USA > Connecticut > Litchfield County > Litchfield > History of the town of Litchfield, Connecticut > Part 3
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Slavery can hardly be said to have existed in this town, during the present century, and it has for years been extinct, In the year 1800, only seven blacks were accounted slaves, though some born such are still living. During the eighteenth century, however, it existed here in a mild form, as it did in other parts of the State. The records of Wills and Distribu- tions, show, that a considerable proportion of the personal es- tate of the most opulent of our carly settlers consisted of ne- gro servants.
Formerly, by a law of this State, if debtors had no other means to pay their debts, they were assigned in service for that purpose. And it is said to have been common for poor foreigners, who could not pay their passage money, to stipulate with the Cap- tain of the Ship, that he might assign them to raise the money. Persons so assigned, were called Redemptioners, and several were so held in service in this town. Among them was Mat- thew Lyon, a native of Ireland, who was assigned to Hugh Hannah, of Litchfield, for a pair of stags, valued at £12. Ly- on was afterwards a Member of Congress from Vermont, and from Kentucky. He was convicted under the famous alien
' Morris' Statistical Account.
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and sedition law, and fined. The fine was subsequently remit- ted by Congress, to him or his heirs.
" There has been but one instance of murder in this Town, since its first settlement, and that was perpetrated by John Ja- cob, an Indian, upon another Indian in the month of Februa- ry, 1768. The murderer was executed the same year. *
There have been but three executions in this town for capi- tal offences ; and these include all which have taken place in the County of Litchfield. The first was the Indian above nam- ed. The second was a man by the name of Barnet Davenport, a native of New Milford, convicted of both murder and arson. He was executed on the 8th day of May, 1780, aged twenty years.
This murder, taken with all the attending circumstances, was one of the most inhuman, atrocious, and horrible deeds ever perpetrated in New England. From the criminal's own confession, it appears that his parentage and early education, were exactly calculated to produce his wicked life, and tragical end. Untutored and unrestrained by parental government, he was left to grow up at random, In the morning of life, no mor- ality was inculcated on him, and no sense of religion, either by precept or example. On the contrary he was from early years, unprincipled, profane, and impious. Before he was nine years old, he was expert in cursing and swearing, and an adept at mischief. At eleven years he began to pilfer ; at thirteen he stole money ; at fifteen he entertained thoughts of murder, and rapidly waxed harder and bolder in wickedness. At nine- teen he actually murdered a family in cold blood. As a friend- less, wandering stranger, he was taken into the house of Mr. Caleb Mallory, of Washington, and treated with the utmost kindness, in the month of December, 1779. Scarcely had two
* Some years since, when rebuilding a house on the Harwinton Turnpike road, near Spruce Brook, formerly occupied by one Graves, the workmen, under the bedroom floor, disinterred the bones of a man in very good preservation. It was supposed that the remains were those of a pedlar or fiddler who had been mur- dered. A Court of Enquiry was heid, but the investigation did not lead to the discovery of the murderer. Somne suspicious circumstances seemed to point out the guilty person, but enough was not proved to justify his arrest.
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months elapsed, before the murder was determined upon. The night of the 3d of February, 1780, was fixed on to ex- ecute the horrid purpose. With a heart hard as adamant, he lighted a candle, went into the lodging room of his benefactors, and beat them to death with a club. A little grand-child, be- ing with its grand-parents, shared the same fate ; and two oth- ers were left in sound sleep to perish in the flames. Having kindled a fire in three of the rooms, he fled, after robbing the house of its most valuable articles, from the murdered family and burning house. But from an accusing conscience, and from the hand of justice, which followed hard upon his steps, he was unable to flee. He was taken, and executed by the sen- tence of court, the May ensuing, at Litchfield.
