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By 1809, at the age of sixty-six, the older Jonathan made his will and did something strange. Although he was a man of means, he left this young son Jonathan, last known as a "trader" in Lee. only $1.00. And nothing more was heard of the young trader until 1921.(7)
On 15 May 1921, Jackson M. Hoyt of Newington wrote to Elijah Franklin Woodman, Jr., "In 1890," Hoyt wrote, "Mrs. Sarah Ann (Furber) Bail, a granddaughter of Jonathan and Elizabeth (Pickering) Woodman, erected a marble monument in the family lot in the graveyard by the old church in Newington. Following are the dates: Jonathan Woodman, 1772-1806; Elizabeth Woodman, 1777-1859; Captain Nicholas P. Woodman, 1797-1860."
This man Hoyt was certainly qualified to speak of Newington, its people and its past. The Hon. Jackson M. Hoyt was bom January 15, 1850 in Newington, and was a lifelong resident. At various times he held nearly every public office of the town. In addition, he wrote a history of the Congregational Church covering nearly two hundred years and was town historian during World War l. In 1890 he copied the early town records from 1713 to 1820, and was the superintendent of the public cemetery for many years. "Without question, he is more familiar with the history of Newington than any person living, and he is often consulted by those seeking information concerning the old families and their descendants."(8) And then Jackson Hoyt told his story about this Jonathan Woodman.
I came to know when quite young that Jonathan deserted his family when the three children were quite small and his whereabouts were never afterwards known by his family. The date, 1806' on the grave monument, was the year of his disappearance, not the date of his death. l have talked with Deacon William L. Furber since receiving your last letter and he confirms the story of his great-grandfather's disappearance, and that was the last the family at Newington knew of Jonathan. William's father, Nicholas Pickering Furber, lived to be seventy-nine and William leaned some things about Mrs. Woodman and Captain Nicholas from him.
I was present at the funeral of Mrs. Woodman, as well as that of her son, Captain Nicholas Woodman, they occurred only a month apart - both held in the old meeting house in Newington. My uncle. Reverend Samuel Hoyt, conducted the service, I saw her in the coffin in front of the pulpit and that was the only time. Reverend John LeBosquet, then pastor of our Congregational Church, officiated at the funeral of Captain Nicholas. My uncle, Nathaniel P. Coleman, had charge of the arrangements on both occasions and he was also appointed administrator to settle their earthly affairs ...
I remember a conversation with my cousin . . . wherein he spoke very highly of Mrs. Woodman as being a kind-hearted woman and that her home was always open to take in and care for the 'down and out' and he believed that she did not have an enemy in the world. Her life was one of sorrow and disappointment; it could not be otherwise, knowing as we do what she had to go through - deserted by her husband, and her only son, Nicholas, became insane at an early age. He was the pride of her life and the apple of her eye.
It has come to me that Nicholas was an unusually bright and promising young man, honored by his towns people by being chosen to public office quite early after reaching his majority. He was chosen chairman of the board of selectmen, captain of the militia, and was considered capable and honest ...
Nicholas' insanity was attributed to too much responsibility at an early age, and to a love affair which was suddenly snapped off by the drowning suicide of his young lady .. .. This young woman belonged to one of the best families in town, but she had gone wrong. She stole some jewelry to adorn herself, and while her family settled the matter out of court, the shame and remorse was too much. This was in 1826. My father, John Hoyt, found her body in about two feet of water in a pond on her father' s farm.
Mr. Furber tells me that Captain Nicholas was first confined in a room in the home until he became so violent that his mother applied to the authorities to take him away. Nicholas was taken from his home after a hard struggle for his liberty by a posse of strong young men - his contemporaries. My uncle, Captain Hanson Hoyt, led the onslaught after watching from behind a stone wall for him to come out of the house. His brother had previ-
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