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More Tho. B. Boroen
FAITHFUL NARRATIVE

Ο F
ELIZABETH WILSON;
Who was EXECUTED at CHESTER,
January 3d, 1786.
Charged with the MURDER
OF HER
T W IN INF AN TS.
Containing ſome account of her
DY I N G
SAYINGS;
With ſome ſerious reflections.
.........
人人​人​・人​外​)
Drawn up at the requeſt of a friend unconnected with
the deceaſed.
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བཞི་ནི༌རིན༌ནི་བཞི་བནིབར༠༥༠༠རི༠རི་བའི་
Philadelphia: printed in the year 1786.

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Borough of Cheſter, Jan. 5, 1786.
ON the third inſtant was executed here, pur-
Juant to her fentence, ELIZABETH WILSON;
charged with the murder of her twin illegitimate
infants, on the 12th of OEtober, 1784.
As the caſe of this woman is of a ſingular na-
ture, has engroſſed the public attention ; and
as there are various reports circulating reſpecting
her, the following narrative, drawn up at the
requeſt of a perſon unconnected with her, may be
acceptable at this time.
W
AS found, by a perſon with a dog, croſſing
the fields, in a piece of woods a little
diſtance from the road leading from Brandywine to
the Turk's Head, two dead infants. Upon en-
quiry, and from concurring circumſtances, there
was reaſon to conclude, they were Elizabeth Wil-
fon's: who fome time before was delivered of two
children, not far from the place where they were
found, and who about eight weeks before, had left
the houſe with the children; having a deſign, as
ſhe ſaid, of going to Philadelphia. She was ac-
cordingly apprehended, and after examination be-
fore Juſtice Taylor, was ordered to this jail.
She was brought to trial the laſt court of Oyer
and Terminer, which commenced on the 17th of
October laſt, before the Honorable Judge Atlee;
circumſtances were ſo ſtrong againſt her, that ſhe
was brought in guilty, and received ſentence of
death,
Before,

[ 4 ]
Before, at, and after her trial, ſhe perſiſted in de-
nying the fact; her behaviour was ſuch, in general,
as gave reaſons to conclude ſhe was innocent of the
murder of which ſhe was charged, or was an inſen-
fible, hardened creature, and did not expect to die
for this crime.
It was ſome time after ſhe was ſentenced, before
ſhe could be prevailed upon to make a diſcovery of
the perſon that committed the horrid murder. A
great deal of pains were taken to make her ſenſible
that a promiſe of concealment, under the circum-
ftances ſhe was in when made, and in a matter of
ſuch conſequence, was not binding. She was very
deſirous of ſeeing her younger brother. * When he
came to viſit her, ſhe propoſed to him the making
a real diſcovery of the truth; he refuſed hearing it,
until he had called ſeveral perfons of character as
witneſſes. The account ſhe gave them, or the con-
feffion ſhe then made, and which was ſimilar to the
following one, together with their proceedings
thereon, in finding the perſon charged with the
murder, were preſented to the honorable the Preſi-
dent and Council; who were pleaſed to grant her a
reſpite for one month : with the reſpite came her
death warrant, ordering her execution on Tueſday
the 3d day of January, 1786.
During her confinement ſhe was viſited by ſerious
people of different religious denominations, and ap-
peared
* This note, in her own hand writing, was found on her
table--- O could I but fee my own brother
! to
ſpeak juſt a few words to him, to eaſe my broken heart, that
is ſo diſtreſſed. Oh how hard a thing it is that I cannot ſee
him! Was he in my place and I in his, I would go to him,
was't on my hands and knees; but he will not come to me, to
ſpeak one word to me, before I depart this life and ſee man no
more: fo I juſt give myſelf up to the Lord, begging that he
would hear my cries, and give me life everlaſting.

