Buried Pirate treasure in CT ?

johnny_5

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During my research of CT I keep seeing this story come up and was wondering if anyone had any extra info of this to be true of false. Or any other occurrences of pirates burying treasure inland like this. Further more the story states that an Indian trail could of been used as means ofnavigation. Whats yall take on this?

Johnny_5



No survey of Connecticut pirate treasure legends can be complete without recounting the tale of what might have been the richest buried treasure ever recovered in the Nutmeg State. Given all that digging along the shores and all the speculation about Capt. Kidd, it is both strange and ironic that the discovery was made more than thirty miles inland from the nearest tidal waters, and had nothing to do with the ubiquitous Kidd. For this is the legend of Blackbeard's booty, buried in a granite-walled excavation in Hampton, and discovered -- or was it? -- less than sixty years ago.

Before he died in the fall of 1939, a man named Cady owned a property in the Howard's Valley section of Hampton long known as the Jewett homestead. In his final days, Cady was fond of telling the tale of a stranger who came to his house one evening in 1938. Although Cady lived alone and was somewhat wary of strangers, there was something about his visitor that inspired trust, the homeowner said, and so he asked him in. The stranger, who gave his name as Barney Reynolds, proceeded to tell Cady a remarkable story. Reynolds was, he said, a direct descendant of the notorious Capt. Edward Teach, known wherever sailors spun their yarns as "Blackbeard," the meanest, most ruthless pirate who ever sailed the Spanish main. Cady's visitor said that he had recently inherited a treasure map, handed down from Blackbeard himself, which unquestionably placed a buried hoard somewhere on Cady's property.

When Reynolds spread the yellowed map upon the Hampton man's dining room table, Cady said he could scarcely believe his eyes as the stranger showed him landmarks etched on the parchment which pointed to the exact location of the buried treasure: in the dooryard of a house, a stone shaped like a horse's head; following a line southeast-by-south across the road, a boulder, perhaps chipped purposely, resembling a dog's head, pointing south; and, across a small brook, on a line bearing right, a fish's head, the eye, realistically placed on the low stone, looking directly at the treasure pit, just twenty paces due south. Cady's heart beat faster, he said, for he immediately recognized them all! They were, indeed, on his land.

Reynolds then proposed a deal. If Cady would provide him with the proper digging tools and promise not to bother him until he had excavated the site where Blackbeard's treasure was buried, he would split the hoard with the landowner, fifty-fifty. Cady agreed, and the following morning Reynolds tramped off across Cady's land, headed for the boulder with the fish's eye. Two days passed, the Hampton man said, and he began to wonder how Reynolds was doing. After a third and then a fourth day went by with no word from Blackbeard's relative, Cady's curiosity got the better of him. Even if it meant giving up his share of the booty, he had to find Reynolds and check his progress.

Quickly he followed the trail marked on the old map, until he reached the place where he knew Reynolds was working. But when he got there, an astonishing sight met his eyes. There was a pit fully eight feet deep and about five feet square, the walls lined with large slabs of smooth granite too perfectly placed to have been naturally formed. Over the pit lay timbers rigged in such a way as to hoist a flat capstone which topped the vault and lay on the ground nearby. All around the in-ground vault Cady's tools were scattered, as if dropped in haste. There was even a pair of muddy boots at the bottom of the hole. But most alarming of all, Cady recalled, there was no sign of Reynolds. And, indeed, the owner of Blackbeard's map was never seen again. "No one ever knew whether he found the treasure or where he went," Cady said.

Why were pirates so far inland? And what was Blackbeard doing in Hampton? Cady had a theory. Between 1713 and 1718, Capt. Teach was known to have pirated West Indian shipping. He may well have anchored off New London, unloaded his portable booty and made his way northward over the old Nipmuck Indian trail, either to reach Boston by way of an overland route, or more likely, to evade pursuers. Near the "Canada settlement" in Hampton, Cady theorized, the pirate party crossed easterly to reach the North and South Road, later the King's Highway, which, in turn, led to the Connecticut Path to Boston. Or, if he were so inclined, he could have doubled back to New London by the east route, originally the old Tatnick Trail, from Worcester to Norwich. The Cady home was just off the Nipmuck Trail, near a place where many paths intersected. Thus, Blackbeard, wishing to lighten his load before heading for Boston or back to New London, designed the elaborate burial pit, made the map and buried his treasure. And there it lay, Cady thought, until Reynolds took it away. But, then, like everything else connected with pirate gold, this is only the way the story goes.

