Murder in a Mill Town: Sex, Faith, and the Crime That Captivated a Nation

In 1832, a farmer found a pregnant woman's body near a mill town, leading to the trial of Methodist preacher Ephraim Avery for murder. The case became a national scandal, involving sexual violence, adultery, and the power of religion in the early republic. The public consumed narratives of moral deviance, abortion, suicide, mobs, fake news, and conspiracy politics, and the trial exposed the troublesome workings of criminal justice in the young democracy.

Format: Unspecified
Length: 336 pages
Publication date: 29 November 2023
Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc

In December 1832, a farmer discovered the lifeless body of a young, pregnant woman near a haystack in a mill town in New England. The tragic incident ignited a media frenzy when it was revealed that Methodist preacher Ephraim Avery had been accused of murdering Sarah Maria Cornell, a factory worker. The case captivated the public with its sensational elements, including sexually charged violence, adultery, the hypocrisy of a church leader, secrecy, and mystery. It also raised suspicions of insanity. Murder in a Mill Town delves into the story of how a local crime swiftly escalated into a national scandal, marking the first trial of the century in American history.

After her death, Cornell's life became intertwined with the narratives that Americans constructed about their new industrial world, women's labor, and the influence of religion in the early republic. Writers crafted a wide range of works, including seduction tales, true-crime narratives, detective stories, political screeds, songs, poems, and melodramatic plays, all centered around the scandal. As witnesses during the trial, ordinary people provided testimony that reflected the rapidly changing times.

As the controversy surrounding Cornell's murder spread beyond the courtroom, the public eagerly consumed narratives that explored moral deviance, abortion, suicide, mobs, fake news, and conspiracy politics. The scandal refused to fade away even after the jury's verdict, and the nation remained captivated by the story for years to come.

Murder in a Mill Town is a meticulously reconstructed historical whodunit that delves into the complex workings of criminal justice in the young democracy and the emergence of a sensational popular culture. It sheds light on the societal tensions and moral dilemmas of the time, providing a captivating glimpse into the early 19th-century America.

Weight: 700g
Dimension: 167 x 243 x 30 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780197633090