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1883 STONINGTON CT Wequetequock : WRATH of the WOMEN manuscript FEMALES with AXES

Wrath of the Women. War of religious factions at Stonington. Females with axes and sledgehammers take possession of Wequetequock Meeting House. Stonington Nov 25. Fascinating 1883 manuscript account of the War of the Women, a legendary brawl amongst the leading families of Stonington over the use of the Wequetequock schoolhouse. Written as a newspaper article (of which I could not identify a published version); based on the substitution of "Mecca of" for "home of" I surmise this is an original composition and not a transcription. Discovered in an uncommon book of gospel songs: "Windows of Heaven. Hymns New and Old. H. M. Wharton and I. S. Field. Baltimore: National Evangelization Society 1895". The book also contains several other items of ephemera, including a manuscript poem. Based on names written in these items, and comparison with the handwriting in the manuscript, I can identify the author as Mrs. Lucy A. (Brown) Ryon of Stonington, Connecticut. The manuscript poem is also interesting, as it too looks like a draft and not a transcription. This poem was published in "The Churchman" of Nov. 14, 1891 and attributed to a Clara Sprague Ross. Some short stories including one in "The Outing" were also published under this name. I suggest that Clara Sprague Ross was a pseudonym for Lucy A. Ryon (her married name as written on the endpaper was Mrs. Charles S. Ryon, also CSR). Manuscript yellowed with some foxing and smudges, chips; book is very worn and chipped; other items have wear and tear. Text continues: Sunday was an eventful day at Wequetequock, a small hamlet midway between Stonington and Westerly and the [home of] Mecca of the four ancestral families of this town vis Chesebroughs Stantons Palmers and Denisons the lineal descendants of all four families having participated today in a most disgraceful affair. For several months a storm has been brewing in that community over the occupancy of the district-school house for sabbath school purposes, and several times war has been imminent, but was kept subdued temporarily and sundry district meetings have been held, with eminent counsel on both sides, resulting in a vote to reopen the school house. Today the committee-man with a force adequate for an emergency posted himself in front of the door and gave notice that the house would not be open, whereupon the female element of the opposing faction, with force and arms in the shape of axes sledgehammers and a crowbar proceeded to storm the fort. But the guardians of the house being all tall men and the wielder of the axe a person of short stature, she was only able to reach the top panels of the outer door. The woman, however did great execution, another squad made an attack upon the windows, which were smashed in, the shutters being first prod open with a crowbar. As soon as an opening large enough was made one of the leaders of the women was boosted up and crawling through the broken window captured the premises and demanded a surrender in the name of the commonwealth of Connecticut. The faction opposing the opening of the house for religious purposes to be conducted under the direction of the conquering forces could not longer maintain their ground and were obliged to retreat, leaving the hacked and battered house in the possession of the victors. Committeeman Stanton was struck across the head by a crowbar and quite badly injured. It is stated that he will institute a suit on Monday against the female antagonist. One woman had a bloody face, probably cut by broken glass. The affair only lacked one blow to have been struck by any man present - and probably a general knock down would have ensued, there being about 50 persons present - and nearly all of them were ripe for a fight.... Handwritten. Book Condition: Good. Binding: No Binding

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