Homicides of Adults in Vermont, 1821-1846

Weapon: froze to death sometime between 9pm on 12/1 and 2am on 12/2. No marks of violence on the body, but signs of a long struggle in the snow (although one count says that slight bumps were found on her head).
Circumstances: in a field 40 to 50 rods from her house
Inquest: Verdict: jury could not agree.
Indictment:
Term:
Court proceedings: no arrest. insuff. evidence, although the death was suspicious

Source:

Newspaper:

Woodstock OBSERVER
BFP, 12/9/1831
VT COURIER, 12/9/1831: "Supposed Murder. -- They body of Mrs. L. Morgan of Hartland, was found dead in the field, near her residence, last Friday. It was immediately conjectured she was murdered by her husband, as it was known they had before had frequent difficulties, and quarrels, in some of hwich, arising generally from the intoxication of both, he is said to have threatened her life. On Thursday afternoon she was at a neighbors, in a state of inebriety, from whence she returned in the evening; next morning she was discovered, between the two houses, a short distance from the road, over the wall, upon the upper side, dead. Her situation--some slight marks of violence upon the head--previous threats--together with the fact that a certain over-coat, which she wore to the neighbors the night before, was found upon the bed of her husband, next morning, induced the suspicion that she had been murdered. A jury of inquest were called--and a medical examination had, but the circumstances were so vague that the jury could not agree upon a verdict. The subject will probably undergo a legal investigation, though we have not yet heard of the arrest of the husband."

Census:
1830C:

Daniel Morgan WDS 026 Hartl.

M 0,10,10,15,50 F 15.40,80

John Morgan WDS 025 Hartl.

M 40 F 0,0,0,5,10,15,30

1840C:
Daniel Morgan WDS 440 Hartl.

M 15,20,20,30,60 F 20,50 Ag - 4

James Morgan WDS 440 Hartl.

M 0,15,30 F 0,0,15,30 Ag - 2

John Morgan WDS 263 Windsor

M 50 F 50 Ag - 1

Genealogy:
VR-180: no LM in Hartland

Accused: John Morgan

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status: m. Lucinda

Children:

Occupation:

Town: Hartland

Birthplace:

Religion:

Organizations:

Victim: Lucinda Morgan
Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status: m. John

Children:

Occupation:

Town: Hartland

Birthplace:

Religion:

Organizations:

1832, May 21 Canaan, ESS

P

CT

Class: certain

Crime: HOM

Rela: SMUGGLING REVENUE AGENT by SMUGGLER

Motive: SMUGGLING

Intox?: no

Day of week: M

Holiday?: no

Time of day: morning

Days to death: 0

HOM: Christopher H. [aka John] Stearns (aided and abetted by Isaac T. Beach and Sargent W. Beach) m. Dan Grout

Weapon: pistol shot from CHS to thigh and hip. d. few hrs.
Circumstances: at the house of the two Beaches, the "confederates" of CHS. ITB & SWB charged with aiding and abetting smuggling and CHS's escape. Started a quarrel with the posse so CHS could feel when they were surrounded. The two Grout brothers chased him. CHS shot DG when he was overtaken. The Grouts were unarmed.
Inquest:
Indictment: ind. for murder
Term: 5/1832t
Court proceedings: CHS fled into the woods, was not captured & never tried. ITB & SWB: pNG. 11/1832t: ITB fNG. SWB n.p.
NOTE: 12/13/1831, at Canaan: Sargeant W. Beech and Nathaniel Beach charged with impeding John L. Ingalls, constable.

