345:
likely to a convenient tree branch and the other, of course, placed around the victim's neck; the condemned was then pushed from his perch, or the support was quickly pulled from beneath him. Executions in this manner were often protracted, gruesome affairs, resulting in a slow death by asphyxiation rather than a quickly-broken neck, and hanging was considered (as it has been throughout history) one of the most shameful methods of capital punishment. While the execution of women has always been relatively uncommon, there were many instances in this period of women who were hanged for the murders of their "bastard children."
207:. Whatever his name or his origin, the cad manipulated Elizabeth with false promises of marriage and "succeeded in depriving her of all that could render her respectable in the eyes of the world." He then disappeared, leaving Elizabeth pregnant. In one telling she learns that her former lover has taken up with a wealthy widow in another city, in another that he was already married to another woman. Elizabeth remained at the Indian Queen, and as her pregnancy became obvious, she became the focus of scorn and gossip. Eventually, her presence became too great an embarrassment, and she was made to leave.
329:. Heavy rain had made the river dangerously high and choked it with ice and debris; the ferry was not in operation. In desperation, he drove his horse into the icy water. The animal struggled against the current but drowned just 50 ft (15 m) from the opposite shore. William swam the rest of the way, and by the time he reached dry land he was approximately 3.5 km (2.2 mi) downstream from where he'd entered the water. William found another horse and continued to Chester.
275:, but Elizabeth did not refute any of the charges against her. The jury deliberated several hours before returning their verdict. Many jurors felt sympathetic toward Elizabeth, but they were charged to decide the case based on the evidence presented. Their decision was "guilty of murder in the first degree." Atlee had also become sympathetic, but he, too, was bound to act according to the evidence presented in court. He had little choice but to sentence Elizabeth to death by
349:
from
Philadelphia, who could signal if William were coming with a pardon. Those assembled watched expectantly for a signal but none was seen. Noon arrived, and by law the sheriff could wait no longer. The order was given and the cart was pulled from beneath Elizabeth Wilson's feet. She did not die outright but showed little sign of struggle. Several long moments passed before the crowd noticed white flags waving along the road from Philadelphia.
306:, and its Vice President was Charles Biddle (1745–1821). Biddle's journal includes a brief discussion of the Wilson case and, in addition to court and Council records, is one of the more reputable sources regarding the matter. The Council had previously discussed Elizabeth's sentence on 1 November 1785 and now acted quickly to order that the execution be postponed until 3 January 1786 to allow them more time in which to discuss the case.
341:. Elizabeth spent the morning with several clergymen and received holy communion. At ten-thirty she was moved from the jail to Hangman's Lot. (The present-day site is a triangular lot at the intersection of Edgmont and Providence Avenues near Crozer-Chester Medical Center. The lot itself is now a Day's Inn). A wild cherry tree grew there, with a strong branch that grew out horizontally from the trunk and to which ropes were tied.
224:(most likely the present-day West Chester Pike). She rode part of the way with a neighbor, who left her sitting on a rock, nursing her babies. (The day is often described as a Sunday, with her parents leaving to attend church, but those sources that mention a specific date give 12 October 1784, a Thursday.) It was anywhere from ten days to ten weeks following the children's birth.
228:
immediately identified, and
Elizabeth was quickly arrested. Several newspapers reported that Elizabeth's arrest took place in late December, 1784, roughly two and a half months after her children's deaths. Other accounts suggest that the chain of events (murder, discovery, and arrest) took place over a much shorter period.
514:
sources also include dramatic, extended quotes attributed to
William and Elizabeth. Again, these passages sometimes seem to have more to do with moral instruction than with relating the factual story of William and Elizabeth Wilson, and as many exist only in a single source their authenticity must be viewed skeptically.
