One of my ancestors, a 9-greats grandfather, Thomas Cornell, II, (
https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Cornell-73) was hanged in Portsmouth, R.I., in 1673, for the murder of his mother, Rebecca (Briggs) Cornell. She was found dead in her room near the fireplace, with her clothes and body burned. A small wound was found on her upper abdomen during the 2nd autopsy. He was convicted on hearsay and "spectral" evidence (a dream). He claimed innocence. She may have fallen on her knitting needles. She had also been reported to be depressed and suicidal.
From a quote from the Friends' records on his bio:
"Rebecca Cornell, widow, was killed strangely, at Portsmouth, in her own dwelling house, was twice viewed by the Coroner's Inquest, digged up and buried again by her husband's grave in their own land.' Her son Thomas was charged with her murder, but although the jury's verdict in regard to this affair was, that 'he did murder his mother Rebecca, or was aiding or abetting thereto;' yet the evidence in the case would seem to have been in no way conclusive. There was much evidence taken. The son said in his own defense that having discoursed with his mother about an hour and a half he went into the next room and staid three-quarters of an hour. His wife then sent his son Edward to his grandmother to know whether she would have some milk boiled for her supper. The child saw some fire on the floor and came back and fetched the candle. Then Henry Straight, myself and the rest followed in a huddle. Henry Straight saw what he supposed was an Indian, drunk and burnt on the floor, but when Thomas Cornell perceived by the light of the candle who it was, he cried, 'Oh Lord it is my mother.' Her clothes and body were much burned, and the jury found a wound on uppermost part of stomach. "John Briggs [Rebecca's brother] testified as to an apparition of a woman that appeared at his bedside in a dream, and he cried out 'in the name of God what art thou,' and the apparition answered, 'I am your sister Cornell' and thrice said 'see how I was burnt with fire. '"John Russell, of Dartmouth, testified that George Soule told him (since the decease of Rebecca Cornell), that once coming to the house of Rebecca, in Portsmouth, she told him that in the spring, she intended to go and dwell with her son Samuel, but she feared she would be made away with before that. Thomas, Stephen, Edward and John Cornell (sons of Thomas), gave testimony as to their grandmother's death, saying their father was last with her. "Mary Cornell, wife to John, aged twenty-eight years, testified that three or four years past being at her mother-in-law, Rebecca Cornell's, and meeting her on returning from the orchard to the house, she said to deponent that she had been running after pigs and being weak and no help and she being disregarded, she thought to have stabbed a penknife into her heart, that she had in her hand, and then she should be rid of her trouble, but it came to her mind 'resist the Devil and he will flee from you' and then she said she was well satisfied."
Another tragedy in my family is that Henry Kinne (probably my 9-greats grandfather
https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Kinne-30 , but might have been his son Henry Jr., my 9-greats uncle
https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Kinney-302) was at Salem during the witchcraft trials, and testified against Rebecca (Towne) Nurse. "Henry Kinne rose up to speak. he entered his complaint & farther said that since this Nurse came into the house he was seized twice with an 'amazd' condition." (Trial transcripts) He also complained about Martha Corey.
Rebecca was found innocent by jury, but the court reversed that, and she was hanged as a witch. Martha Corey was also hanged.
Henry Kinne Sr.'s grandson, John Kinne, married Rebecca (Towne) Nurse's granddaughter, Rebecca Nurse, so Rebecca (Towne) Nurse was the grandmother of my 8-greats uncle. Not a direct ancestor of mine, but a karmic event.