Source:
Ess. Co. Ct. 5: 43

Ess. Co. Ct. files, 11/1832t

J. of Gen. Ass., 1832: 182; 1833: 222
Newspaper:
FARMER'S HERALD (St. J), 5/30/1832: "The father is a revenue officer and with the deceased and another son was residing in Canaan. A Mr. Stearns, who for several years past has been notorious for his bold adventures as a smuggler, was ascertained to be in the house of a widow Beach. It had become the duty of Esq. Grout if possible to apprehend him. For this purpose a company consisting of himself, his two sons and others surrounded the house in the night and quietly waited for the coming day. In the morning Stearns espied them through his window. Two young men, sons of the widow, who were in the house, united with Stearns to assist him in effecting his escape. For this purpose a loaded musket was repeatedly pointed from the windows at Grout and his company, threatening them with death unless they departed. While these things were going on, Stearns with the gun in his hand leaped out at a window and made for the woods. The unfortunate Grout pursued him and having nearly overtaken him, he turned and fired,--The whole contents of the musket entered his thigh near the hip, tearing the flesh and ashtteirng the bone in a horrid manner. He survived about 18 hours. Stearns continued his flight and the surviving brother pursued after and when near overtaking him, Stearns drew a pistol threatening him with instant death, unless he returned. The pursuit was then abandoned, and Stearns escaped. The Beaches, taking advantage of the confusion and distress, fled also. We have no learned that either of the three has been taken."
FARMER'S HERALD (St. J), 6/13/1832: the Beaches apprehended & indicted for murder. Both released on $800 bond. "It seems evident from that fact that in the opinion of the court, the evidence died not justify an indictment for murder." Stearns not yet taken.
BFP, 6/1/1832: CHS was a smuggler. Had been arrested before. Lost a nutmeg shipment two or three years before to revenue agents. Vowed he'd kill anyone who'd try to take him. In the past, had been imprisoned in Danville and in Burlington.
Danville NORTH STAR
New Hampshire Patriot, 6/4/1832: HOMICIDE in VT: "The Montpelier, Vt. Watchman states that a Mr. Grout, of Kirby, an officer of the customs, was shot, at Canaan, 21st inst. by a person conveying contraband goods from Canada. A load of smuggled goods having passed, Mr. Grout, in company with his father and a brother, pursued the goods and overtook them near the house of a Mr. Beckett. Two men came from the house, each armed with a musket. One of them handed his musket to the person in possession of the goods, who instantly fired upon Mr. Grout, who fell, and in a few hours expired. The three offenders escaped, closely pursued by the elder Grout and his remaining son."

Census:
1830C: no Grout or Stearns in ESS

Mary Beach ESS 002 Canaan

M 15,20,20 F 30,50

Nathaniel Beach ESS 002 Canaan

M 10,15,15,20,40 F 5,10,40

1840C:
Nathaniel and N.B. [or A.B.] Beach ESS 158 Canaan: listed as one hhld

M 5,10,20,20,30,60 F 15,20,20,50 Ag - 1

Genealogy:
DG: son of Theophilus Grout

Accused 1: Christopher H. Stearns

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation: smuggler -- often arrested.

Town: transient

Birthplace:

Religion:

Organizations:

Accused 2: Isaac T. Beach
Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town: Canaan

Birthplace:

Religion:

Organizations:

Accused 3: Sargent W. Beach
Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town: Canaan

Birthplace:

Religion:

Organizations:

Victim: Dan Grout
Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation: deputy revenue officer (his father was the revenue officer)

Town: Canaan

Birthplace:

Religion:

Organizations:

[1834] Starksboro, ADD

HIST
Class: do not count

Crime: LEGAL CHIARIVARI

Rela: MARITAL HUSBAND by WIFE

Motive:

Intox?:

Day of week:

Holiday?:

Time of day:

Days to death:

HOM: Mary Brown and her sister falsely accused of m. Aaron Brown (Mary's husband)

Weapon:
Circumstances:
Inquest:
Indictment:
Term:
Court proceedings: j.p. examination held

Source:
Bertha B. Hanson, Bertha's Book: A View of Starksboro History (Starksboro: Starksboro Village Meeting House Society, 1998), 51-2.
In the "Rounds District" [school dist. #16] located in the east section of Starksboro, which lies on the east side of Brown Hill overlooking Hanksville. Mary, wife of Aaron Brown, acquired a home site from James Haskins in 1830. "The family lived there fore several years. One afternoon while they were engaged in making soap, Mary and Aaron quarreled violently. Aaron disappeared. Several weeks passed and he did not return. Town officials, apprised of his disappearance by neighbors who had heard the quarrel, became alarmed and arrested Mary and her sister. They were charged with murdering Aaron and making him into soap. A Justice Court was set up to try the case. It convened in the hall above Asahel Wentworth's old tavern in Starksboro Village. An eyewitness describes the scene thus: 'Aaron's wife and her sister were seated in two chairs near the table. Two Justices of the Peace were seated on the opposite side. There was a sap bucket full of bones under the table, and another containing about two gallons of soft soap sat near it. . . . The prisoners were clad in half worn calico dresses, the figure of which faded into the ground-work, giving the appearance of being stained with blood.'