479:, is a brief telling of the Wilsons' story. The writer describes himself as William's friend and claims to have visited him the night before he died. As such, the book is often assumed to be authoritative, yet it contains numerous and often glaring errors. It is also another early source of the 'alternate' names,
513:
contains the passage, "You see by the foregoing pages the gradation of evils dependent on a departure from...dignified modesty." Readers are admonished to "(t)urn your attention to those houses of debauchery where Vice reigns triumphant, and on whom poor mourning Virtue sheds a tear of pity." Several
505:
by a century, the stool served as a reminder of a more innocent time as
Elizabeth awaited execution. Another version claims that after William arrived at Benjamin Franklin's home, Franklin immediately convened a special late-night session of the Executive Council and all necessary work related to the
352:
William rode to
Hangman's Lot calling, "A pardon! A pardon!" His horse reared at the sight of Elizabeth's body, throwing him to the muddy ground beneath his sister. The sheriff quickly cut the rope and tried frantically to revive Elizabeth, but it was too late to save her. Varying accounts state that
309:
In the meantime, William went in search of his sister's erstwhile lover, but when he found him on a New Jersey farm he denied ever having known
Elizabeth. William then began to seek out witnesses who could link the man with Philadelphia and his sister. He was successful in compiling a list of several
294:
William hastily assembled a group of respected officials, including Judge Atlee, to witness
Elizabeth's confession. Elizabeth explained that her seducer had agreed to meet her in Newtown Square. However, he unexpectedly met her in a wood about 3 km (1.9 mi) west of the town. He asked to see
210:
She hitched a ride on a farm wagon and headed back to her father's house. (It is also said that she made the journey on foot, taking a week to reach her destination.) In one version her children were born in a stranger's house along the way, but certainly the more dramatic account has her arriving at
533:
When trees were cleared to make a parking lot for Indian Echo
Caverns (the name given to William's hermitage on its development as a tourist attraction), it was said that the newly opened space revealed Elizabeth Wilson's wandering spirit. This ghost story is unusual in that, while living, Elizabeth
172:
who made a terrible mistake. Others describe her as much more worldly, and one even reports another, earlier, out-of-wedlock pregnancy that ended in stillbirth. In early 1784 a George
Magoleher was tried in Chester after being arrested "for fouling upon the body of Elizabeth Wilson," although it is
500:
tells that
Elizabeth gave birth to a single child whom she killed immediately after birth. In this version, her jailhouse confession was simply an acknowledgement of guilt and of her sinful nature. One story in a Chester newspaper made repeated reference to a small blue stool on which William, as a
495:
The tragic, lurid tale of William and Elizabeth Wilson quickly became familiar throughout the Philadelphia area and was told and retold in local papers throughout the 19th and 20th Centuries. Some themes, such as the broken marriage promise, are nearly universal, while many others exist in a single
321:
William rode to Franklin's home to request another postponement of Elizabeth's sentence but had to wait several hours to see him. Franklin felt that it was improper for him to act and referred William to Vice President Biddle. William found Biddle at the State House. Biddle wrote the order, "Do not
231:
Several locations are given for the crime scene: along Street Road (S.R. 926), approximately 4 km (2.5 mi) west of Newtown Square; along Edgemont Road above Street Road; near the road from Brandywine to West Chester (perhaps today's Horseshoe Pike); and, most specifically, south of Goshen
109:
Sources are divided regarding Elizabeth's age. Some report that she was nineteen when she died (born ca. 1766), others that she was twenty-seven (born ca. 1758). There is no record of other siblings, and some accounts specify that Elizabeth was her parents' only daughter and William their only son.
348:
The sheriff of Chester (given as either Ezekiel Leonard or William Gibbons ) was one of many who had come to believe that Elizabeth was innocent and who, following her confession, suspected that she might be pardoned. He stationed flagmen at intervals along the Queens Highway (4th Street), leading
344:
Several old illustrations of Elizabeth Wilson's hanging show a scaffold and gallows, but at that time such structures were not in widespread use. Rather, the condemned were "swung off." They were placed atop a ladder or cart (the latter being the case in Chester); one end of the rope was tied most
290:
After the judge passed sentence, Elizabeth's parents abandoned her. Throughout the trial and the preceding events, William Wilson had remained at work in Lancaster, unaware of his sister's predicament. But when Elizabeth was condemned to death, William mysteriously announced that he was needed in
267:
When asked to enter a plea, Elizabeth did not respond; Judge Atlee entered a plea of "not guilty" on her behalf. In fact, at no time during the trial did Elizabeth speak in her own defense. Her counsel was unsure how to proceed, given his client's silence. He requested that the trial be postponed
239:
reported under a 5 January dateline that a woman had been arrested 'about a week ago', and that 'she denies' the murder 'but acknowledged having placed the children by the road-side, in order that any person passing that way, in order that any person passing that way, and who had humanity enough,
219:
As soon as she was well enough to travel, Elizabeth returned to Philadelphia in search of her babies' father, whom she found at the Indian Queen. He feigned happiness at seeing her and again promised that they would be married. Elizabeth returned home and several days later headed out to meet her
353:
William arrived anywhere from mere moments to twenty-three minutes too late to deliver Biddle's pardon and save his sister's life. (The unreliability of this form of hanging may account for the need to have left Elizabeth hanging for twenty-three minutes —to ensure that she was, in fact, dead.)