The third was a man named Goss, for murdering his wife, in one of the northern towns of this County. The sentence of death was pronounced upon an inhabitant, though not a na- tive of this town, named Washburn, for bestiality, in the year 1801 .* But the evening before the day appointed for his execution, he put an end to his own life by taking laudanum."t In 1832, Robert Cantine of Goshen, was tried here for the murder of his wife, was convicted, and sentenced to be hung. Owing however to certain mitigating circumstances, his sentence was commuted by the Legislature, to imprison- ment for life in the State Prison. In 1835, Agostinho Rabello, a native of Portugal, was indicted for the murder of a lad in Washington, named Ferris Beardslee. He was acquitted by the Jury, solely on the ground of insanity. Rabello was sub- sequently confined for safe keeping, in our County Prison, and afterwards by special act of the Legislature, in the State Prison.
* It was in 1709. t Morris Statistical Account.
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CHAPTER VII.
Few towns in the State so far inland, suffered more in pro- portion to their population, than Litchfield, during the Revo- lutionary War. Almost every man of suitable age and ability was ready and willing to aid in person and otherwise, our infant Republic in its struggles for existence. With few exceptions, the purest Patriotism pervaded all, attended with a perfect understanding of their Chartered Rights and Privileges. Their hearts were loyal to their sovereign, but they would not submit to Tyranny, and were prompt to sustain their brethren in other Colonies, in resistance to unconstitutional oppression.
The spirit manifest in the following proceedings of this Town, (drawn up by Gov. Wolcott, a signer of the Declaration of Independence,) upon the blockade of Boston, before the War of the Revolution, renders them worthy of remembrance.
" The Inhabitants of Litchfield, in legal Town Meeting as- ·sembled, on the 17th day of August 1774, taking into conside- ration the Distress to which the Poor of the Town of Boston, may likely be reduced, by the operation of an Act of the Brit- ish Parliament, for Blocking up their Port, and deeply comm ..- erating the unhappiness of a brave and loyal People, who are thus eminently suffering in a General Cause, for vindicating what every virtuous American considers an essential Right of this Country, think it is their indispensible Duty, to afford their unhappy distressed brethren of said Town of Boston, all rea- sonable Aid and Support ; and this they are the more readily induced to do, not only as the Inhabitants of said Town are thus severely condemned for their reluctance to submit to an arbitrary, an unconsented to, and consequently unconstitutional Taxation, but the whole of the great and loyal Province of the Massachusetts Bay, have been condemned unheard, in the loss of their Charter Privileges, by the heretofore unknown and unheard of exertions of Parliamentary Powers, which they conceive is a Power claimed and exercised in such a manner as cannot fail of striking every unprejudiced mind with Horror
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and Amazement, as being subversive of all those inherent, es- sential and Constitutional Rights, Liberties and Privileges, which the good people of this Colony have ever held sacred, and even dearer than Life itself, nor ever can wish to survive ; not only every idea of Property, but every emolument of civil life, being thereby rendered precarious and uncertain.
In full confidence therefore, that no Degree of Evil thus inflic- ted on said Town and province, will ever induce them to give up or betray their own and the American constitutional Rights and Privileges, especially as they cannot but entertain the most pleasing Expectations, that the Committees of the seve- ral North American Provinces, who are soon to meet at Phila- delphia, will in their wisdom, be able to point out a Method of Conduct, effectual for obtaining Redress of their grievances, a method to which, (when once agreed upon by said Committee) this Town will look upon it their duty strictly to attend. And in the mean time earnestly recommend, that subscriptions be forthwith opened in this Town, under the care of Reuben Smith, Esq., Capt. Lynde Lord, and Mr. William Stanton, who are hereby appointed a Committee to receive and forward to the Selectmen of Boston, for the use of the Poor in that place, all such Donations as shall be thereupon made for that purpose ; as also to correspond with the Committee of Correspondence there or elsewhere, as there may be occasion.
We also take this opportunity publickly to return our thanks to the members of the Honorable House of Representatives of this Colony, for their patriotic and loyal Resolutions, passed and published in the last Assembly on the occasion, and order them to be entered at large on the public Records of this Town, that succeeding ages may be faithfully furnished with authen- tic Credentials of our inflexible attachment to those inestima- ble Privileges, which we and every honest American glory in esteeming our unalienable Birthright and Inheritance."
