Accused of Murdering his mother The following are the testimonys concerning Thomas Cornell murdering of his mother Rebeca Cornell which was ordered to be recorded. Thomas Cornell the son of Rebeca Cornell being ______ of us the Coronors Inquest doo declare yt on the evening before twas darke came into the room and satt downs and discised with his mother R (Blanked out) for the space of about one ors and a halfe and then went forth into hreequarters of an hours, then his Wife sent his son Edward into the room to his Grandmother to know whether shee would have some milke boylod for her suppor the child coming into the room saw some fire in the room upon the floor. and the child came back unto us and fetcht the candle to see what fire it was, Henry Strait went prosently into the room, my self and the rest followes in of huddle. Henry Strait coming in saw some fire, and stooped, and with his hands raked fire upon the floor supposing it to be ands Indian that was Drunk and Burntm soo he layd hold of the drmo, my self Immediately following by the light perceived it was my mother, and cryed out, Oh Lord it is my Mother. Taken upon oath ths present 9thDay of Feburary 1672 Before me William Baulston Meist. and Coronor Henry Strait being Examined upon Oath froe the Coroner Testifies that he knows nothing how Rebeca Conrell came to her untilmely death only saith that Edward Cornell being sent in into his Grandmother to know what shee would have for her suppor and coming into the rooms saw fire in the floor and came out unto us, and tooke the candle to see what fire twas he the sayd Henry rann the boy with the candle followed, and Thomas Cornell he the sayd Henry comeing into the room saw fire upon the floor he stoopod down and with his hand raked fire that was upon the clookd and took hold of an drms and spake Indian supposing it was an Indian drunke and burnt, Thomas Cornell following and by the Light deformed and claled out and sayd, Oh Lord it is my Mother. Taken upon oath ths years and Day above writen Befroe me William Baulston Msist. and Coroner Wee the Coroners Inquest for his Majestis being Impanelled and Engaged this Present 9th Fay of Feb: 1672 by Mr. William Baulston Msist and Coroner for his Mastie in the town of Pursmouth in Rhode Island in the Colony of Rhode Idland and Providence Plantatoins in New-England, have and by these presents doo decare that being brought to the place where the Dead Body of Rebeca Cornell was Presented, and inquiry by us made before the Coroner and M Joshua Coggeshall one of the _______ of thes towns and after coroner the body of the sayd Rebeca was found dead upoon the floore, her clothes very much burnt by fire and her body very much scorchd and burnt by fire, And after Migent Inquiries and Examination of wittnesses, was the sayd Coroners Inquest called the sayd body of Rebeca Cornell widdow to Mr. Thomas Cornell of Portsmouth to be stripped of the residue of clothes upon it unburnt turned and handled and searched to the best of our Judgements and understandings soo find and declare That upon the evening after the Eight day of February 1672 the sayd Rebeca being in or about the age o 73 years was brought to her untimely death by an unhappie accident of fire as shee satt in her room, the time afore  Please place in the Subject Line: WEBPAGE-HISTORY 
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