227:
Elizabeth was not seen again for as much as a week, and when she reappeared she was disheveled and incoherent and her children were nowhere to be seen. In the coming days or weeks a gruesome discovery was made: a hunter found the bodies of Elizabeth's twins hidden in the woods. The babies were
541:
While early storytelling focused on Elizabeth's saga and the moral implications of her actions, the current focus seems to be on the sensational aspects of William's ride and Elizabeth's execution and on the strange circumstances of William's life in the cave. As such, the story is sometimes
93:. However, the story quickly became a part of local folklore and was embellished by generations of storytellers. It is possible to note which elements of the tale are a part of the historical record and which might be considered suspect. However, "the Wilson Story" might best be considered
152:, and much of their property was confiscated by American forces., Mrs. Wilson died while the children were still young. Their father later remarried, but his second wife did not care for her stepchildren. She encouraged their father to send them away as soon as they were of age.
295:
the babies, claiming that he wanted to see whether they resembled him. He ordered Elizabeth to kill the children and when she refused he trampled them to death. He then held a pistol to Elizabeth's chest and made her swear that she would never reveal what he had done.
920:
Deshong Park is less than 300 meters from the site of Elizabeth's hanging. It is named for Alfred O. Deshong (1837–1913), a Chester industrialist and philanthropist. Deshong's ancestors lived in southeast Pennsylvania during the 1780s, but there is no evidence of a
211:
her father's home still in the throes of labor. When she first appeared there, she was so careworn, and exhausted by pregnancy and the process of childbirth, that her parents did not immediately recognize her. During the night, Elizabeth gave birth to twin sons.
461:
From a publishing standpoint, the interest in Elizabeth's case was unprecedented in the new nation, and the sentimental features of many of the accounts were calculated to appeal to female readers, whose numbers increased dramatically following the Revolution.
188:
Elizabeth is invariably described as exceedingly beautiful and always surrounded by admirers, but as with other portions of her tale, there are several versions of how she met her seducer. In one, she was invited to a wedding in nearby Hock-Hossing (perhaps
51:, was not delivered in time to stop the execution. There was tremendous popular interest in her story, which quickly evolved into a tale of moral failing and divine redemption. Following his sister's death, William became a recluse, popularly known as
97:, as the popular tale incorporates elements of both, and even scholarly discussions of the events are at odds regarding certain details. The following is a synthesis of numerous, often conflicting sources and is best regarded as historical fiction.
46:
figure in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century. Although her responsibility for the children's deaths had not been definitively established, the hanging was carried out and a pardon, granted by the state and entrusted to her brother,
291:
Chester and would have to leave his job. He arrived at the jail on 3 December 1785. After recovering from the shock of seeing her brother so unexpectedly Elizabeth was finally willing to relate the details surrounding her children's murder.
105:
Very little background information has survived regarding the Wilson family. According to one account, William and Elizabeth's father was a farmer named John Wilson. John's first wife, and the children's mother, was also named Elizabeth.
529:
For many years local folks claimed to see and hear a spectral horseman galloping across Chester and Delaware Counties and up to the old jail. This story became well known after William became a recluse —but long before he actually died.
406:
There is a liberal mixture of historical fact and melodrama, the latter in the form of extended monologues attributed to Elizabeth, as well as the texts of several letters supposedly written in her cell and "discovered" after her death.
