10
On March 18, 1865, the Journal notes "some troubles at Canaan
with an aged man by name of Nymphus Hatch, a monomaniac who has
been living there about two years, is about 65 years of age."



Etta Madden, in her dissertation on BODIES OF LIFE: SHAKER
LITERACIES AND LITERATURE, of 1995, notes that Achsah Gross was
made Elder Sister at the Second Family in 1838 "and removed
because of ill health a year later. In September 1849, between
one and two a.m., she left her residence and went 1/4 mile to a
mill pond and drowned herself, aged 74. Verdict "...of mental
powers bereft." Some years later, poems about various members
who had deceased were written in an obituary journal. One
written by Henry Hathaway in 1908 for Achsah said "we failed to
hear the angel call."

The Ministry Journal of 1870 records on January 12th receiving a
letter from Canterbury that "Eldress Harriet is sick and de-
mented." And on January 27, they had a letter that both Ministry
Sisters were sick--Eldress Harriet "of softening of the brain..."
However, only a few months later she was placed in charge of
young girls.

Elder Henry Blinn in his CHURCH HISTORY for November 1, 1872
records that "Sally Miller, who has been boarded at the Insane
Hospital in Concord for eight years, has been taken home and
placed at the Branch under the care of the sisters." She died in
1890, aged 84.

And later he notes, "George Webster was stopped for a few days at
our North Family. He was 46 years old and an ordained minister.
Being tired of life he committed suicide by hanging himself from
a beam in the horse barn. He was not found until life had passed
from him." He is buried in Canterbury cemetery.

ENFIELD, CONN.

Ruth VanEuw helped me with information about this community. In
1855 March, the Elders took John Damon to the Retreat for the
Insane in Hartford on the advice of physicians because he had
shown evident symptoms of insanity for some time. Don't know
when he returned to the Shaker community but he died in 1905 at
the age of 86 and is buried in their cemetery.


GROVELAND, NEW YORK