Loyalists – Digital Farmington

“Newgate: Connecticut’s First State Prison”

February 5, 2018 Dr. Katherine Hermes Comments 0 Comment

Author: Jessica Dabkowski In 1773, Connecticut’s General Assembly chose the copper mines in Simsbury to be the state’s first prison, renaming it Newgate Prison. During the Revolutionary Era, Newgate Prison housed not only political prisoners criminals, such as loyalists. The goal was to create a prison where escape was impossible. However, the overseers soon found out that Newgate was far from inescapable. At the time, corporal punishments were common for those convicted of crimes. Punishments could include branding with a…

Building Peace after the Revolution: William Spratts and Old Gate Mansion

December 20, 2017 Dr. Katherine Hermes Comments 0 Comment

Author: Teresa Lewis Today, many historians are attempting to revise Connecticut’s revolutionary history by presenting a more complete historical picture, including the plight of loyalists and prisoners of war in New England both during and after the conflict. During the war, many loyal Tories were imprisoned in jails located in central Connecticut, including one at Farmington (Gilbert, 287). One such prisoner was William Spratts. Unlike many other loyalists and British soldiers, however, Spratts stayed in the United States following…