Stratford’s history is always fascinating as it is filled with surprising twists, turns, and tales. Imagine our surprise when we learned that for a brief eight months in 1868, Stratford had been home to America’s first female serial killer.
In most written accounts of Lydia Sherman, she is identified with the Town of Derby, so a 1954 Sunday Herald account was a surprising find as it directly linked Lydia with Stratford.
Lydia’s first husband, a New York City policeman, became incapacitated and was out of work for months. Lydia ministered to her husband until he became ill and passed away. Each of her six children then “became ill” in turn, and passed away. Her New York City priest found these deaths suspicious and troubling, but Lydia moved on, not seeming to have a care.
Lydia’s only tie to Stratford was the eight months she spent working for James Curtiss’ mother. James Curtiss was living in New York City, at the time, and hired Lydia to care for his mother. Fortunately for James’ mother, and out-of-character for Lydia, Mrs. Curtiss was cared for by Lydia and seemed to emerge from Lydia’s care no “worse for the wear”. Mrs. Curtiss made her home at today’s Stationhouse Square. Lydia’s time in Stratford was related by her at her trial for murder. Her account was published shortly after her trial concluded.
The Poison Fiend: Life and Conviction of Lydia Sherman
By Geo. Lippard Barclay, 1873
I then kept house until the following May, going out as usual to do nursing. About that time Lydia, my eldest daughter, went to New York with work, was taken sick, and after an illness of 21 days she died a natural death. I never gave her anything the doctor did not order. Then I went to Sailorsville, Pa., with a family named Maxom. It was not a profitable venture, so I returned to New York and went to live with my step-daughter, Mrs. Thompson. Then I took a situation with Mr. Cochran, who kept a sewing machine establishment in Canal Street. There I became acquainted with Mr. James Curtiss. He asked me to go to Stratford, Conn., to take care of his aged mother and keep house for them. I consented to go for $8.00 per month. I lived there eight months.
One day Mr. John Fairchild, at whose store I bought our groceries, asked me if I would like to keep house for a man who had just lost his wife. In this way I became acquainted with Mr. Hurlburt, who lived in Coram, Huntington. After I had been a few days with him he asked me to marry him, which I did Nov. 22, 1868. The ceremony was performed by the Rev. Mr. Morton in his own house. We lived happily for fourteen months. About three months after we were married, Mr. Hurlburt made his will. He was subject to fits of dizziness.
After Mr. Hurlburt suddenly, and suspiciously, passed away, some months after marrying Lydia, she married Nelson Sherman of Derby. Nelson believed he was marrying into money since Lydia had inherited Dennis Hurlburt’s sizeable estate. Nelson was unaware Lydia’s ministrations and attentions ended with her husbands’ and children’s deaths.
There are many accounts of Lydia’s murders which can all be found on the internet. You may read a modern account of Lydia’s life in the 2012 book “Fatal: The Poisonous Life of a Female Serial Killer”.
An extract from the January 31,1954 Sunday Herald follows.
Lovely Lydia’s Poison Took 11-or 23-Lives
In the amazing parade of Connecticut murderesses, none stands out like the weird mass killer of the last century – Lydia Struck Hurlburt Sherman of Stratford.
Like many of her sisters in crime, Lydia used arsenic to dispose of her victims.
But compared to a woman like “Arsenic Annie” Monahan, whose story was told last week, Lydia was a creature from another world.
…The sloe-eyed, dark-haired beauty from Stratford is known to have poisoned at least 11 people during her lifetime, and is suspected of having done away with a dozen more.
Here is the known list of her victims:
Policeman Edward Struck, her first husband.
Mary Ann, 6, Edward 4, and William Struck, 1, her children.
George, 14, Ann, 12, and Lydia Struck, 18, her stepchildren.
Dennis Hurlburt, 75, her second husband.
Nelson Sherman, of Derby, her third husband.
Addie Sherman, 15, and Frank Sherman, 2, Nelson’s children.
Lydia, a veritable Bluebeard in skirts, started her crime career in New York City.
The authorities in Derby grew suspicious and exhumed the dead Sherman family members. They conducted an autopsy on each of the deceased and found there was enough arsenic in their bodies to have killed several people. They, then, contacted Lydia’s New York City priest and he related his long held suspicions pertaining to the deaths of Lydia’s first husband and children.
Lydia was convicted and sentenced to life in prison at the Old New-Gate Prison in East Granby where she died a few years later.
