In 1756, a man and farmer named Aldus Smith owned a plot of land in rural Connecticut, snuggled cosily between the triangle of cities of Boston, Hartford, and Providence. With a wife, Constance Smith, and two young daughters, Mary and Frances, the family was considered kind, yet quiet and secluded. They would emerge for Sunday church, as well as to sell the crops that Aldus grew, mainly corn and potatoes, and also a field of grain for feeding local cattle.

Being a stoic man, rumours circulated around the community as to what Aldus and his family were doing on their farm when, in reality, they were content in their piety. Still, due to their closed off nature, the community held some animosity, resentment, and materialized thoughts of occult happenings around the Smith family. Ultimately, stories were created and shared amongst the town and a plan was made to oust them from their farm and take their land as they believed that such people must be engaging in a form of witchcraft and were not fit to be among them. There was a plea for Aldus to sell his land to the town, yet he refused, not understanding the reasoning.

April 29, 1756, a mob arrived at the Smith home at dawn as the sun rose and roused the family from their beds. With torches lit, they banged on the door of the Smith family, demanding that they give up their property and leave the land that they had grown so comfortable and attached to as their homestead. With the demands of the crowd, bleariness from being awoken, Aldus threw open the door to protect his family from the threat. Torches were then thrown at the small, dry farmhouse and it immediately went up in flames. Caught between the mob and the fire, unable to save his family as they encroached upon him and blocked him from the door, Aldus fled into the woods.

Here is where the story becomes somewhat speculative, as to how and why Aldus Smith became The Bogman. It is up to you as to what you choose to believe regarding the backstory, but the sightings are real and this is what has been pieced together between folklore and witness accounts. This is our best guess.

The prevailing theory is that there was an actual witch living in the woods near the Smith property. Not that Aldus believed in witchcraft, but they were influencing him and living in his mind from nearby as he lost his timid nature when the town became aggressive towards his family. His entire world fell apart when his wife and children died in that fire and as he ran through the woods to escape, he encountered this person and she offered him a chance for eternal revenge.

In the moment, due to either desperation or despair, he quickly agreed, but because of the pursuit of the mob, he continued running until he was trapped with his back to the swamp at the end of his property and the people standing in front of him. Aldus backed into the water, slowly moving further and out of either grief of losing his family and/or the witch's spell, he drowned and disappeared into the murky mud.

Now, was Aldus cursed by the witch? Was he given a gift to be able to return for vengeance? Is he just frightening but means no harm? Stuck in purgatory with his soul stolen by another and in perpetual anguish when taken advantage of in a moment of distress? What is known is that he haunts and protects his former property and should be respected as this is where he and his deceased family should have been left to live in peace.