Lydia Gilbert

By Beth M. Caruso

The annals of the Connecticut witch trials hold within them stories of injustice and societal fear, and among these, the case of Lydia Gilbert of Windsor stands as a particularly poignant example. In November 1654, she became the seventh person in Connecticut to be wrongly convicted of witchcraft. While the historical record only confirms her conviction, the prevailing belief is that she met her end by hanging, a common method of execution for those accused of witchcraft during that era.

Despite the passage of centuries, the details surrounding Lydia Gilbert‘s life remain shrouded in some mystery. Historians generally agree that she was likely the wife of Thomas Gilbert Jr. A glimpse into her past can be found in a record from the Particular Court dated March 2, 1642, which states: “Will Rescue [Roscoe] is to take into his custody James Hullett, Tho. Gybbert [Gilbert], Lidea Blisse, and George Gybbs, and to keep them in gyves [shackles], and give them coarse diet, hard work, sharp correction.” This William Roscoe served as the jailer in Hartford at the time. This record indicates that Lydia and the others were imprisoned and punished for unspecified offenses. The specific nature of these crimes remains unknown, leaving historians to speculate on the circumstances that led to their incarceration.

This particular court record also offers the strongest evidence linking her to Thomas Gilbert Jr. Thomas Gilbert Jr. purchased property from Francis Stiles, the brother of Henry Stiles, on January 24, 1644, at approximately twenty-four years old. He and his wife, Lydia Gilbert, subsequently became caretakers for Henry, providing him with room and board. The historical record notes that a Bliss family had immigrated, first to Hartford and then to Springfield. However, Lydia Gilbert is not specifically identified as one of the Bliss children. This absence raises questions about her parentage and familial connections. It is possible that her name was simply omitted from the records, or that she was a cousin, stepdaughter, or another relative not explicitly documented in early colonial records. The lack of definitive information contributes to the enigma surrounding her identity.

The sequence of events that ultimately led to Lydia Gilbert‘s conviction began with the accidental death of her boarder, Henry Stiles, in 1651. On the town green, members of the Windsor militia were engaged in routine drills. During one such drill, a nineteen-year-old named Thomas Allyn mishandled his musket, causing it to discharge accidentally. The shot struck and killed fifty-eight-year-old Henry Stiles. Authorities brought Allyn before the court to answer for the incident. He was found guilty of carelessness, what would be considered involuntary manslaughter today. His punishment included a reprimand, a fine of £20, and a prohibition against carrying a firearm for one year. Matthew Allyn, Thomas’s wealthy and influential father, had to vouch for his son’s future behavior.

However, the stain of this conviction on Thomas Allyn and his family was not erased until three years later, when Lydia Gilbert was accused and convicted of witchcraft in connection with Henry Stiles’ death. The specific reasons that prompted authorities to turn their attention to her remain unclear. The surviving official records include Henry Stiles’ probate record, which indicates that he owed debts to Thomas Gilbert for his room and board, and the record of Lydia Gilbert‘s conviction. Some historians speculate that the substantial debts owed to the Gilberts, coupled with the lack of payment by Stiles, may have led to disputes and disagreements between the Gilberts and their boarder. This tension, some propose, could have provided a motive for Lydia to wish for Henry’s demise.

The Puritan authorities ultimately indicted and convicted Lydia Gilbert for allegedly bewitching the gun that caused Henry Stiles’ death, thereby causing his murder through supernatural means. It is unlikely that Lydia would have been present on the town green during the militia drills, as participation in the militia was restricted to men. Such supernatural claims would undoubtedly be dismissed in any modern court of law. As a result of Lydia’s conviction, the fines previously paid by the Allyn family were refunded, and Thomas Allyn’s name was cleared, allowing him to later marry the minister’s daughter.

In the wake of Lydia’s conviction and presumed execution, Thomas Gilbert sought to distance himself from the tragic events in Windsor. Shortly after, on January 30, 1655, he received a land grant in Springfield, Massachusetts, located slightly upriver from Windsor, Connecticut. Eager to establish a new life, Thomas remarried on July 31, 1655, taking Catherine Chapin Bliss, the widow of Nathaniel Bliss, as his wife. Catherine already had four children from her previous marriage. On March 23, 1656, Thomas Gilbert was formally admitted as a freeman in Springfield.

Thomas Gilbert Jr. passed away in Springfield several years later, in 1662. In his will, he mentioned not only the four children he had with Catherine Chapin Bliss but also Catherine’s four children from her previous marriage. Some historians have incorrectly speculated that the "former family" mentioned in his will referred to children he had with Lydia Gilbert. However, no birth records exist in Windsor or elsewhere to suggest that Thomas Gilbert Jr. and Lydia had any children together. The reference in his will clearly pertains to his wife’s children from her first marriage to Nathaniel Bliss. In the Springfield documentation pertaining to Thomas Gilbert Jr., he is often referred to as "formerly of Windsor."

Several factors may have contributed to Lydia Gilbert becoming an easy target for witchcraft accusations, especially in the face of the powerful Allyn family. She was childless and had a previous criminal record, which could have made her vulnerable to suspicion and blame. She may have been a woman whose demeanor or behavior deviated from the traditional gender roles and expectations of the time. Her familial connections may have also played a role. Lydia Gilbert may have been related to Mary Bliss Parsons, Nathaniel Bliss’s sister, who was initially accused of witchcraft in Springfield, Massachusetts, before Lydia’s accusations in Windsor. Mary Bliss Parsons was later formally accused of witchcraft in Northampton on two separate occasions after Lydia’s death. Witchcraft accusations often led to the blame and suspicion of other family members, spreading fear and distrust like wildfire when misfortunes occurred. Therefore, previous accusations against family members may have been another reason why either woman was targeted by their respective communities.

Sources:

• Burt, Henry M., ed. The First Century of the History of Springfield: The Official Records from 1636 To 1736, with an Historical Review and Biographical Mention of the Founders Springfield, MA. (Burt, H.M. 1898-1899).
• Chapin, Gilbert Warren, compiler. The Chapin Book of Genealogical Data: With Brief Biographical Sketches, of the Descendants of Deacon Samuel Chapin, Volume 1. (Chapin Family Association, 1924), p4.
• Trumbull, James Hammond ed., The Public Records of the Colony of Connecticut, Volume 1, 1636-1665. (Hartford: Hartford, Brown and Parsons, 1850).
• Ross, Richard III. Before Salem: Witch Hunting in the Connecticut River Valley, 1647-1663. (Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Co., 2017).
• Town of Windsor, Connecticut, Windsor Land Records. Volume I, page 81.

About the author: Beth Caruso is a researcher and the author of the Connecticut Witch Trial Trilogy. Her third book in the series, Between Good & Evil: Curse of the Windsor Witch’s Daughter, features the story of Lydia Gilbert as seen through the eyes of Alice Young Jr., daughter of the first witch trial victim, Alice ‘Alse’ Young of Windsor.

Also See:

• Puritans of New England
• Salem, Massachusetts Witchcraft Hysteria
• Witchcraft in America
• Witch Hunts in Connecticut