In this exhibit, the R. Stanton Avery Special Collections has selected items from their extensive collection of family papers and institutional records to pay tribute to students past and present. View Exhibit
This year's Halloween treat is a 1692 deed from Salem, Massachusetts, in which Giles Corey deeds his land and possessions to his sons-in-law William Cleaves and Jonathan Moulton. Giles Corey and his wife Mary were both accused of witchcraft in April of 1692 after they dared to openly criticize the proceedings taking place in Salem. Both were arrested and Corey knew his fate from the moment he was accused. His primary concern was that his property be preserved and passed onto his heirs. Corey refused to enter a plea, and was sentenced to be pressed to death. If he had stood trial and had been convicted, his farm would have been forfeited to the colony instead of being passed onto Cleaves and Moulton.
Corey was forced to lay flat while a board was placed upon his chest and heavy stones were added in an effort to make him enter the plea. Corey refused to the end and became the only individual in this country's history to be pressed to death by order of law. The deed is from volume 9, page 46 of the Essex County Deeds microfilm at NEHGS.
Gyles Coree to Willm Cleeves Recorded ye 25th July 1692
To all people to whom this prsent wrighting Shall come, I Gyles Coree of ye Town of Salem in ye County of Essex in New England (Send Greeting) Know yt I ye Said Gyles Coree bying under great troubles & affliction through wch: I am very weake in body, but in perfect memory, Knowing not how soon I may depart this life, In Consideration of which and for ye fatherly Love & affection wch: I have & doe beare unto my beloved sone in Law William Cleeves of ye Town of Beaverly, in ye abovesd: County and to my Sone in Law Jno Moulton of ye town of Salem, in sd County, both yeomen as also for divers other good causes & considerations mee at ye present Espetially moveing. Have Given Granted and by those presents doe Give Grant & Confirm unto ye Said Willm Cleeves my Sone in Law & to ye said Jno Moulton my full power strength authority to occupie possess & enjoye and manage in my stead & place all my Land & meadow lying & being in ye bounds of Salem Town aforesd: & being Butted & bound As per my deed doth appeare, & all my neat Cattle & all other my stocke upon sd Farms or elsewhere as Likewise all my housing & all my moveable estate whatsoever or wheresoever found wth all ye privileges & apprtenance thereunto belonging or in wise apprtaining in my stead & for my use & supply during my natural life, And after my decease Ye said Gyles Coree doe by virtue of these prsents freely give grant & confirme unto ye abovesd Willm Cleeves my sone in law, & Jno Moulton my sone in law all my abovesd land meadow housing, neat cattle stocke & premises with all their priveledges & apprtenances with all my moveable estate as mony household stuffs Apparrell brass Pewter bedding & all other household stuff substance whatsoever, moveable or immoveable Quick & dead Of wth kind nature quality or condition soever ye same and and in wth place or places ye same bee shall or may bee found as well in my owne custody or possession, as in ye possession hands power & custody of any other person or persons whatsoever To have & to hold all & singular ye land meadow Housinge cattle stock moveables or immoveables money apparrell & all other ye aforsd prmises Wth their apprtenances Unto ye said Wm Cleeves & Jno Moulton their heirs Exrt Admrt. & assigns to their & their owne proper uses & behoofs for over freely & Quietly without any manor of Challeng Claime or demands of he the said Gyles Coree or of any other pson or psons wHsoever for me in my name or by my Cause means or procurement. And I ye sd Gyles Coree all & singular ye aforesd land housing cattle moveables & immoveables & premises to ye said Wm Cleeves & Jno Moulton their heirs Exrt Admrt & assigns to ye use aforesd : against all people doe Warrant & for ever defend by these prsents. In witnesse whereof I haav hereunto sett my hand & fixed my seale this twenty fourth day of April Anno Domini one thousand six hundred ninety & two.
The three words (meadow) was interlind before ye signing & sealing hereof