from Legendary Connecticut by David E. Philips
 

GaBnn3

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Before Capt Kidd was shipped off to London he retained a lawyer to represent him before the governor in hopes of getting the governor to intervene on his behalf. As payment, win or fail, the lawyer was promised a treasure that Kidd claimed to have hidden. The lawyer unsuccessfully represented Kidd who was then sent off to his death in England. The lawyer then unsuccessfully attempted to recover the treasure only to conclude that he had been conned by Kidd. Kidd claimed that the treasure was buried some distance overland from the landing in Wethersfield after Kidd sailed up the Connecticut River.
 

au-artifax

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Before Capt Kidd was shipped off to London he retained a lawyer to represent him before the governor in hopes of getting the governor to intervene on his behalf. As payment, win or fail, the lawyer was promised a treasure that Kidd claimed to have hidden. The lawyer unsuccessfully represented Kidd who was then sent off to his death in England. The lawyer then unsuccessfully attempted to recover the treasure only to conclude that he had been conned by Kidd. Kidd claimed that the treasure was buried some distance overland from the landing in Wethersfield after Kidd sailed up the Connecticut River.

What was your source of information regarding Kidd's lawyer? Getting closer I think! (0:

I have mentioned it in other threads, that at the point where valuables were hidden, we should be calling it Capt. Quick's treasure. The lawyer just plain missed the marker, and Quick was too busy in NY giving testimony and being under constant scrutiny to return. Only Quick and one other person, (well three others if you think Gardiner was in on it and count the lawyer), knew of the trip Quicks sloop took. Let's see who did their research... Who was it that accompanied Quick to Gardiners Island to load bales on his boat?
 

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Honest Samuel

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Pertaining to # 1, I believe that the man found the treasure and did not share it with the owner. I live in Connecticut, and that is why I update this forum. I do not want people wasting their time looking for it. I got the book mention in # 1. Great information.
 

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cw0909

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Pertaining to # 1, I believe that the man found the treasure and did not share it with the owner. I live in Connecticut, and that is why I update this forum. I do not want people wasting their time looking for it.

so you think Mr.Reynolds took the $$ and left Mr. Cady with nothing
but, what if....the town folk heard gossip of a treasure, then Mr. Cady
made the story up, to cover up his new found wealth
maybe Mr Cady should be checked out
 

Honest Samuel

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# 7 got me confused, but at my old age, that is easy to do. Mr. Reynolds left Mr. Cady with nothing, and if Mr. Cady was rich, the good town people would had heard about it.
 

Honest Samuel

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I am always seeking good stories about buried treasures and places to search for single coins in Connecticut. Please sent by private messages. Thanks.
 

Honest Samuel

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# 7. Are you people shock that crooks go on public and private lands, and steal buried treasures, and not share with land owners? Happen all the time since buried treasures was found to this very day in all countries. Read # 5.
 

Honest Samuel

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so you think Mr.Reynolds took the $$ and left Mr. Cady with nothing
but, what if....the town folk heard gossip of a treasure, then Mr. Cady
made the story up, to cover up his new found wealth
maybe Mr Cady should be checked out
That would be interesting to check out Mr. Cady, I do not know if he is in Hell or Heaven. Let us know when you interview him to get his side of the story.
 

MiddenMonster

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Reynolds then proposed a deal. If Cady would provide him with the proper digging tools and promise not to bother him until he had excavated the site where Blackbeard's treasure was buried, he would split the hoard with the landowner, fifty-fifty.

Oh, yeah. What could go wrong here? "Sure, go on that fishing trip. I'll keep an eye on your supermodel wife and make sure she's OK." "Awesome! I just made a deal with the federal government to dig up some Civil War gold bars and I get to keep some!" "Yeah, baby! Spain told me to find that wreck and they won't lay claim to it." "Don't worry. Open wi-fi networks are the way to go these days."
 

Crow

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Gidday amigos.

Regardless if the story was true or not? What amazes me with tnet the people here all too quick to make assumptions without making any attempt to do a little research for some facts.

For me at least I treat these treasure yarns as treasure research exercises. So researching these stories are not in vain. You can learn a lot of research skills regardless from them.

