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Sunday, January 25, 2015

"...UPON COMPLAINT OF UNCLEANLINESS..."

The Woodbury family aren't the only relatives of mine to have been accused of
doing things Puritan society discouraged. In this case, my 8x great granduncle
Ephraim Herrick found himself in hot water, along with a young woman named
Susanna Read:

Writ, dated 3 : 12 : 1668, signed by Hillyard Veren,t for the court, and served by John Hill,t deputy constable of Bass river side.

Warrant, dated 11 : 12 : 1668, to Ephraim Herick and Susana Reed, upon complaint of uncleanness, also Mary Wood and Elizabeth Whithaire, as witnesses, signed by Wm. Hathorne,t assistant.


Writ, dated 3 : 12 : 1668, signed by Hillyard Veren,t for the court, and served by John Hill,t deputy constable of Bass river side.


A "complaint of uncleanliness" doesn't refer to a failure to take baths: 

Susanah Read deposed concerning a criminal assault upon her by Ephraim Herrick when his wife was in Salem, she having been engaged to work for him during Indian harvest. Sworn, 2 : 12: 1668, before Wm. Hathorne,t assistant.

Mary Woods deposed that about three years ago when Joseph Herreck was married, a company of them went from Richard Lechards to Efram Herreck's house, etc. She further deposed concerning the latter's lewd conduct toward her in the presence of four or five persons. Sworn, 27: 1: 1669, before Wm. Hathorne,t assistant.


Hennery Herrick, aged about twenty-eight years, deposed that Ephraim Herrick often fell out with Susanna Read about her work, and Lydia, wife of Henry, deposed that Susanna said that said Herrick would not give her victuals and tobacco for her work, etc. Sworn before Wm. Hathorne,t assistant.


William Raymont, aged about thirty years, deposed that he heard Susanna Reade tell at the house of Anthony Woods the latter end of last December concerning the assaults by Herrick, and that at one time John Herrick was nearby in the field with them. Mary Woods, aged about twenty-six years, deposed the same. Sworn, 27: 1 : 1669, before Wm. Hathorne,t assistant.


Elesebeth Whiteheare deposed that about three years ago she went to Herrick's house to wash with his wife, she rode with said Herrick, etc. Sworn in court.


Elysabeth Herrick, aged about twenty years, deposed that being at Ephraim Herrick's house she heard Susanna Reede say that Richard Haines affronted Goodwife Balch, etc. Lidia, Herrick, aged about twenty-six years, deposed the same, and that Susanna later denied the story. Sworn in court.


John Herricke, aged about nineteen years, deposed that Ephraim Herrick was with him all day, etc. Sworn in court.


Zacreiah Hereck, aged about thirty years, deposed that he had heard Susana Read say, etc. Sworn in court.


Elizabeth Herrick, aged about twenty years, deposed that being at her brother Ephraim's house, etc. Sworn, 27 : 1 : 1669, before Wm. Hathorne,J assistant.




pp103-104
 
Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts: 1667-1671 (Google eBook)
Essex Institute, Salem, Ma. 1914

So it boiled down to "He said, she said". and all those Herricks testifying were Ephraim's
siblings, the children of my 9x great grandparents Henry Herrick and Edith Laskin. What's frustrating is there are some details missing. (Those dang etc's!! ).  Whatever they said,
it must have been persuasive, given that all this testimony was given for this case:

Ephraim Herick v. Susana Read. Slander. Verdict for plaintiff.*

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