Hanging Ruth Blay: An Eighteenth-Century New Hampshire Tragedy

by Carolyn Marvin

The full account of the 18th-century hanging of a school teacher is detailed in detailed in Carolyn Marvin's dramatic tale. On a cold December morning in 1768, thirty-one-year-old Ruth Blay approached the gallows erected for her execution. Standing on the high ground in the northwest corner of what is now Portsmouth's old South Cemetery, she would have had a clear view across the pasture to the harbor and open sea. The eighteenth-century hanging of a schoolteacher for concealing the birth of a child out of wedlock has appeared in local legend over the last few centuries, but the full account of Ruth's story has never been told. Drawing on over two years of investigative research, author Carolyn Marvin brings to light the dramatic details of Ruth's life and the cruel injustice of colonial Portsmouth's moral code. As Marvin uncovers the real flesh-and-blood woman who suffered the ultimate punishment, her readers come to understand Ruth as an individual and a woman of her time.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, True Crime, 18th Century, Biography

128 pages, Paperback

First published June 4, 2010

About the author

Carolyn Marvin currently works as a research librarian at the Portsmouth Athenaeum in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where she first came upon the story of Ruth Blay. Previously, she worked in both public and school libraries. Ms. Marvin lives in a tiny ivy-covered brick house in the Atlantic Heights Historic District of Portsmouth with her granddaughter Makenzie, three cats, Dante the Westie, three hamsters and two fish.


**note: There are two authors with the same name**

Reviews

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is less a history of Ruth Blay's hanging and more of a history of the time that lead to such a hanging.

This is not a bad thing.


Marvin's writing is easy to get into and her background information fleshes out the time period as well as provoking food for thought about the Scarlet Letter.

[Lauren Csaki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really interesting read. There isn't a whole lot of factual information that survives in the records to uncover the whole story about Ruth Blay and what happened to her, or why. But the author does a really nice job of supplementing the meager records with great historical context and discussion of how the culture at the time may have influenced Ruth's outcome. Great for anyone interested in 18th century New England and/or women's history.

[Peggy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting local history about a New Hampshire woman who was hung in 1768. She was charged with killing her newborn infant, a charge she denied. Ruth was an unmarried mother who refused to devulge the baby's father's name. It is thought that he might have been a man of the cloth. Shades of The Scarlet Letter.

[Kayleigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hanging Ruth Bly is the true story of a woman hanged in colonial Portsmouth for burying her stillborn out-of-wedlock baby. Carolyn Marvin does a good job supplementing the limited amount of factual information with historical context and discussion of the times and culture that may have led to the moment.

I really enjoyed the writing style that Marvin uses throughout, it kept the book moving quickly and informative while also holding interest.

[Jill Crosby · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Quick Look at one of America’s little-known executions—that of a single schoolteacher who gave birth to a baby—stillborn—but was summarily executed for trying to conceal the event. Interesting in its exploration of women’s literacy, societal expectations of mothers, and the strange customs that could pass as proof of innocence in a court of law. A niche subject, but informative.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hanging Ruth Blay is based on the true story of a NH woman who was executed as punishment for "concealment". Ruth found herself pregnant and unmarried. She would not name the father. Her dead infant was found hidden under floorboards in a barn on the property where she was staying. Ruth claimed her infant was stillborn. In those days, a woman had to have witnesses that an infant was indeed stillborn or else she was charged with concealment (if she hid or buried the body) and infanticide. Some women were able to produce a witness or other evidence that they wanted or planned for the baby, others like Ruth, could not. She endured a trial, was convicted and sentenced to death. The governor of NH gave Ruth three reprieves from her sentence, but she was ultimately executed on a street corner in Portsmouth and buried in a nearby cemetery. Very interesting historical detail on the laws and customs of the time and how men pretty much had control of everything.