317:
Upon his next visit to the Chester jail, he was horrified to learn that Elizabeth's execution was scheduled for the following day. During his illness he had lost track of time and believed that it was 1 January, rather than 2 January.
537:
More poignant are tales from East Bradford Township of a female spirit walking through the woods where (according to some sources) the bodies of Elizabeth's children were discovered, looking for something lost beneath the leaves.
251:
Her trial began in June, 1785 and was held in the court house in Chester. Built in 1724, the Chester courthouse is still standing and is the oldest public building still in continuous use in the United States. The judge was
372:
Biddle later wrote, "For my own part, I firmly believed her innocent....The next day when Council met, and we heard of the execution, it gave uneasiness to many of the members, all of whom were against her being executed."
397:
are extant and several other editions are alluded to in secondary sources. The four known editions are practically identical, the only discrepancy being that one describes the children's murder as being eight
925:
Deshong in his family or of any other connection to the Wilsons' story. Given the dubious and conflicting details in some accounts, it may be that the name was inserted to settle a grudge or simply to fill
78:. However, the historical record leaves no doubt that the Hermit and his sister were named William and Elizabeth. The origin of these "alternate" names has never been fully explained.
357:
59:
322:
execute Wilson until you hear further from Council," knowing that the members of the Executive Council were sympathetic towards Elizabeth and intended to grant a full respite.
299:
203:. In still others, she met a man identified as either "Captain D_____" or Joseph Deshong at the Indian Queen. Deshong was alternately an American officer or the Sheriff of
1223:
264:, making a regular circuit of the counties to hear trials for high crimes and appeals. It was in this latter capacity that Atlee presided over Elizabeth Wilson's trial.
418:
a poetic telling of Elizabeth's story; it survives only as a fragment. This was essentially an advertisement for another Russell publication, a crime magazine titled
168:. Others suggest that she was a social butterfly who simply frequented the Indian Queen. Some portray her as a chaste and virtuous country girl, a devout
137:
1218:
164:. Elizabeth's activities after leaving her father's house are less certain. Some accounts tell that she was sent to work at the Indian Queen Tavern in
248:
Elizabeth Wilson was charged with the "murder of her Two illegitimate Male Children" and imprisoned in the city of Chester's 4th Street jail.
643:
At least four nearly identical editions are extant: Philadelphia (1786), New Haven (1786); Hudson NY: Stoddard (1786); Philadelphia (1807).
199:), where she met a friend of the groom. In several others, she met a man named "Smith," either a native of Philadelphia or an officer from
34:
1762 – January 3, 1786) was an American whose execution by hanging for the purported murder of her children in southeastern
496:
source and are at odds with all other versions of the tale, and with the historical record. In addition to the discrepancies noted above,
465:
After Elizabeth's death, her brother William withdrew from society. After wandering for several years he took up residence in a cave near
393:
By the end of the year, at least three (and as many as six) other editions were published in the northeast U.S. At least four editions of
470:
1228:
1055:
17:
641:
A Faithful Narrative of Elizabeth Wilson, Who Was Executed at Chester, January 3, 1786, Charged With the Murder of Her Twin Infants
506:
pardon was completed within minutes; this is dramatically at odds with the details provided by the vice president of that Council.
386:
As previously noted, the story of the children's murder and Elizabeth's arrest was reported at least as far away as New Hampshire.
325:
With Biddle's pardon in hand, William began the 24 km (15 mi) ride to Chester. He approached the Middle Ferry across the
111:
1208:
141:
173:
not certain that this Elizabeth was the Hermit's sister. (Court documents reveal that this Elizabeth's father was named
1213:
161:
994:
Chester (and Its Vicinity, ) Delaware County, in Pennsylvania; with Genealogical Sketches of Some Old Families
257:
118:
1088:
The Victim of Seduction! Some Interesting Particulars of the Life and Untimely Fate of Miss Harriot Wilson.
221:
82:
48:
271:
Elizabeth Wilson's trial resumed in October 1785. Attorney General Bradford's case was built primarily on
509:
As mentioned previously, the Wilsons' story was sometimes used to teach lessons in traditional morality.
