Madman Goss - a Macabre Adventure Multi-Cache

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Katydid & Miles Stone: Time to rest.

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Hidden : 9/3/2008
Difficulty:
3.5 out of 5
Terrain:
3.5 out of 5

Size: Size: regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:


This journey is not for the faint of heart; consider this your warning. Should you feel immense discomfort during your trek, it is highly recommended you abort.

Should you survive to tell your tale, please do not spoil the surprises of this adventure. DO NOT list details in the log as to the number of stages, hide specifics, clues or cache layout. These logs will be deleted. Do tell us all about your encounters with Madman Goss or other unusual happenings!

The life of Thomas Goss abruptly ended in November of 1785 when he was executed for murdering his wife, Sarah. Goss believed she was a witch; he split her head open with an axe. “He considered himself the second Lamb of God and said he was the child born of the woman mentioned in the Revelation of St. John, before whom the dragon stood ready to devour the child.” After killing his wife, Gross claimed he acted in obedience to the command of Scripture, ”Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live."

The perceived evils of witchcraft had a very powerful and real influence on the early settlers. Connecticut was considered by many to be the witchcraft center of seventeenth-century New England. Alse Young of Windsor was the first person in America executed for witchcraft. She was hung at Meeting House Square, Hartford on May 26, 1647.

Surely in modern times, Thomas would have been institutionalized. The Superior Court of the time deemed he should be hanged. Despite this death sentence, Thomas was not concerned. He was certain he could not be hanged. The heavenly father would interpose as he had only killed his wife under his orders. Should they attempt to hang him, he said “30,000 males above the age of 15 would die of the shock in North America.” According to the 1790 census, this would have resulted in the death of 30% of the men on the continent.

The story could have ended there with Goss’ demise. Historical records indicate Thomas had previously married Eunice Bancroft about 1756. They had a daughter, Jemima; she died in 1777 at the age of 20. The mystery behind their deaths and disappearance cries for resolution. Did they also fall prey to his macabre deeds of madness?

Upon further investigation, a Simon Baxter deeded land in the Barkhamsted area to Thomas Gross on September 15, 1762. After his death, Oscar Tiffany obtained the property. Here Tiffany built an inn on the route from the Salisbury iron works to Granby. The inn was purported to be a part of the Underground Railroad, an effort of historical significance to help runaway slaves find freedom. Guests of the inn likely shared and embellished the horrific deeds of Thomas Gross.

The inn has long since vanished with the passage of time. Upon first exploring the area, time seemed almost frozen; the land seemingly possessed secrets it yearned to reveal. A profound sensation of being watching overwhelmed me. Odd floral odors permeated the air. My peripheral vision detected a shadowy figure darting to the recesses of the forest; random waves of cold chilled my bones despite the absence of wind.

Your task is to locate the final, perhaps solve the mystery of Eunice and Jemima’s disappearance and help thier spirits find peace. Though Thomas Goss has been dead for well over two centuries, use caution should you approach areas under the influence of his ghoulish insanity.

This trek is configured for day or twilight travel. The latter offers the more exhilarating adventure. Either way, a light source is required. Wear that blaze orange during hunting season.

References:
-The American Journal of Insanity, Volume III, 1846-7, p283.
-"Barkhamsted Heritage-Culture and Industry in a Rural Connecticut Town", edited by Richard G. Wheeler and George Hilton, 1975, p235.
-Barkhamsted, Conn., and its Centennial 1879, published 1881, by William Wallace Lee, p25.
-Ancestral File Number ZXCS-3V, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
-Demos, John Putnam. Entertaining Satan: Witchcraft and the Culture of Early New England. New York, 1982. Chapter 11.

As always, enjoy the adventure!

Additional Hints (No hints available.)



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