In The News
Author and Stratford native Claude Clayton Smith discusses his novel, The Stratford Devil, with students at Wooster Middle School in Stratford. The novel is a fictionalized account of Goody Bassett, the second woman to be hanged as a witch in Colonial America—Photo by Brian A. Pounds/Connecticut Post
The Lima (Ohio) News Oct. 10, 2007
Reissued 1984 novel speaks to 2007 issues
-Mike Lackey
Claude Clayton Smith tells students that after he was exposed to J.D. Salinger's "The Catcher in the Rye," he bought the book and began writing his own novel the next day.
Other phases followed, he adds: "I never got published until I stopped trying to imitate John Updike."
So much for literary influences. In a broader sense, Smith's literary roots go back more than 350 years.
The seeds for his first published novel were planted when he was in third grade in Stratford, Conn., and went on the traditional "Stratford field trip." He saw where the first settlers erected a palisade to keep out the Indians, and he heard for the first time about Goody Bassett, who was hanged for a witch in 1651.
Before it was cut down to make way for Interstate 95, he often contemplated the tree where, according to local lore, the hanging took place.
Such stories made a strong impression on Smith, whose first American ancestor arrived in the vicinity of Stratford 15 years after the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock. In his 30s, Smith wove a tale around Goody Bassett for "The Stratford Devil," first published by Walker and Co. in 1984 and now back in print in a new edition (Pocahontas Press, $15).
Though fictional, the book has a solid historical core. Most characters are real people. The "witch lectures" come from actual Puritan sermons and Bassett's interrogation is adapted from the transcript of a European witchcraft trial.
Smith promises an authentic historical fact on every page. And if you ever need to know how to trap a wolf using the techniques of a 17th-century bounty hunter, this is the book for you.
Not much is known about the actual Goody Bassett. The author reinvents her as a fiery, independent-thinking redhead, the object of curiosity and suspicion among her neighbors ever since a childhood episode when she survived a week in the forest among the wolves and Indians, regarded by the Puritans as agents of the devil.
She never dares to tell how her life was saved by an Indian the settlers call Nimrod.
Christina Garmatter, one of the high school students who participated last week when Smith discussed the book with the teen advisory board at the Bluffton Public Library, said Nimrod was her favorite character.
"He kind of keeps an eye on her the whole time and watches out for her from a distance," Garmatter said afterward. "And she remembers him all through her life, and she keeps thinking that she would like to go off in the woods and find him, but she never does."
"The Stratford Devil" has been used over the years in classrooms from junior high to college. Two decades after it was written, the book offers food for thought on the nature of and response to threats of terrorism, among other contemporary issues.
"At the beginning of America, religion and politics were one," Smith told the students. "Does that ring any bells?"
The reissuance of "The Stratford Devil" harks back to the beginnings of a long and varied writing career for Smith, a retired Ohio Northern University English professor. He has published poetry, children's stories, fiction and assorted nonfiction, and has had four plays produced.
"The Stratford Devil," he said, led directly or indirectly to every book that followed, including last year's "Lapping America," a travelogue of his 10,000-mile interstate odyssey around the continental United States.
Several of his Bluffton listeners were aspiring writers. Smith told them that sometimes a story just takes off and all the writer has to do is keep up.
High school senior Rachel Strahm drew encouragement from that. Of late she was worked mainly on character development. Her stories, she said, often emerge as the characters "figure out what they want to do."
Smith did face one small complaint about his book, however.
"My favorite character died," Garmatter told him.
"Mine did too," he responded. "I'm still grieving."
Connecticut Post June, 2006
In Stratford, an ice cream shop with lots of spirit
By DANA OWEN
getout@ctpost.com
Summer is the perfect time for a nice tan, a cool swim, and a truly delicious ice cream cone. One with a story behind it is even better.
The recently opened Goody Bassett's Old Fashioned Ice Cream Parlor in the center of Stratford-across from the flagpole-is a sweet little bite of town history. As its name suggests, the shop, modeled after a 19th-century establishment, is inspired by the local legend of Ruth "Goody" Bassett, who was accused of being a witch and executed in 1651 at "Witch's Rock" (where Linden Avenue and Broad Street meet).
The rock is still there today and the traces of fingernail impressions—where the desperate Bassett allegedly clutched the stone as she was dragged away to the gallows—remains as well.
Bassett appeared again in the 1800s when her phantom corpse was spotted at the parlor table in the now demolished Phelps Mansion, which sat on Elm Street.
Today, Bassett's spirit can be found at Goody Bassett's, where a friendly smile and a tasty scoop of ice cream bring a warm glow to a town with few others places of its type.