39:
466:
204:
86:
1142:
Victims of Narrative Seductions: the Literary Translations of Elizabeth (and "Miss Harriot") Wilson.
389:
Only two days after Elizabeth's execution, a printer in Philadelphia published the first version of
272:
858:. Philadelphia: Everts. (Marginalia found in copy at Pennsylvania State Library, Harrisburg PA)
253:
1198:
122:
1052:
1203:
560:
181:
also includes a lurid jailhouse confession attributed to Elizabeth in which she admits to
8:
191:
145:
130:
94:
598:
Unnatural Mothers: Infanticide, Motherhood, and Class in the Mid-Atlantic, 1730-1830.
303:
261:
874:
History of Chester County, Pennsylvania, with Genealogical and Biographical Sketches
260:, and at that time Supreme Court justices also served on the county-level Courts of
326:
1071:
1059:
555:
475:
was published. It is a twenty-four page pamphlet in two parts. The first, titled
337:
Meanwhile, officials in Chester reluctantly began preparations for Elizabeth's
149:
1192:
674:
The Pennsylvania Hermit: a Narrative of the Extraordinary Life of Amos Wilson
472:
The Pennsylvania Hermit: A Narrative of the Extraordinary Life of Amos Wilson
232:
Street Road in East Bradford Township, on the west side of a small rivulet.
144:. Theirs was a farm family of modest means but solid reputation. During the
81:
Many key elements of the Wilsons' saga are documented in the records of the
1007:
Pardons, Reprieves and Delays of Persons Sentenced to Death in Pennsylvania
502:
165:
90:
35:
501:
boy, had carved the initials "E & W." Predating Charles Foster Kane's
591:
Scaffold and Chair: a Compilation of their use in Pennsylvania 1682-1962.
523:
365:
298:
The confession was signed by the witnesses. William presented it to the
422:
the fourth issue of which dealt with the Wilson case; no copies of the
200:
169:
66:, ca. 1838. Note William approaching on horseback, calling, "A pardon."
543:
338:
314:
and spent some time recuperating at a friend's home in Philadelphia.
311:
572:
356:
196:
58:
43:
276:
534:
never set foot anywhere near the area she was alleged to haunt.
426:
are known to have survived. Another Boston printer published
235:
An article in the 25 January 1785 Portsmouth, New Hampshire,
1178:
Ashmead, Henry Graham & William Shaler Johnson (1883).
1031:. Journal of the Lancaster County Historical Society 64(2).
769:
Indian Echo Caverns (undated). Guide orientation materials.
577:
117:(Prior to 1789, Chester County included all of present-day
136:
The Wilson family lived in Chester County, most likely in
70:
In some sources, William and Elizabeth are referred to as
832:
Davis, J Allen (undated). clipping in Dr. Anna Broomal's
798:(6 Jan 1854). Chester: Delaware County Republican 21(23).
160:
At sixteen, William was apprenticed to a stone carver in
1124:
Barck, Oscar Theodore & Hugh Talmage Lefler (1968).
1100:
Minutes of the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania
282:
The date for the execution was set for 7 December 1785.
125:
was the county seat. Chester then served as the seat of
602:
Over the Threshold: Intimate Violence in Early America.
546:
observances or as part of "strange but true" features.
155:
376:
360:
A version of the same scene from a later edition of
1224:
People from East Marlborough Township, Pennsylvania
600:In Christine Daniels and Michael V. Kennedy (eds.)
1144:In Early American Literature (XXVIII), pp 148-170.
402:after their births, while the others report eight
1169:Philadelphia: Lippincott. (Entry for 16 May 1797)
1102:(1853). Harrisburg: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
850:
848:
846:
844:
842:
1190:
1041:The New Hampshire Mercury and General Advertiser
1023:
1021:
1019:
1017:
1015:
302:on 6 Dec 1785. The President of the Council was
1167:Extracts from the Journal of Elizabeth Drinker.
911:(undated). Chester: Delaware County Republican.
755:Grigson, Carol (1997). Personal correspondence.
