Manuscript
Page: Front

Henry McCulloch Death Warrant

Page: Front | Back
Date: April 13, 1787
Creator: Governor James Bowdoin
About this artifact

Thirty-six-year-old Henry McCulloch of Pelham was convicted of treason by the court in Northampton on April 9, 1787. This warrant authorizes Elisha Porter, sheriff of Hampshire County, to execute McCulloch on May 24. It was issued by James Bowdoin, who was finishing his term as governor following his defeat in the April elections. McCulloch was being held in the Northampton jail at the time of his sentencing. The Governor's Council granted McCulloch a reprieve before the sentence was carried out. The newly elected governor, John Hancock, pardoned McCulloch on September 12, 1787.

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Courtesy Massachusetts State Archives, Boston, MA