The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1895-03-21

child were taken away, Chamson, broken
! hearted. almost gave the farm to Amos Whit
Ing to induce the latter to take the place off b j
hasds This was in the Fall of 1852
Waiting and his wife Sarah We're both from
the Quaker colony thrifty farm folk, and no
| much bothered with superstition. In foul
years the Writings lost four children. Tier
the mother became bedridden and the fathe,
insane. The pair were sent To Massachusetts,
where both recovered to a certain degree.
There were few changes or deaths after this
or Devil House farm until Ira Wilson, a stall
wsrt stOnemasos. came along. He secuted the
idea of any trouble. In the third year of his
residence there he was attacked by severe
hemorrhaRe and came near dying As soon a.
possible be was carried on a stretcher of the
farm. This was in the Fall of 1878 Wilson
went to Rhode Island. He was so scared tina,
nothing could induce him TO visit the house
again.
young mechanic. Richard White, and his
wife were frightened from the place by severe
illness two three years later, and in the
Spring Of 1884 Ira Wilson's oldest brother
James, bought II. He was of herc1 lean nbysi-
que. and possessed of great will power. He was
firm in his belief that 10 such thing as curses
ceuid interfere with him. He had three sons.
The second was ssilsr and the Others managed
the farm. Wilson himself was well 10 do. He
gave honse warming. Two years later the
entire family was striker with meIanchoIia
The sailor son, Henry, came home, and was also
seized with the mslaiy. lie was sick three
months with it, and begged to be moved from
the house hard that finally the family con-
scented. To this fact Henry Wilson attributes
has recovery.
q" kept thinking Of that old graveyard over
Oh sonth HILL" said he, land / knew / should
get into it if j did not get away from the
farm
The oldest son Of the Wilson's was next affect
ed, and the next Spring, that of 1856 Wilson's
only daughter. Phyllis, died. Wilson would
not have her body buried in the South Hill
plot. In 1887 Wilson was found unconscious
on the floor OF the DEVILS House. He died
the same day. A mouth later the eldest son
died.
About this time Henry Wilson, who was now
a ship captain, returned from a voyage and
made arrangements 10 transfer the remnant of
the family TO another town. Before this could
be done his widowed mother was attack ed bv
painful malady and she died Thus the entire
family, save Capt. Wilson. was extermipated.
No sooner did Capt. Wilson offer the place for
sale than travelling Yankee peddIer hurried to
purchase il. He was John Kenyon, a resident
OF Hope Valley, Z. l.. and he hastencd to bring
his family there to settle them for life In 1890
niece of the Kenyons, who lived with them,
became frightened at the talk of qossipi,Ip
neighbors, who related in their own way the
story OF the curse She fed to Rhode Island in
consequence. Kenyon was soon taken with
nervousness and his wife became recluse. The
former finally died, and the latter was cosxed
back TO Rhode Island. At this time, 1892,
many thought the Devil House farm would
never be occupied again. so long and formidable
had its death list become, but it is now said
1t will soon be sold again, after being empty
for two years.
few years ago Capt Henry Wilson. who ia
now a skipper well known in the New York
catching fleets, slept on a wager in the room in
which Betsy Chapman had her experience with
Satan. He got through TIE night safely, but
he says no amount OF money would tempt him
to again sleep anywhere on the Devil House
farm. Capt. Wilson now resides in the town of
Stonington.-N. T. San.