jury discharged. They stood three for conviction of murder in the second degree, and nine for acquittal. The prisoner was again remanded to jail.
At the April term, 1857, the prisoner was again arraigned for trial, Hon. William W. Ellsworth, and Hon. Thomas B. Butler, presiding at the trial. On the 14th day of April, 1857, the same counsel, on both sides, appeared for the trial of the case.
The trial lasted fourteen days, and Judge Ellsworth, with his tremendous voice and hands, being just about to retire from the bench on account of his age, charged the jury. No jurist more pure than Judge Ellsworth, ever sat upon the Supreme Bench in Connecticut. It was the third trial, and though no man, or woman had yet ceased to think the prisoner was guilty, when the venera- ble judge, with his tremulous hands and faltering voice, held up the "russet reins," it was said the prisoner used that horrible night of the murder, and said, impressively, "Gentlemen of the
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HISTORY OF ANCIENT WOODBURY.
Jury, if these reins had the power of speech, they could relieve us of much doubt and uncertainty in this case," no lawyer, on either side, doubted the result. The "doubt " spoken of in the cle- mentary works, had now been spoken by the judge. On the morn- ing of April 23, 1867, the jury came in, and, on inquiry, announced that they had not agreed upon a verdict .- " Is there any proba- bility that the jury can agree upon a verdict," asked Judge Ells- worth. The foreman replied-" not the least " The Court then took back the papers, discharged the jury, and ordered the pris- oner remanded to jail. The jury stood four for conviction in the second degree, and eight for acquittal.
Soon after the prisoner was remanded to jail, his counsel made a motion that the Court direct the State's Attorney to enter a nolle prosequi, or discontinuance of the indictment pending against him. The Attorney, without making any motion, also requested the advice of the Court as to his duty in the premises. The Court remarked, that without assuming to direct from this side of the Bar, what the State's Attorney ought to do, within the sphere of his duty, he would say, that the case, having been three times tried before a Jury of this County, and this time, at least, with very great ability by the counsel on both sides, it was not reason- able to suppose, that by any additional number of trials, a jury could be found, while the facts remained the same, to agree on a verdict. That if the prisoner should be released, and new facts should come to light, he could be re-arrested; as, also, if after his return home, his conduct should become violent, or dangerous. In view of these considerations, and the great expense to which the State had already been put, in the prosecution of the case, it was the opinion of the Court, that the State's Attorney would not be guilty of a dereliction of his official duty, if he, for the present, entered a nolle prosequi. The State's Attorney therefore entered a nolle prosequi, and the prisoner was soon after allowed, by the jailor, to go at large.
Suicides have been very rare in our community. Only two now occur to the writer, and those are of recent occurrence. Last snm- mer a man was found dead by the side of the road leading to Hotchkissville. He was not known by our people, but after much inquiry, he proved to be one Ralph Lina, from Winsted, whither his remains were sent, the next morning after his death. He pur- chased an ounce of laudanum early in the day, and the empty
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HISTORY OF ANCIENT WOODBURY.
phial, which had contained it, lying by his side, told the sad story. He sought employment in various ways, and, failing in all, resolv- ed to try the " unexplored country."
While these pages are going through the press (Dec. 28, 1871), Columbus W. Randall, a bachelor, living in an old house by him- self, has committed suicide by cutting his throat from car to ear, with a razor. He seemed to have planned the deed very delibe- rately. He sent word to a neighbor, that he would be glad to have him bring him up a pail of cider, when he came to fodder his cattle in the evening. The request was complied with, and on entering his house, he found him weltering in his blood. He evidently had a superstitious dread of lying alone, perhaps for many days, dead in the house, and framed this excuse to be found soon after he had committed the act. He was not quite dead when found, and it is believed that he did not commit the deed till he saw his neighbor approaching, as he could not survive so frightful a wound for many minutes.
Years ago there was a band of thieves in town, who acted in concert with the great organized thieves' band, that extended their operations in concert, from Maine to the "Far West." A few well directed prosecutions, a quarter of century ago, broke up the "Depot " in this place.
Occasionally there have been burglaries here, with meager re- sults. But some two months ago, a series of burglaries occurred, that startled the community, and bred a strong sense of insecu- rity. One night, while Mr. Daniel Curtiss was quietly sleeping in his bed, some person or persons entered his house through a rear window, and after traversing several rooms, entered his bed- room, took away his vest and two pairs of pants, and departed without awakening him, or his wife, or any one else in the house. Passing to the rear of the house, they rifled the pockets of what money they contained, and the key to his safe, which was in his office at his factory, a mile away. They unlocked the office, and the safe, possessed themselves of its contents, locked safe and door again, and went on their way.
