By Roger and Marcia Eaton, grandson*
*Relation to Andy and/or Flora Lehr
Every family has its dark stories. Is our family different?
Our ancestors dedicated themselves to making a better life. Each generation has benefited from the preceding generations’ commitment to a making a better life. That is part of the American culture. We have been blessed with forward-thinking generations and must travel back nearly three hundred years to uncover a dark story in our family history.
Born in Barnstable, Plymouth Colony, British America, Hannah Rogers was the oldest of four children. Her great grandfather was Thomas Rogers. Thomas and his son, Joseph, were Mayflower passengers. She was named after her grandmother. Hannah’s parents died when she was nine years old. Her guardian is unknown. Hannah’s great grandfather, father and son were named Thomas.
Amaziah, commonly known as Maziah, was also born in Barnstable, Plymouth Colony, British America. A neighbor, Mary Freeman, described him as, “Harding is a man, shirt or no shirt every inch of him.” Hannah married Amaziah Harding in 1694. At the time of their wedding, Hannah was 25 and Amaziah was 22. Over the next forty years, they raised a family of nine children. Their oldest child was named Hannah. His occupation is listed in court records as a yeoman – non-slave owing farmer.
On Saturday, July 18, 1733, their colonial life was shattered. Hannah was beaten to death in their home. The official cause of death was recorded as “neck twisted and broke”. Their neighbor, Mary Freeman and her daughter-in-law Hannah Freeman approached the Harding house and were met by Amaziah. At that point Amaziah explained that his wife was dead…and that he was glad. Shortly after that, Amaziah drew a knife and stabbed himself in the torso.
Court records from Amaziah’s trial were lost in a fire. Below is a deposition from his neighbor, Mary Freeman, that was recorded in the Massachusetts Archives.
” After raising nine childern and forty years of marriage at the age of 63, Amaziah killed his wife, Hannah Rogers. The original Barnstable court records of the trail were destroyed in a fire, but copy of the deposition made by Mary Freeman survived in the Massachusetts Archives. From this deposition we have hand account by a witness who came to see Amaziah within the hour of Hannah Rogers’ death.
From STC Vol. 259; Doc#37237 p.55, Deposition by Mary Freeman and Hannah Freeman.” Mary Freeman of Lawful age to give Evidence testifies[Information?] came hastily on or about the eighteen day of July 1733 and informed me that my neighbor Maziah Harding’s wife was Dead it being something surprising to me to hear so for I was informed by his son Cornelis less than one hour before that shee was well & in health, whereupon I went immediately with my daughter in law Hannah Freeman to sd Maziah Harding’s house & when I came ther I met with sd Maziah Harding at the Door of his house.I then ask him if his wife was Dead. He answered yes & he was glad of it, whereupon I went in to sd Harding’s house & there I saw his wife’s body lay on a bed wrapped up in bed clothes & I looked on her I saw a [proof?]on her cheek & on her throth & lip that the blood was jelled which seemed to me to be occasioned by some bruise or hurt. Then I asked sd Harding how his wife came so suddenly to her end, whether he took notice shee had not been well. He answered shee was well as shee used to be for ought hee knew & he sd shee had drunk her fill of Rum and sat on the Door sill & he laid on the bed & fell asleep & when he awoke he called for her but shee gave him no answer. Then he rose and went into the other room and found her dead on the bed. I took notice that sd Harding was in a strange fram and seemed to be disguised with drink and often Repeated thse words [ to wit?.]. Harding is a man shirt or no shirt every inch of him & he often Declared he was glad his wife was dead. I reproved him and tould him I was sorry to hear him say so & asked him why he was glad of it &sd Harding replyed & sd because shee had been a Plague to him him for above these twenty years past & he hoped now he should git somebody to keep his house & look after his things and many such like expressions & sd Harding further sd his wife was now gone to paradise among the Royal breed & would be clothed in Robes of glory and many such like expressions, & then sd Harding was very urgent with me to help clean linen to bury his wife in & he would help me to do it urging shee might be buried with all speed fore he sd shee was cover with lice, Rags & dirt. I told him I would not meddle with her nor advise any others till a Jurie had pass upon her. Whereupon the sd Harding replied & sd a jurie, then sd he there will arise a Cursed Damnd Mobb & seemed to bee then something surprised & uneasy & [disembled?] and sd there was no occasion of a jurie for others he named had died suddenly & no Jurie on them. Then I told him there was not the like occasion of Jurie for others he named had died when several were present. Then he seened to be more restless in his mind & sd this is the fruite of mens wifes taking their Neighbours parts against their husbands which has brought it to this & uttered many sensurious reflections on his neighbors.”
Mary Freeman
Before Me Joseph Doane Justice Peace, Sworn to in his Majestys Courte of Assise at Barnstable
Amaziah’s self-inflicted wounds were not fatal. He was tried by a jury and found guilty of murdering Hannah and sentenced to death.
