In his book RITES OF EXECUTION, Louis Masur lists a Rachel Wall executed in Boston on Oct 8, 1789 for highway robbery. Because the US Constitution went into effect on March 4, 1789, she would certainly one of the first, if not the first (date cited in footnote 23 of chapter 2 (p. 170). Masure also identifies "Hannah Ocuish, 'a mulatto girl twelve years and nine months'" who was executed for an unspecified crime circa 1796, who was both female and a juvenile (p. 36). There may have been earlier women and pre-teens executed, but these are the earliest we've found so far. The first woman executed by the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT was Mary Surratt, who was hanged on July 7, 1865 following conviction for participation in the conspiracy to kill President Lincoln. Although the jury sentenced her to death, it recommended leniency because of her age and sex. President Johnson claimed that he never saw the recommendation.
Maintained by: Jim Thomas - critcrim@sun.soci.niu.edu