Upon the commencement of the War, this Town with vigor entered into the contest. The principal business at Town Meetings for several years, seems to have been the adoption of measures to sustain the cause, and to carry into effect the or- ders and acts of the Council of Safety, and of the Legislature ;
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soldiers were encouraged to enlist ; their pay was guaranteed . by the Town ; bounties were granted them; provisions were provided for their Families, and clothing for the soldiers. In the year 1777, eight continental Battalions were raised in this State, of which the Quota belonging to this Town was 92.
A large proportion of those taken Prisoners at Fort Washing- ton, were from this Town ; about thirty of whom died in the Prison ships, and other Prisons in New York. Throughont the War, our young men were constantly enlisted into the Army. The Militia were fully organized, and drafts were continually made upon them. In times of alarm they would turn out all- most en masse. Our Litchfield Troops, were found at the eap- ture of New York, on the Connecticut coast, on the Hudson, at Boston, at Ticonderoga, and Crown Point, at the surrenders of Burgoyne and Cornwallis, the capture of Stoney Point, in the Battles of White Plains, Trenton, and Princeton, and in al- most every military transaction, worthy of note, during the eventful struggle.
The following is from a paper of Payne K. Kilbourn :
"We recently had put into our hands several MSS., left by the late Col. BEZALEEL BEEBE, of Litchfield, from which we glean the following facts and names. The annexed document, which sufficiently explains itself, contains the autographs of each individual whose name is attached to it. This regiment, which, it will be seen, was raised previous to the Declaration of Independence, was designed for the defence of New York. When it was known that Capt. Beebe had received orders to raise a company for that service, the enthusiasm of the Whigs was unbounded. A veteran who died within the last few years, stated that when the news reached him, he started on a run for the captain's head quarters, fearing the roll would be full before he arrived. Capt. B. received his orders on a Sunday, and by the following Saturday, the company had been raised, armed and equipped, and were on the march toward Fairfield.
We the Subscribers being convinced of the Necessity of a body of Forces to defeat certain Wicked Purposes, formed by the Instruments of Ministerial Tyranny, do solemnly engage ourselves and Inlist as Private Soldiers, in a Regiment to be
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170936
Commanded by Col. Andrew Ward, Jr., under the command of Maj'r General Lee, for the Term of Eight Weeks at the ut- most, from the Day we March from Fairfield, which is the place of Rendevouz ; the Hon'ble Maj'r General Lee having Given his Word and Honor, that we shall not be Detained a single Day after said Term.
Dated af Litchfield, 21st day of January, 1776.
Briant Stoddard,
Elihu Harrison,
James Woodruff,
Roger N. Whittlesey,
Oliver Woodruff, Phineas Goodwin,
Charles Woodruff, Jr.
Joseph Sanford.
Caleb Munson,
George Dear,
Abraham Wadhams,
Jacob Gaylord,
Martin Nash,
Abram Beach,
Oliver Griswold,
Elihu Grant,
Zadock Gibbs, Jr.
Ichabod Tuttle,
Josiah Bartholomew, Jr. George Dear, Jr.
Chauncey Beach,
Elisha Mayo,
Adino Hale,
Nathaniel Newell,
Allen Lucas,
Luman Bishop,
William Starr.
Asaph Benham,
Joseph Finney,
Heber Gilbert, Jr.
Peleg Holmes,
Zebulun Palmer,
Alexander Sackett,
Joseph Peters,
Joel Barnes,
Luther Comstock,
Zebedee Sturtevant,
Daniel Swan,
Martin Curtiss,
Truman Gilbert,
Heman Brown,
Levi Swan.
