Barnett Davenport: Revolutionary Soldier Turned Mass Murderer
On this day in 1780, rural Connecticut grist mill operator Caleb Mallory, his wife Jane, and the couple's three grandchildren, nine-year-old Charlotte, six-year-old John, and four-year-old Sherman were murdered by their border Barnett Davenport. This mass murder was one of the first major crimes in post-Revolution, and it would affect how criminals are perceived in the United States for centuries to come. Barnett Davenport was born in the town of New Milford, Connecticut, in 1760. In his early teens, he was convicted of horse theft. At the age of 16, he joined the Continental Army and served under General George Washington at Valley Forge. He likely suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of his military service. This trauma may be why he deserted the army and returned to Connecticut. After his desertion, Davenport took a job at Caleb Mallory's gristmill in what is now Washington, Connecticut. He also rented a room in the Mallory home. On February 3, 1780, ...