After a two day trial it was proven conclusively that, when Aaron and his wife were quarreling, she screamed at him, 'You ought to be killed and made into soap!' Moreover, it was evident that Mary and her sister had made more soap than their available supply of grease warranted.

At the climax of the trial the town's only physician, the much respected Dr. Levered Clark, was called in to examine the bones which had already been proven to be those used in the manufacture of the soap. In the words of a spectator, 'He carefully examined bone after bone, and at last laid aside two small bones which he said were human. He soon came to another large bone which he examined closely, and then, putting on his spectacles, he examined it very minutely for a long time. The right hand which held the bone commenced trembling violently, and the doctor seemed much agitated. He looked toward the prisoners and toward the court and said in a tremulous voice 'This is a piece of human skull . . . .'

The evidence was conclusive. The prisoners began to weep. The justices whispered together as they prepared their verdict.

Suddenly a shout was heard outside which grew louder as someone approached the hotel. Hurried footsteps sounded on the stairs; the door burst open. There stood a dark complexioned man of medium height--none other than Aaron Brown himself.

Thus ended Starkboro's first murder trial--the most exciting event in the long history of School District No. 16."

Story submitted by Berthan Hanson, 1968 Town Report

Newspaper:

Census:

Genealogy:

Accused 1: Mary Brown
Ethnicity:

Race: w

Gender: f

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status: m. Aaron

Children:

Occupation:

Town: Starksboro

Birthplace:

Religion:

Organizations:

Accused 2: ___
Ethnicity:

Race: w

Gender: f

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town: Starksboro

Birthplace:

Religion:

Organizations:

Victim: Aaron Brown
Ethnicity:

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status: m. Mary

Children:

Occupation:

Town: Starksboro

Birthplace:

Religion:

Organizations:

[1835] Berlin, WAS

HIST
Class: probable

Crime: HOM

Rela: NONDOM PEDDLAR by STRANGERS

Motive: ROBBERY

Intox?:

Day of week:

Holiday?:

Time of day:

Days to death:

HOM: ___ Burnham (pseudonym), ___ Brown (pseudonym), & Charles Crane (an accessory after the fact) m. ___ Van Dusk (an aged Dutch peddlar of silks & jewelry).

Weapon: piece of iron
Circumstances: m. at night, a piece of iron to the skull. Sank the body & wagon in Berlin Pond. [Hint as to time of year: it was illegal to fish at that time of year.]
Inquest:
Indictment:
Term:
Court proceedings: no ind.

Source:
Confession of Charles Crane, mss., Vermont Historical Society, Nov. 1849. (CC's wife and sister knew the secret.)

Newspaper:

Census:
1830C:
Wm Crane WAS 318 Berlin

M 0,0,5,10,15,20,20,50 F 0,0,15,40

1840C:
Charles Crane (ORL 335 Westfield); no Cranes in Berlin

M 20 Ag - 1

1850C: no Charles Crane in northern Vt.

Genealogy:

no town hist. at VHS; nothing in Hemenway

Accused 1: ___ Burnham (pseudonym)

Ethnicity:

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town: Montpelier

Birthplace:

Religion:

Organizations:

Accused 2: ___ Brown (pseudonym)
Ethnicity:

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town: Montpelier

Birthplace:

Religion:

Organizations:

Accused 3: Charles Crane
Ethnicity:

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: adult youth

Literate:

Marital Status: s

Children: no

Occupation: clerk

Town: Montpelier

Birthplace:

Religion:

Organizations:

Victim: ___ Van Dusk
Ethnicity: Dutch

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: [65] elderly

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation: peddlar of silks and jewelry

Town: transient

Birthplace:

Religion:

Organizations:

1835, Aug. 12 to Aug. 20 Randolph, ORA

P

CT

TRACT
Class: certain

Crime: HOM / AIK

Rela: MARITAL STEPSON & HUSBAND by STEPMOTHER / WIFE

Motive: STEALTH / RID -- INHERITANCE

Intox?: no

Day of week: W

Holiday?:

Time of day:

Days to death: 8

HOM: Rebecca (Cumins) Peake m. Ephraim Peake (her stepson) and aik ___ Peake (her husband)

Weapon: poison: arsenic in hash & drink on various occasions. d. 8/20
Circumstances:
Inquest:
Indictment: ind. for murder
Term: 12/1835t
Court proceedings: fG. DEATH. Committed suicide, 2/8/1836

Source:
Ora. Ct. Co. 13: 175
"Trial of Mrs. Rebecca Peake, indicted for the murder of Ephraim Peake." Montpelier, VT: E. P. Walton and Son, 1836. (at the American Antiquarian Society) McDade #737

Newspaper:

RH 9/1/1835: suggests an alternative theory of RP's motives. EP lives with his father, an "elderly gentleman" in "low circumstances." RP an "old lady" upset with EP's impending marriage & the prospect of his wife moving in. Nothing about property, except that EP willed to his son fianceé $1500 as he lay dying. Ditto: New Hampshire Patriot, 9/7/1835: XEROX 3:2. fr. Woodstock (Vt) COURIER.
New Hampshire Patriot, 2/29/1836: HOMICIDE in VT: report that Mrs. Peake, to have been executed at Chelsea, VT on 2/26, d. 2/15 "of a cancerous affection in the throat. Several days previous to her death, she attempted self-destruction by taking opium, but the great quantity swallowed caused it to operate as an emetic."
WHO TO BELIEVE? EXAMINE THIS!!!

Census:
1820C: Jno. Peake ORA 216 Randolph

M 0,10,10,10,16,16,16,45,45 F 10,16,16,16,26
1830C: Jno. Peake ORA 182 Randolph
M 10,20,60 F 15,40

Genealogy:

VR - 197:
Ephraim Peake b. 10/3/1802 in Randolph, VT to Jno. and Sally Peake. d. 8/20/1835, buried in East Bethel.
John Peake b. 3/16/1806 to Jno. and Sally Peake.
Jonathan Peake d. 11/28/1855 in East Bethel (age 93)
Jno. Peake m. Rebecca Cumins at Randolph, 3/8/1810. Titus Eastman, minister

Accused: Rebecca (Cumins) Peake

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: f

Age: [60] "old lady"

Literate:

Marital Status: m. Jonathan at Randolph, 3/8/1810

Children: yes

Occupation: farm wife hhld "low circumstances" financially

Town: Randolph

Birthplace:

Religion:

Organizations:

Victim 1: Ephraim Peake
Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: 33

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation: farm laborer

Town: Randolph

Birthplace:

Religion:

Organizations:

Victim 2: Jonathan Peake
Ethnicity:

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: 70 "elderly gentleman"

Literate:

Marital Status: m. 1st to Sally; m. 2nd to Rebecca 3/8/1810

Children: yes

Occupation: farmer hhld "low circumstances" financially

Town: Randolph

Birthplace:

Religion:

Organizations:

1835, Oct. 13 Vergennes, ADD

P

CT

Class: certain

Crime: HOM

Rela: BROTHEL RIOTER by EMPLOYEE of TARGET OF RIOT

Motive: CHIARIVARI / RIOT against HOUSE OF ILL FAME

Intox?: poss.

Day of week: T

Holiday?:

Time of day: night

Days to death: 2

HOM: Jonathan Hall (aided and abetted by widow Grandy) m. Michael Dalton

Weapon: gunshot to left side. d. 10/15. Gun, unspecified type.
Circumstances: a riot of 20 to 30 men to demolish the widow Grandy's house, which they had accused of being a house of ill-fame. She would not listen to warnings and leave town. The mob broke in and tore down the house (and 5 others). MD was shot just as they broke in by Hall, who was "employed" by the widow Hall to defend the house.
Inquest:
Indictment: ind. for mansl.
Term: 12/1835t
Court proceedings: "fury of mind" -- pNG. fG. 7 yrs. Pardoned, 10/1839.
NOTE: the great year for riots, 1835