Those who have a knowledge of the leading men in Litch- field county fifty or sixty years ago, will recognize in the above list, the names of many of her most prominent and influential citizens-men of wealth and enterprise, who, though surround- ed by the endearments of domestic life, voluntarily enlisted as private soldiers in that dangerous expedition. They were mainly from the towns of Litchfield, Torrington, Goshen and Warren, and were all enlisted from the 21st to the 25th of January.
Litchfield, 26th January, A. D. 1776.
We the subscribers, being requested to apprise the Arms belonging to Capt. Bezaleel Beebe's company, in Col. Andrew Ward's Regt., going on an expedition to New York under the
Jesse Stanley,
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command of General Ch. Lee ; we accordingly apprised the same, being first duly sworn, viz : [We omit the figures. ]
Elihu Harrison's Gun, Bayonet and Cartridge Box, in his own hands.
Roger N. Whittlesey's Gun, in the hands of Briant Stoddard.
- Joseph Sanford's Gun, Bayonet and Belt in his own hands. Nathaniel Allen's Gun, Bayonet and Belt in his own hands.
Obed Stodder's Gun, Bayonet, Cartridge box and belt.
Joshua Smith's Gun in his own hands.
Zebulon Bissell's Gun in his own hands.
James Woodruff's Gun carried by Stephen Brown.
Phineas Goodwin's Gun, Bayonet and Belt.
Whiting Stanley's Gun carried by James Crampton.
Oliver Woodruff's Gun carried by himself.
Hezekiah Agard's Gun carried by John Lyman.
Jedediah Strong's Gun, Bayonet and Belt carried by William Patterson.
Jedediah Strong's Gun carried by Frederick Stanley.
Lieut. Jonathan Mason's Cartridge box.
Samuel Canfield's Gun carried by himself.
Noah Garnsey's Gun carried by T. Weed.
Sergt. Benj. Bissell's Gun and Bayonet carried by himself.
Asa Osborn's Gun and Cartridge box carried by himself.
Jedediah Strong's Gun carried by Benj. Taylor.
Reuben Smith, Esq.'s Gun, Bayonet, Case and Belt carried by Capt. Beebe.
Capt. John Osborn's Gun carried by Moses Taylor.
ABRAHAM BRADLEY, Apprisers THOMAS CATLIN,
OBED STODDOR. S on oath.
At a later date of the same year, (1776,) thirty-six picked men were placed under command of Capt. Beebe, to aid in the defence of Fort Washington, near New York. On the 16th of November, as is well known, the Fort, after a desperate resis- tance on the part of its defenders, fell into the hands of the British, and all the Americans were either killed or made pris- oners. The subsequent treatment and sufferings of the pris- oners, (who were confined in the Sugar House and on board the prison-ships,) is perhaps without a parallel in the history of the wars of any civilized nation. Crowded into a narrow space, without air, and for the first two days without food, con- tagion and death was the natural consequence. The dysenta- ry, small pox, and other terrible diseases broke out among
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them, and very few of the whole number survived the terrible ordeal. On the 27th of December, an exchange of persons took place ; but only cight of those who survived, (viz. Marsh, Woodruff, R. Loomis, B. Beach, N. Beach, Marshall, Brunson and Benedict, were able to sail for Connecticut,-four of whom,. (Marsh, B. Beach, Marshall and Loomis,) died on the way. The remainder of those who were living at that date, being too sick to be removed, were left behind, where all, with a single exception, (Sergt. Mather,) died within a few days-most of them with the small pox.
Here follow the names of the soldiers alluded to. The notes prefixed, appear to have been added at the different periods corresponding with the dates.
'An Account of the Prisoners Names and Places of Confinement. Sergt. Cotton Marther, returned home.
Sergt. David Hall, died of the small pox on board the Grosve- ner, Dec. 11, 1776.
Elijah Loomis, died.
Gershom Gibbs, died on board the ship, Dec. 29, 1776.
Timothy Stanly, died on board the ship, Dec. 26, 1776.
Amos Johnson, died Dec. 26, 1776.
