'Turnback Tuesday' features 'A Poison Fiend' in Derby

Lydia Sherman

Dr. Beardsley

This week's "Turnback Tuesday" has a bit of intrigue with Lydia Sherman, "A Poison Fiend." 
Lydia's story starts out normal enough, married at 17 and within seven years has six children. This is when her wild ways begin. Her husband loses his job and falls into depression, but instead of having him committed, Lydia poisons him - followed by her three youngest children. The other three die later. 
Moving herself to Connecticut working as a nurse, she meets her second husband/victim, Dennis Hurlburt. 
Hurlburt changed his will, leaving everything to his bride. He took very ill and the doctors could not help. 
Lydia then became housekeeper for Horatio Sherman in Derby and took care of his two children. They married within a few months. Not long after child #1 died, then child #2, then Horatio himself. 
It was the suspicions of Dr. Beardsley, a local physician, who helped the police arrest Lydia in June of 1871. 
She was convicted of second degree murder in New Haven and sentenced to life in prison. She died May 16, 1878.


Thanks as always to the Derby Public Library staff for sharing interesting local history each week.