[ 5 ]
peared amazingly ignorant reſpecting her ſpiritual
itate, until ſome time after ſhe was ſentenced, when
many were much affected at the relation the
gave
of
her religious exerciſes, and the apparent concern
and diſtreſs of her mind. She ſaid the dungeon
was the happieſt place the ever was in in her life.
The night before ſhe was to be executed the was
viſited, at her requeſt, by two miniſters of the Bap-
tiſt perfuafion; and who, beſides viſiting her, came
to attend the execution. After ſome time ſpent in
ſerious devotion, ſhe made the following con-
fefſion: dated
66
I
Cheſter, Dec. 6, 1785, Tueſday Evening, 10 oClock.
ELIZABETH WILSON, Daughter
of John and Elizabeth Wilſon, was born
* in Eaſt Marlbro' Townſhip, Cheſter Coun-
ty,
of honeſt, fober parents. From ſixteen
“ to twenty-one years
of
age,
I had a religi-
" ous concern, but thro' the ſubtilty of Satan
<< and corruption of nature was led away to
“ the ſoul-deſtroying fin of fornication, which
" I believe to be my predominant evil. I had
“ three children in a unlawful way before I
« fell into the wretched company of + Joſeph
Deſhong. At the time I fell in company
with him I lived in Philadelphia at the ſign
“ of the Croſs-Keys, in Cheſnut-ftreet, at the
corner of Third-ſtreet. In the beginning of
66
the
+ From her account and deſcription of the man, and from
fome perſons who uſed Mr. Bogart's houſe, (the Croſs Keys)
'twas found that the name he paſs'd by with her, Joſeph
Deſhong, was not his proper name.

[ 6 ]
68
" the year 1784, he inſinuated him felf into my
company, under pretence of courtſhip, de-
claring himſelf a ſingle man, and by repeat-
bed promiſes of marriage deceived and per-
fuaded me to conſent to his unlawful em-
« braces. In a ſhort time after I proved with
“ child of the two dear innocents, for which
“ I muſt ſhortly ſuffer an ignominious death.
“ I told him of my ſituation, and then he dropt
entirely his purpoſe of marriage; but told
me, I muſt ſtay in town until I was delivered,
“ and promiſed to bear all the expenſes, de-
" claring I ſhould not want for any
any thing. Ac-
cordingly I rented a room of Joſeph Rhoods
“ in Union-ſtreet. I ſtayed there a few weeks,
and provided for myſelf; in which time he
never came near me. And the time of
my
“ delivery drawing near, I was in great want
" of money, and after repeated inquiries after
6 him I found that he had left me in that un-
happy condition. I then found, I could not
live in town; fo proceeded to the houſe of
Joſiah Wilkinſon, in Eaſt Bradford townſhip,
“ Cheſter County, where I was delivered of my
" dear infants. I continued at the afore-
“ faid houſe four or five weeks, and then I
" went to Philadelphia and left the children at
“ Mr. Wilkinſon's in order to find my de-
ceiver, where I met with him and told him
my deplorable ſituation. When I told him,
“ I had two children, he looked in my face,
faying, “ the devil! you have? I requeſted
" him

[ 7 ]
66
« him to do ſomething for me by fair means,
aſſuring him, if he did not conſent, I ſhould
apply to the law: He anſwered, I need not
“ go to law, for he would do for me, and
s ſeemed to ſympathize with me in my pitiful
“ caſe. I then requeſted him to put one of the
*r dear children to nurſe, the other I purpoſed
e to keep, on condition of his giving me a ſup-
ply of money. To which he conſented, and
gave me a ſmall trifle to bear my expenſes
6 back to the aforeſaid Wilkinſon's. He then
appointed a day for me to return back to
" the city with my children, in order for him
“ to fulfil his promiſe. The fatal appointed
day being come, I, according to promiſe,
“ fet off to meet him at the appointed place
(Newtown-Square); but, contrary to my
expectations, he met me within two miles
“ of the aforeſaid Wilkinſon's houſe. When
we met he kindly accoſted me, and getting
"s off his horſe, he jumped him over the fence,
« and requeſted me to go into the woods with
him. Accordingly I went with him, and
• ſat down on a rotten log, with both my
children in my arms.
He aſked me to let
him look at one of the children, in order
" to ſee if it look'd like him. He holding it
in his arms, aſked me what I thought I
" would do with them? I told him that I
thought it was his place, according to pro-
“ miſe, to do for them. After a little pauſe
he laid the dear infant on the ground, taking
the
65

