Robert Treat Paine Papers, Volume 4
Every thing here is perfect quiet; and Sir Guy1 at New York, seems equally undetermined respecting the future opperations of the Campaign, what they will be is very uncertain, perhaps the flagillation our good Friends have met with in the West Indies, may prevent any thing great on our side, tho’ we wish here to have another slap at ’em.2
Our Army are now better cloathed than they have been during the War, & make a most martial appearance, but our numbers will be greatly deficient if we are called seriously to Action. Public affairs feel, very sensibly, the want of compliance in the several States, in raising money for this year. Our Contracts at this moment are supported on the future supplies of the States. I wish every exertion in our State, tho’ I know their poverty.
Inclosed you have an Order on Mr. Shattuck & Co. for 20 Dollars; more money will be sent by the first safe oppertunity.
If my Daughters have come to your house, I wish Mrs. Paine would, with your consent, supply them with all the little necessaries they may want, if Mrs. Paine cannot sell the silk at Hastings’s, she may send it to, or git it made up for Mrs. Cobb,3 whatever money you may expend for the Girls shall be immediately repaid.
Give my Love to your neighbour Russell,4 Wife & Family, & sincere affection to Mrs. Paine, & believe me ever your Friend & Servant
Do write by the next post, so that I may know whether you are all alive.
Sir Guy Carleton (1724–1808) was named commander-in-chief in North America on Mar. 2, 1782, to effect an orderly withdrawal of British forces after the surrender at Yorktown (Oxford Dictionary of National Biography).
Admiral Sir George Rodney had defeated Comte De Grasse in the “Battle of the Saints” off Dominica on Apr. 12.
Eleanor (Bradish) Cobb (1748/9–1808) was the daughter of Ebenezer and Eunice (Cook) Bradish, keepers of the Blue Anchor Tavern in Cambridge. In a letter to RTP on Mar. 13, 1767 (see 2:400–402), Cobb wrote that “I am not troubled with a wife every night, for one visit a Month is, or must be, at present Satisfactory.” Ten days later their first child was born. Eventually there would be ten more children, but there was “little affection” in the marriage, “largely because of Eleanor’s prevailing mental depression.” She died in Taunton in 1808 (Sibley’s Harvard Graduates, 16:338).
Joseph Russell (1735–1795), auctioneer, also lived on Milk St., Boston. He served as town treasurer in the 1790s until his death (Thwing Index).
versusLucy Pernam on the charge of arson
See November 1781 for first part of trial and summary.
Comnwlth vs. Lucy Pernam, Arson
Huldah Todd. barn burnt Octr. 21 last the morning after I saw Lucy she sd. she had been to the Evening meeting & got the fire to burn the barn. I was telling my neighbour of the barn being burnt: Todd heard her then: no threats, no questions.
Betty CressyI was talking with Hul. Todd abt. the burning the barn. Todd came along with Lucy Todd sd. she came out of meeting before it was done. Lucy then sd. she got the fire to burn it after she came out: & turned & pointed to our barn & said it is a wonder that Barn has not been burn’t before now.
Lucy Toddthe morning after the Barn was burnt, she said she intended the House should have been burnt but as it was not she wished everyone had been in the barn & had been sent to Hell before morning; PM she was sitting 212 on the cell of the Door she said would be revenged for such treatment. you see wt. you have got by it, she wd. be as good as her word it was not half so bad as she would do, you see I am as good as my word
Sarah SandersSunday Evening I was coming from Lecture. I saw between 8 & 9 oClock a Person coming to me she showd me I saw it was
LuceI asked her where she was going she went the back side of the Meeting House. She said she had been after Mr. Jewett & was in a great hurry, was walking from the Barn, abt. 20 R
Wm. Toddin July before: we encountered her in the Garden just before day break she said she was lost; my wife charged her with stealing. she sd. dammd us sd. shd. be a Dead Corpse before morning. If I had you alone I’d let yr. breast blood out & wash my hands in it; I will burn yr. barn the first Opportunity. I can go to Mr. Jewett & get fire in a Mugg & burn you all up. the morning after barn burnt she folded her hands & sd. she had a glorious night last night: when they took her they put a chain on her & chain’d her to the Post
Ebenezer Todd,the Threats in July. PM after Barn burnt I saw here at Mrs. Todds
George Toddin the morning early she was in the road coming to the Barn. I met her she turned abt. I overtook her, she turned I asked her how she came to burn my Barn. she sd. I did not know it was she that did it. She went with me to my house in the course of the day she said she might know she did not burnt it because she did not run away from me: the barn I hired had 10 Load of Hay & twenty bushel of Grain
Ruth FreemanI was coming from the meeting I met her; she said to herself Good Lord I have done the Jobb for them I swear I have. I soon saw the Fire: at Lecture she said what is this dam’d noise abt. are you fighting
Benja. AdamsSomething seem’d to ail her more than other people, the evning the barn was burnt while burning I saw her 25 R from meeting house with Boys abt. her. I have thought her Disorder
moralespecially that morning
Wm. IngalsI have known her for 15 years for 10 yr. last I have thought her in some little degree disordered, she has been free squarely in my Custody; she wd. read & pray & sing Psalms. I thought for a shew
Nathl. FosterI knew her before her marriage, she soon grew crazy at times
Theo: Parsons Esqr.3 or 4 yrs. ago. She cryed when I ordered her from Goal & she immediately she fell to singing
John Harris. I saw her come into the Lecture; stop’t 2 or 3 minutes: said I wont stay here the Devil is here; I thought she acted like one from whom all restraints was taken off. more Delusions
Col: Gagenext morning, we had a Chh. meeting: I heard from the Barn Lord have mercy on me I saw her chained to a post, a Rope abt. her Neck. Dirt thrown, water &c. I did not see any of the Todds there;
Col. Dudley ColmanI have known her a long while, she behaved regularly at first, she would behave well & then ill very suddenly, she was sent out of Camp
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The grand jury testimony and indictment for this case are printed above, Nov. 1781 . The case was heard at the June 1782 session of the Supreme Judicial Court held at Ipswich before Chief Justice William Cushing and associate justices Nathaniel Peaslee Sargeant and David Sewall. The jury, composed of Israel Bartlett (foreman), Robert Dodge, John Goodhue, Jeremiah Pearson, Thomas Townsend, John Endicott, Joshua Cleaves, Richard Dodge, Stephen Perkins, Jacob Gould, Eliphalet Hardy, and Bernard Hoite, found Lucy Pernam not guilty.