The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1899-01-13
HUNTINGTON.
DEATH OF MRS LYMAN LATIN,

DEATH OF MRS LYMAN LATIN.
By the death OF Mrs Lyman Latin
which occurred at her home in Trapfall,
December 20, this community has lost
one OF its oldest and most esteemed resi.
dents. Coming here as she did, more
than go years ego, she has lived to see
the passing away OF nearly all her old
neighbors and friends, but heI last DAYS
were far from lonely because her unfail-
ing cnee fulness and Observation-Disclosures
continually drew around her new ac-
quaintances and enabled her to form new
friendships. Mrs Latin was Louisa
Olmstead, daughter of John and Sally
Robins Olmstssd, born in Weston in July,
1873, and she c0u.a relate many interest
ing details of Revolutionary times which are
part OF the the urwritten history of Fairfield
county. Her grandfather John Olmstead,
lived In o part OF Weston row called Easton,
and the day after the burning of Fairfield In
April, l717, the British passing his hoEs on
their way to Danbury, made him memorable
visit They first sordered him to break his
gun which was hanging on the wall, but he
ST ems to have possessed both courage and
argumenyative skill tor he refused their de-
mands a persuaded them to leave it, as it
was only used to shoot wild animals which
attention to his wits newly tried cakes of
tailow, throwing them on tn floor andsen ire
prisoner ana 18th his horse and cow Started
for further deeds OF mischief but the animals,
knowing the country better than the soldiers
did, escaped tu q raVine and the following
day returned to their home Their less for
fun7te master was carried along and was a
witness to the death OF British general who
was shot by Red ingsstore keeper, aud later
on to the fling OF Danbury. During the night
the prisoners were pit in yard surrounded
by hi ID fence over which only one escaped
and MI Olmstead always regretted that his
lameness prevented him from making the
number TWO. Afterw ard.he was tsIken to New
York and confined IN ugar house n many
months, where he suffered intensely, eoverel.
with vermiu and ted on decayed horse meat.
Through the kindness OF a friend his wife was
able to send him money to tha amount of on7
pound. and this enabled him to buy beer in
which to soak his bread. Both prudence and
genera itp seem TO have been trait OF his tor
the tradition is that he saved 81 OF this small
sum to distribute among his fellow prisoners
when at last he was allowed TO start Tor no. ne,
with the exception of Il IL cents which he
kept tor his own use on the journey. He met
obliged to walk the whole distance as he had
expected, tor many yosed their oxen to carry
him a few miles. and when at last he reached
Greenfield, good woman whose kind re
quest to como into her house to eat he felt
compelled to refuse on account OF his condi
ton sadQled her horse and babe him ride the
remainder OF his journey and later return the
horse These hardships, however, p owed too
great for his strength and on reaching home
he went exhausted to bed, where he was con
fined tor three months and was never again
able to worK. Mrs Latin also related OF her
maternal grandfather, Ep RAIN Robins, that
he was high sheriff of Fairfield and kept the
jail at the time of Iryon's Raid, He lfberat
ell all the prisoners and all lett save one, q
woman, and her the soldiers cru lily treated,
tearing the earrings from her @ rs and otter
wise badly i"jnr1ng her. This Ephratm Rob
ms illustrated his own sfrewdness tor on the
day the British landed he hid his silverware
in q feather bed and SUNK them in the creeR.
Throughout her long life Mrs Latin exhibited
these traits OF pluck and en- -urance which she
might justly have Inherited from her ances
tors and in the rearing OF her large family she
showed great patience and tact Three chill
dren are living, John, who resides in STRAIT
lord, Robert in Meriden and Charles in Der
by, and her husband with whom she has shar.
ed the ups and downs of life tor nearly 63
years, will have much kindly sympathy in his
loneliness. She was one of a large family but
only one sister, Mrs Mary e. Beers OF Step
ney, survives. touching incident at her
funeral was the presence of two men who had
come many miles through the pouring rain
to show their affection and respect for her
who nearly half a century ago had been as
mother to them when they were boys appren.
ticed to her husband.