[ 8 ]
66
noiſe ;
** the other one out of my arms, and laid it
66 beſide its dear little fellow ſufferer, making
« this reply to my requeſting him for money:
“ I have no money for you, nor your baſtards
neither. He then requeſted me to take
" their dear lives; which I would by no
means conſent to, but requeſted him to let
me have them, and I would beg for them.
« He then aroſe up, putting a piftol to my
breaſt, forbidding me to make any
“ then he wickedly ſtamped on their dear
« little breaſts, upon which the dear infants
gave a faint ſcream and expired; he ſtill
keeping the piſtol at my breaſt, forcing me
“ moſt folemnly to vow, that I would never
«« diſcover the dreadful act; to which I, thro'
“ fear, conſented. He then requeſted me to
ſtrip my dear dead infants naked. Thro? '
fear I took off each of their little gowns,
" but could proceed no further; my bowels
yearning over my dear children. He then
" took them up, and made a place with his
“ feet, and covered them with leaves, and
throw'd a piece of bruth over them, and
a took me to Philadelphia. To the truth of
" this relation, I appeal to the eternal God
“ to witneſs, before whoſe dreadful bar I ex-
peet to appear the enſuing day. A guilty
« rebel I acknowledge myſelf to be. My fing
are more in number than the hairs of my
head; but my Righteous Judge doth know
my innocence in reſpect of that cruel mur-
" des.

[ 9 ]
der. I know I deſerve not only death, but
hell; yet, nevertheleſs, I hope to obtain
“ mercy, through the blood and righteouſneſs
“ of the Adorable Redeemer, to whoſe bound-
« leſs mercy I commend my poor naked ſoul;
“ venturing into that unknown world, only
* depending (I truſt) on the all-fufficient me-
“ rits of that precious God-Man, that died on
the tree.
Lord Jeſus ! accept thy ſinning creature !
o and receive my ſpirit! So prayeth the dy-
ing
ELIZABETH WILSON.”
* Taken from her own mouth, the evening be-
fore ſhe ſuffered, by John STANCLIFF, Miniſter.
Preſent--Mr. Thomas Taylor, Sub-Sheriff,
Revd. Thomas Fleeſon,
Joſhua Vaughan.
This confeſſion ſhe figned ; afterwards the mini-
ſters were preparing to go to Philadelphia to lay it
before the Council, which was about two o'clock
in the morning: they were informed her brother
had came down from Philadelphia that evening,
ſtopt at Mr. Kerlin's, and ſaid he would be in Che-
fter early in the morning. It was thought proper to
ſee him before the miniſters went up; two perſons
went for him to his place, two miles from Cheſter;
when he came, he informed he had a reſpite for her,
which ſuperfeded the neceſſity of going that night.
We are the more particular in this part of the rela-
tion, as we are of opinion, neither the priſoner,
miniſter, nor any perſon in or about the jail, knew
that
* Her reſpite was brought by her brother about an hour af-
ter the confeflion was wrote, and execution put off to January 3d..

[ 10 ]
that ſhe was reſpited. This confeffion was put
into the hands of one the Council.
During the time of her reſpite her behaviour was
in general conſiſtent with her ſituation; but not ap-
pearing at all times ſo deeply affected, as when the
miniſters viſited her, ſome reports of the priſoners,
intimating the inſincerity of her profeſſion, gave
uneaſineſs to her friends : but when ſhe was informed
of theſe reports ſhe was greatly diſtreſſed, and ac-
counted for them in ſuch a manner, as to remove
all fcruple of her fincerity.
January the 3d, the morning of her execution,
ſhe was again viſited by one of the beforementioned
miniſters, and other ſerious perſons, who ſpent
fome time with her in religious exerciſes. The
minifter exhorted her to a ſtedfaſt faith in the
Son of God, who was not aſhamed to be called the
“ friend of finners,”: and who came into the world
to “ ſeek and ſave that which was loſt," endeavour-
ing to impreſs on her mind the folemnity of death,
and an eternal ſtate, the neceſſity of a real change of
heart and holineſs of nature, as a meetnefs for the
kingdom of God. Her behaviour was ſerious,
folemn, and devout.
When informed there was no reſpite for her, and
was deſired to prepare for death, ſhe received the
awful fummons with a conſiderable degree of com-
poſure; and, after a ſhort ſpace, ſaid, “ ſhe did not
expect to live.”
Hearing that her brother was
gone in haſte to Philadelphia, ſhe was much moved
and ſaid, “My poor brother is gone to Philadel-
phia with an aching heart, he has been concerned
" about me, kind and tender to me; I hope the
« Lord will reward him for all his care." After
ſome more ſerious converſation with her, ſhe was
taken with a fit, the women attended her, and the
minifter left the room.
She was attended to the place of execution by the
before-

