Connecticut Historical Collections

" From whence those dreams oiigmated, it is impossible to deterujine; whether the •weapons he carried to his bedsiile gave her uneasiness, and excited a jealousy in her mind of his intentions, or whether any of his conduet which fell under her observaiiun might be alarming to her, which might trouble her sleep, no one can tell. She has late- Iv mentioned sundry dreams of a similar nature, whnh she had near six monilis since. Some great and good characters have thought such iniimations were at times given from on high, to convince mankind of the reality of the invisible world — to hazaid such a conjecture in these modern days would [lerbaps be thougiil by the learned woild a great mark of fanaticism— every man must think for himsell.no one can pionoiinee with satisfactory certainly with respect to the oiigin and cause of such thoughts ia sleep, which so nearly correspond with the true state of fads. Her last dream penned by him was nearly literally verilied. Although the weather was serene and pleasant on the 10th and near full moon, neiihvr the sun or moon were visible from the time this horrid deed was done, until the bod\' of this man was laid beneath the clods, which redoubled the horror: when suddenly the wind blew from the northwest, dispelled the vapors and discovered a cloudless sky. The air giew cold, and the faces of the other five being opened to view in their coffins, in front of the meeting house, the concourse was so great that much time was spent to give opportunity for all to take a view ; the Cold still increasing, the bodies in all probability were stiffened with frost. " Mr. Beadle left sundry letters directed to his acquainiance, and one labored trea- tise in juslilication of his condiut ; they coiiiam many inconsistencies. He professes hiiiiMdl a Pcisl. but reprobates Atheism. AVhile in lile and prosperity, he claimed to be a Chiisti.in, and oth-red two of his children in bajnism. Much has' been said in fa- vor of publishing his wiiiing.s by those who have not seen them ; those who have pe- rused them doubt the pro|)riety of such a measure ; not because his reasonings against revelation were in any degree unaiiswemble, but lest they rni^hi have some effect on weak and melancholy rninds. He atiemfits to attack all rulers in Church and Siale, treats the Christian religion with a great degree of bitterness and bigotry ; and yet ab- surdly concludes by saying, 'ifitistrue he sliall be saved by it.' He is very unsettled, wavering and inconsisient in his own beloved system of Deism. Hellatteis hispiide by believing that it was ihe height of heroism to'dare to die by iiisown hands, and that the Deitv would not willingly punish one, who was impatient to visit his God and learn his will from his own mouih, face to face, in some future world or worlds, (which lie thinks may be many,) and seems to think there is as great probability of succeeding ndvantai.-.cou>ly, in removing from one world to another as from one country or calling to another; and seeing all men must be lugged off at last, (as he expresses it,) he was determineci to make the experiment voluntarily which all must do through necessity. As he was much out of temper with the world, he was unwilling any of his family should stay behind toencounter its troubles, and since 'tis a father'sduty to provide for his thick, he chose to consign them over to better hands. " 'Tis doubiful whether any history of modern times can afford an instance of simi- lar barbarity, even in the extreme distress of war. The ancients encouraged bv num- ' beis and example, did in hours of despair destroy themselves and lamilies, to avuid the shame of becoming captives to be led in triumph, and the cruelty commonly exer- cised in those barbarous ages « Your very humble Servaul." Weihcrsfieldf February^ 1783. I W E T 11 E 11 S F 1 E L D . \'2l Extracts from the JVcthersfield ancient town rtcorJs. Feb. 1653. The. town.smen have hiieJ llv^'h AVells to beat iheDivm lor one whole yeare frt>m ihf Sjth of Aprill IVum that lime twelve month every night and morning (or the selling oflhe watch and Ihe .... oli' ilie watch in ihe morning, and lor to heate it every Lords il;iy . . . . the Lectvrc duie.s ai](i for all other oo<'asioiis ol the lowns-mea shall stand in need for .... and for the town.-nien liave promised to pay him fovr p(wnd^. Tt was voted (hat ilie bell sho\'ld be rvn- noo more to call the Assembly together on the Sabbath, and Lectvre days, bvl thai the drvtn sliovld hencefoith be beaten at svch times -wJOih day IGGO. Jvne I2ih, lo(i3. At a town meeting at \Vether.