Good Morning!   A beautiful day here in CT.
This year is the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812.   In the official book put out by the State of Connecticut it has names of men from the militia, BUT, they didn't put in from what towns they came from.   Just where they saw service.   In the Regular Army list then you see the towns they came from.  But there are none from Killingly.    Really want to do something on these men from here that served and so far the only ones I know about are the ones who died in the town and have gravestones!    That is really not good.   How about the ones who moved away from Killingly?   Or the ones who do not have gravestones?   This leaves a big hole in our knowledge of who served from Killingly.     I have a friend who has Ancestry and she is trying to fill in some gaps and after that I will have to see if there is anything in the town meeting records.

In the meantime, I have more research to do, and that will keep me pretty busy.

I have access to the old newspapers that are on-line and I occasionally do a search for Killingly to see if new papers have been added.  And I have been rewarded for this effort many times.   In the New London Democrat dated 22 July 1848:  Elopement.--A few days since, a worthless fellow, by the name of Seagrave, living in Killingly, Ct., slid off very suddenly from that place, with a young girl, an operative in one of the mills, leaving a wife and an army of creditors to mourn his loss.  The latter, however, feeling a desire to see his face once more, sent a deputation in pursuit, but with what success we have not learned.  The name of the girl was Harriet Newell, and she had hitherto sustained a good character.

In the same paper the very next week, 29 July 1848:  Seagrave and Miss Harriet Newell, who recently eloped from Killingly, Ct., were overtaken near Syracuse, N. Y., and the young woman taken back to her parents.  Another couple disappeared from South Killingly, during the session of the Sunday school, on the 16th inst. (July)  The hero was a teacher in the school, and the young lady was one of his pupils.

From the Telescope, dated 7 Apr. 1849:  Editor's Troubles.--The editor of the Arena, published in Killingly, Ct., complains that it is hard work to edit a country newspaper, on account of the lack of local news and incidents.  He says he expected to have an original marriage and death for his last paper; but the sudden thaw kicked the wedding into the middle of next week, and the doctor was sick himself and could not visit his patient, so the patient got well--and thus both announcements were lost.

From the National Aegis, dated 8 July 1846:  Fatal Accident.  A young lady, named Sarah Day, living in Killingly, Ct., was killed by being thrown from a wagon on Sunday evening last.  She was about starting to attend an evening meeting, and had just taken her seat in the wagon, when the horse became frightened, and, running, upset the wagon, throwing her out and killing her instantly.

From the Springfield Republican, dated 30 May 1848:  D. S. Ruddock, formerly of this town, (Springfield, MA) has commenced a Locofoco campaign paper at West Killingly, Ct. It is called the Democratic Argus, and states its object to be to "diffuse the quintessence of democracy," which means, we suppose, to support any and all things that the party may dictate.  The editor says that he shall die with the democratic armor on,--an early evidence, of resignation, quite creditable to his spirit.  His "Salutatory" article is quite a rich production; he talks about "federal papers evulgating Whig misrepresentations and invectives."  If we can be assured of something similar in every number, we will exchange, merely for the fun of the thing.

Just a few tidbits to show what I find in the old papers.

Again, I would love to hear from someone, telling me if they like this, hate this, or don't care!!