Supr. J. Ct. Salem: Novr. 1781

Cor: Grand Jury

Commonwealth vs. Lucy Pernum Wife of Scipio Pernum1 of Newbury Port, Laborer

Huldah Todd fortnight from Sunday the barn burnt. Monday morning I saw Lucy Purnham said after with Geo. Todd she sd. after I came out of meeting in Evning I got the fire to burn. I sd. I heard she came out of meeting before it was burnt Betty Cressy I was with Huldah Todd. she sd. as before & turning to our barn sd. it is a wonder that barn has not been burnt Lucy Todd after this wn. she got to Mr. Todd she sd. she was glad the barn was burned but seing it was not intended the house shd. have been burnt but seing it was not she wished every person in the house had been in the barn & sent to Hell before morning: 2 hours after she sd. you see wt. I have done it is not so bad as wt. I will do. Sarah Saunders I was coming from Evng. meeting & met Lucy abt. 40 Rods from Barn walking from the barn & in a few minutes the barn was in flames I spoke to her she sd. she was in a hurry Wm. Todd in July we catch’d her, our Dog barked. she sd. I had you alone &c Ill burn your barn Eben Todd in July wn. she was catched I heard the same &c 178 George Todd in July the same &c 21st at night my barn burned; the morning after wn. I took her she said she had the most glorious frolick last night.

MS .

1.

Scipio Pernam of Ipswich and Lucy Robin of Newbury were married at St. Paul’s Anglican Church in Newburyport on Apr. 16, 1761. The 1790 census of Newburyport listed Scipio Purnam as the head of a household consisting of two “other free persons.” He died in the Newburyport almshouse in 1815 (Vital Records of Newburyport, Massachusetts [Salem, Mass., 1911], 2:845).

Lucy’s origins are uncertain, but she may have been the Lucy, servant of John Little, who married Robbin, servant of the late Rev. Matthias Plant, at St. Paul’s on Mar. 2, 1755. Robert, alias Robin, servant of the Rev. Mr. Plant, was buried at St. Paul’s on Feb. 1, 1761. A black woman named Lucy was buried at Newbury in Mar. 1793, but identification with Lucy Pernam cannot be made definitively (Vital Records of Newbury, Massachusetts [Salem, Mass., 1911], 2:530, 758).

November 6, 1781

Essex Ss. At the Supreme Judicial Court begun and holden at Salem within and for the County of Essex on the first Tuesday of November in the year of our Lord Seventeen hundred and Eighty one

The Jurors for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts upon their oath present that Lucy Pernum wife of Scipio Pernum of Newbury Port in the County of Essex Labourer, not having the fear of GOD before her Eyes on the twenty first day of October in the year of our Lord Seventeen hundred and Eighty one at Rowley in the said County of Essex about the hour of Eight in the night of the same day with force and Arms a certain house and Barn with Hay and Grain in the same of one George Todd there scituate, feloniously, voluntarilly and maliciously did set fire to and the same house and barn with hay and Grain in it, then & there by such firing as aforsaid feloniously, voluntarily and maliciously did burn and consume, against the peace of the Commonwealth aforsaid & dignity of the same.

R T Paine Atty pr Repub a true bill Jonathan Ropes { Foreman

Essex Ss. Novr. Term at Salem 1781 Lucy Pernum is Set to the Bar & has this Indictment read to her, and being demanded how she will acquit herself thereof, she says that thereof she is not guilty & thereof for trial puts herself upon God & the Country

Attest Chas. Cushing Cler.

Essex Ss. June Term at Ipswich A.D. 17821

Now The Court assigns James Sullivan & Theophilus Bradbury Esqrs. as Counsell for the prisoner

att. Chas. Cushing Cler.

MS (Suffolk Files, no. 132775. Massachusetts Judicial Archives, Boston, Mass.); docketed: “Jury say not guilty.”

1.

The case was continued to the June 1782 session of the Supreme Judicial Court. The trial notes are published under that date (below).