Person:Daniel Wardwell (3)

Daniel, a carpenter, died after a fall from the roof, was taken to the Ipswich Mental Hospital where he died, according to the Ipswich VR; Andover VR lists his death in Andover.

The Massachusetts and Maine 1798 Direct Tax lists his home in Andover as "South by the Town Road", 728 square feet, 2 stories high, with 11 windows and valued at $170.

"We are informed by a correspondent, resident in Andover, that a hog was raised this year by Mr. Daniel Wardwell, of that town, which weighed 655 pounds. He was 17 months old when killed." -Haverhill Gazette 25 November 1826

"Yesterday our Police Court was thronged to hear an examination of a complaint for an assault, etc. committed on the body of Daniel Wardwell, of Andover. The case was one of a novel character, and excited considerable interest. The complainant was made to "ride a rail" in the town of Andover, for some supposed misbehavior, which was not of course inquired into. The respondents (some ten or fifteen citizens of Andover, and whose names are not recollected) all appeared, and pleaded not guilty. But, after hearing several witnesses, the Justice bound them over to answer at the next Court of Common Pleas; each to give sureties in the sum of $100." -Salem Gazzette 09 April 1833

RIDING A RAIL Daniel Wardwell, of Andover, was tried and convicted last week, at Ipswich, of Adultery, and sentenced to hard labor in the State Prison one year. This convict is 59 years old, and the father of a family. He was a juror in one of the capital trials of 1830. Last spring he extorted 150 dollars from one of his neighbors by threatening to accuse the neighbor of the same crime; when this was found out, a large number of persons, filled with indignation at Wardwell's conduct, (who was notorious for his low debauchery) assembled in an orderly and unlawful way, seized Wardwell, and rode him a rail through the peaceful town of Andover, for some miles, with as little damage to the body as possible in such cases. Wardwell appeared to be very happy at this outrage, and exulted to the prospect of getting his revenge and making money by taking his neighbors into the law. He came to Salem, complained to our Police Court, against a dozen of them for a Riot and Assault, brought them to Salem on a Warrant, and had them bound over to Court in June, when they were sentenced to pay each a fine of 10 dollars and costs. Wardwell also sued them in a civil action for damage., which was settled for about 150 dollars more. At June Court he was indicted for Adultery, sent to gaol for want of bail, and has remained in gaol till the Court of last week, and has now gone to the State's Prison. His counsel endeavored to prevail on the Court to sentence him to the House of Correction instead or the State's Prison, on the score of his age, his family, &c. Judge Cummings, in passing sentence, remarked that he could not think that old age and grey hairs were a mitigation of the crime of which the prisoner stood convicted, and that the respectability of a family was no an extenuation of the heinousness of the crime, &c. The development of disgusting details in the course of this trial, showed that our most beautiful and most fair villages are the scenes of disgusting vice and low debauchery, not less than the dark alleys and thronged purlieus of our cities. The truth is the country has little to boast of over the town." -Salem Gazzette 31 December 1833

1. ↑ Andover, Essex, Massachusetts, United States. Vital Records of Andover, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849. (Topsfield, Massachusetts: Topsfield Historical Society, 1912)
   372.

   WARDWEL, Daniel, s. Daniel and Damaras, [born] Aug. 27, 1776.