Killed Strangely: The Death of Rebecca Cornell

253 Pages·2002·1.66 MB·English

by  Elaine Forman Crane

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Killed Strangely
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The house in which Rebecca Cornell died. Situated on West Main Road in
Portsmouth, Rhode Island, the structure was modernized in the late 1830s and
subsequently destroyed by fire on December 21, 1889. Her room was on the first
floor to the left of the entry. Old Cornell House, Americana (New York, Feb.
1911), p. opp. 111. Milstein Division of United States History, Local History &
Genealogy, The New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox and Tilden Founda-
tions.
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Killed Strangely
the death of rebecca cornell
E L A I N E F O R M A N C R A N E
cornell university press Ithaca &London
Copyright © 2002 by Cornell University
All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in a review, this book, or
parts thereof, must not be reproduced in any form without permission in
writing from the publisher. For information, address Cornell University
Press, Sage House, 512 East State Street, Ithaca, New York 14850.
First published 2002 by Cornell University Press
First printing, Cornell Paperbacks, 2009
Printed in the United States of America
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Crane, Elaine Forman.
Killed strangely : the death of Rebecca Cornell / Elaine Forman Crane.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-8014-4002-1 (cloth : alk. paper)
ISBN 978-0-8014-7527-6 (pbk. : alk. paper)
1. Cornell, Rebecca, 1600–1673. 2. Cornell, Thomas, 1627?–1673. 3.
Homicide—Rhode Island—Portsmouth—History—17th century—
Case studies. 4. Trials (Murder)—Rhode Island—Portsmouth—History—
17th century—Case studies. 5. Portsmouth (R.I.)—History—17th
century. I. Title.
HV6534.P68 C73 2002
364.15'23'097456—dc21
2002004077
Cornell University Press strives to use environmentally responsible suppli-
ers and materials to the fullest extent possible in the publishing of its
books. Such materials include vegetable-based, low-VOC inks and acid-
free papers that are recycled, totally chlorine-free, or partly composed of
nonwood fibers. For further information, visit our website at
www.cornellpress.cornell.edu.
Cloth printing 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Paperback printing 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
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For Stephen
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Rebecka Cornell widdow was killed Strangely at Portsmouth in
her own Dwelling House, was twice Viewed By the Crowners
Inquest digged up and buried again by her Husbands Grave in
their own Land upon the 8th day of the 12 Mo 1672.
—Society of Friends records,
Newport, Rhode Island
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c o n t e n t s
Acknowledgments, xi
Introduction, 1
1 A Death in the Family, 8
2 The Background of a Tragedy, 59
3 The Contentious World of Thomas Cornell, 87
4 Doubting Thomas: Or, Considering the
Alternatives, 105
5 A Community Renders a Verdict, 145
6 Life after Death, 174
Notes, 191
Index, 227