TWO STORIES ABOUT OUR FOUNDING PARENTS

Sarah Wickham
Town Records of New Haven, 1649-1662, p. 88
Court records show that Mrs. Wickham kept a dame school there at that time, and a little girl when complained of for using "prophane " language ("by my soul" and "as I am a Christian") testified that she learned such language at Mrs Wickham's school.

Thomas Wickham

" The "Roisterers" of old Wethersfield
by Thomas Curtis
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Donald Lines Jacobus, in Hale, House and Related Families, mentions an
amusing incident that took place at the house of Thomas Wickham, in
December of 1679. Wickham's house was up at the north end of High
Street, next to what is now the Cove:

John Hale (who was m. to Hannah Nott, daughter of old John Nott) was
less prominent than his father or brother, and the reason may be found in
a certain sophomoric trait in his character indicated in the following
records. On 4 Dec 1679 "John Hale being complained of for abusive
language & Notorious Ill carriage is by this Court committed to his Father
Hale as his keeper till the Court in March next." The matter came up
before then, at a special session held 22 Jan 1679/80. "Lnt Tho Holister,
John Hale, Wm Wickham for their unseasonable meeting at Tho:
Wickhams house Excessive drincking & playing at Cardes ... fined Thirty
shillings a piece." It must have been a wild party, even for Puritan
Connecticut. At the same court, a fine was assessed against "Lnt: Tho
Holister for breach of the peace in smiteing downe John Curtice & Joseph
Curtice." Nor did his victims escape, for Joseph Curtice was fined for
playing cards and John Curtice for being drunk. "Mr John Hollister for his
unseasonable keeping Company where such great disorders were," also
sustained a fine, merely for countenancing such behavior by his presence,
but his superior social position is conceded by the use of the term "Mr."
even in this unsavory connection. He was, of course, brother of the
doughty Lieutenant, who felled the two Curtises ... Thomas Wickham was
also fined, for permitting his house to be used by the roisterers.
And that is where this matter ends, so far as our Curtises are concerned.
As concerns John Hale, however, Jacobus continues:

But even worse was to come. "It being alledged by Thomas Wickham
that John Hale upon Fryday last at night spake evill against our Lord the
King sd Hale was committed to the Goale there to be kept in durance till
Further order." Apparently he was kept in jail only over night, for the next
day the Court sat again, to hear the heinous details and to render
judgement. "Thomas Wickham personally appeared & produced
Jonathan Strickland & Susanna Kircom who informed him that John Hale
had sayd God Damne King Charles, The sayd persons being Examined
both affirmed they heard him say: God bless King Charles, & in a fitt
when he fell off his Chaire & foamed at his mouth & shakt every Joynt of
him they thought he sd God damn King Charles but they durst not take
oath of it he spake so lowe." This evidence was not strong enough for a
conviction of lese majesty, and John Hale was released. If we may
interpret the records, we take it that Hale at a drinking party was toasting
the King, but fell off his chair and was so enraged that he turned to cursing
the King. Those who were present, not wishing to get him into further
trouble, developed a convenient uncertainty as to what they had actually
heard him say. It may be supposed that he was badly frightened by this
experience, and reformed his ways, for his escapades brighten the pages
of the musty court records no more after this episode.
We would not want to leave this matter without mentioning that John Hale
and Hannah (Nott) Hale were the grandparents of Nathan Hale, the
Colonial Patriot (Codman, p. 5; also see Note 1).

There are two other items of record that bear on our Curtises in this
context as well. Stiles notes the results of a midnight watermelon raid
involving James2 and Joseph2 Curtis:

James and Joseph Curtis are prob. the parties, who in 16__, were (with
Thomas Hurlburt, Jr., and Thomas Wickham) sentenced by the Gen. Ct.
to imprisonment during the court's pleasure, for agreeing to rob Richard
Smith's watermelon patch, and not only stealing five melons, but
afterwards boasting of it.

Wendy's note: Thomas' wife, Mary Hurlbut, had a brother Thomas Hurlbut, Jr.