Mercy Tuttle
Sex: F
Individual Information
Birth: 27 Apr 1650
Christening:
Death:
Burial:
Cause of Death:
AFN #:
Parents
Father: William Tuttle (1607-1673)
Mother: Elizabeth (1613-1684)
Spouses and Children
1. *Samuel Brown ( - )
Marriage: 2 May 1667
Status:
Notes
General:
She was accused of age 14 of stealing and drinking liquor. She chopped her 17-year-old ,month old?? son Samuel Jr, to death with an axe as he lay in his bed. Her husband said she had seemd rational, but the day before she said she would have teh children buried in teh barn, because "dreadful times are coming". He said she had slept but little for two or three nights before". Joseph Brown, age 24, testified that she had thrown scalding water at him and he thought her "much out of her head". Mercy's sister Simon Tuttle and his wife thought she had seemed distracted "that morning and before". Mary Moss testified that "Mercy came to their house a little before the sad accident and wished Mr. Moss to look after her husband." Neighbors testified they had come to her house for fire and when she came out with it, she went down teh hill towards the swamp seeming distracted. In jail, she seemed distracted, seemed much grieved at having given offense to someone who knew nothing of it. Those who took her to New Haven for trial testified that she seemed "shaken in her understanding". Though her attorney pleaded insanity, the jury found her guilty, and the judge sentenced her to die. It wasn't a popular verdict, the town felt that she should be exonerated on the basis of insanity. But confusion resulting over the removal of the governor from his office allowed Mercy to escape execution. Apparently she was rescued from jail, returned home, and lived happily thereafter.
Living in 1695