Order for Hardings Execution ordered
STC Record Book 1733-86:81 (front & back)
“The Jurors of our Lord the King upon their oath present That Maziah Harding of Eastham in the County of Barnstable aforesd Yeoman not having the fear of God before his Eyes but being instigated by the Devil with force and arms and of his malice forethought on the Eighteenth Day of July last at Eastham aforesd and assault on the Body of Hannah his then wife and in the Kings peace then being did make and then and there With force as aforesd then and there Feloniously twisted the neck of the said Hannah and Dislocated the same, of which the said Hannah then Instantly dyed so that the said Maziah Harding of his malice prepense as aforesd Feloniously murdered the said Hannah his wife contrary to the Peace of our sd Lord the King his Crown and Dignity, and the Law in that case made and provided Upon which Indictment the said Maziah Harding being arraigned at the Barr pleaded not Guilty, and for trial put himself upon God & Countrey, a Jury being sworn to try the issue between our Sovereign Lord the King and the Prisioners Defense went out to Consider thereof and returned their Verdict therein upon oath that is to say that the said Maziah Harding is Guilty. Itfs therefore Considered and Ordered by the court That the said Maziah Harding shall suffer the pains of death.”
He was sentenced to the gallows and executed in the town of Barnstable on June 5, 1734.
Amaziah prepared a will, before being executed on June 5, 1734 – nearly a year after beating his wife to death. Below is a transcript of his will.
Barnstable County Probate files, Volume 5, pp 180-1.
In the Name of God Amen the twentyeth day of April one Thousand seven hundred and thirty four I Maziah Harding of Eastham in the County of Barnstable husbandman being of perfect mind and memory do make and ordain this my Last will and Testament that is to say first of all I recommend my soul into the hand of God that gave it & my body to the Earth &c.
As touching my worldly Estate I give & dispose of it in manner folowing: –
Vis: first my will is that my just debts be paid as I shall here after order. I give & bequeath to my three sons John Nathan & Cornelius & my daughter Elizabeth Fish all my homestead both housing & Land in Eastham together with all my meadow & woodland in said town to them their heirs & assigns forever to be equally divided to & amongst them that is to say to each of them & their heirs the one quarter part & thereof and that John shall have the improvement of Cornelius’ part untill Cornelius arrive at twenty one years of age.
My will is
that Nathan shall pay out of his quarter part as abo… (illegible word) thirty pounds in manner folowing viz. twenty pounds thereof toward paying my just debts and the other ten pounds to be paid by him to my two daughters Hannah Fish & Phebe Rogers or those who legally represent them; that is to each of them or their heirs five pounds to be paid within five years after my decease which is all I give unto the sd Hannah Fish & Phebe Rogers out of my estate.
I give unto my grandchildren Thomas & James sons of my son James each five shillings to be paid at my decease out of my personal estate.
I give and bequeath unto my granddaughters Mary & Elizabeth Clark daughters of my daughter Mary Clark each five shillings to be paid at my decease out of my personal estate.
My will is that my son John shall have my Right & Interest in Windham in Connecticut if he can make out any title and that he shall have all the grain that he hath planted or sown or shall do this spring upon my land in Eastham and that my son John shall have any or all of the above mentioned lands or meadow in case it be sold he paying therefor the value thereof according as …(illeg. word) erant persons chosen mutually between and such as may concern shall estimate it in case they themselves cant agree upon the price.
My will is that the remainder of my debts shall be paid out of my personal estate & …of my personal estate I give & bequeath Equally between my three sons John Nathan & Cornelius and my daughter Elizabeth Fish or such as Legally represent them.
I constitute ordain and appoint my well beloved son John to be the sole executor of this my last will and testament and I do hereby revoke all former or other wills or bequests. Ratifying and confirming this to be my last will and testament. In witness whereof I the sd Maziah Harding have hereunto set my hand and seal the day & year above written
Maziah Harding (seal)
Signed Sealed published announced & declared by the sd Maziah Harding as his last will and Testament in presents of us
Josiah Dimock
Benjamin Hopkins
Lydiah Dimock
Barnstable: the foregoing will being presented for probate by ye Executor therein named Joseph Dimock and Lydia Dimock witnesses made oath that they saw the subscriber Maziah Harding the Testator sign & seal & heard him publickly declare of same to be the last will and testament that when he signed he was of sound disposing mind & memory according to the deponants best descerning and that they signed as witnesses thereof together with Benjamin Hopkins in the presence of sd testator Dated ye 5th day of July Dom. 1734. M. Bourn.
So, it was Amaziah who whacked Hannah, my seventh great-grandmother. A dark tale from our distant past. It demonstrates that even the best bloodlines can have a dark story.
It is paramount that we recognize and appreciate the incredible legacy that we have inherited. These people endured unimaginable sacrifices to provide us with the comfortable lives that we enjoy. This is a debt that we are obligated to repay by making our descendants lives better than ours.
