Wyman Steadman

Notes:

The story of Steadman Wyman is a real tragedy. In a letter written in March 1825 from Joseph Brown of Cavendish, VT to his brother, Aaron Brown of New Ipswich, he tells of the tragic death of young Steadman.

Dear Brother and Sister:

I am glad that any occasion can induce you to write. I received your letter thankfully, and could not but hope the sentiments of esteem you express were sincere. But I was unable to answer it at the time, and now am hardly able. For about four weeks I have been much out of health but am now upon the recovery. In our family we enjoy considerable health, we have a compentency of the work, and ought to be content. We have the means of grace and ought to improve them. Time is short and Death fast approaching. The thought, to me, is awakening! In some measure I am quickened, I am up, and find it my constant care to have all things, and especially myself, in readiness. I have tried the cords which bind me to the work and think that whenever I am called, I can break them with ease, and go joyfully the way whence I cannot return. Lord have mercy, and let me not be deceived.

Dear Brother, Dear Sister, Dear Children: Let this be your care, your business. Our confessions of faith are scarcely to be mentioned. It is a life mortified to the world a life of prayer, of watchfulness and sincere devotion to God, which encourages our hope, which brightens our prospect, and meets approaching Death with calmness and triumph! And in this way let us all be encouraged; let us surmount every difficulty and hold out--"Be faithful unto Death, and I will give thee the crown of Life." We all send our love to you, also our respectful regards to your aged Father and to all our friends. May the Lord command a blessing upon them.

You wished to hear the certainty and the circumstances of the unhappy suicide in our family. It happened on the 10th of January last. Steadman Wyman, the second son, two and twenty years of age, had for a long time been out of health, but then appeared upon the recovery. He appeared generally in good spirits, but sometimes melancholy. For a short time before his unhappy end, he became acquainted with a young woman in the neighborhood, and nothing appeared but that they were mutually satisfied with each other. However, the day preceding his last, she went in company with another young man to visit her parents. She returned, and in the evening, Steadman paid her a visit. After the visit, at about ten or eleven, he returned home and went to bed. His sister was up, and observing her Brother rather inattentive to himself, felt a little concerned. However, he rose in the morning as usual but appeared rather melancholy. He sat down and wrote, perhaps half a sheet.
But when his mother came near enough to read, he would turn his sheet over. His mother thought nothing but that he was writing to a particular friend, and so passed along. After the family was dispersed, his father at work and the children at school, he finished writing, went into a back room, took a part of a Cod-line, doubled it, and, as they supposed, prepared the knot, put it into his pocket, took his leave of the maid in the house, and set out to visit once more the girl we mentioned before. He was in her company, perhaps about an hour and a half. At the close of the visit he asked her plainly if she thought best to discontinue their acquaintance. She said she thought it best. He replied, you have a right to do as you think proper; and took his leave. Upon his return, about half a mile from his Father's house, he found a place which nature had formed convenient for his purpose--a tree bent over from the root, with the top lying upon the ground at the hightest place in the bow, about nine feet to the snow underneath, with conveniences for getting up. When he came to the place, he took off his hat, his greatcoat, and his collar and put them into his sleeve. He mounted the tree, he fastenend the rope, slipped himself off, and came to his unhappy end. Next day his Father found him and called a Jury to attend to his case. The Jury pronounced it premeditated suicide.

Mrs. Brown and I attended the Funeral as mourners. The corpse was carried to the meeting house. There was such a crowd of people, and the sermon--for a universalist minister--considerably appropriate. Text: "I saw in the cutting off of my Days, I shall go to the gates of the grave." The family seemed to bear the affliction as well as could be expected; except Mrs. Wyman. She was exceedingly borne down, and is still. Mary, my daughter, returned from there yesterday, which was Saturday, the 12th of March, and says Mrs. Wyman wishes I would write a letter for her to you, for she could not compose her mind to write herself. But I am unable. I have been several days about writing this. As to the young woman, whether she treated Steadman honorably or not is, in general, yet unknown. With regard to this there are different reports. The girl is in trouble, and told Mrs. Wyman the other day she could see no way to end it but by putting an end to herself. Steadman, as his grandmother told me, was established in the opinion that all would be well after Death. He was a young man of correct morals, dutiful to his parents, loving to his brothers and sisters, and esteemed by all his acquaintance. But concealed his troubles and his intentions to end it from all his friends. Not any of his friends nor his neighbors, so far as I have understood, had the least suspicion till it was too late.

From your very affectionate Brother. Joseph Brown.