For example in 2 hours of tinkering...I found out the identity of Barney Reynolds who was born in 1892 in New Haven. In 1940 aged 42 he was living alms house institution called Springside home, It was in essence a poor house. He never went to school. He possibly lived there with a Patrick Reynolds 37 and a Frank Reynolds 62. Who was from Ireland and came to America in 1935.There family relationship should be view tentative as not fully established.

This Barney Reynolds is only one that has any connection to Connecticut in the correct time frame.

So from this we can con-clued its highly possible this was the person if it was not a fake name and not a different person. That no treasure was found? He was desperately poor as many rural farm workers in the 1930s right the way WW2.

Now in regards to Cady? He was Charles H Cady. While there is many Cadys in state etc.. none fitting the profiles as dying in 1939 except the above mentioned Charles H Cady who died on the 28th of October 1939.He also lived in the proximity of Hampton.

Charles H Cady Was Born in Vermont in 1867. His home in 1930 Hampton, Windham, Connecticut, USA . He was a retired farmer and lived on his own property along a farmhouse on State road 6. As for it being a farm called Jewett homestead homestead. We only have a address number however today in approximate location there is highly renovated property along the road no longer called Jewett home stead but given the name Jewett House. However the property had a large traditional barn and out buildings.

Now those are the facts amigo.

So what of this alleged treasure map?

In the decade of the great depression people was desperate for money and hunting lost treasure became a pipe dream for many. Especially the rural poor that knew of traditional treasure stories Stories of Blackbeard was one of them It was easy for the vulnerable to be preyed upon for what little money they had. My speculation is a desperate farm hand that once worked for Cady, made a map from memory of landmarks on Caldy's property.

And sold a fake map pertaining to be from a descendant of Blackbeard or Crew member? to an even more desperate Barney Reynolds relieving him of what little money he had.

Even by the story of Barney Reynolds had to borrow Cadys digging tools. Shows how poor and desperate Barney must of been?

So for me story while not a buried treasure it is an interesting insight how people is desperate times can be preyed upon and scammed.

Crow
 

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MiddenMonster

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So for me story while not a buried treasure it is an interesting insight how people is desperate times can be preyed upon and scammed.

Good analysis and investigative work. The only thing in the original story to indicate that it was more than a map scam is the line, "the walls lined with large slabs of smooth granite too perfectly placed to have been naturally formed." That would indicate that something was there. But it is just as likely that it could be an embellishment that was added to the story as it was told over the years, like the fish that keeps getting bigger, or the number of attacking Indians grows with each telling of the story. I also like to see posts from years ago surface again. It's kind of like revisiting a cold case and putting new eyes on it.
 

au-artifax

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Gidday amigos.

Regardless if the story was true or not? What amazes me with tnet the people here all too quick to make assumptions without making any attempt to do a little research for some facts.

For me at least I treat these treasure yarns as treasure research exercises. So researching these stories are not in vain. You can learn a lot of research skills regardless from them.

"For example in 2 hours of tinkering...I found out the identity of Barney Reynolds who was born in 1892 in New Haven. In 1940 aged 42 he was living alms house institution called Springside home, It was in essence a poor house."

So after two hours you came up with an age of 42!?!?!? It took me two seconds to figure his age to be 48. Or am I being too quick with my facts?
 

PetesPockets55

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Gidday amigos.

Regardless if the story was true or not? What amazes me with tnet the people here all too quick to make assumptions without making any attempt to do a little research for some facts.

For me at least I treat these treasure yarns as treasure research exercises. So researching these stories are not in vain. You can learn a lot of research skills regardless from them.

"For example in 2 hours of tinkering...I found out the identity of Barney Reynolds who was born in 1892 in New Haven. In 1940 aged 42 he was living alms house institution called Springside home, It was in essence a poor house."

So after two hours you came up with an age of 42!?!?!? It took me two seconds to figure his age to be 48. Or am I being too quick with my facts?

Gidday to you as well! I agree with you about using these threads as an exercise in research. I do a search quite often as I consider myself curious but unknowledegable/ignorant in a lot of things. Sometimes I do a search and sometimes I jump the gun.
One question for you is whether you verified the dates he mentioned with a search or if you based your "2 second" reply only on the respondants research and math? :thumbsup:

You might have been too quick with your facts, but I didn't verify.
 

Mackaydon

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As CROW said: "For me at least I treat these treasure yarns as treasure research exercises. So researching these stories are not in vain. You can learn a lot of research skills regardless from them."
So true.
Don...
 

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