Connecticut Historical Collections

I :•: ' ■^ ten informed his friends, that he himself expected to live again in the form o( a large !• ■ , white horse. Besides a number of pamphleis in the controversy with New York, he j • ' published in 1770 a iKiriaiive of his ubservalions during his captivity, wJiich has been ; • >■ 1 , lately reprinted; a vindication of the opposition of the inhabitants of Vermont to the i . government of New York, and their right to form an independentstale, 1770; and Al- ■ ■■ leu's theology, or the oracles of reason, ]7S(;. This last work was intended to ridicule t the doctrine of Moses and the prophets. It would be unjust to bring against it the charge of having elfccted great mischief in the world, for few have had the patience to read it." Oliver Wolcoti, signer of the Dcclaiation of Imlependence, was for I .. , many years a resident of this town : he was a native of East Windsor, I .,'■'■ f* born Dec. 1st, 11)16, and was the son of the Hon. Roger Wolcott, pov- t "'•. ernor of the colony of Conncctictit. He was graduated at Yale Col- ■ lege in 1747. i . "He comiiianded a company of soldiers in 1748, in the war against the French, in , Canada. . After one camjuugn, he rclircd lioni military service, studied the profe.s.^icni of physic, aud commenced the practice m Goshen. In the year 1751, he was appoiat- ' /'■■■.. , 58 458 I. I T C II F I E I. D . ed high sheriff of Litchfield county, removed to this town, and continued in (he office of sheriff 111! the year 177-2. He repieseiiled this town in the General AsMinMv, m the year 1770. In tiie year 177"3, he was chosen a member of the council. In 177"J iieua.s appointed judge ol probate for the district of Litchlield. In the year 1771 he was ap- jKiinted judge of the court of common plea.s. In the year 1775, Jie wa.s chosen a repre- sentative in Congress, and was present at the declaration of independence. lie cim imued a member of the council till the year 176(3, and was then chosen lieiu. governor of this state. In this office he coniinued till the year 17'.HI, ami was then chosen govei- nor; and in this office he died, Dec. l>t, 17D7. The duties ol'all these stations he dis- charged with unshaken integrity and firmness ; courted favors from no man ; and nei- ther sought nor obtained any end by intrigue, or from interested motives. Me was.sin- gularly modest, and even diffident, in his intercouise witii men, in the common wall;s of life. Those whn best knew this gentleman, well knew that the highest trust was never improperly placed in him. Two questions only were asked liy liini, while di.s-, charging the duties of the several offices of high responsibility, which he helil, viz. What is right ■] and, What is my duty ? He possessed a benevolent heart, and was warm in his friendships; a lirrn I'liend to order; a promoter of ]ieace; a lover of reli- gion; and a tried, unshaken IViend to the institutions of the gospel. He was an inde- I'atigable student; and neither wasted his lime nor liis words. His mind was clear and penetrating; his views of political subjects, just and coniprehensivc; his discern- ment of the wisest means to promote the be.it end^, ready and exact ; anrl his ac(pKiinl- ance with science, particularly with theology, extensive. He had a remarkable talent at investigation ; and 'nothing satisfied him but proof.' He has lelt a name, which is a sweet savor to his surviving frn-nds ; and a livelv hope, that he is enjoying IJu: re- wards of the faithful in immortal bliss."— J/t>///i' IlisL u/ Litchjidd. Oliver Wolcott, son of the preccdiii^f, was boni in 17G0. When ii lad of 17, he lent his aid to the cause of his couiitiy : ho was present in the engagement with the British at the time of theii invasion of Dan- hury. On the formation of the IJ. S. governnient in 1789, he was ap- pointed (irst auditor of the treasury; and in 1791 he succeeded Gen. Hamikon as secretary of the treasury. In 1817 he was elected gover- nor of Connecticut, which office he held till 1827. lie was the last survivor of liie administration of Washington. He died in IN'cvv York, June 2d, 1833. Benjamin Tallmadi!;e, a major, and afterwards a colonel in the Revo- lutionary army, was a resideiu. of this town. lie was horn at IJrookha- ven, (L. I.) Peb. 25ih, 175 I. His fatlu-r was the clergyman of that place, lie was gradiiau.'d at \'alc.' C'i)llege in 1773. In 177G he en- tered the llevolutionary army, ami soon received a majur's C()mmis.->ion from Washington, who honored liim \\\\.