The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1876-06-05

widow Of Jonathan Peck. By thi!
second marriage hc had one child, namet
Mehetabel for her mother. This chile
could not have heen more than fouI
years old at the time Of her father
death, and in his will he speaks of hel
rs "my little daughter Mehetabel."
He died Of dropsy, Dec. 8, 1890, ant
was buried in the old burying ground n
Horse Neck, on the brow OF Putnam
hill; but tho spot is no longer known
for there is nothing to mark his las
resting place. The burying ground it
self is overgrown with briers anG
thorns. Quiet now, yet il ovcrlookl
the scene of Putnam's wonderful OK
plot, and tumult Of tho warriors on the
plain below.
Tho bravery of the fathcr descended
to his children, and tho incidents coz
nccteL with them serve to show OF wbat
stern material our crude forefatlers oi
the hamlet" were made.
Two anecdotes OF tho twins (AnnG
ind Nary conc down to us. At one
timo when n raid was male Oh then
fathers house, and it was surrounded by
Tory Light Horse. the family were al
breakfast with some of the generals
friends. They had barely time to es'
cape through the rear door, though no;
entirely unperccived by their fierce pur'
suers, when ono Of them rode up to the
door ard demanded OF Anna, then d
girl Of about eighteen years OF Gge,
where they were hid. She refused tc
give satisfactory reply, when he de
clared with M oath ho would kill her,
and getting of his horse, aimed blow
at her head with hissword. She lodged
the blow, and his sword struck tho door
casing, "cutting it quite in two," says
one report.
Finding he could not intimida.e her,
tho cavalier rcmounted his horse, rode
into the house, placed his loot under the
edge Of the table and tipped it over,
breaking the dishes. Confronting n
large mirror, he dashed his sword
against tho glass and broke it into n
thousand pieces, at the same time ex.
claiming " There's Congress for you.
General Mead's son, Alan, was Mt That
tine very small boy, md took rclnge
behind some evergreens III the fire
place. Being very much frightened at
their wanton and boisterous conduct,
he begun 10 cry, when some Tory
cavalier said to him : "Stop your noise,
or I will cut your head Off.
Anna always declared that sLe would
remember tllat nun, no matter where
she should sec him; and, singular to
relate, she mot him frequently after tho
war closed, almost always ut the same
church.
At another time, when the Oldest son
John was home from the war on parole,
it being very dry and the water at the
house having failed, Mary went to II
spring some distance in the rear OF the
house to rinse some clothes. Willie
there, she saw her brother run from the
back door in his shirt sleeves, through
the orchard, 10 a thicket that had sprung
up from tue roots Of tr,e that had
been removed, aud conceal himself oniy
short distance from her.
In few minutes she was surrounded
by British and Tory Light Horse, who
demanded of her where her brother had
lied to. She not giving tue informa-
tion, horsemau rode up to her, drew
his sword and placing it ut her breast
swore he would take her life in M in
slant, if she did not reveal her broth.
er's hiding place. Her presence Of mind
did not fOrsilko her, and she explained
that she came ont there carly in the
morning, Ind not been from there, and
therefore under the circumstances could
not know what had taken place ut the
house. She was finally successful in
convincing him that she did not know,
and ho left her; yet tho place Of con-
cealment was within sight aud almost
within sound OF her voice. Thus she
succeeded in saving her brothers life.
Mary married Levi Hnnford, resi-
dent Of New Canaan. In the month of
October, 1776, Hauford enlisted in n
troop OF horse under Captain Seth Sey-
mour, whose duty it was to guard IL: d
protect the seacoast. On the thirteenth
Of March, TIT, Hanforl, with twelve
others Of the troop, was detached as Il
guard and stationed Mt South Norwnlk,
then called "Oid Well" Tho night
was dark, and tho weather inclement,
and the officers in consequence neGli-
gent in their duties. In the course OF
the evening they were entirely surround
cd by a party Of British and Tories
from Long Island, who camo over in
whale boats, aud tho whole guard wero
taken prisoners, HAniord included,
though he was Mt the time but little
over seventeen years Of Hge The
prisoners were conveyed across the
tnund to Huntington, from there to
Flushing, md thence to New York.
Upon their arrival iu the city, thoy were
iurarcerated III the old "Sugar House
Prison in Grown. now Liberty street.
near the old Dutch church, ut that time
used Us II riding school for the British
Light Horse. or those who were taken
prisoners at that time, all died i'll prison
Of smallpox or other diseases, except
two, Ebenczer IIoyt md Levi Hanford,
who lived to be exchanged.
In january, 1852, M advertisement
appeared i'll the New York Journal of
Commerce, stating that the nnthor, Da'
vil Barker, Esq, had in his possession
cano made from one Of tho beams OF
tue "Old Sugar House" in Liberty
street, aud calling upon my surviving
sufferer in that old prison to send i'll his
name, that hc might have the pleasure
of presenting the relic to him asN sup
port to his declining years. To this
call iive only responded, disclosing the
melancholy fast That Of those prisoners
only hvO remained alive. Each Of these
applicants sent in his name. with brief
nr,ouuk of his imprisonment and sntfer-