522:The Wilsons' story inevitably inspired several
414:, a Boston printer, Ezekiel Russell, published
1172:
999:
972:
970:
968:
966:
964:
962:
839:
708:
706:
704:
702:
542:resurrected by local media in connection with
268:until the fall session, and the judge agreed.
1012:
700:
698:
696:
694:
692:
690:
688:
686:
684:
682:
62:Title page artwork from the first edition of
1029:Public Executions in Pennsylvania: 1682-1834
676:(1839). Philadelphia: Smith & Carpenter.
469:. He died there in 1821. In the late 1830s,
430:, marking perhaps the first use of the name
1136:
1134:
959:
872:Futhey, J Smith & Gilbert Cope (1881).
669:
391:The Faithful Narrative of Elizabeth Wilson.
220:imagined groom. She set out on the road to
1219:People executed by Pennsylvania by hanging
679:
667:
665:
663:
661:
659:
657:
655:
653:
651:
649:
593:Philadelphia: Pennsylvania Prison Society.
1083:
1081:
988:
986:
948:
946:
944:
942:
940:
938:
936:
934:
932:
868:
866:
864:
458:continued to appear, the latest in 1807.
1182:. Chester PA: Republican Steam Printing.
1180:Historical Sketch of Chester on Delaware
1131:
1105:
904:
902:
900:
898:
896:
894:
856:History of Delaware County, Pennsylvania
828:
826:
824:
738:
736:
734:
732:
730:
728:
726:
724:
722:
381:
355:
285:
110:Elizabeth was said to have been born in
57:
1159:
1093:
879:
822:
820:
818:
816:
814:
812:
810:
808:
806:
804:
744:Hummelstown Caves Conceal a Tragic Tale
646:
14:
1191:
1078:
983:
929:
886:Chester County Quarter Session Dockets
861:
796:Execution of a Woman in the Olden Time
791:
789:
787:
785:
783:
781:
779:
777:
775:
749:
746:. Philadelphia: Philadelphia Inquirer.
578:Online text of The Pennsylvania Hermit
1147:
1118:
891:
765:
763:
761:
719:
712:Butterfield, Roger P (5 March 1933).
801:
636:
634:
632:
630:
628:
626:
624:
622:
620:
618:
573:Indian Echo Caverns official website
490:
996:. Philadelphia: pub. by the author.
772:
377:Elizabeth Wilson in popular culture
368:dress of the individuals portrayed.
129:County until the seat was moved to
24:
980:. Springfield, IL: Charles Thomas.
758:
742:O'Neill, Robert F (25 June 1995).
446:another early source of the names
25:
1240:
1229:People from colonial Pennsylvania
1113:The History of Capital Punishment
1027:Teeters, Negley K (Spring 1960).
615:
566:
442:is unknown it appears to predate
310:people, but he became ill around
517:
477:The Life of Amos Wilson, &c.
1156:(1786) Boston: Ezekiel Russell.
1072:"1724 Court House, Chester, PA"
1064:
1046:
1034:
954:Autobiography of Charles Biddle
914:
1165:Biddle, Henry D (ed.) (1889).
854:Ashmead, Henry Graham (1884).
716:. Philadelphia: Public Ledger.
237:Mercury and General Advertiser
13:
1:
608:
420:The American Bloody Register,
258:Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
256:. Atlee was a Justice of the
114:, in central Chester County.
100:
31:
332:
185:out-of-wedlock pregnancies.
7:
1209:18th-century American women
1140:Williams, Daniel E (1993).
714:The Hangman Who Didn't Wait
549:
410:In addition to the various
10:
1245:
1090:(1802?) Boston: J. Wilkey.
1005:Teeters, Negley K (1959).
992:Martin, John Hill (1877).
589:Teeters, Negley K (1963).
583:
156:"The Victim of Seduction!"
18:Elizabeth (Harriot) Wilson
1043:. January 25, 2005, p. 2.
467:Hummelstown, Pennsylvania
300:Supreme Executive Council
214:
205:Sussex County, New Jersey
112:East Marlborough Township
1115:. Seacaucus NJ: Citadel.
978:"...Hang By the Neck..."
976:Teeters, Negley (1967).
956:. Philadelphia: Claxton.
