Sheep Killed by Dogs

New Ipswich Historical Society

Marion Davis Audio-Tape Transcriptions

Sometime before her death in 1986, Marion Davis recorded her memories at the encouragement of her brother, Walter Buck. The recordings were transcribed by a secretary.

The Friends of Wapack have made these available to the Historical Society. Marion was born on February 8, 1894 in Fitchburg, MA.

Sad Narrative

Then we took some lanterns and went over--by that time it was dark. This was about the 8th of October. We found sheep bitten-- we'd see them here and there. We found 3 way down in the northwest corner of the Conant and they huddled in a bunch--frightened. There was nothing we could do; we went home. Frank went home. He said "Robert Walker, one of the selectmen, will be up to go over the pasture with us. You bring a butcher knife and I'll meet you about 8 o'clock at the pasture". The next morning Robert Walker came over to the pasture just as Frank got there. We went to the yard and there was a beautiful sheep there, dead; there was another one just over the ledge. We started down toward the brook and there was one laying on its back in the brook--it had drowned. Robert Walker said, "This is a job for the game warden. I think we'd better get the game warden. And Frank you'd better go with me downtown". Frank said to me, "You'd better look around and see what you find and you may have to put some of them out of their misery". I couldn't find any more sheep until I got way down in the southwest corner of the Conant and there was my ram. He was lying in a depression and the minute he saw me he said, "Ma-a, Ma-a". I went to him and rolled him up onto dry ground. It had rained during the night so he was lying in a soaking puddle. He was bitten in the hindquarters. Then I went on. I knew there was nothing I could do for him--he couldn't stand up. I found a sheep that had fallen off a ledge and was lying on its back, probably back broken. A little ways further I came onto a ewe. She was lying on her back; she was still alive. They had torn her open on the belly; some of it was still exposed. I had to put her out of her misery.

Photo Archives

Marion with goats

James Roger diary entry - Pullets 17

12^th January 1913

Cloudy with showers of rain and snow; wind west; getting colder in evening. Roads muddy but clear of ice. Mr. Lord gave an informal address on the “Biblical ideas of what Man ought to be” -Moses, David, Jeremiah, and Peter. Only about 11 at Church. No S.S. nor evening service. Pullets 17.

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