List of people executed in Rhode Island

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The following is a list of people executed by the U.S. state and former colony of Rhode Island from 1670 to 1845.

Capital punishment was first abolished in Rhode Island in 1852, reinstated in 1873 and was finally abolished in 1984.[1] 53 people were ever executed in Rhode Island, 51 by hanging, 1 by hanging, drawing and quartering and 1 by hanging and gibbeting.[2] Only 8 of the executions were after Rhode Island’s statehood.

List of people executed in Rhode Island[edit]

British Colony[edit]

Colonial Era: 45 executions; 43 hanged, 1 hanged, drawn and quartered, 1 hanged and gibbeted
# Name Race Sex Date of Execution Method Crime(s)
1 Thomas Flounders[3] White M November 2, 1670 Hanging Murder[4]
2 Thomas Cornell Jr. May 23, 1673 Matricide[3]
3 Punnean Native American Rape and Murder[3]
4 Joshua Tefft White January 18, 1676 Hanging, drawing and quartering[5] Unlawfully fighting[5]
5 Peter Pylatt Black November 10, 1679 Hanging Assault and Rape[3]
6 Job Native American September 12, 1712 Hanging and Gibbeting[6] Kidnapping and Murder[6]
7 Jeremiah Meacham White May 12, 1715 Hanging Murder
8 William Dyer 1718
9 Reuben Hull June 23, 1718
10 William Blades July 19, 1723 Piracy
11 Charles Harris
12 Thomas Hugget
13 Thomas Linnicar
14 Peter Cues
15 Daniel Hyde
16 William Jones
17 Stephen Mundon
18 Edward Eaton
19 Abraham Lacy
20 John Brown
21 Edward Lawson
22 James Sprinkley
23 John Tomkins
24 Joseph Sound
25 Francis Laughton
26 Charles Church
27 John Fitzgerald
28 William Stutfield
29 Owen Rice
30 William Rhad
31 Thomas Hazel
32 John Bright
33 Joseph Libby
34 Thomas Powest
35 John Waters
36 Francis Baudoine November 3, 1738
37 Thomas Davis
38 Peter LeGrand
39 Peter Jesseau
40 Thomas Carter May 10, 1751 Robbery and Murder
41 Samuel Parks August 21, 1760 Piracy
42 Benjamin Hawkins
43 Fortune Price Black May 14, 1762 Arson
44 John Sherman White November 16, 1764 Burglary
45 Daniel Wilson April 29, 1774 Rape[3]

State[edit]

Statehood: 8 executions; all hanged
# Name Race Sex Date of Execution Method Crime(s)
46 John Hart White M May 17, 1777 Hanging Treason
47 Thomas Mount May 27, 1791 Burglary
48 David Comstock Murder
49 Hopkins Hudson ? October 26, 1798
50 Amasa Walmsley Native American June 1, 1832
51 Amos Miner White December 27, 1833
52 Charles Brown Black Robbery
53 John Gordon White February 13, 1845 Murder

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/state-and-federal-info/state-by-state/rhode-island Death Penalty Information Center
  2. ^ "Index by State - RHODE ISLAND". Retrieved 5 March 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e "List of Executions in Rhode Island, 1670 to 1845". Small State Big History. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
  4. ^ "Thomas Flounders". Espy Project Execution Records. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
  5. ^ a b "Joshua Tefft". Espy Project Execution Records. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
  6. ^ a b "Job". Espy Project Execution Records. Retrieved 5 March 2024.