How many people died on the farmhouse property?
"Eight generations of one extended family lived and died in that house prior to our arrival," says Andrea Perron, adding, "Some of them never left." The Black Book of Burrillville, the town's former public records book, reveals that over the course of its existence the property had been host to two suicides by hanging, one suicide by poison, the rape and murder of eleven-year-old Prudence Arnold by a farmhand, two drownings, and the passing of four men who froze to death, in addition to other tragic losses of life. -WJAR
In her book, Andrea Perron addresses the members of the Arnold family who died on the farm, where she states, "Most of the recorded deaths which occurred on the farm were in that family: Mrs. John Arnold, Harmonie, Johnny and Prudence…even Bathsheba was an Arnold." However, with regard to the rape and murder of eleven-year-old Prudence S. Arnold, her official death record indicates that she died in the town of Uxbridge, Massachusetts, not Burrillville, Rhode Island, revealing that her place of death was likely not on the farm. Furthermore, the record lists her cause of death as, "her throat was cut by W.E.K." These initials contradict the name Andrea gives in her book, "Bill Norton." The first initial 'W' could possibly stand for William, which can be shortened to Bill. However, this still doesn't explain the last name being incorrect. Andrea cites her source as being the Black Book of Burrillville, which was complied by a man named John Smith with additional entries by J.C. Mathewson.