Bathsheba Spooner: Revolutionary Crime & Punishment

In the midst of the American Revolution, a sensational “true crime” story shocked the people of Worcester, MA. Bathsheba Ruggles Spooner, the daughter of prominent Loyalist Timothy Ruggles, was convicted of conspiring with American and British soldiers to murder her husband. For this crime, she was hanged before a crowd of 5,000 spectators — despite being 5 months pregnant.

Why did the state exact such a brutal punishment on Bathsheba Spooner? Was it her family's Loyalist leanings? Was it that she defied gender norms? Was it a reaction to the chaos of the war? Andrew Noone, the author of Bathsheba Spooner: A Revolutionary Murder Conspiracy, will unpack the volatile mix of cultural, economic, and political forces that led to Spooner’s disturbing demise.

To register for this virtual event, press the Tickets button and make a donation of any amount to Old North Illuminated, the nonprofit that preserves and interprets Old North Church & Historic Site. Your generosity supports our education programs. A Zoom link will be sent to you on the evening of 1/25.

Andrew Noone is an independent scholar based in Worcester, MA, and the author of Bathsheba Spooner: A Revolutionary Murder Conspiracy. He is a docent with Preservation Worcester and a former member of the Worcester Historical Commission. Currently a music specialist with Worcester Public Schools, Andrew has taught dozens of college courses in Art History, Music, and English as a Second Language. He was awarded a Florence Fellowship in Renaissance Art History from Syracuse University and completed three years of study in the Keepers of the Republic program in American history, hosted by the American Antiquarian Society. He and his wife live on Green Hill Park, the resting place of Bathsheba Spooner and her unborn son. He has two adult children.