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HISTORY OF ANCIENT WOODBURY.
D. Curtiss & Son's Factory.
Returning back through Main street, they stole a horse and wagon from the stable of Hon. N. B. Smith, broke into .Michael F. Skelly's blacksmith shop, and stole some tools, additional to those which they brought with them. They then proceeded to the store of Frederick A. Walker & Co., opposite of the Episcopal Church, which was not protected by any one staying in it during the night. They found an en- trance to the store, blew open F.A.WALKES & CO WOODBURY DRUG STORE the safe, and rifled it of its con- tents. The Company had a large amount of money and govern- ment bonds belonging to them- selves, to the town (Mr. Walker being Town Treasurer), and to the neighbors, who placed their valuables there for safe keeping. From the two safes the robbers took away some $40,000, in money and bonds, beside a multitude of papers, valuable to the owners, but of no use to the robbers. Having accomplished these feats, they departed for Waterbury, sorting their papers on the way, and leaving in the bottom of the wagon all that were not available to them. Having reached Wa- terbury meadows, they turned the horse loose, and evidently took the Railroad track to the Depot, and the early train to New York, probably arriving at, and getting off at Harlem Bridge, before the telegraph was in working order. Large rewards have been offered, and vigilant efforts made to trace the offenders, but as yet without the slightest success. Justice seems to have been baffled, and the promise of punishment, proved a "flaunting lie."
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HISTORY OF ANCIENT WOODBURY.
Thus have we plodded our laborious way through all the his- torical incidents of our ancient town, and put them on record, for the benefit of those that shall come after ns. If the reading shall give the same pleasure to the reader that the recording of them has to the writer, he will not be without his reward.
CHAPTER X.
HISTORY OF THE SOCIETIES AND TOWNS SET OFF FROM ANCIENT WOODBURY-CONTINUED FROM PAGE 218.
SOUTHBURY ; SOUTH BRITAIN ; SOUTHBURY VOLUNTEERS ; BETHLEHEM ; BETHLEHEM VOLUNTEERS ; WASHINGTON ; WASHINGTON VOLUNTEERS ; FREDERICK W. GUNN'S ACADEMY ; ROXBURY ; ROXBURY VOLUNTEERS ; METHODIST CHURCH; ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH ; ST. PAUL'S CHURCH ; ITS CENTENNIAL.
EVER forgetting the children of our youth, and of our riper years, we take up again the history of the communities that have sepa- rated themselves from us, and "set up for themselves." The account will not be long, for two reasons. The general histo- ry of the times in which they as well as we bore a conspicuous part, have been recounted with great minuteness in these pages. And, so far as the ecclesiastical history in concerned, it has been substantially recorded in the history of the proceedings of the Bi-Centennial celebration of the First Congregational Church, in May, 1870.
SOUTHBURY.
At the date of the former edition, Rev. George P. Prudden was officiating as " stated supply," at Southbury. On account of con- firmed ill-health, which entirely unfitted him for his work, he closed his labors in April, 1856. In May, 1856, Rev. Jason At- water was engaged as "stated supply," and remained till Oct., 1858, when he removed to West Haven, but continued to supply the pulpit till the following July. He died at West Haven in the spring of 1860. For the next six months, the church had only occasional supplies. January 15th, 1860, Rev. A. B. Smith com-
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HISTORY OF ANCIENT WOODBURY
menced his labors as "stated supply," and continued them till a recent date.
The admissions to the church during Mr. Atwater's ministry were 15 ; baptisms, 15. Admissions during Mr. Smith's ministry 59; baptisms 38. Present number of members 86.
The list of deacons, with date of election, from the organization of the church, is as follows :- Benjamin Hicox, 1372; Noah Hin- man, 1732; Benjamin Hicox, Jr., Daniel Curtiss, Timothy Os- born, 1775 ; Samuel Strong, Jonathan Mitchell, 1783; Adin Wheeler, 1813; Marcus D. Mallory, 1818; Noah Kelsey, 1823; Nathan Mitchell, 1830; Frederick Perry, 1833; Jason Curtiss, 1834; Ira Strong, 1847; Cyrus G. Bostwick, January 11, 1861 ; Sherman Tuttle, January 11, 1861; David M. Wheeler, January 24, 1868.
