Person:Eunice Lanphear (1)

Vital Records, General Services Center, Middlesex, Vermont - a. Marriage - Groom groom: Elder William Ewing bride: Eunice Lamphier residence of groom: Windsor date : July 1, 1804 officiating: Wm. Hunter, Justice Peace Windsor, Vt Wm. Hunter, TC

General Index to Vermont Vital Records - Early to 1870 Evans T - Farnald FHL film # 0027543

From: gttoL//infoweb.newsbank.com Downloaded 6 June 2009

Norfolk Repository, published as The Norfolk Repository; Date: 12-09-1806; Volume: II; Issue: 5; Page: 39; Location: Dedham, Massachusetts

MORTALITY DIED "In Windsor, (Vt.) Mrs. Lamphere, wife of Mr. George L. She died on sunday and was buried on Monday. From the singularity complains, foul play was suspected and her body was taken up a few days after by a jury of doctors, who gave it as their opinion that she came to her death by blows received on her left side and across her back and that those blows were probably given by George Lamphere, (her husdand) and that his mother was accessary thereto." They have both been committed to Woodstock gaol.

Over the threshold: intimate violence in early America By Christine Daniels, Michael V. Kennedy Published by Routledge, 1999 ISBN 0415918057, 9780415918053 296 pages. Page 73 Downloaded May 2009 http://books.google.com/books?id=0rDYwuYewX4C&dq=%22Over+the+Threshold%22+%2B+%22Intimate+Violence%22&printsec=frontcover&source=bl&ots=dNKJLSb7Hm&sig=9lyiAkZcggh90j0stcHjwRtl4Ec&hl=en&ei=zHYTSo-PMM7gtge1tuChBA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=8

"Many spousal murders in norther New England between the early 1800s and the Civil War were cases of manslaughter - vilent assaults that ended unintentionally in death. Mr. Maxfield of Ryegate, Vermont, died a day after his wife, a Scots immigrant, pummelled him in 1805 during what turned out to be their last drunken fight. In 1812, Elizabeth Duty of Haverhill, New Hampshire, died two days after her husband Moses hit her on the head and side with ahoe and threw her to the ground. Amelia Lamphier of Windsor, Vermont, took seven days to die in 1806 from what an inquest determined were were her husband George's kicks to her back, side, and lins, although she, her husband, and her mother-in-law denied that her injuries stemmed from his attack. Local authorities jailed Mrs. Maxfield and several acquaintances at her house at the time of the assault. Moses Duty was indicted. George Lamphier was tried as a murderer and his mother as an accessory. But Maxfield was released, Duty n ever tried, and the Lamphiers found not guilty. Court records and newspaper accounts indicate that the community did not sanction their brutal behavior. But they were not, as one jury and two prosecutors realized, willful murderers. They did not intend to kill their spouses, and called physicians once the injuries proved serious. Nevertheless people who committed manslaughter were not necesarrily less serious abusers than wilful murderers. George Lamphier, for instance, who struck his wife only on parts of her body concealed by her clothes, was clearly a cold, calculating, vicious man. Moses Duty and Mrs. Maxfield, who expected their spouses to be up and about after prolonged assaults, were equally brutal. But their behavior helps us un derstand why domestic violence seldom led to homicide in northern New England. Abusive spouses had strong incentives to hide their cruelty and keep their spouses alive."

From: Green Mountain Palladium 09-07-1807. Vol I Issue 12 Page 3. Chester, VT.

Downloaded 30 March 2009 from http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/HistArchive/?p_product=EANX&p_theme=ahnp&p_nbid=N

"On the 26th ult. before the Supreme Court of Woodstock, came on the trial of Mrs. Ewen and George Lanphear, of Windsor, on an indictment for Murder committed on the body of Mrs. Lanphear (wife of the latter;) and after an impartial trial, which continued four days, the charge was give to the Jury by his Honor Judge Tyler. After a consultation of three hours, the Jury returned a verdict NOT GUILTY."

A theory as to the identify of William Ewing's second wife, Eunice Lanphere.

Perhaps this Eunice  is the widow of Abijah Lamphere ( first name  not yet  identified).  A family tree, "Descendants of Abijah Lanphear"  (http://brentglad.com/lanphear/pafg02.htm#664)  says the following: 

The wife of Abijah is referred to only as "Mrs Abijah Lanphear".