-:,field abovt a minister, it was voted whether the townc would hire Mr. Cotton for another yeare, and those that were of that mind shovid hold vp their hnnds, and those that are of the contrary mind hold vp yovr hands, and there was no hands hidden vp to the contrary. April ihe 2d, (UiG5-G.) The townsmen agreed with Saigcant John Killbvrne, to bvrne the woods belonging to the sovth end of the towne, (viz. the woods beiwene vs and Middletowne) at sveh a time or times as may be most convenient for the advan- tage of the towne, and they are to allow him for his paiiies, in this work : six shillings. At this lime, lliey allso agreed vvith Enoch Bvck to bvrne the woods belonging to the other end of the towne, &:c Jvly 3d, 1G7G. At the same meeting' Air. Samll. Talcoat, Levt. Jon. Chester, En- signe Goodri(L'e, Sarget. Kilbvine and Sargt. Deming, together with the townsmen in being, were impoweied to order the sitting of all persons in seals and places in the meeting hovse. Oct. IG. It was voted and agreed by the inhabitants of this towne, that the towno shal allow I-2i'. to every person ihat stial kill a wolfe in the bovnds of this towne, wh. together With, b.s ihe covniy will be -JOs. At a towne meeting Lawfvllv assembled in Wethersfieldon the 6th day of Jvly, Anno Domini 1710;— At this meeting Sergt. Natlill. Siadart and Jabez Whittlesey, were chosen to take the oversight of 1 lie yovth that sit in the lower part of the meeting hovse, viz. all the vuvih ihat sit bidow, and James Bvtler chosen to have the oversight of ihe yovth that sit in llie galleries, these persons to have the rare and oversight of ym. for cue year or more, to endeavovr the kee|)ing of vm. in dve order, and thai they lake especial care Ihat said yovih sanctitie the Sabbath and that they make no distvi- bence in the timeof pvblio worsiii|». December the 8ih, l(iG5. At a town meeting at Wethersfield, it was voted and agreed, that Josiah Willard, shovid teach school lor iheensving yeare, and that for his encovragement therein, tiie town dDenga^je to allow him six povnds besides what will come in, in particvlar by the Scholars, and he to begin the work the Itiih of this instant. Fvrlher it was voted and agreed, that William ?\Iorris shovid look after the boys, on the Sabbalh day. to keep them Irom playing, and lor encovragement, the towne to al- low him tun shillings, IVrlher lie is logive an aceovnt of the names of the yovng men, that are disorderly. Dec. 13th, A. D. 171-1. It is also voated at this meeting, that all those who v.'ill kill old blackbirds shall have one penny pr. head as formerly, and that they are to bring them to ye select men that they may take aceovnt ofym. ' I Dec. 2Gth, 1G'J8. The minister's (Mr. Mix,) Rate to be paid in Corne at the prices following: viz. the best sort of upland winter wheat being clean from all trash : at five i shillings pr. bvshll. wheat of a meaner sort, at fovr shillings pr. bvsb. Rye al three shil- lings pr. bvshll. Indian Corne at two and sixpence per bvshll. p. 16 122 W E T H E II S F 1 F, I, 1) . The following inscriptions are upon moninnents in the yard by tlie first Congregational Cimrcli. Here lyes the uody or Leonard ('iiestkh, Aiimu.kii,* late or the town of Br,A- BY, AND SEVEHAI.J. OTIlKIl LonDSll ll'S IN LeU KSTEIt.SU 111 E, DEcEAbEl) IN Wk-IIIKUSEFI I D Anno Domini 1618. Etati^ 'i!^. The above is copied from one of the oldest monnments in the State. The tradition is, that I\lr. Chester, wjio was one of the first settlers of VVethersfield, having some business to perform in the south part of the town, which was tlien a wilderness, became lost in the woods. Being missed, his neighbors went in search of him, making noises in the woods, and uttering lamentations. After a lapse of several days, his neighbors had the good fortune to meet with him on a mountain in Berlin, which has ever since been called Mount l.amLinalion. The device which appears at the head of the inscription on his monument, has been the subject of much speculation. By some it has been believed to be a representation of some demon in the form of a fieiy (lying serpent, which according to the legend of the tin)cs, appeared to Mr. Chester while in the wilderness. Upon examination, liowever, it appears to have been nothing more than a rude attempt to engrave the family coat of arms. The Beadle family are buried in the northeastern part of the yard. The following inscription, said to have been written by the Hon. John Davis of Boston, is upon a slab of sandstone, lying horizontally, being raised about three feet from the ground by brick work underneath. Here lie interred, Mrs. Lydia Rkaut.e, aged 32 j'ears. Ansell, Lolhrop, Elizabeth, Lydiaand Mary Beadle, her cliildren. Tlie eldest a^^ed II years, the youngest (] years. Who on the morning of the llih of Dec. A. D. nS'2, I'ell by the hands of William This is a I^alin word, equivalent to Esquire. WINDSOR 123 Beadle, an infurialed man, who closed the horrid sacrifice of his wife and children with his own destruction. Pale round their grassy tombs bedcw'd with tears, Flu the thin forms of sorrows and of fears; Sul\ sighs rcspunsive swell to plaintive chords, And ladii/naliu/is half unsheath their swords.