In all the 30
years that he trekked through the area, he was never
known to have uttered so much as a single word. He would
make an occasional grunting sound at best. He corresponded
using only head nods and hand gestures. Unlike most
wanderers in the 1800's who sought work for pay or food,
the Leatherman would only accept food as a gift. Sometimes
children would give him coins, but he always gave them
back by leaving them on a rock or fence post.
The town of Forrestville
was not one of his favorite places as on one day in
1887 he was assaulted by two men who had been trying
to get him to talk. After all attempts failed, the molesters
threw him in a water filled horse trough.
Near the intersection
of Hill Road and Route 118 is an old cave known locally
as "The Leatherman's Cave". This was only
one of his stops in the local area. He was known to
have been a regular at Burlington's Tory Den and also
at a cave in Thomaston.
His entire trip
was approximately 360 miles and he did it doing about
ten miles a day, always in a clockwise direction.
Over a period of
time, the care and feeding of the Leatherman became
a mark of distinction and privilege. People who lived
along his route competed for the honor of providing
his meals and the child who could boast that "my
folks feed the Leatherman" was the envy of all
his or her classmates in school. If there was an important
event, such as a church social, scheduled on the day
the Leatherman was due to come through, attendance was
reduced because people who didn't stay home to feed
the visitor might lose the honor next time around. Children,
particularly, were strongly attracted to the eccentric
walker and often accompanied him for short distances,
he on one side of the road and they on the other.
As late as 1977
one 96-year-old Woodbridge woman who vividly recalled
seeing the Leatherman when she was a child of four remembered
the strong reaction of people in her neighborhood as
he approached. Said Mrs. Mabel Hotchkiss Perry: "He
looked strange, awful funny, but I wasn't afraid of
him. Everything he wore seemed massive. He headed for
the Judge house to get some food and the first thing
I know, they were yelling from the kitchen, 'Here comes
the Leatherman.' Then quick as lightening, three heads
appeared in the doorway. Then he went back to the main
road and went north toward Naugatuck."
Another elderly
woman who, as a child, attended the little school on
South Chippens Hill in Bristol, recalled that her teacher
used the Leatherman as in incentive for the children
to work for higher marks. Those achieving the best grades
would be rewarded by being allowed to bring in something
for the tramp on "Leatherman Day." On the
inevitable day, when word was passed that the Leatherman
was coming, the teacher dismissed the school and the
children would line up outside. Then the child with
the highest grade was permitted to step forward and
offer the gift he or she had brought. The Leatherman
would always come over, accept the gift without comment,
nod his thanks and continue on his way. There are many
who claim that in his time the old Leatherman was the
best-fed, if not the most honored person in Connecticut.
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