The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1895-03-21
UNDER \ BAN
A Historic Old Connecticut Farm
house Stunned by the SuperSEi-
tiouS.

The signing OF some papers recently st Ne'
London, Conn, relating 10 Lhe estate OF tn
late John Kenyon, of the neishhorng tow
of Iedyard, brought up the strange story Of th
b.use In which se died The house. Que of tn
oldest in Connecticut was the first built by tina
sect of Quakers known as Rosagreens. who col
onized the southeastern part oil Ledyard u
1890. Their settlement is now known n
QuakertOwn. Among their descendants tc-da,
the binding is known as the Devil House.
They believe that the curse Of death is upon y
for many years and 10 proof of this belief they
point out that over 100 persons have died IN II
during the present century. Near the honse
is the little graveyard containing the dead o.
the Devil House.
The following story of the house is voucbed
for by at least five sged and well-to-do Quakers
of more or less prominence. The story IN the
main WIS told at intervals by Mrs. Euniee
Naierhouse who lives in the old Quaker meet
ing house nearby Devil House She is 81 years
old, but her memory is clear and sharp. Mnch
OF the later information concerning the house
was obtained from authentic Quaker records
1t is d long cold ride in Winter from this city
to Quakertown, and when that still simple but
not unattractve settlement WIS reached IL was
at first found difficult to get anyone TO talk
about the Devil House. The Quakertown
Quakers live by themselves when possible. The
son learns his fathers trade, ana chooses his
wife from the Quaker flock. Their habits ave
of the best. Members of their colony have
spread all over the world, and their number
here is now slowly thinning out
Below the village you come abruptly upon
valley of the richest soil, sunk between two
large hills. The Devil House stands at tho
bottom of the valley, and the old Quaker meet
ing-house is near the top Of the north hill. one
fourth OF mile distant Weather-besten
structures they are, both of them. Gu the
south hall forming the rest of the picture is
4ho h,r al . ~ sl.n
Devil House. they call it," said Aunt Eu-
nice; and well they may, for there is curse
hanging over il which makes its tenants victims
OF melancholy, and finally kills them. Bitterly
has many one been made to rue the day he
first saw that house.
1t was built before the year 17I0. do not
know by whom. My grandfather. rho preached
here years ago, said it was .builded in We time
when We wolves and ye bears roamed about We
doors'"
But the Devil House did not earn it's name
until O century later. In 1850 the house came
into the possession Of family named Green.
The members OF this family not Quakers.
To two OF them Seth Green and his sister
Bettie, legend ascrib the beginning of the
curse. Seth is alleged to have il-trestsd Kettle
to gain sole control of the property, ana Hettie,
dying. is alleged in retaliation 10 have prayed
that sorrow and death should come TO all those
who ever leased or bought the house. Since
then the farm has changed hands every few
years. The rich soil washed down from the
hills, two thrifty orchards and other desirable
features. have attracted many. The burying-
place is not more than 40 rods from the house
There may be seen the graves of most OF those
who have died in the house.
Timothy Waterhouse was pastor of the Qua
kers at the close Of the last century. 1t was
20 his kinsman. Jabez Waterhouse. that Seth
Green sold the Devil House in 1852. Jabez
and his wife, Sarah were two as healthy young
people as any in Quskertown. They brought
with them to Devil House an adopted girl
Mary. One year later Mary Waterhouse had
q cousin from New Haven. Esther Dwight visit
her. Esther was naturally of lively DISPOSE
tion. In few weeks her manner entirely
changed, and a settled melancholy came over
her. She became recluse, and one day, when
left alone on the farm. she hanged herself TO
an appletree in the orchard nearest to the
house. Two months later Jabez was killed by
q fall in his barn. He was buried by the side
Of Esther Dwight on South Hill
Mrs Waterhouse removed TO northern New
York. where she lived TO good old age.
Her adopted daughter, Mary, was married to
a young student named Henry Wilcox, aud
with him went TO live In the house The
Wilcoxes had success with the farm for few
years. Then Mary was attacked BY melan-
chola and died. Wilcox buried his wife on
South Hill, and, becoming frightened. fed the
neighborhood, like Mrs. Waterbouse.