Open daily, the shop offers a variety of mostly traditional flavors of milkshakes, ice cream soda floats, crunch cones and sundaes. There is even a selection of Stratford-themed treats like "Stratford Light" and "Goody's Cauldron," a nine-scoop extravaganza complete with toppings and whipped cream suited only for multiple diners. Bassett's even offers a completely sugar-free sundae and a tasty flavor suited for pets called "K-9 Crunch."
Located near the train station, Bassett's caters to the weary traveler by offering daily discounts on quarts and pints of ice cream for commuters.
The shop, which previously existed as a dry-cleaners, is itself a step back in time. With a portrait of Goody Bassett hanging prominently on the wall, yellowed photos of local historic sites and maps of old Stratford displayed and a pair of stiff white benches on which to chat 'n' chew, patrons are sure to feel as if Goody herself might stroll in at any moment for a cone.
The owners obviously paid attention to the details, right down to the low lighting, traditional hospitality and antique cash register that sits on the polished counter. A copy of the book "The Stratford Devil," written by local author Claude Smith, allows customers the chance to read up on the town's famous witch.
What is really nice about the shop, aside from its sugary selection, is that it's a great place for residents to merge and make friendly conversation. My parents, who are longtime residents of Stratford, accompanied me on a recent trip and we ran into several people we knew.
During an age of declining appreciation for mom-and-pop shops, Bassett's not only has rekindled the spirit of a town legend, but also stands as a reminder of simpler times, when a sweet craving on a summer night could be fulfilled right in your hometown.
Connecticut Post May 26, 2007
Book brings legend to life
By DANIEL DREW
ddrew@ctpost.com
STRATFORD - No one knows exactly why Ruth Bassett hanged here in 1651.
But it's a pretty safe bet that she was accused of witchcraft, according to a recently retired Ohio Northern University professor who grew up blocks from Wooster Middle School.
The colonial era was a time when an accusation of witchcraft was all it took to malign someone.
And to 17th-century settlers, who lived by literal
interpretations of the Bible, its scriptures were clear on how to treat those working against Christ: "Thou shall not suffer a witch to live."
And now, 21 years after Claude Smith's book, "The Stratford Devil," was published, Wooster Middle School students have a perspective on their town's history through the eyes of a local writer.
"I really wanted to know about Stratford," said Collin
Anderson, a 13-year-old 7th-grader. It was fascinating to learn that the town had such an interesting past, he said.
On Wednesday, Smith came to Wooster-from which he graduated several decades ago-to discuss the book and its history with students.
"It makes the history in their books become much more
personal," said Jackie Partridge, a 7th grade social studies
teacher.
Growing up here in the late 1950s and early '60s, Smith's father would tell him about the witch Goody—meaning Mrs.—Bassett.
While teaching at Virginia Tech in the early 1980s, he would research the tale on breaks from classes and trips back here to see family.
Using documents and letters on file at the Stratford Historical Society, he fictionalized the tale of a young woman who did not fit in.
"This is our town and it's part of who we are," Smith said,
adding that many of the street names in town, such as Wilcoxson and Nichols, come from early settlers. In fact, Goody Bassett Ice Cream Shop just opened on Main Street.
In a community where being different was frowned upon, Bassett drew a lot of attention. Many students saw parallels in modern society.
The book showed that people fear what they don't know, according to Brandon Sherrod, a 13-year-old 8th-grader.
"It's human nature," said the student, who looks at town
landmarks differently since reading about the area's history.
Bassett spent days walking alone on the shores of Long Island Sound—an activity unheard of for a young woman living in what was a wild place.
She went into the woods when she began menstruating and befriended an Indian there. And she was bitten on the leg by a wolf.
Later, a man named Pervis was called to Stratford to stop wolves from killing cattle. He mixed a poison, which Bassett's husband of two days accidentally used in a drink.
He died, leading people to wonder aloud if Goody Bassett had killed him. After all, they reasoned, her behavior was strange.
The bite mark on her leg led some to believe she had been with Satan.She was tried and sentenced to death.
Today, only one short paragraph about her survives from Puritan days. Smith used the account for his "Devil" book.
Smith's writing extends to topics beyond local lore.
Today at noon, he will discuss his new book, "Lapping
America," at the Stratford Library, 2203 Main St.
The new book is Smith's homage to the American Interstate highway system and chronicles his trek around the country in a red Corvette.
Stratford Bard, June 22, 2007Author returns with another round of witch tales
-by Erin Holroyd, Bard Correspondent
In the spring of 1651 Goody Bassett was hanged for witchcraft in Stratford. Little is known about Goody Bassett except that she lived in Stratford, was tried for witchcraft, was represented and was hanged.
Author and former Stratford resident Claude Clayton Smith was back in town promoting the re-release of his novel "The Stratford" Devil. Smith greeted a packed Lovell room at the Stratford Library by joking that we were there "at our own risk," because a descendant of the Bassett family just happened to be in the audience.