[ in
beforementioned miniſter, and a preacher of the
Methodiſt order. On the way the Sheriff put her
in mind where ſhe was going, and that if ſhe had
charged any perſon wrongfully, now was the time
to retract. She ſaid ſhe had not, and ſeemed un-
eaſy at her fincerity being called in queſtion. At
the place of execution, after exhortation and
pray-
er, the requeſted her confeſſion might be read:
leave being obtained of the ſheriff, it was read ac-
cordingly. She ſtood up and confirmed what was
therein related, on the teſtimony of a dying wo-
man; appeared penitent, reſigned, and engaged
in prayer; prayed that others might take warning
from her, to ſhun thoſe ſins that brought her to
this ſhameful end ; ſaid ſhe freely, and from her
heart forgave all that had injured her, and prayed
for forgiveneſs of her ſins, and that the Lord would
have mercy on her; once more declared her inno-
cence of ſome things, as before mentioned, and
ſeemed uneaſy that ſhe ſhould be ſuſpected of ina
ſincerity. Being aſked the ſtate of her mind, ſhe
ſaid her burden was in a great meaſure removed ;
ſeemed eaſy at the thoughts of death: frequently
expreſſing her confidence in the adorable Redeemer
and Saviour of finners.
The execution was prolonged to give time for
her brother's return from Philadelphia.
The ſheriff reminded her that ſhe had but a few
minutes to continue, and to make the beſt uſe of
her time, and appeared much affected.
In her laſt moments ſhe appeared perfectly calm
and reſigned; took an affectionate leave of the mi-
nifter, no longer able to bear the fight, and ſaid,
“ fhe hoped to meet him in a better world.” The
moment before ſhe was to be turned off, the ſheriff
aſked her if with her dying breath the ſealed the
confeſſion ſhe had made? When the underſtood who
ſpoke

[ 12 ]
fpoke to her, fhe moved her hand and ſaid: “I do,
i for it is the truth.” And in a moment was turned
off, and quickly left the world, in exchange, we
hope, for a better.
But here we muſt drop a tear! What heart fo
hard, as not to melt at human woe!
Her brother came in all haſte from Philadelphia,
with a reſpite or letter from the Honorable the
Preſident and Council, to delay the execution, but
through unexpected and unavoidable hindrances on
the road, did not arrive until twenty-three minutes
after the folemn ſcene was cloſed. When he came
with the reſpite in his hand, and ſaw his ſiſter irre-
coverably gone, beheld her motionleſs, and funk
in death, who can paint the mournful ſcene?
Let imagination if ſhe can !
He took her body home, and ſome efforts were
made to reſtore her to life, but in vain. The day
following ſhe was decently enterred, and a large
number of reſpectable people attended her funeral.
The miniſter that attended her in her laſt moments
attended her to the grave. The exerciſe was ſolemn;
a deep concern was conſpicuous on the face of ma-
ny, if not all that were preſent.
Thus ended the life of Elizabeth Wilſon, in the
27th year of her age; innocent, we believe, of the
crime for which ſhe ſuffered, but guilty in conceal-
ing, or rather attempting to conceal, å crime of ſo
horrid a nature, which ſhe was privy to.
May others reflect, that a few years paſt ſhe was
eſteemed having a virtuous character.
May they, agreeably to her dying requeſt, take
warning from her ſufferings and ſhameful end; and
fhun the paths of vice, which lead to endleſs woe:
and as the fin that brought her to this ſhameful end
is ſo predominant, may they in an eſpecial manner
guard againſt it, and be kept from it. May

