In 1834, a former slave named Prince Mortimer died in the new prison in Wethersfield. Mortimer was 111 years old at the time of his death, and, since arriving in America on a slave ship at the age of six, had been either enslaved or imprisoned for 105 years.

After serving as a slave in Middletown, Prince was sent to Simsbury’s infamous Newgate Prison at the age of 87 for attempting to poison his master. On one occasion, he was released, but chose to return to prison voluntarily. Prior to his incarceration, much of the remarkable life of Prince Mortimer took place in Middletown, where he served prominent local families such as the Starrs and Mortimers.

Local attorney Denis Caron has described the unique life of Prince Mortimer in his newly published book A Century in Captivity, The Life and Trials of Prince Mortimer, A Connecticut Slave.

Caron’s task was rendered somewhat daunting by the dearth of information available on Mortimer’s life. But through unrelenting research -- much in the Historical Society’s archives -- some resourceful sleuthing and a few suppositions, Caron has succeeded in re-constructing his subject’s unusual life story. Caron’s book also provides an extensive, sometimes bone-chilling, description of the prison system of the early 19th century, especially Newgate, an underground cavern of unimaginable suffering. Of prime interest to local residents is the author’s portrait of life in Middletown, and of the Mortimer and Starr families.

On May 3rd, Caron will deliver the Arthur M. Schultz Memorial Lecture at the Historical Society’s annual meeting of the Middlesex County Historical Society. The meeting will take place at First Baptist Church, 93 Main Street, Middletown, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Refreshments will be served immediately following at General Mansfield House, just a few steps away. Admission is free.