"I used to come to this library more than fifty years ago with my brother," Smith said. "I took out the same book every time and never gave anything else about Stratford much thought. I just lived here like everyone else, until 1953 when my 3rd grade Garden School class took a walking trip through town. It was the first I had ever heard of wolves and Indians and the hanged witch, Goody Bassett."
Smith became intrigued by the history of Stratford that stemmed from his tour of home. "It stayed with me for many years. All of my seven books can be traced to Stratford," he said.
"The Stratford Devil" is a work of historical fiction whose premise is based on the information available.
"History tells us that Stratford had a problem with wolves and Indians. My protagonist, Ruth, has an encounter with both, which ultimately makes her suspect of witchcraft."
The re-release of Smith's book was based on three factors: the 400th anniversary of Jamestown, the current political climate, which ‘The Stratford Devil' mirrors, and the fact that, as readers have observed, it's just a great story.
"I've re-read it and am surprised I wrote it," Smith said. "I know how it ends but still cheer for Ruth."
Smith believes the line between religion and politics is currently as blurred as it was in the time of Goody Bassett.
"My book could be viewed as a prism to evaluate our current circumstances. Political policy based on personal faith is as pertinent now as it was the day Goody Bassett was hanged," he said. "Terror is not a newly created term or concept."
Smith views his protagonist as ahead of her time. "Goody Bassett was a true feminist," he said. "I grew to love her. It was a shame we had to hang her in the end."
Smith has enjoyed his latest book tour with Goody Bassett.
" I hope that returning to Stratford will continue to keep the vibrant history of Stratford alive in its residents. This town is rich with myth and history for all of us to enjoy," he said.
"The Stratford Devil" has a website that Smith invites residents to view at http://english.onu.edu/stratforddevil.
Stratford Bard May 26, 2006
The Stratford Devil visits Wooster Middle School
By Erin Holroyd, Bard Correspondent
In the Spring of 1651 a woman named Goody Bassett was tried for witchcraft and hung, one of a few such women in the early years of the New World. It is said that the hanging took place behind what is now known as Sterling House.
The famous stories of Goody Bassett have been passed down to wide-eyed children for hundreds of years. One such admirer was Dr. Claude Clayton Smith, a native of Stratford and well-known author.
"My father would point out this small patch of grass down behind Stratford Center and tell us that was where the witch Goody Bassett was hung. It was fascinating and scary," he said.
The only facts Smith was able to find about Goody Bassett herself was that she did exist, she was tried by Governor Haynes, she had representation and she was hung.
"I was able to do a ton of research that could explain how the proceedings were handled and what life was like in Stratford at that time. Much of the dialogue and speeches came from actual diaries of the residents and transcripts of actual trials of the time," he said.
Since there was very little information about Goody Bassett, Smith needed to create a fictional scenario that was plausible for the period.
"I needed to create a plot that was credible. Many things went into the determination of someone being a witch, such as the outbreak of illness or unhealthy crops. In the case of The Stratford Devil I chose the sudden overpopulation of wolves and the main character's involvement with the Indians. The people of Stratford were Puritans and any involvement with the godless Indians would get you in trouble," he said.
Smith was able to trace his own family history to one man in Hartford, Giles Smith, who arrived as an indentured servant and ultimately settled in Fairfield.
"Having one of my own family members around during that time was very exciting. I believe that Giles Smith was part of what inspired me to write this book," Smith said.
Smith wanted to stay as close to the actual events as the research would allow.
"Most of the characters in the book are real people who would have played the roles they did in the book. I was able to acquire most of the information from their personal diaries," he said.
The students were very excited by the familiarity of the book.
"It was great to read a book where you could relate so well to the setting. All the names were familiar," said Jake Grom, 14.
People like Blakeman, Moses Wheeler, Nichols, Hawley and Wilcox all became an integral part of Stratford's development.
Smith shared that he felt his character was a pioneering feminist.
"I wanted to create a character with feminist sensibilities. Goody Bassett was a strong woman ahead of her time," he said. Smith also pointed out the similarities between the world of Goody Bassett and the contemporary world. He wanted the children to "recognize the parallel between the witch hunts of yesteryear and the current search for terrorists."
Tom Thurston, a project historian from Yale, was instrumental in setting up this event for Wooster.
"The Teaching American History Grant allows me to offer support to teachers who want to go above and beyond to bring these kinds of programs to their classrooms," said Thurston.
Teachers Jackie Partridge and Angela Capozzi were thrilled to host Dr. Smith and excited for their students.
"It is a terrific opportunity for the kids," said Capozzi.
Madison Bishop, 12, said the book and program provided her with a unique insight to what Stratford was like in its infancy.
"It was very interesting to read about the religious beliefs and the view of witchcraft. It was fascinating. It was interesting to see how Stratford began," said Bishop.
