Hartford  County in the News
Page 2

Extracts from Newspapers

Hartford, May 8^th, 1766: Last Monday evening the long expected, joyful news of the total repeal of the Stamp Act arrived in town; upon which happy event, the General Assembly of this colony, now sitting here, appointed the Friday following as a day of general rejoicing. The morning was ushered in by the ringing of bells-the shipping in the river displayed their colors-at 12 o'clock twenty one cannon were discharged, and the greatest preparations making for a general illumination. Joy smiled in every face, and universal gladness diffused itself through all ranks and degrees. But sudden was the transition from the height of joy to extreme sorrow! A number of young gentlemen were preparing fire works for the evening, in the chamber of the large brick school house, under which a quantity of powder granted by the Assembly for the purposes of the day, was deposited. Two companies of militia had just received a pound a man, by the delivery of which a train was scattered from the powder cask to the distance of three rods from the house, where a number of boys were collected, who undesignedly and unnoticed, set fire to the scattered powder, which was soon communicated to that within doors, and in an instant reduced the building to a heap of rubbish, and buried the following persons in its ruins, viz.

Mr. Levi Jones, John Knowles, (an apprentice to Mr. Thomas Sloan, blacksmith,) and Richard Lord, second son to Mr. John Hans. Lord, died of their wounds soon after they were taken from under the ruins of the building. Mr. William Gardiner, merchant, had both his legs broke. Doct. Nathaniel Ledyard, had one of his thighs broke. Mr. Samuel Talcott, Jun. very much burnt in his face and arms. Mr. James Siley, goldsmith, had one of his shoulders dislocated and some bruises in the other parts of his body. Mr. John Cook, Jun. had his back and neck much hurt. Ephraim Perry, slightly wounded. Thomas Forbes, wounded in his head. Daniel Butler, (the tavern keeper's son,) had one of his ankles put out of joint. Richard Burnham, son to Mr. Elisha Burnham, had his thigh, leg, and ankle broke. Eli Wadsworth, (Capt. Samuel's son,) is much wounded and burnt, in his face, hands, and other parts of his body. John Bunce, Jun. (an apprentice to Mr. Church, hatter,) wounded in the head. Normond Morrison, (a lad that lives with Capt. Siley,) a good deal burnt and bruised. Roderick Lawrence, (Capt. Lawrence's son,) slightly wounded. William Skinner, (Capt. Daniel's son,) had both his thighs broke. Timothy Phelps (son to Mr. Timothy Phelps, shop joiner,) had the calf torn off one of his legs. Valentine Vaughn, (son to Mr. Vaughn, baker,) had his skull terribly broke. Horace Seymour, (Mr. Jonathan Seymour, Jun. son,) two sons of Mr. John Goodwin, a son of Mr. John Watson, and a son of Mr. Kellogg, hatter, were slightly wounded. Two mulatto and two negro boys were also wounded.
Conn. Gazette, May 31, 1766.

Hartford, September 22d, 1766-There are the greatest number of bears come down among the towns that ever was known; they destroy great quantities of Indian corn, and make great havoc among the sheep and swine. Last Tuesday morning a large he bear was discovered in an enclosure opposite the Treasurer's, and being pursued, he took to the main street, which he kept till he got to the lane that turns eastward by the south meeting house, (notwithstanding his being pelted from every part of the street, with stones, clubs, &c.) and was followed into the south meadow, where he was shot. The number of people that were out of doors, to see so uncommon an animal in the town made it dangerous to fire at him in the street. In the evening he was roasted whole, and a large company supped on him.
New London Gaz. Oct. 10^th, 1776

Hartford, November 10, 1778-On Tuesday last, were executed on Rocky Hill in this town, David Farnsworth and John Blair, who were tried and found guilty at a Division Court Martial, held at Danbury the 18^th inst., for being found about the encampment of the armies of the United States, as spies, and having a large sum of counterfeit money about them, which they brought from New York.

Hartford March 20, 1781-The following is an extract of his excellency General Washington's orders of the 17^th instant. Alexander Mc Dowall, late lieutenant and adjutant of Colonel Welles' regiment of the state troops of Connecticut, having been, by a general court martial of the line, held at Hartford the 7^th day of March, 1781, whereof Colonel Heman Swift was President, found guilty of desertion to the enemy, and by the said court martial sentenced to suffer death for the same, agreeable to the sixth section of the first Article of War; which sentence is ordered to be put in execution on Wednesday, the 21^st instant, at Hartford, between the hours of ten in the forenoon and three in the afternoon of the same day.