Timothy Marsh, died on his way home.
Berius Beach, died on his way home.
Samuel Vaill, died on board the Grosvener, Dec. 27, 1776.
Nathaniel Allen, died of the small pox, Jan. 1, 1777.
Enos Austin, died of the small pox, Dec. 4, 1776, in the evening. Gideon Wilcoxson, died.
Thomas Mason, reached home.
Alex'r McNiel, died.
Daniel Smith, died in New York, of small pox. Jan. 1, 1777. Noah Beach, reached home.
Daniel Benedict, reached home.
Isaac Gibbs, died Jan. 15, 1777.
Oliver Marshal, died on his way home.
Solomon Parmely, went on board the ship, and I fear he is drowned, as I cannot find him.
David Olmsted, died Jan. 4, 1777.
Jered Stuart, died Jan. 26, 1777, in the morning.
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John Lyman, died Jan. 26, 1777. Elisha Brownson, died on his way home.
The above Prisoners are at Livingston's Sugar House.
Zebulon Bissel, died at Woodbury on his way home.
Aaron Stoddard, died Jan. 12, 1777.
John Parmely, died Jan. 15, 1777.
Joel Taylor, died Jan. 9, 1777.
James Little, reached home. Phineas Goodwin, died Jan. 5, 1777.
The above at the Church called the North Church.
Oliver Woodruff, reached home.
Remembrance Loomis, died on his way home.
The above at Bridwell.
The above Prisoners belong to Capt. Beebe's Company, Col. Bradley's Regiment.
Jeremiah Weed, Joseph Spencer, John Whiting,
Corp'l Sam'l Coe, ] Were either killed or made their escape from Fort Washington, on the 16th of Nov. 1776.'
Capt. Beebe, the commander of the above company, in con- sideration of his office, was allowed the limits of the city, but was compelled to provide himself with food, lodging, &c., or go without. He was accustomed to visit his men daily, so long as any remained, but could do little to alleviate their wretched condition. He was not exchanged with other prisoners, but was confined within the 'limits' for about a year, at his own expense."
I have recently found a Deposition made on the the Sd of May, 1777, before Andrew Adams, Esq., J. P., by Mr. Thomas Catlin, of this Town, (the Father of Doct. Abel Catlin,) who was a Lieutenant in the American Army at New York in 1776. Lieut. Catlin gives this account, in substance, of the treatment of himself and others by the British, viz :
That he was taken a Prisoner by the British Troops on New York Island, Sept. 15, 1776, and confined with a great. number in close Gaol, eleven days ; that he had no sustenance for forty-eight hours after he was taken, that for eleven whole days they had only about two days allowance, and their Pork.
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was offensive to the smell. That forty-two were confined in one house, till Fort Washington was taken, when the house was crowded with other Prisoners. After which they were informed they should have two-thirds allowance, which consist- ed of very poor Irish Pork, Bread hard, mouldy and wormy, made of canail and dregs of flax seed. That the British Troops · had good bread. Brackish water was given to the Prisoners, and he had seen $1 50 given for a common pail of water. On- ly between three and four lbs. of Pork was given three men for three days. That for near three months, the private sold- iers were confined in the Churches, and in one were eight hun- dred and fifty. That about the 25th of December, 1776, he and about two hundred and twenty-five others, were put on board the Glasgow at New York, to be carried to Connecticut for exchange. They were on board eleven days, and kept on black coarse broken bread, and less pork than before. Twen- ty-eight died during the eleven days ! They were treated with great cruelty, and had no fire for sick or well. They were crowded between decks, and many died through hard- ship, ill usage, hunger and cold.
The following facts appear in a letter written by Doet. Reu- ben Smith, dated at Litchfield, May 12th, 1777, relating to the Danbury alarm, &c. :
"Sunday morning, 27th April, about one o'clock, we were alarmed ; our people turned out spiritedly ; came up with rear of the enemy about eleven the next day, a little below Wilton Meeting House, and pursued them aboard their ships. Paul Peck was killed in the last attack on the enemy. Levi Peck, Thomas Peck's son, was wounded in the shoulder about the same time ; in Wilton, Ozias Goodwin was wounded in the arm, and Salmon Buel had one of his thighs broken, and the other shot through with the same ball.