[ 13 ]
May they conſider that ſin is hateful to God,
contrary to his pure and holy nature, and that he
cannot look on it, but with the utmoſt abhorrence.
May they ſeriouſly reflect on its malignant na-
ture! and dreadful! dreadful! conſequences. The
wages of fin, ſays an inſpired apoſtle, is death.
Painful idea!
Death, natural or corporal, a ſeparation of the
ſoul from the body. Death ſpiritual, a ſeparation
of the ſoul from God. Death eternal, a ſeparation
of foul and body from God; the abſence of all good;
the preſence of all evil; unſpeakable torments in
ſoul and body for ever and ever, where our Lord
ſays, their “ worm dieth not, and the fire is not
quenched.”
May they fly from fin to HIM that bled, and
groaned, and died the painful, ſhameful and accurſed
death of the croſs for ſinners; that they may have
healing by his wounds, and life by his death: fo
fhall they be ſaved from ſin and its dreadful conſe-
quences here, and for ever hereafter.
Which God of his mercy grant, for the ſake of
his beloved co-equal, and co-eternal Son, the
Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Amen.
la 魚魚​魚魚​魚
​
[ 14 ]
E
The following are taken from papers wrote by her
own hand in the latter part of her Confinement,
as appears by the dates.
LIZABETH WILSON her hand, the
2d. day of November, 1785, under whoſe
eyes thoſe lines may come, I pray they may take
warning by me, a poor diſtreffed priſoner, that is
begging for mercy. O Lord ! turn not thyſelf
from me! Oh my Heavenly Father ! But let me
intreat thee to fhew mercy to me, a poor
diſtreſſed
finner. O God! thou knoweft my heart is broken
within me! O Bleffed Lord! help thou my poor
begging foul, in the day that I leave this world;
and give me life everlaſting. World without end.
Amen.
I will pray to thee, O my God! while I have
breath to breathe. O Lord ! have mercy on me
a poor finner! waih me clean, O my God! and
make me fit for thy kingdom, where I can have
reſt and peace for my poor ſoul! for here I have
none! Amen to this world.
ELIZABETH WILSON, in Chefter goal,
IIth day of November, 1785, under ſentence of
death, cries for mercy to God. Oh Lord ! have
mercy on me a poor begging finner, that is now
pleading. O Lord ! be merciful umo me! heal
my ſoul! for I have finned againſt thee, blot out
my iniquity, O my Heavenly Father! and give me
to feel thy power more and more! for my poor
ſoul's fake. O Lord ! I remember thy bleſſed
promiſe: They that ſeek thee with their whole heart
is ſure to find. O my dear Redeemer! look down
with an eye of pity on thy poor unworthy ſervant,
that can do nothing of myſelf without thy help, O
Lord

[ 15 ]
Lord of life and glory! hear thou my cries ! pity
my poor diſtreſſed ſoul! O my dear Redeemer!
waſh me, purge me, from all my droſs; and make
me fit for thy kingdom: where all glory is. O
Lord! I regard not what I ſuffer here on earth, to
go to thee above, where all tears are wiped away,
and there is no more ſorrow. And ſo farewel to all
this world, hoping that God will fhew mercy to my
poor begging foul in Heaven ; where there is joy
and peace, for ever and ever more.
World with-
out end. Amen, and Amen.
ELIZABETH WILSON, in Cheſter goal, under
the ſentence of death, on the 22d. day of October,
in the year of our Lord 1785. O Lord! help my
poor ſoul, and ſhew an eye of pity to thy diſtreſſed
ſervant, that is begging at thy door for mercy, for
her never dying foul ! O Lord of life and glory!
turn not thy ear from me! O my heavenly father!
but grant me mercy! mercy! mercy! O Lord!
that I may ſay in peace. Amen to this world.
Pſalm 55, verſe 21. The words of his mouth
were ſmoother than butter; but war was in his
heart: his words were ſofter than oil; yet were they
drawn fwords.
Caft thy burthen upon the Lord, and he ſhall
ſuſtain thee; he ſhall never ſuffer the righteous to
be moved, but thou, O God ! fhalt bring them
down into the pit of deſtruction ; bloody and de-
ceitful men ſhall not live out half their days; but
I will truſt in thee.
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Hymn

( 16 )
Hymn on Death.
VAN
AIN man thy fond purſuit forbear,
Repent, thy end is nigh-
Death at the fartheſt can't be far,
Oh think before you die!
Reflect thou haft a foul to ſave,
Thy ſins how high they mount,
What are thy hopes beyond the grave ?
How ſtands that dark account?
Death enters and there's no defence,
His time there's none can tell ;
He'll in a moment call thee hence,
To heaven or to hell.
Thy fleſh perhaps thy chiefeſt care
Shall crawling worms conſume;
But ah, deſtruction ſtops not there,
Sin kills beyond the tomb.
To day the goſpel calls to day,
Sinners it ſpeaks to you,
Let every one forſake his way,
And mercy will enſue.
Rich mercy dearly bought with blood,
How vile foe'er he be,
Abundant pardon, peace with God,
All given entirely free.
F I N I S.



Wilson, Elizabeth
С C
178 .
Wi

200
100

WILLIAM L. CLEMENTS
LIBRARY OF
AMERICAN HISTORY
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN

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