 Luke Lanphear, son of Abijah, was born 1758, Woodstock, Windsor, VT, and married (1) Eunice Howard about 1781 in Vermont. 
Eunice died 1806. 
Luke married (2) Amelia Evans. 
Eunice Lanphear, daughter of Luke and Eunice, born about 1786,  married Elder William Ewing, 1 July 1804.

An Ancestral File at Family Search FamilySearch (Ancestral File v4. 19) refers to   "George Luke Lanphear" and his two marriages (Eunice Howard and Amelia Evans).

Although the General Index to Vermont Vital Records - Early to 1870 Evans T - Farnald FHL film # 0027543, confirms the marriage of Eunice Lanphear to Elder William Ewing, 1 July 1804, I suspect that this could be an error. Marriage between an 18 year old Eunice to a 76 year old William is unlikely. If the bride, Eunice Lamphere, was actually the widow of Abijah (and mother of Luke), the marriage makes more sense.

Assuming then that William Ewing's 2nd marriage was to Eunice Lanphear, widow of Abijah and mother of George Luke Lamphere (husband of Eunice Howard who died 1806) the accusations against "George Lanphear" and his mother, "Mrs. Ewin" make more sense. George was accused of murder and his mother was accused of being an accessory in the violent death of George's wife, Amelia, in November 1806. They were both found "Not Guilty" on 26 Aug 1807. (Exact death date in 1806 of Eunice [Howard] Lanphere is not yet known but it appears that she may have died early in 1806 and that George re-married very soon afterward to Amelia.)

Furthe research is needed to verify that Mrs Abijah Lanphere was the Eunice Lanphere who married William Ewing, to determine the exact death date of Eunice (Howard) Lanphere, and to verify that "George Lanphere" and "Luke Lanphere" are names for the same person.

If this theory should be proved, a particularly sad aspect of the situation is that William Ewing was still alive when his wife was accused of being an accessory to murder.

Abijah is listed as head of household on the 1800 census for Pomfret, Windsor county, VT but he does not appear anywhere on the 1810 census. Luke Lanphear (aka George Luke Lanphear) does appear on the 1810 census for Woodstock, Windsor county: One male under 10, One male (Luke) 45+; One female under 10; One female 16-25; and One female 45+. It is possible that the oldest female might be his mother.

Next step - further exploration of Lanphears in the General Index to Vermont Vital Records.

Marriage - Groom groom: Elder William Ewing bride: Eunice Lamphier residence of groom: Windsor date : July 1, 1804 officiating: Wm. Hunter, Justice Peace Windsor, Vt Wm. Hunter, TC........ Source: General Index to Vermont Vital Records - Early to 1870 Evans T - Farnald FHL film # 0027543

From: gttoL//infoweb.newsbank.com Downloaded 6 June 2009

"Norfolk Repository", published as The Norfolk Repository; Date: 12-09-1806; Volume: II; Issue: 5; Page: 39; Location: Dedham, Massachusetts

«i»MORTALITY DIED "In Windsor, (Vt.) Mrs. Lamphere, wife of Mr. George L. She died on sunday and was buried on Monday. From the singularity complains, foul play was suspected and her body was taken up a few days after by a jury of doctors, who gave it as their opinion that she came to her death by blows received on her left side and across her back and that those blows were probably given by George Lamphere, (her husdand) and that his mother was accessary thereto." They have both been committed to Woodstock gaol. «/i»------------------------------------------ «u»Over the threshold: intimate violence in early America«/u» By Christine Daniels, Michael V. Kennedy Published by Routledge, 1999 . Page 73