The infamous Daniel Griswold, came into the western part of the Town, the morning before the alarm, and was there con- cealed till Monday, and took off to join the ministerial army, David Kilborn, Benjamin Kilborn's son Cha's, Isaac Kilborn's son Abraham, and Samuel Kilborn son to Giles Kilborn, Jon- athan Smith, Jr., and his brother Elisha, (who was enlisted in
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the light horse,) David Joy, Ephraim Bates, Benjamin Doolit- tle, Josiah Stone, and John Davies' youngest son David, and one John Beach of Woodbury who lived at Josiah Stone's.
The Wednesday following they were taken, (except Benja- min Doolittle, and Charles Kilborn, who it is said were killed in attempting to escape,) and were carried to Derby, where they were tried by a Court Martial, and Griswold was sentenced to be hanged ; which sentence was executed the Monday follow- ing, at New Haven. The rest were pardoned, upon their en- listing into the Continental Army during the War.
Governor Franklin, is confined in our Gaol, and a constant Guard is kept. We trust he will find it difficult to escape, should he attempt it. I understand, he utterly denies the charge of dispensing Pardons and Protections."
Of Paul Peck, alluded to in the Letter of Doct. Smith, it is said, " he was the most expert hunter of the time in which he lived. At the Danbury Alarm, he put his large Gun in order, and followed the enemy to Compo, on their retreat, and took a station behind a stone wall, and every shot told, until he was rushed upon by the enemy, who took his gun from him and dashed his brains out with it." He was killed April 28th, 1777, aged about seventy-five years.
During the War, Litchfield was a place of deposite, for Pro- visions, and other Continental Stores. Workshops for the Ar- my were established here, and Prisoners of War were confined in our Prison.
Mr. Matthews, the English Mayor of New York, was here as a prisoner of War. The first pleasure carriage, [a chair, ] brought into this Town, was by him presented to Mrs. Major Seymour, whose husband had the custody of the Mayor, and was in use as lately as A. D. 1812. The Mayor's Travelling Trunk, is still in this town in the possession of one of Major Sey- mour's descendants. Mr. Franklin, the gentleman spoken of by Doct. Smith as being confined in our Gaol, was the British Governor of New Jersey.
An Equestrian statue of King George the 3d was during the War transported to Litchfield, to be cast into Bullets for the use of our army. The Statue was imported from London. Among
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- the Archives of the British Government, Mr. John Romeyn Brodhead, the agent of the State of New York to procure Doc- uments in Europe relative to the Colonial History of that State, " recently found Letters giving an account of the erection of the Statue and of its demolition, from which I make the following extracts, viz :
Extract from a Letter from Lieut. Gov. Cadwallader Colden to Lord Hillsborough. Dated New-York, August 18, 1770.
" An equestrian guilt statue of the King, made by direction of, and purchased by this Colony, came over in one of the last ships from London. On Thursday last it was opened to view, erected on its proper pedestal, in a square near the Fort, and fronting the principal street of the city. I was attended on this occasion by the gentlemen of the Council, and members of Assembly, then in town, the magistrates of the city, the clergy of all denominations, and a very large number of the principal inhabitants. Our Loyalty, firm attachment and af- fection to his Majesty's person was expressed by drinking the King's health, and a long continuance of his reign, under a dis- charge of 32 pieces of cannon, a band of music playing at the same time from the ramparts of the fort. The General and and officers of the army gave us the honor of their company on the occasion. The whole company walked in procession from the fort, round the statue, while the spectators expressed their joy by loud acclamations, and the procession having re- turned with me to the fort, the ceremony concluded with great cheerfulness and good humour."
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