Comments for Early American Crime

Comment on Early American Criminals: Bathsheba Spooner, Accessory to the Murder of Joshua Spooner; and James Buchanan, William Brooks, and Ezra Ross for Said Murder by Famous Criminal Law Cases | Criminal Defense Blog

Famous Criminal Law Cases | Criminal Defense Blog — Mon, 30 Jun 2025 18:45:47 +0000

[…] Bathsheba Spooner Murder […]

Comment on The Business of Convict Transportation: Jonathan Forward’s Successors by Peter Dickson

Peter Dickson — Sat, 03 Jun 2023 17:18:10 +0000

Just to let you know, John Stewart of Stewart & Campbell, was not a Scotsman as is often surmised although his father, Captain Samuel Stewart, may have been. John was the fourth son of Samuel and Catherine (nee Sherborne) b.29 January, 1722 at Pembridge, Herefordshire, England where the family lived at Middlebrook Farm, a property owned by Catherine’s cousin, Essex Sherborne II. All nine of the Stewart children were born in Pembridge between 1717 and 1731- three died in infancy. Samuel Stewart [d.1738 at Pembridge] may have seen East India Company service before he married. He was predeceased by his wife, Catherine, who died in 1735, probably tired and shagged out after fourteen years of continual pregnancy.

Comment on The Business of Convict Transportation: The Sale of Convicts in America by Jarret

Jarret — Thu, 11 Nov 2021 23:10:39 +0000

Was researching 18th century Darby Lux 1 of Baltimore and I stumbled upon this information.

Comment on The Business of Convict Transportation: Jonathan Forward by Dan Byrnes

Dan Byrnes — Thu, 14 Jan 2021 04:59:20 +0000

You don’t seem to cite my website The Blackheath Connection which is based on a study 1977-1999 of convict transportation to Va and MD, of the Duncan Campbell Letterbooks, the said Duncan Campbell (1726-1803) being the junior partner of John Stewart.

Comment on Convict Voyages: The Convict Ship by Joy Walters

Joy Walters — Tue, 29 Oct 2019 23:09:00 +0000

I am researching my ancestor, Mary Magdalene Moore, daughter of Francis Moore and possibly Ann(e) Harbin. I have a document which identifies Francis Moore being the owner of the Dublin Merchant. I am trying to find more information to verify the relationship between Francis Moore and Ann(e) Harbin. Could she at all have been an indenture/indebted servant?

Comment on Convict Voyages: The Convict Ship by Joy Walters

Joy Walters — Tue, 29 Oct 2019 23:08:14 +0000

I am researching my ancestor, Mary Magdalene Morre, daughter of Francis Moore and possibly Ann(e) Harbin. I have a document which identifies Francis Moore being the owner of the Dublin Merchant. I am trying to find more information to verify the relationship between Francis Moore and Ann(e) Harbin. Could she at all have been an indenture/indebted service?

Comment on Convict Transportation to America: Epilogue by Bob Clarke

Bob Clarke — Sat, 21 Sep 2019 18:55:24 +0000

Sarah Wilson was one of the 52,000 covicts who were transported to America between 1718 and 1775. Sarah was an imposter and a fraudster, a real life Moll Flanders who created a remarkable series of different lives for herself on both sides of the Atlantic. Beginning in her late teens Sarah wandered alone all over England, living dangerously on her wits, inventing new identities for herself, including Princess of Mecklenburgh, Countess of Normandy and Lady Countess Wilbrahammon, telling different stories to suit different audiences in order to fool people into providing her with food and shelter, money and expensive clothes. A Coventry Justice of the Peace who interviewed her in 1766 described Sarah as â€œThe greatest Impostress of the present Ageâ€. After four or five years on the road one of her crimes caught up with her. Sir John Fielding sent Sarah to prison to await trial for obtaining a full set of clothes by false pretences. She was found guilty and sentenced to be transported to America. In 1768, after a spell in Newgate awaiting the next convict ship, she sailed for Maryland where escaped from her master and began a new set of adventures. In Virginia and the Carolinas she was passed from one plantation house to another as an honoured guest in the guise of King George IIIâ€s sister-in-law where she, â€œmade astonishing impressions in many places, affecting the mode of royalty so inimitably, that many had the honour to kiss her hand; to some she promised governments, to others regiments, with promotions of all kinds, in the Treasury, Army and in the Royal Navy [and] levied heavy contributions upon some persons of the highest rank in the Southern colonies.â€ Sarah moved north and stayed in Boston from 7 December 1773 to 11 January 1774 as Princess Carolina Matilda, Princess of Cronenburgh, Marchioness de Waldegrave. She might have been one of those who watched the Sons of Liberty throwing the chests of tea from the three ships in Boston Harbour on the night of 16 December 1773. While still maintaining her royal pretentions, Sarah decided to play the religious card, becoming the house-guest of Congregationalists in New England, some of whom were also actively involved in the revolutionary cause at the onset of the War of Independence. Her story is told a new book, Impostress: The Dishonest Adventures of Sarah Wilson,that was published by The History Press (UK), and released in America on 1 October. Twentieth Century Fox have bought an option to purchase the film and TV rights to Sarah's story.

Comment on Early American Criminals: The Execution of Levi Ames by Rick Gregory

Rick Gregory — Sun, 04 Aug 2019 15:09:31 +0000

Hello – I’m writing a paper on the Boston Tea Party and how that lead to an American Revolution – I would like permission to use your post of Levi Ames (http://www.earlyamericancrime.com/criminals/execution-of-levi-ames)in the notes section – with complete reference and credit to your site as you prefer.

Thank you

Comment on In the Media: A Foodie Look at Early Prison Food by Al Baker

Al Baker — Tue, 02 Jul 2019 13:27:45 +0000

Anthony, I just stumbled onto your book “Bound with an Iron Chain.” I have only read the first bit, but it certainly looks good. I did my PhD in Ancient Christian History at St Andrews in Scotland and while there made several visits to castle ruins where the English imprisoned Scots. So much of our history is being neglected and we are being led down a dangerous ahistorical road in the USA right now. Has your book had any scholarly attention? Reviews by scholars? If so, please point me to them. I am not dubious of your work; I just need to do a bit of due diligence. Thank you for your time.

Comment on Convicts to Maryland, 1773 by Peter Dickson by Judy Rowse

Judy Rowse — Thu, 07 Feb 2019 19:44:18 +0000

Fascinating. Thank you.