SOUTH BRITAIN SOCIETY.
At the date of the former edition, Rev. Amos E. Lawrence was the settled pastor over this parish. On the 31st of July, 1860, his ' connection with the church was dissolved. On the 27th of Ang., 1860, Rev. John M. Wolcott was hired to preach for a year. He was formally settled over the church, Feb. 20, 1861, and dismissed July 1, 1865. Rev. Homer S. Newcomb has acceptably filled the pulpit since the latter date.
Sixty persons were received members during Rev. Mr. Law- rence's ministry, and 32 baptized ; 37 under Rev. Mr. Wolcott, and 31 baptized ; and 19 under Rev. Mr. Newcomb, and 15 baptized. The present number of church members is about 130. Simeon Platt was elected deacon Dec. 27, 1827, Anson Bradley and Elliost Beardsley, June 21, 1855 ; Nelson W. Mitchell, May 4, 1860 ; and George A. Hoyt, April 30, 1864.
The first church in South Britain was located just in front of the present church, and its foundations were buried when the present beautiful church was built. This people, secluded among the hills, having what is always proper, a respectful appreciation of them- selves, have nourished their vine of the Lord's planting in their own way, well knowing that no " outside persons " so well know their own wants as themselves, and have, so far as the writer knows, received a friendly greeting from all the " outside world."
During the Great Rebellion, Southbury, like the parent town, did its full duty, after the magnitude of the contest became appa- rent. Aug. 9, 1862, Aaron H. Shelton, Almon B. Downs, Geo. S.
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HISTORY OF ANCIENT WOODBURY.
Bostwick, Charles Whitlock and Geo. A Hoyt, were appointed a Committee by the town to solicit funds for a bounty to be paid to volunteers. On the 14th of the same month, a bounty of $250 was voted to each volunteer. A committee was appointed at the same meeting, consisting of the above named gentlemen, " to in- quire after and keep intelligence of the location of all soldiers that have gone, or should go from this town, in all the Connecti- cut regiments, learn their wants, and solicit such aid for them, from time to time, of our citizens, as shall be necessary." On the 26th of August, the same year, the town voted to pay the nine months men a bounty of $125. On Sept. 2d, the town voted to add $75 to this bounty. On the 10th Sept. it was voted to pay $200 to such men as should be drafted.
On the Ist of August, 1863, a town meeting was held, and a bounty of $300 was voted to all persons, not exceeding fifty, " who will volunteer to defend this State, in case of invasion, or a war within the States, and will hold themselves in readiness at all times to enlist and serve as such volunteers, whenever their ser- vices may be required to repel invasion, or sustain the laws of. this State." No such "Home Guards " were ever required, and no money under this vote was ever expended. At the same meet- ing it was voted to pay a bounty of $300 to each man who should be drafted into the service of the United States-and also to hire substitutes at the same price for those who should be drafted, and did not wish to go to the war, or for whom it was not convenient to go. On the 15th of August, 1864, the town voted to pay vol- unteers $300, and to drafted men, or men who furnished substi- tutes, $400. On the 15th of Sept., 1864, Elisha Wheeler, Esq., was appointed a committee to fill the town's quota under the eall for 500,000 men, and was authorized to give drafted men a bounty of $500. On the 8th of December, 1864, the town voted to pay a bounty of $300 to any man who should procure a substitute. This was the last vote touching the war.
By returns made to the Secretary of State, it appears that Southbury paid, during the war, for volunteers and substitutes, $8,050, and all other war expenses were $12,000 .- Some $1,150 was paid as commutation money by individuals.
The following is a list of the men the town furnished during the war, viz :-
HISTORY OF ANCIENT WOODBURY. 1403
Andrews, Treat D.
Laspi, Charles,
Adams, George,
Menkers, John,
Averill, Perry, Capt.
McEwen, John,
Atwood, Joseph,
Abbott, John B.
Marsh, George W. Murphy, Michael,
Booth, Ira M.
Murphy, Wm. H.
Beecher. Lt. Wm. C.
Murphy, Thomas O.
Bradley, Peter,
Murphy, Patrick,
Bottsford, Edward,
Nesley, Henry.
Bradley, Lyman F.
Ohngemarch, John,
Bray, Wm. H.
Pulford, Hobart H.
Booth, Legrand E.
Peters, Lewis,
Bentley, Conrad,
Price, B. M. W.