January 4, 1785-At the Supreme Court, now sitting in this city, the following persons have been convicted and sentenced, viz. Moses Parker, for horse stealing, to sit on a wooden horse half an hour, receive fifteen stripes, pay a fine of ?10, be confined in gaol and the work-house three months, and every Monday morning for the first month to receive ten stripes and sit on the wooden horse as aforesaid. 

Moses Fisk, of Middletown, for counterfeiting Treasurer certificate, to receive twenty stripes, pay a fine of ?20, and be confined six months.

Judah Benjamin, for polygamy, (he having married a wife in Symsbury, when he had another living in Massachusetts,) to receive ten stripes, be branded with the letter A, and wear a halter about his neck during his continuance in this State; and if ever found with it off, to receive thirty stripes.

The Supreme Court at their present session, has tried and convicted several persons of the crimes of forgery, horse stealing and bigamy, and the villains received their respective punishments.  One of the rogues was sentenced to ride the wooden horse, that wonderful refinement of punishment in our modern statutes.  Accordingly on Thursday last, the terrible machine was prepared-consisting of one simple stick of wood, supported by four legs; and by order of the sheriff placed on the State House square.  Hither the prisoner was conducted, and being previously well booted and spurred by the officer, was mounted on the oaken stud.  Here he continued for half an hour, laughing at his own fate, and making diversion for a numerous body of spectators who honored him with their company.  He took several starts for a race with the best horses in the city; and it was difficult to determine who were most pleased with the exhibition, the criminal or the spectators.  After this part of the sentence had been legally and faithfully executed, the culprit was dismounted and led to the whipping post, where the duties made him more serious.  The whole was performed with great order and regularity. Connecticut Courant, No. 1041

Connecticut Courant, June 12^th, 1797 - On Saturday the 10^th inst. the sentence of death was executed in this town (Hartford) upon Richard Done, a native of Ireland, for the murder of Daniel McIver, on the 4^th of July, A.D. 1796.  As there had not been an execution in this place for a considerable number of years, a large concourse of people collected from the neighboring towns to witness this melancholy spectacle.  It is generally thought there were from six to ten thousand persons present.

            At one o'clock, P.M. the people congregated on the east side of the State House in this city, from the portico of which the Rev. Mr. Strong delivered a sermon (by particular desire of the unhappy prisoner) from the following words of the prophet Hosea, chapter vi. verse 6.  For I desired mercy and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offering.   About three o'clock the prisoner, guarded by two companies of militia, attended by several clergymen, the high sheriff of the county of Hartford, and his deputies, proceeded to the place of execution; and at half past four, the scaffold was dropped from under him.  As he had from the first, so he to the last moment of his existence, persisted in denying his having been guilty of willful murder.  He told the same story uniformly.  On this occasion every part of the exercise was performed with the greatest decency and propriety; and we are happy to add, that amid such a number of people, no unfortunate accident took place.

Hartland, Litchfield County, Jan. 19, 1796 - There is now living in this town, one Mr. Jonas Wilder, in the 97^th year of his age, and is a steady, industrious man, seldom losing one day in a month by reason of infirmity and old age; he was one of the first settlers in said town, and has in this town lived near 36 years; he was then the oldest person that ever lived in said town and ever since has been, and still remains, the oldest person by several years.  He has had two wives and both of one name, both Christian and maiden, the last of which he hath lived with about 65 years; he has had 12 children and never lost one; his eldest child is now in the 73d year of his age, the youngest in his 47^th.  His sons, though but seven in number, have sustained the following honorable offices, beside town and society offices, viz. one Colonel, one Major, one Captain, two Lieutenants, three Justices of the Peace, three Representatives, and three Deacons.

His posterity was numbered in 1773, and found to be 232, of which he had lost only 16, and how many hath increased since then is unknown, as two lived near Boston, two at Upper Coos, and three at Genesee.  Conn. Courant.

Simsbury, (Wheetog,) July 28^th,  Last Saturday we had such a storm of hail as perhaps has not been known in the memory of man.  The forenoon of that day was extremely hot; about noon a very black cloud began to rise, which in about two hours produced a heavy rain, attended with violent thunder.  When the rain abated, there came on hail, which increased so much that the last hail stones which fell were supposed to be full the bulk of goose-eggs rather bigger than less.  It did much damage to the smaller and weaker animals and vegetables.  The apple trees, grain, and gardens were considerably damaged, as were also the shingles of some buildings, the glass suffered less than was expected.  Cut had not the hail fell considerably perpendicular, but little glass would have escaped.  Several of the hail stones were weighted, and amounted to three ounces each, so long after they fell that it was supposed one third of their magnitude was dissolved.  "Tis impossible to communicate a true idea of a phenomenon so rare, unexpected and terrible.