952:Biddle, Charles (1883).
596:Smith, Merril D (1999).
444:The Pennsylvania Hermit,
428:The Victim of Seduction!
362:The Pennsylvania Hermit.
243:
1111:Laurence, John (1960).
876:. Philadelphia: Everts.
511:The Life of Amos Wilson
498:The Pennsylvania Hermit
273:circumstantial evidence
64:The Pennsylvania Hermit
53:The Pennsylvania Hermit
1128:. New York: Macmillan.
834:Chester Notebook Vol 3
456:The Faithful Narrative
395:The Faithful Narrative
369:
254:William Augustus Atlee
179:The Faithful Narrative
148:, they sided with the
142:West Bradford Township
67:
40:post-Revolutionary War
1214:Pennsylvania folklore
438:. (While the date of
382:Contemporary accounts
359:
286:Confession and pardon
240:might take them up.'
61:
38:during the immediate
604:New York: Routledge.
561:The Newgate Calendar
146:American Revolution
1058:2008-12-30 at the
454:) New editions of
370:
95:historical fiction
68:
42:period made her a
1154:…g Elegy, &c.
491:Myth and morality
304:Benjamin Franklin
262:oyer and terminer
16:(Redirected from
1236:
1183:
1176:
1170:
1163:
1157:
1151:
1145:
1138:
1129:
1126:Colonial America
1122:
1116:
1109:
1103:
1097:
1091:
1085:
1076:
1075:
1068:
1062:
1050:
1044:
1038:
1032:
1025:
1010:
1003:
997:
990:
981:
974:
957:
950:
927:
918:
912:
909:Elizabeth Wilson
906:
889:
883:
877:
870:
859:
852:
837:
830:
799:
793:
770:
767:
756:
753:
747:
740:
717:
710:
677:
671:
644:
638:
327:Schuylkill River
162:Lancaster County
33:
28:Elizabeth Wilson
21:
1244:
1243:
1239:
1238:
1237:
1235:
1234:
1233:
1189:
1188:
1187:
1186:
1177:
1173:
1164:
1160:
1152:
1148:
1139:
1132:
1123:
1119:
1110:
1106:
1098:
1094:
1086:
1079:
1070:
1069:
1065:
1060:Wayback Machine
1051:
1047:
1039:
1035:
1026:
1013:
1004:
1000:
991:
984:
975:
960:
951:
930:
919:
915:
907:
892:
884:
880:
871:
862:
853:
840:
831:
802:
794:
773:
768:
759:
754:
750:
741:
720:
711:
680:
672:
647:
639:
616:
611:
586:
569:
556:Red Barn Murder
552:
520:
493:
416:…Elegy &c.,
384:
379:
335:
288:
246:
217:
158:
119:Delaware County
103:
85:Courts and the
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1242:
1232:
1231:
1226:
1221:
1216:
1211:
1206:
1201:
1185:
1184:
1171:
1158:
1146:
1130:
1117:
1104:
1092:
1077:
1063:
1045:
1033:
1011:
1009:. Unpublished.