· Bennett, Wm.
Peck, Herbert V.
Bailey, Sylvester B.
Peck, Erastus F.
Bronson, John G.
Richards, Henry W.
Bonnell, James A.
Roch, Simeon,
Butler. John,
Rogers, Phillip,
Bassett, George,
Richardson, Samuel,
Ball, Hiram,
Steers, Wm. H.
Canfield, Wm. H.
Saunders, George,
Candee, Fred.
Sherman, Geo. H.
Cutts, Wm. H.
Sweeney. John,
Davis, Chas. B.
Squire, Oscar,
Downs, Edwin L.
Smith, Thomas,
Daley, John,
Smith, Charles,
Dede, John,
Smith, John,
Diamond, John,
Schreger, Felix,
Donglass, Hugh,
Salmon, Thomas B.
Fagan, James,
Seeley, Chauncey,
Garlick, Charles S.
Thompson, John M.
Green, James W.
Vogel, Julius,
Gordon, George,
Wentz, George,
Ganong, Kniffin J.
Wentz, Frederick,
Hall. John,
Wentz, Martin,
Hitchcock, Henry,
Welch, John.
Hill, Austin H.
Warner, Samuel,
Hayes, Franklin B.
Wheeler, Merit B.
Jaekl ., Joseph,
Whitlock, Rusford,
Kaltabern. Wm.
Warner, Theodore,
Lanugro, Petro, .
Whitmore, Francis.
Lindsey, Leverett,
36
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HISTORY OF ANCIENT WOODBURY.
Within a few years a neat little Episcopal Church has been erected on the site of the old Shadrack Osborn mansion. It will be remembered that this was the head-quarters for commissary stores and recruiting during all the Revolutionary War. Since the last writing, the Union Church edifice, at Southford, has been renovated and repaired, as well as the Brick School House. This quiet inland town keeps on in the " even tenor of its ways." Its population, by the last census, is 1,319. In 1860, it was 1,346 -a loss of 27, which is not a large one, when we consider the waste of the late war.
BETHLEHEM, 1
At the date of the last edition, Rev. Mr. Loomis was the pastor of the Congregational Church in Bethlehem. He had been ordained and installed over the church, Jan. 29, 1850. Mr. Loo- mis is a native of Massachusetts, and a graduate of Williams Col- lege. He was dismissed from the Pastorate, at his own request, June 5th, 1860. He continued to reside in Bethlehem until 1868, when he removed to Greenfield, Mass., where he at present re- sides. He supplied the pulpit of the Ist church in that place for one year.
Rev. Ephraim M. Wright, the eighth Pastor, was ordained and installed, July 2d, 1861. Mr. Wright is a native of Massachu- setts. He entered the ministry in middle life, having been, for many years previous, engaged in teaching, and political life. At one time he was Secretary of State (Mass). He was dismissed from the Pastorate Oct. 2d, 1866. For four years he supplied the church in Terryville. He is at present at the West.
Rev. George W. Banks, the present Pastor, was ordained and installed Oct. 3d, 1866. He is a native of Greenfield Hill, Fair- field County, Conn ; graduated at Yale College in 1863, and at the Yale Theological Seminary, in July, 1866.
The following persons are to be added to the list of deacons of the church given in the old edition. William R. Harrison, Nov. 3d, 1867. Theodore Bird, Nov. 3d, 1867. Present number of church members, 130.
1 Bethlehem has always been the name of the Society, but when the charter of the town was granted, by a clerical error it was called Bethlem. By special act, May Session, 1864, the name was changed to Bethlehem.
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HISTORY OF ANCIENT WOODBURY.
The Episcopal Society has gone on with a decided material prosperity. During the last year, it has repaired and re-built its church edifice.
The Methodist Society has built a new and commodious church edifice, and has much increased the " borders of its Zion."
The war record of Bethlehem, as given by its clerk, is substan- tially as follows :-
"At a special meeting of the town, held Aug. 8th, 1862, a bounty of $100 was voted to volunteers to fill the town's quota. On the 11th of September, the bounty was increased to $125 to each volunteer. On the 27th of July, 1863, it was voted to pay $200 bounty to every man who should be drafted and serve in the United States service, or who should furnish an acceptable substi- tute. At a special meeting, held Feb. 25, 1864, it was voted to pay the town's recruiting officer whatever sum he should find ne- cessary to fill the quota of the town. At a special meeting, Aug. 25, 1864, it was voted to pay a bounty of $500 to each volunteer, substitute, or drafted man. Nov. 14, 1864, it was voted to pay $300 to each person liable to draft, provided he served, or put in a substitute. In the latter case, the payment was conditioned on the payment by the military subject of $100 out of his own pocket. There was at this time a provision by which military subjects could put in a substitute for three years before a draft, and be exempt from draft for that period.
