Original Documents

You can find the original murder and trial records, mentions of Alice Martin Bishop’s marriages to George Clarke and Richard Bishop, Richard Bishop’s sentence to the stocks for stealing a spade, and John Churchill’s guardianship of Abigail Clarke in the Plymouth Colony Records (also referred to as Plymouth Court Records, and abbreviated as PCR).

Vol 1: Page 108: Marriage to George Clarke

Vol 2: Page 79: Marriage to Richard Bishop

Vol 2: 132–134: Murder and trial

Vol 2: 138: Richard’s sentence and Abigail’s guardianship

Here are the records that describe the murder and trial, as well as Richard’s sentence to the stocks and Abigail’s guardianship. To learn how to find these documents, see the post, How to Find the Original Murder and Trial Records.

Trial_01

Trial_02

Trial_03

 

 

24 thoughts on “Original Documents

  1. Hello, I had my mothers DNA done and it lead to a branch of the family I had never explored until now. I started researching David Sutton and Elizabeth Cox, which then lead me to Alice Martin. It is a heart breaking story, much like the witchcraft trails. Who can say what really happened.

  2. Hi — I’m eager to read about your travels. I stumbled on the earlier version of this site some time ago and just now found it again as I was showing my mom what I knew of Alice. Although I am no expert, I think I have traced our family back through to Damaris (and Alice) through Damaris’ son John David Sutton. My grandmother was born just shy of the US border in Canada and grew up back and forth the border until settling in Milwaukee, Wisconsin as an adult when she found work as a nurse.

    • I also hale through John David Sutton who was m y 7th great grandfather. I just delved into that part of my ancestry yesterday and couldn’t believe what I found. I had never heard the story of Alice Martin and was overwhelmed by that story. First time I think that when I googled something I actually got lots of information and articles. I’m hoping the DNA tests I’ve done through 23andme and also ancestry.com will prove some connection.
      Sue

      • Welcome Sue! I haven’t done my DNA yet, but we should compare results at some point — Erin too. I also descend through John David Sutton — through his son David > Moses > Isaac > Reuben > Minerva. (I just did my dog’s DNA, and was shocked to find out she was 1/4 poodle!) – Kristin

      • Hi Sue, My family also descends from John David Sutton. My mother was a Sutton. Their connections have been traced back to AMB. First heard of AMB through my Sutton uncles and I would love to know more.

  3. Sherry- Elizabeth and David are my 7th great grandparents.

    That would make Damaris my 9th great grandmother, if I have this right. heh

      • Sure!

        Name: Sarah B. Although married last name starts with K.

        Email: wicked.sairah@gmail.com

        Hometown is Edmonds, WA Current town, Mountlake Terrace, WA

        My mother and aunt are here as well. If you would like any other family names/info, please let me know. I’ve been doing Ancestry work for several years now. Please feel free to email me. 🙂

  4. If you’re still documenting descendents, Alice is my 9th great grandmother. My 4th great grandfather Joel D Giles moved from Massachusetts to Ohio sometime between 1800 and 1850. His grandson Albert K Giles moved from Ohio to Michigan between 1880 and 1890. This branch of the family has remained in Michigan since.

    My line goes as follows Alice Martin -> James Bishop -> Elizabeth Bishop -> Eleazer Giles -> Ebenezer Giles -> Joel D Giles -> Joel S. Giles -> Albert K Giles -> Frankie Giles -> Giles Cook -> My mother -> me

    • Thanks Nate. We’ve been distracted by other projects the past few months, but we have a number of posts ready to publish in the next couple of months, and we’ll eventually get back to tracking where all of AMB’s descendants have ended up. Thanks for your interest! (PS: We don’t actually have any evidence that James Bishop was Alice’s son. Have you found any records that you think show that relationship?) -Kristin

  5. William Sutton, Damaris’ husband was my 9th great grandfather. I only learned of Alice yesterday through a new found family member through our Sutton lineage. I am absolutely fascinated with finding this since I am a serious history fanatic as well as recently diving into my family genealogy.

  6. My connection is Damaris/William’s son JohnSutton/Elizabeth Conger;s son ReverendSutton/Elizbeth Cox;s son Moses Sutton/Susannah Cox;s son Benjamin Sutton/Elizabeth;s daughter HannahSutton/Richard Phelan;s son Abijah Phelan/HC Rogers.

    I currently live in MA about 45 minutes from Plymouth MA although I was born in California and raised in Ohio!!! While I personally have not done the research, my aunt was very thorough and detailed in her research and I am not too concerned about her accuracy.

  7. I wanted to say a quick hello and thank you for this website. I have recently been exploring this line of my ancestry and now my mind and heart are so connected to Alice Martin Clark Bishop’s story that I just want to consume all the information I can find in an attempt to understand her.

    My line of descent: Alice Bishop>Demaris Sutton>Thomas Sutton>Ruth Sutton>Jeremiah Blackford>MARTIN Anthony Blackford>Jacob Blackford>William Blackford>William Pennington Blackford>ALICE Blackford>William Edward Michael>Toinia Michael>ME

    • Hi Vicki- Welcome to the site! Sorry about the delay in responding. We’ve been working on other lines for the past few months, but like you, Alice Martin Bishop is never too far from our thoughts. We hope to get back to her before too much longer, but I don’t know if we’ll ever be able to understand why she did what she did. -Kristin

  8. Thank you for your compassion and diligence in researching Alice; such a tragic story. I am preparing a genealogy book for my nieces and nephew, so I understand the time and effort that goes into research — my manuscript has consumed far more of my time than I ever intended. I found your web site through a 33-page document based on your blog that was posted at Ancestry.com (2011), so I’m looking forward to reading through your blog of these past couple years to see if anything further has been unearthed regarding Alice and/or whatever happened to Abigail. Again, kudos for your determination to try and understand Alice and her circumstances.
    My line from 11th GG Alice is: Damaris Martin Bishop > John David Sutton > John Sutton > Serviah Sutton > Jonathan Hayden > Catherine Hayden > Phoebe Blazer > Catherine Snyder > Susie Rhoades > Edith Emma Tombs > Eunice Pauline Shivers

  9. Alice was my 10th great grandmother.

    I wonder where Richard ended up and what happened to little Demaris (9th GGM?)

  10. Alice was my 10th great grandmother. Her daughter Damarus married my 9th great grandfather on my father’s side, William Tilden Sutton. I have been following the family line for years, and I stumbled upon this story last fall. Unbearably tragic. I am curious to learn more of Richard Bishop however and the effect he may have had on Alice post partum. Not to mention, Alice lost her first husband which is an agonizing journey on its own. Then to realize she needed to marry again since she was a single mother, perhaps Richard Bishop was not the best option at the time. I recall vaguely reading something in regards to an alcoholism issue, but now as I revisit this part of my heritage, I may have been mistaken. I am unable to find the documentation that would have planted that thought in my mind. Regardless, I feel something very deep for Alice, even though it is so far removed from present day. I empathize with her story even though I could never imagine being in a place that would justify such a despicable act. I feel her agony even though I don’t know what she looked like. There seems to be something about knowing her tale that makes me wish so much that she could see all of us learning about her, these several hundred years later. What would she have thought? I wonder…

    • Hi Rebekah- I love the way you write about Alice, particularly at the end of your comment, when you wonder what she would think if she knew so many of her descendants would be researching — and mourning — her life. We haven’t come across any mentions of alcoholism where Richard Bishop is concerned, but he was accused of a number of thefts that are documented in the historical records. I’m planning to write a post about him soon, and I’ll see what else I can dig up. -Kristin

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