Source:
Add. Co. Ct. 17: 36

J. of Gen. Ass., 1836: 290

Newspaper:
Vergennes PALLADIUM: not at VtStLib

Vergennes ENTERPRISE AND VERMONTER: gap at VtStLib

RH, 10/27/1835 [errors in its account, however]

Census:
1830C: no Halls or Daltons in Vergennes
Many Grandys in ADD, but none in Vergennes: esp. Panton -- & Goshen, Addison, Lincoln.
1840C: no Jno. Hall or Daltons in Vergennes; Grandys in Addison, Panton, Goshen -- and:
D. Grandy ADD 086 Vergennes M 0,20,20 F 10,15 Mfg - 1

Genealogy:
no good hist. at VHS; nothing in Hemenway
Accused 1: Jonathan Hall
Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: 24

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation: employee of widow Grandy's house of ill fame

Town: Vergennes

Birthplace: b. Tunbridge, VT

Religion:

Organizations:

Accused 2: ___ Grandy
Ethnicity:

Race: w

Gender: f

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status: widow

Children:

Occupation: proprietor, house of ill fame

Town: Vergennes

Birthplace:

Religion:

Organizations:

Victim: Michael Dalton
Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town:

Birthplace:

Religion:

Organizations:

1836, April 2 Montpelier, WAS

CT

P

HIST
Class: certain

Crime: HOM

Rela: NONDOM

Motive: QUARREL

Intox?: yes, both

Day of week: Sat

Holiday?:

Time of day: evening

Days to death: 0

HOM: Michael Morsey [Moracy] m. John Corrigan

Weapon: heavy bludgeon
Circumstances: Evening. d. 4/3 at 6am. Heavy bludgeon, 3 or 4 blows to the head. Both men were probably drunk. "wrangling and altercation" while drinking. [street]
Inquest:
Indictment: yes, murder
Term: 5/1836
Court proceedings: pNG. fG of mansl. 10 yrs. Admitted 4/1836. Pardoned 1841.

Source:
A. M. Hemenway, The History of the Town of Montpelier (Montpelier: A. M. Hemenway, 1882), 333. In 1840, an Irishman killed another Irishman in a fight near the old Arch Bridge. fG. sentenced to state prison. He was pardoned a few years later. [ASSUME THIS IS THE 1836 MURDER]
Journal of the General Assembly (1836), 295.

Newspaper:
Burlington Free Press, 4/26/18__ [sic? notes say 1867]
Rutland Herald, 4/19/1836: from the Patriot. Sat. evening, 4/2. Michael Morsey and John Corigan, both Irish, "probably" under the influence. "some wrangling and altercation took place between them," when M struck C with heavy bludgeon to head. Knocked him down. 2 or 3 blows followed. d. next day, 6am. Inquest: death caused by blows from M. Arrested, 2 mi. from the village, and Sun. morning. Committed to trial. "The case is said to have no precedent in the annals of this county." [NHP, 4/25/1836: ditto]
Rutland Herald, 5/10/1836: the trial of MM just took place. fG of mansl. 10 yrs.
Vermont Patriot, 4/18/1836: mention of upcoming trial. (other issues missing at VtStLib)
VT WATCHMAN (missing issues at VtStLib)

Census:
1830C: nothing

1840C: nothing

Genealogy:

Accused: Michael Morsey
Ethnicity: Irish

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: 38 64"

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town:

Birthplace: b. Ireland

Religion:

Organizations:

Victim: John Corrigan
Ethnicity: Irish

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town:

Birthplace: b. Ireland

Religion:

Organizations:

1837, Feb. Cornwall, ADD

CT

P

NOTE: copied to child homicide file
Class: probable

Crime: HOM: 1 adult & 1 child

Rela: SPOUSE WIFE by HUSBAND and RELATIVE CHILD by FATHER

Motive: ADULTERY

Intox?: no

Day of week:

Holiday?:

Time of day:

Days to death:

HOM: Oliver Dana Thompson m. ____ Thompson and ___ Thompson

Weapon: poison
Circumstances: little suspicion at the time, but subsequent revelations led to exhumations & arrest of ODT