Page 11 - Middletown Magazine Issue 3 Autumn 2023

sop, the leader of a coterie of literary men of
influence, known as the “Hartford Wits.” His
son, Richard, is also here. A Middletown na-
tive who moved to Philadelphia, he became
wealthy from his trade with South America,
investments and banking. Henry Chauncey’s
family lies within the center tomb. Henry,
Lucy Alsop’s husband, was connected with
her family in the South American trade. As a
New York venture capitalist, he was also one
of three investors in the new railway which
was daringly constructed across the Panama
Isthmus in 1855. It is considered the world’s
first transcontinental railroad and the pre-
cursor of the Panama Canal.
Mary Wright (Alsop) Mütter was likely the
moving force behind the construction of the
mausoleum, begin in 1860, a year after the The Chauncey family crypt was vandalized in 1991 9781467108331 - Alain Munkittrick's new
book, Historic Houses of the Connecticut
death of her husband, Dr. Thomas Dent Müt- and the skull of Lucy Alsop Chauncey stolen to be River Valley, features many of Middletown's
ter. Dr. Mütter is one of Indian Hill’s most in- used in an occult, satanic ritual. (Photo credit: Alain historic houses.
teresting interments. He was a Philadelphia Munkittrick)
medical doctor who developed advanced
techniques in plastic surgery, specializing in Just before his death in 1859, Dr. Mütter Alain Munkittrick is an architect
and architectural historian. In
correcting grotesque bodily deformities or endowed a medical library and museum 2019 he coauthored with Deborah
disfigurements caused by accidents. Human to house his vast collection of pathological Shapiro the book Middletown’s High
Street and Wesleyan University. His
“monsters” (so-called at the time) came to specimens. You can visit it in Philadelphia. newest book appeared this year. It is
him from across the country to undergo his For information about the Mütter Museum, Historic Houses of the Connecticut
River Valley, which features vintage
revolutionary surgical procedures, including see https://muttermuseum.org/. photographs of over 160 historic river
the “Mütter Flap,” a skin-grafting technique valley houses from Long Island Sound
employed to this day. Mütter is thought to be Related gun thefts led Middletown police to to the Canadian border.
the first surgeon to practice anesthesia. He the perpetrator of the crime on Indian Hill. It is available at www.
also promoted hygienic, antiseptic surgical State Archaeologist Bellantoni was able to arcadiapublishing.com.
practices such as hand-washing. Remark- return all of the remains - and Lucy Chaunc-
ably, anesthesia and basic cleanliness was ey’s purloined skull - to their original resting
frowned upon by many of his competitors. places. Case solved.

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