Daniel ORCUTT^[1]

1797 -

• Name	Daniel ORCUTT
  Born	30 Jul 1797
  Gender	Male
  Person ID	I18310	Main
  Last Modified	17 Jul 2010

  
  

  Father	James ORCUTT,   b. 17 Jan 1754, Taconic, Albany, New York ,   d. 4 Sep 1804, Aurelius, Cayuga, New York  (Age 50 years)
  Mother	Deborah CADY,   b. 10 Jan 1759, Whitehall, Washington, New York ,   d. 21 Oct 1845, Rushford, Allegany, New York  (Age 86 years)
  Married	10 Mar 1780	Egremont, Berkshire, Massachusetts
  Family ID	F6995	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  Daniel Orcutt led a rather colorful life. He is quoted as saying that he did not marry the girl he loved because he feared his drinking might cause her unhappiness. Events in the life of Daniel Orcutt that occurred while he was living in Rushford, New York, are included in the publication "Rushford and Rushford People." Daniel Orcutt was once working for Deacon Rawson on the County Line Road between Allegany and Cattaraugus counties. One Saturday the Deacon promised to give each of the men a drink of whiskey if they would finish a certain piece of work by night. The work was done, so the Deacon brought out a jug and a glass and commenced to pour out the whiskey which he said was eight years old. He was not very generous with his whiskey, giving only a third of a glass to each man. When Orcutt's turn came, taking the glass, he said, "Deacon did you say this whiskey is eight years old?" "Yes answered the Deacon. "Well, " replied Orcutt "it looks pretty damned small for its age." Even the Deacon laughed. Daniel Orcutt worked for a widow, who owed him nearly a year's wages, and promised to pay him as soon as she sold her oxen. After waiting a long time, Orcutt took her oxen from the pasture in broad daylight and drove them off. She had him arrested for stealing, partly, it was hinted, because her hopes of marrying him had been disappointed. When he was brought into court and asked whether he was guilty or not guilty, he replied, "Guilty as hell." So he was sent to the State's Prison at Auburn. While he was there he learned to make beautiful coverlids. His sister, Mrs. Andre Bennett, used to think it did him good to go to prison, because while there he studied the Bible so thoroughly that he was able to repeat large portions of it. He was soon pardoned. This publication states, "Nothing is known of Daniel Orcutt after he went to the Seminole war. He is thought to have perished in the massacre of Major Dade's command in 1835." This is an error, as, Daniel moved from Rushford, Allegany County, New York, to Indiana.

  
  

• Sources

  [S44] Orcutt_001 gedcom file, Robert Waddell.