Apr 15

Apr 15 The First Woman Executed in the United States - Bathsheba Ruggles Spooner

Bathsheba Ruggles Spooner was the first woman executed in the United States of America.

Thomas Ruggles

Thomas Ruggles was a Delegate to the Stamp Act Congress but hated the idea of talking back to the King.

After refusing to sign any of the documents he returned to Massachusetts and became a leader of the Loyalist faction in Boston.

When the Revolutionary War broke out, Ruggles fought with the British to suppress the Rebellion. When that didn’t work out, he relocated to Nova Scotia.

Thomas left behind several daughters, among whom was Bathsheba.

Bathsheba Ruggles Spooner

Bathsheba had married a moderately wealthy farmer named Joshua Spooner in the mid 1760’s.

When the hostilities began, Joshua took up with the Patriots.

Bathsheba took up an affair.

Her lover was 16-year-old Continental Army soldier Ezra Ross, a boy just half her age.

Plotting Murder

Spooner became pregnant with a baby that is generally assumed to have belonged to Ross.

Bathsheba began to press Ezra to kill her husband, whom she claimed to be abusive.

Ezra, who had become friendly with Joshua, almost did the dead but could not go through with it.

Bathsheba then recruited two deserters from the British Army to take out Joshua.

She warned Ezra who rushed over to assess the situation.

The Killing and the Capture

When Joshua Spooner returned home from a local tavern he was attacked.

One of the British soldiers killed him while the other three helped hide the body in a well.

Bathsheba gave them money and items of her husband’s.

They went around showing off their prizes and were almost immediately arrested.

The Trial

The four assailants were prosecuted by Declaration Signer Robert Treat Paine who quickly won a conviction.

All four were hanged shortly thereafter, despite Spooner’s pregnancy.

On July 2, 1778, Bathsheba Ruggles Spooner became the first woman hanged in the newly independent United States.

Here are some more woman who were HANDED about this time:

The Youngest American Ever Execute - Hannah Ocuish

Lady Pirate at the Gallows - The Execution of Rachel Wall

There are several books about Spooner, but ‘A Revolutionary Murder Conspiracy’ just came out this year and has the most up to date account.

If you’d like a copy you can get one through the Amazon affiliate link below (you’ll support this site, but don’t worry, Amazon pays me while your price stays the same).