The whole amount paid for bounties during the war was $11,- 066,66, commutation $300; other war expenses, $320.83-estima- ted amount paid by individuals for bounties to volunteers and sub- stitutes, 84,750.
The list of volunteers, drafted men and substitutes from the town, is as follows :-
Baldwin, Charles,
Ferry, John,
Baldwin, Tevi,
Foot, Isaac,
Burke, Edward,
Garvey, Michael,
Burr, Andrew W.
Gilbert, James H.
Boyce, Joseph,
Hogan, John, Hubbard, Henry J.
Clary, Felix,
Crane, Wm. B.
Hayden, John,
Dugan, Francis,
Howard, Patrick,
Duffee, John,
Flynn, William,
Hunt, Daniel, Jorie, John,
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HISTORY OF ANCIENT WOODBURY.
Johnson, Oliver,
Northrop, Dexter A.
Kasson, Alexander D.
Northrop, Harson B.
Kasson, Edgar N.
Northrop, John K.
Le Blanc, Louis,
Oswald, James,
Lounsbary, Albert J.
Rourke, Patrick,
Monagha, Peter,
Stewart, Theodore,
Mcgee, Richard, Jr.
Tolles, Abram B.
McBride, Thomas,
Williams, George,
Nash, Olin,
Waldron, Philip L.
The present population of Bethlehem, by the census of 1870, is 750-a loss of 65 from the census of 1860. Small as it is, it has had its full share of the historical honors of the State.
WASHINGTON.
Rev. Ephraim Lyman was pastor of the church in Judea Society, in Washington, at the date of our last edition. He was installed Pastor of this church, June 30th, 1852, and was dismissed June 3d, 1863. The following Preamble and Resolution was passed concerning his resignation :-
Whereas, The Rev. Ephraim Lyman has tendered his resigna- tion as Pastor of this Church and Society, and Whereas continued feeble health will not permit him to perform that amount of min- isterial labor which in his judgment the highest good of this peo- ple requires ; therefore,
Resolved, That while we as a church unite with our Pastor and Society in requesting the Council of Consociation to dissolve the relation between him and this Church and Society, we do this with reluctance and heartfelt sorrow, that we are thus to be de- prived of the services of one, whose ministrations have been pre- eminently faithful, fearless, kind and true. In his study, in the Sanctuary, at the bed-side of the sick and dying, in the house of mourning, or of joy-in all positions, he has been among us the Christian man and minister, one who needeth not commendation from us, his praise being in all the churches. May the Lord give him health and strength to resume, enlarge, and perfect, with joy, his labor of love for man.
During the interval between his dismission and the settlement of the present Pastor, the desk was supplied by different individ- uals, from four weeks to eleven months each,-the Rev. Wm. H.
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HISTORY OF ANCIENT WOODBURY.
H. Murray, now of Park street church, Boston, the greatest length of time.
The Rev. Willis S. Colton, a graduate of Yale, Class of 1860, was installed, August 21st, 1866, and is the present Pastor.
Deacons appointed have been, Stephen S. Baldwin, Sept. 1849. Samuel Frisbie, Sep5, 1860. Charles L. Hickox, Jerome S. Kin- ney, July, 1867, and Simeon D. Ford, 1869.
Under Mr. Lyman's ministry, seventy-five persons were bap- tized. Interval between Mr. Lyman's and Mr. Colton's ministry, eleven. During Mr. Colton's seventy-one. To the church under Mr. Lyman, eighty, principally as fruits of revivals in 1851 and 1858, were added to the church. Under Mr. Murray, twenty-four. In 1864, under Mr. Colton, eighty-three, principally as fruits of a revival in 1868. The present number of resident members is 240.
In New Preston Society, there have been dissensions, and a new church and society has been formed, with its location in Marble Dale, " under the hill." As is usual in such dissensions, they have not " aided the work of the Lord,"
Washington, as a good, patriotic town, having been incorpo- rated in the very midst of the Revolutionary War, and having re- ceived the name of the " father of his country," at that early hour of supreme trial, did its full duty during the war of the Rebellion.
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