Horrid massacre!! Sketches of the Life of Capt. James  Purrinton, Who on the Night of the Eighth of July, 1806, Murdered his Wife, Six Children, and Himself: With a Particular Account of That Shocking Catastrophe: to Which are Subjoined, Remarks on the Fatal Tendency of Erroneous Principles, and Motives for Receiving and Obeying the Pure and Salutary Precepts of the Gospel

Book Description

Augusta, ME: Peter Edes, 1806. First Edition Thus. Original Wraps. Minor shelf/edge wear, unsophisticated copy, ownership signature near rear, tight and bright. Original unprinted wraps. 20cm. 22pp. “The title page of this pamphlet is decorated by rude figures of eight coffins, cut from wood - without doubt the first engraving, if such it can be called, done in Maine for any printed book.” (Noyes, 333, citing Boardman). The seven coffins at the top represent Purrington's wife and six children, the one alone at the bottom (with silhouetted axe and straight razor) for Purrington. Purrington, after spending the day reading the bible and sharpening his axe, killed his wife and six children before taking his own life. [After FINIS it reads "While this pamphlet was in press, and after the first part was struck off, Martha Purrinton died -- July 30th." Sometimes found without, this copy includes 13 pages of “Remarks” by Timothy Merritt (effectively blaming the crime on “Unitarianism”). Laurel Thatcher Ulrich included a scholarly look at this tragedy in “A Midwife's Tale”. Very scarce in any condition, rare completely unsophisticated, as here.

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