Episode 99: Ruth Blay
In the 18th century, there was a whole list of bizarre crimes that could earn someone the sentence of execution. From before America separated from England, to even afterward, there were things you simply could not do unless you wanted to be hung in front of a large crowd of your peers. Some of these crimes included: witchcraft, blasphemy, homosexual acts, and killing chickens without permission. For 31-year-old Ruth Blay, however, her convicted crime had more to do with the beliefs of the time, rather than an actual misdeed.
In the early summer of 1768, beloved schoolteacher Ruth Blay gave birth, alone and in a barn, to a baby girl. Unfortunately, the baby was stillborn. She was also a product of an affair out of wedlock, so, fearing the public scorn and scrutiny, Ruth wrapped her baby girl in a quilt and buried her under the floorboards of the very barn she delivered in. Unfortunately, some children found the dead infant just a few days later, and it was traced back to the grieving Ruth.
The crime Ruth committed wasn’t murder. She was indicted on charges of “concealing the death of an illegitimate child” in August of 1768 and sentenced to death. Despite the public outcry and three separate reprieves for her execution, Ruth was hung right before New Years Day of 1769. She struggled for several minutes and died in agony, as the noose failed to snap her neck. With her soul went the identity of the baby’s father who never stepped forward.
Image sources:
Photo taken by Katie - “Remembering Ruth Blay”, painted by Terrence Parker
arcadiapublishing.com - “Hanging Ruth Blay: An Eighteenth-Century New Hampshire Tragedy”