"«i»Many spousal murders in norther New England between the early 1800s and the Civil War were cases of manslaughter - violent assaults that ended unintentionally in death. Mr. Maxfield of Ryegate, Vermont, died a day after his wife, a Scots immigrant, pummelled him in 1805 during what turned out to be their last drunken fight. In 1812, Elizabeth Duty of Haverhill, New Hampshire, died two days after her husband Moses hit her on the head and side with ahoe and threw her to the ground. Amelia Lamphier of Windsor, Vermont, took seven days to die in 1806 from what an inquest determined were were her husband George's kicks to her back, side, and lins, although she, her husband, and her mother-in-law denied that her injuries stemmed from his attack. Local authorities jailed Mrs. Maxfield and several acquaintances at her house at the time of the assault. Moses Duty was indicted. George Lamphier was tried as a murderer and his mother as an accessory. But Maxfield was released, Duty n ever tried, and the Lamphiers found not guilty. Court records and newspaper accounts indicate that the community did not sanction their brutal behavior. But they were not, as one jury and two prosecutors realized, willful murderers. They did not intend to kill their spouses, and called physicians once the injuries proved serious. Nevertheless people who committed manslaughter were not necesarrily less serious abusers than wilful murderers. George Lamphier, for instance, who struck his wife only on parts of her body concealed by her clothes, was clearly a cold, calculating, vicious man. Moses Duty and Mrs. Maxfield, who expected their spouses to be up and about after prolonged assaults, were equally brutal. But their behavior helps us un derstand why domestic violence seldom led to homicide in northern New England. Abusive spouses had strong incentives to hide their cruelty and keep their spouses alive." «/i»---------------------------------------------- From: "Green Mountain Palladium" 09-07-1807. Vol I Issue 12 Page 3. Chester, VT.

Downloaded 30 March 2009 from http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/HistArchive/?p_product=EANX&p_theme=ahnp&p_nbid=N

«i»"On the 26th ult. before the Supreme Court of Woodstock, came on the trial of Mrs. Ewen and George Lanphear, of Windsor, on an indictment for Murder committed on the body of Mrs. Lanphear (wife of the latter;) and after an impartial trial, which continued four days, the charge was give to the Jury by his Honor Judge Tyler. After a consultation of three hours, the Jury returned a verdict NOT GUILTY." «/i»----------------------------------------------

A theory as to the identify of William Ewing's second wife, Eunice Lanphere.

Perhaps this Eunice  is the widow of Abijah Lamphere ( first name  not yet  identified).  A family tree, "Descendants of Abijah Lanphear"  (http://brentglad.com/lanphear/pafg02.htm#664)  says the following: 

The wife of Abijah is referred to only as "Mrs Abijah Lanphear".

 Luke Lanphear, son of Abijah, was born 1758, Woodstock, Windsor, VT, and married (1) Eunice Howard about 1781 in Vermont. 
Eunice died 1806. 
Luke married (2) Amelia Evans. 
Eunice Lanphear, daughter of Luke and Eunice, born about 1786,  married Elder William Ewing, 1 July 1804.

An Ancestral File at Family Search FamilySearch (Ancestral File v4. 19) refers to   "George Luke Lanphear" and his two marriages (Eunice Howard and Amelia Evans).

Although the General Index to Vermont Vital Records - Early to 1870 Evans T - Farnald FHL film # 0027543, confirms the marriage of Eunice Lanphear to Elder William Ewing, 1 July 1804, I suspect that this could be an error. Marriage between an 18 year old Eunice to a 76 year old William is unlikely. If the bride, Eunice Lamphere, was actually the widow of Abijah (and mother of Luke), the marriage makes more sense.

Assuming then that William Ewing's 2nd marriage was to Eunice Lanphear, widow of Abijah and mother of George Luke Lamphere (husband of Eunice Howard who died 1806) the accusations against "George Lanphear" and his mother, "Mrs. Ewin" make more sense. George was accused of murder and his mother was accused of being an accessory in the violent death of George's wife, Amelia, in November 1806. They were both found "Not Guilty" on 26 Aug 1807. (Exact death date in 1806 of Eunice [Howard] Lanphere is not yet known but it appears that she may have died early in 1806 and that George re-married very soon afterward to Amelia.)

Furthe research is needed to verify that Mrs Abijah Lanphere was the Eunice Lanphere who married William Ewing, to determine the exact death date of Eunice (Howard) Lanphere, and to verify that "George Lanphere" and "Luke Lanphere" are names for the same person.

If this theory should be proved, a particularly sad aspect of the situation is that William Ewing was still alive when his wife was accused of being an accessory to murder.

Abijah is listed as head of household on the 1800 census for Pomfret, Windsor county, VT but he does not appear anywhere on the 1810 census. Luke Lanphear (aka George Luke Lanphear) does appear on the 1810 census for Woodstock, Windsor county: One male under 10, One male (Luke) 45+; One female under 10; One female 16-25; and One female 45+. It is possible that the oldest female might be his mother.

Next step - further exploration of Lanphears in the General Index to Vermont Vital Records.