Contributed by Maine Historical Society
Description
Due to the murder’s horrific nature, the Purrinton tragedy appeared in newspapers along the East Coast and overseas. The way in which the murders were committed, the number of victims, and Capt. James Purrinton’s suicide added to the public’s fascination. Printers, such as Solomon Vose of Boston, continued to print and sell related pamphlets more than ten years after the event.
Captain James Purrinton (1759–1806), possibly driven by financial distress, murdered his wife and six of their seven children with an ax and razor before dying by suicide. Two children, James (19) and Martha (15), survived the initial attack. James, wounded, escaped and alerted neighbor Dean Wyman. Wyman and Jonas Ballard discovered Capt. Purrinton, his wife Polly, and five children dead. Martha later succumbed to her injuries.
Though financial concerns were cited, Purrinton’s exact motives remain unclear. Mental illness ran in his family, and he had expressed fear over his farm’s future. Before the crime, he wrote to his brother, hinting at his impending death.
About This Item
- Title: "Horrid Murder" pamphlet, Boston, 1818
- Creator: Solomon Vose
- Creation Date: 1818
- Subject Date: 1818
- Location: Augusta, Kennebec County, ME
- Media: Ink on paper
- Local Code: QJ B P976
- Object Type: Text
Cross Reference Searches
Standardized Subject Headings
People
Other Keywords
- Coffin
- Despair
- Desperation
- Family
- Grief
- Horror
- Infamy
- Insanity
- Loss
- Madness
- Notoriety
- Slaughter
- Tragedy
- Violence
For more information about this item, contact:
Maine Historical Society485 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101
(207) 774-1822 x230
Website
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