998:
982:
958:
928:
913:
890:
878:
860:
838:
800:
771:
757:
748:
718:
678:
645:
613:
612:
610:
607:
606:
605:
594:
585:
582:
581:
580:
575:
568:
567:External links
565:
564:
563:
558:
551:
548:
519:
516:
492:
489:
383:
380:
378:
375:
334:
331:
287:
284:
245:
242:
222:Newtown Square
216:
213:
157:
154:
102:
99:
83:Chester County
76:Harriot Wilson
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1241:
1230:
1227:
1225:
1222:
1220:
1217:
1215:
1212:
1210:
1207:
1205:
1202:
1200:
1197:
1196:
1194:
1181:
1175:
1168:
1162:
1155:
1150:
1143:
1137:
1135:
1127:
1121:
1114:
1108:
1101:
1096:
1089:
1084:
1082:
1073:
1067:
1061:
1057:
1054:
1053:Archived copy
1049:
1042:
1037:
1030:
1024:
1022:
1020:
1018:
1016:
1008:
1002:
995:
989:
987:
979:
973:
971:
969:
967:
965:
963:
955:
949:
947:
945:
943:
941:
939:
937:
935:
933:
924:
917:
910:
905:
903:
901:
899:
897:
895:
887:
882:
875:
869:
867:
865:
857:
851:
849:
847:
845:
843:
835:
829:
827:
825:
823:
821:
819:
817:
815:
813:
811:
809:
807:
805:
797:
792:
790:
788:
786:
784:
782:
780:
778:
776:
766:
764:
762:
752:
745:
739:
737:
735:
733:
731:
729:
727:
725:
723:
715:
709:
707:
705:
703:
701:
699:
697:
695:
693:
691:
689:
687:
685:
683:
675:
670:
668:
666:
664:
662:
660:
658:
656:
654:
652:
650:
642:
637:
635:
633:
631:
629:
627:
625:
623:
621:
619:
614:
603:
599:
595:
592:
588:
587:
579:
576:
574:
571:
570:
562:
559:
557:
554:
553:
547:
545:
539:
535:
531:
527:
525:
524:ghost stories
518:Ghost stories
515:
512:
507:
504:
499:
488:
486:
482:
478:
474:
473:
468:
463:
459:
457:
453:
449:
445:
441:
437:
433:
429:
425:
421:
417:
413:
408:
405:
401:
396:
392:
387:
374:
367:
366:anachronistic
363:
358:
354:
350:
346:
342:
340:
330:
328:
323:
319:
315:
313:
307:
305:
301:
296:
292:
283:
280:
278:
274:
269:
265:
263:
259:
255:
249:
241:
238:
233:
229:
225:
223:
212:
208:
206:
202:
198:
194:
193:
186:
184:
180:
176:
171:
167:
163:
153:
151:
147:
143:
139:
138:East Bradford
134:
132:
128:
124:
120:
115:
113:
107:
98:
96:
92:
88:
84:
79:
77:
73:
65:
60:
56:
54:
50:
45:
41:
37:
29:
19:
1199:1760s births
1179:
1174:
1166:
1161:
1153:
1149:
1141:
1125:
1120:
1112:
1107:
1099:
1095:
1087:
1066:
1048:
1040:
1036:
1028:
1006:
1001:
993:
977:
953:
922:
916:
908:
885:
881:
873:
855:
833:
795:
751:
743:
713:
673:
640:
601:
597:
590:
540:
536:
532:
528:
521:
510:
508:
497:
494:
484:
480:
476:
471:
464:
460:
455:
451:
447:
443:
439:
435:
434:in place of
431:
427:
423:
419:
415:
411:
409:
403:
399:
394:
390:
388:
385:
371:
361:
351:
347:
343:
336:
324:
320:
316:
308:
297:
293:
289:
281:
270:
266:
250:
247:
236:
234:
230:
226:
218:
209:
190:
187:
182:
178:
174:
166:Philadelphia
159:
135:
126:
116:
108:
104:
91:Pennsylvania
87:Commonwealth
80:
75:
71:
69:
63:
52:
36:Pennsylvania
27:
26:
1204:1786 deaths
888:(Feb 1784).
836:, pp 57-60.
72:Amos Wilson
1193:Categories
609:References
412:Narratives
201:New Jersey
133:in 1851.)
101:Early life
544:Halloween
436:Elizabeth
364:Note the
339:execution
333:Execution
312:Christmas
192:Hockessin
177:Wilson.)
170:Christian
1056:Archived
550:See also
452:Harriot.
424:Register
197:Delaware
127:Delaware
44:folklore
584:Sources
503:Rosebud
485:Harriot
432:Harriot
277:hanging
183:several
150:British
123:Chester
49:William
926:space.
923:Joseph
440:Victim
404:weeks.
215:Murder
175:Thomas
121:, and
244:Trial
131:Media
483:and
481:Amos
450:and
448:Amos
400:days
74:and
195:in
140:or
89:of
1195::
1133:^
1080:^
1014:^
985:^
961:^
931:^
893:^
863:^
841:^
803:^
774:^
760:^
721:^
681:^
648:^
617:^
526:.
487:.
279:.
55:.
32:c.
1074:.
30:(
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
