November 28, 2023
By Alicia Bertrand, M.A. in collaboration with Jim Sulanowski
If you remember the Ancestry by Alicia article “Rebecca Cornell’s Death: How Elder Abuse, Ghosts, Guilt, and Legal Testimonies Mattered in 1673”, you’ll recall details about the death of Rebecca Cornell and how her ghost led to the eventual hanging of her son Thomas Jr. Recently, Jim Sulanowski hosted an episode of his podcast, Murder Most Foul on Rebecca Cornell’s death and Alicia from Ancestry by Alicia (myself) was a guest speaker on the podcast to discuss my research. Jim and I discussed Rebecca’s death, her ghost, spectral evidence, Thomas’ trial, and other peculiar aspects of the case. We also discussed my genealogical link to Rebecca Cornell and her other notable descendants, including Ezra Cornell, and infamous patricidal suspect, Lizzie Borden.
Hear all about Rebecca and Thomas Cornell, and whether Jim and I believe Thomas killed Rebecca or not, on the episode “Witness from Beyond the Grave” from the Murder Most Foul podcast.
Witness from Beyond the Grave (Podcast)
About Jim Sulanowski:
Jim began the Murder Most Foul podcast to explore interesting well-known murder cases and some practically unknown murder cases. He moved to Rhode Island from upstate New York, and found the case of Rebecca Cornell as a Rhode Islander very interesting!
You can email Jim at: jamessulanowski@gmail.com
About the Murder Most Foul episode “Witness from Beyond the Grave”:
If you’ve ever been at a criminal trial or, like me, have never missed an episode of Law & Order on TV, you are aware that certain evidence and witness testimony is not allowed by our current judicial system. But in 1673, in Colonial Portsmouth, Rhode Island, it was not that restrictive. Thomas Cornell, Jr., was charged with killing his mother, Rebecca, by burning her alive. Evidence at the trial included testimony from the spirit of the deceased who appeared to a relative, stating “see how I was burnt with fire.” This form of unusual evidence was called “spectral evidence” and held weight at the trial, which had no direct evidence against Thomas. He was subsequently convicted and hung on the gallows. On a positive note, he was given leniency and was not “drawn” first.
Join me today as we probe this interesting case with, genealogist Alicia Bertrand, who discovered this story while researching her own family tree and found that, not only is she is descended from the Cornells, but also a certain Fall River Axe Murderess.
About Murder Most Foul (quoted from the Murder Most Foul website):
“It’s been just over 2 years since I began, what my wife calls, my “little murder hobby.” I had no idea what I was getting into when I began this endeavor partially as a diversion from the COVID-19 pandemic. But it became much more than that. In producing over 80 podcasts, I have interviewed authors, law enforcement, scholars and survivors of some of the most horrendous acts perpetrated on society. I started with the tried and true like Ted Bundy but soon found myself drawn to cases less know and not yet found by DATELINE. I consider myself honored to have had the opportunity to interview 2 survivors of the aforementioned Ted Bundy (The Monster in my Bedroom and I survived Ted Bundy), the son of Bob Crane (Who Killed Bob Crane), and a guest who believes his father murdered the woman known as the Black Dahlia (Who Murdered The Black Dahlia).
I have mixed things up by interviewing experts on very old cases where there was little primary source material available such as in segments, Who murdered J.F.K. and Who Was Jack The Ripper. I will admit that some cases gave me nightmares such as VAMPIRE, about the man who made smoothies out of the innards of his victims and consumed them because he believed his blood was turning into powder.
You may link to any, or all these segments by tapping the PODCAST button. Drop me an email and let me know what you think. Also, if you have a book or even better a first-hand involvement with a murder case, I’d love to put you on the air.”
I’d like to thank Jim for having me on an episode of Murder Most Foul. It was a fun experience to chat about a murder trial and genealogy in the same podcast. What is history without the strange and unknown? If you are interested in finding anything strange (or regular skeletons) in your family history, email me at alicia@ancestrybyalicia.ca or click on the pricing page of Ancestry by Alicia for more details.
Ancestry by Alicia 