[Diane Helentjaris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this book. It's a brief book that shines a light on how Colonial American (andd British) laws and people dealt with pregnancy and those men and women who defied societal norms. What I particularly appreciated was that the book is short and to the point. Few facts remain about Ruth Blay, who was executed for concealing the birth of her illegitimate child. The author uses what little we know about Ruth and what we can discover about the laws and practices of the time to explain how the hanging of an educated school teacher could be hung from the gallows before a large crowd of (mostly) approving people. It underlines the sometimes shaky footing of human justice.

[Diana Kramer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Hanging of Ruth Blay

Very interesting account of a very sad episode in 18th Century” justice”. A 31 yr. old woman judged not by a jury of her peers (12 men); their knowledge of the post Mortem condition of a few days old infant is lacking sufficiently enough that they condemn a women to death calling it murder. I am annoyed that she didn’t offer what evidence she could have used in her defense. Gladly these laws are obsolete now.

[Sidney Rippy McLaughlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting Account

Mrs. Marvin gives a very detailed and well researched account of the hanging of Ruth Blay, an unmarried school teacher. Miss Blay became pregnant out of wedlock. She gave birth in a barn. No one knows if the baby was stillborn for sure, but it seems likely. Rather than come forward with the baby, she chose to bury it.
In her time, that was illegal. (Isn’t it still?) Her punishment was hanging. It’s a sad story of the life of women it the 18th Century with many great historic fact and much history of New England at the time.

[Victor Raul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excelente, imparcial, sobrio y minucioso trabajo de investigación sobre un lamentable y penoso suceso ocurrido en Nueva Inglaterra. Las leyes britanicas siempre severas produjeron el terrible desenlace de la desafortunada y estoica Ruth Blay. El tema se vuelve de interes actualmente y pone de relieve la terrible desigualdad que sufrieron y aun sufren las mujeres.
Me hizo recordar a Moll Flanders de Daniel Defoe.

[Shirley Leavitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very short book on what happened to Ruth Blay and how the justice system back in the eighteen century was so unfair and so prejudice especially towards women. A very sad case, and the author felt it should be told.

[Sheryl G · Rating 3 out of 5]

Extremely well researched history of pre-revolutionary New England. Unfortunately, the story is full of conjecture and barely holds together beyond the basics of: an unmarried woman was hung for concealing the death of her infant. Fascinating none the less.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sad tale that Carolyn Marvin places within the context of local history, events, and possible family conflicts.

[Pearl Yusuf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting in terms of regional history, women's position in past society, New England history and social justice. Seems meticulously researched and I loved the notes separating fact from fiction.

[Jacki · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sad chapter in American history.

[Anjalica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an awesome story with history very sad

[Jean]

Very boring. I couldn’t even finish it. Clad i didnt pay for it.

[Christine Laber Marken · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well researched and easy to read account of a tragedy in 18th century justice.

[Regen Weber · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very interesting historical account and a great afternoon read.

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

More of a historical accounting rather than a story, being a lover of both history and genealogy it was perfect for me. Turns out Ruth Blay is in our family tree, the towns mentioned in the account are where I live and we know the family who lived in the house she supposedly haunts. WIN, win, win!!

[Kristin · Rating 3 out of 5]

One concept developed in colonial New England to address the problem of providing to all parts of these towns, where vast acres separated the homesteads, was that of the "moving school." It was a simple and effective idea. A teacher would board with a family and spend a few months teaching the children in one area of town and then move on to another. Thus every child's education was addressed on a rotating basis. (pg. 49)

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

How do you rate a book that could be about an innocent woman who was hanged? Well, it's full of history and the explanation of the laws at that time. It takes place in N.H. and was very interesting.

[Joanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good book--I would love to have read even more in depth about this woman and how her life came to be up to the moment that changed everything. Fascinating, and not what I expected!

[harrie kd · Rating 3 out of 5]

so far, so good! i'm reading this as it's by a faculty member at a phd i want to apply for, i think it will be interesting.