Hartford, July 25^th - In addition to the account in our last of the hail storm at Simsbury, we learn that it destroyed great quantities of English grain, but did more damage to rye than wheat; many large fields of the former having been since mowed for fodder, in which Jonathan Pettibone, Esq. Mr. Thomas Case, and others have great sufferers.  In the park of the above Case, a deer had one of his legs broke, and was otherwise so much wounded that he soon after died.  Several hogs had their backs broke, some of which died some days afterwards.  Some horses, and other large animals, were cut through the skin by the biggest and more ragged hail stones.  "Tis also to be noted, that great quantities of glass were broke, which the compiler of the former particulars was not apprized of when he communicated the same to us.

Connecticut Journal, June 22d, 1770 - We hear from Poquonnuck, a parish in the western part of Windsor, that about half an acre of the surface of the ground there has lately sunk or fallen to a considerable depth below the common surface or level; not unlike to what is frequently occasioned by earthquakes, though attended with no eruptions, either of water or fire; for which event no natural cause has as yet been assigned.  And it is more unaccountable, as the ground that is sunk was not contiguous to, or bordering upon any precipice or declivity, nor adjacent to any collection of water that should occasion it to sink.

Hartford, Feb. 27^th,1767 - One night last week, a panther having killed nine sheep in a yard at Windsor, the owner of the sheep, one Mr. Phelps, the next morning followed the panther by his track into a thicket about half a mile from his house, and shot him.  He was brought to this town, and the bounty of five pounds allowed by law, was paid for his head.  New London Gazette, No. 172.

From the Ancient Records of the town of Windsor:  Aug. 17^th, Mr. John Drake, Senr. Dyed accidentally, as he was driving a cart loaded with corn to carry from his house to his son Jacob's.  The cattle being two oxen and his mare, in the highway against John Griffin's, something scared the cattle, and they set a running, and he laboring to stop them, by taking hold on the mare, was thrown upon his face, and the cart wheele went over him, and broke one of his legs, and bruised his body so that he was taken up dead; being carried into his daughter's house, had life come again, but dyed in a short time, and was buried on the 18^th day of August; 59.

Extracts from the Wethersfield ancient town records

Feb. 1652.  The townsmen have hired Hugh Wells to beat the Drum for one whole yeare from the 25^th of Aprill from that time twelve month every night and morning for the setting of the watch and  off the watch in the morning, and for to beate it every Lords day the Lecture daies and for all other occasions of the townsmen shall stand in need and for the townsmen have promised to pay him four pounds.

It was voted that the bell should be rung noe more to call the Assembly together on the Sabbath, and Lecture days, but that the drum should henceforth be beaten at such times 26^th day 1660.

June 12, 1663.  At a town meeting at Wethersfield about a minister, it was voted whether the towne would hire Mr. Cotton for another yeare, and those that were of that mind should hold up their hands, and those that are of the contrary mind hold up your hands, and there was no hands holden up to the contrary.

April the 2d, (1665-6.)  The townsmen agreed with Sargeant John Killborne, to burne the woods belonging to the south end of the towne, (viz. the woods between us and Middletowne) at such a time or times as may be most convenient for the advantage of the towne, and they are to allow him for his paines, in this work: six shillings. At this time, they also agreed with Enoch Buck to burne the woods belonging to the other end of the towne.

July 3d, 1676.  At the same meeting Mr. Samll. Talcoat, Leut. Jon. Chester, Ensigne Goodridge, Sarget. Kilburne, and Sargt. Deming, together with the townsmen in being, were impowered to order the sitting of all persons in seats and places in the meeting house.

Oct. 16.  It was voted and agreed by the inhabitants of this towne, that the towne shal allow 12s. to every person that shal kill a wolfe in the bounds of this towne, wh. Together with, 8s. the county will be 20s.

At a towne meeting Lawfully assembled in Wethersfield on the 6^th day of July, Anno Domini 1710;--At this meeting Sergt. Nathll. Stadart and Jabez Whittlesey, were chosen to take the oversight of the youth that sit in the lower part of the meeting house, viz. all the youth that sit below, and James Butler chosen to have the oversight of the youth that sit in the galleries, these persons to have the care and oversight of ym. for one year or more, to endeavour the keeping of ym. in due order, and that they take especial care that said youth sanctifie the Sabbath and that they make no disturbance in the time of public worship.

Transcribed & Contributed by Marla S.
Source: Connecticut Historical Collections, John Warner Barber, pub. 1836