\\ his confidence, and entrusted him with several hazardous and important services. lie was present in most of the general battles whicli took place with the main army in the northern states, at Long Island, White Plains, Jji-andywiiie, German- town, Monmouth, &ic., besides many smaller engagements, with the command of his own detachment. lie removed to liitchfield in 1781. In 1800 he was chosen a representative to Congress, lie was an ardent patriot and sincere Christian, lie dieil at Litchlield, JMarch 7th, 1S35. EXTR.4CTS KltoM NtVVSr.APEIiS. Lildijcld, Oct. G, 1761. Notice is hereby given, that there is now m Litchfield gaol, a mulatto fellow, who calls himself Caesar Sambo, about .[> feet 10 inches high, speaks good English, M'ell made and sprightly, and is about 25 years old: he says he is Irec, and that hcfoimcrly belonged to Oapt. Benjamin Green of Greenwich, (IMiode Island.) He was lately la- ken up in Norfolk, for traveling without a pass, ami by order of authority cnmniilted. It is suspected the fellow has been m company with a gang of negroes who have lately infested this part of the countiy. His mastei-, if he has any, may have him iijion j'ay- 1 LITCHFIELD. 459 in<^ diaries, and if no owner appear, ho Will soon be di-pospil of in service, \o answer tlie c:oJ.l accorJinL; lu law. John jNkwbui k, lJ,io)L-r. TAlihfidJ, May lO^A, 17S1. I'.very species oT deception and villainy .s.-ems al present to he practiced: :^onle by dress anil uil\;s ini|iosc npon the unwary; othcr<-, ninJer ilie plain mask of itineranis, aeeonlpli^ll their deiesialile schemes. (Jne of tlie last description, on the night of the. ith ol May, came into Capt. Vaille's tavern of thi.', place, called forenteriainiiQeiU, and soon went lo his lod^an^: but alter the family were retired to re.st, he thought it time, after rilling the house of a calico gown, a camlet shin, and three pair of shins, with six dollars from a /'ellnw traveler, to take up his bed with all its furniture, and depart, and ]ias since eluded the diligent search of those who liave endeavored to detect him. It is to be iioped for the honor of liumari nature, that })eople will be vigilant in ejcposing this crime, as well as detecting future villainies; and that tavern Iveepers, in tins western jiarl of the. stale especially, would not put too implicit conlidencein strangers, for '■ they know nut at what liour of the night their ellects and beds may, by the thief be taken Connecticut Juunuil, \o. 9I'i. Lilchfidd, Nov. 15, 17S5. Last Wediie.sday Tlioinas Goss, late of Harkhamsted, was executed at this place, )>uisuant to the sentence of tlie Superior t.'ourt, lot liie murder of his wife. His de- fense, upon trial, was insanity; and for the space of several davs after his trial and condemnation, he appeared regular, and recpiested his allorney to make application to the General Assembly of the State, for a reprieve ; likewise desired the clercyman of this town to preach a sermon at Ins e.vecuiion, (if lie were not repiieved.) Viut very soon he resumed his former notions, that wizards and witches haunted him ; which ideas itseems he had ado|)ted, some time in October, 178-1 ; and under pretence that his wile was a witch, he al first justilictl his conduct in depriving her of life. Under such infatuation, he ordc^red his attorney, iii most jjeremptory language, not lo apply for a reprieve to any human tribunal; alleging, that his heavenly Father had forbidden all .such proceeiiings. He called himsell the second Lamb of God; said he was brother of Jesus Christ; and sometimes said he wa.-< tin- child, born of the woman, mentioned in the Revelation of Si. John, before whom ihe dragon .stood, ready to devour Iheclnld, &c. To such extravagant ideas, he added, tliat the sheriff could not hang him; that his heavenly Father would interposi> if the atienifit was made, and he be liberated ; and that Ihirly thousand males above liftciTi ye.irs would be instantly killed by theshock-,in North America. 1 \ : pertinaciously adhere. I losuch wild opinions to the last moment of iiis life. The niL,Hit pieceding his execution he slept well. In the forenoon of ilie same day, sleptcalmly a consideiable length of lime: — at dinner, ate heartily. On his waylo the gallows, auil while there, he appeared calm and unmoved; n(')t the least emotion could be discovered in his countenance; nor the leasl perturbation in his speech. On being told that he bad but twenty minutes to live, lie kneeled dovva u;,d ui;ido a short prayer, and consented that a elergyiu;ia piesent should pr:iy with lum, (although be had ret'used his allenlion to cither preaching or praying, and would not fVfii hear the .serinou preached on the day of his execution, pretending that God tor- bade him.) AVheii on the gallows, he said a (yiW words to the speciaiors, inculcating the general principles of morality ; such as that they had ought to bring up their fami- lies well, and obey the pieceptsof his heavenly Father, or they must be miserable. He declared he never murdered any person in his life excepting his wife; and the last word he said was, that he believed tlicslieriircould not hang him.