Rebecca Elizabeth Briggs ¹

  General Notes:

The Will of Rebecca Cornell - taken from "The American Genealogist"

The will dates 2 Sep 1664, proved 1673 gave her Portsmouth lands to son Thomas and his eldest son Thomas and his wife Elizabeth. To son Richard, land in Acushnet and Accoxet in Dartmouth (now New Bedford and Westport MA). Bequest to son William. To sons John, Samuel and Joshua, lands at Accoxet. To daughter Sarah, lands in the Bronx (New York). To daughter Ann and her husband Thomas (i.e. Thomas Kent) ten acres in Portsmouth. To daughter Rebecca, land in the Bronx. Bequests to Elizabeth and Mary. The will disposes of a considerable amount of Plate.

American Genealogist, v. 19, p. 132

1673, Feb 8 The Friends' records state "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 and hour and a half he went into the next rom [room] and stayed 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 was [had] 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 upper mst [most] part of stomach.

John Briggs 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 are thou," 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 of John, aged twenty-eight years, testified that three or four years part being at her mother in law's, 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.

1673 His will was ordered by the Assembly to be made by Town Council, and division of estate made to wife and children of said Thomas Cornell, "lately executed for murdering his mother Mrs. Rebecca Cornell." He having requested by his friends that after his execution his body may be buried by his mother, the request was refused, but yet in favor to the prisoner, the Court consents that if his friends have a desire, they may inter the body in the land lately to him belonging, within twenty feet of the common road.

Rebecca married Thomas Cornell. (Thomas Cornell was born about 1595 in Hertfordshire, England ¹ and died about 1656 in Portsmouth, Aquidneck Island ¹.)