Richard Cornish (shipmaster)

Richard Cornish, also known as Richard Williams, was an English ship captain.[1] He is known for being accused of raping an indentured servant, William Couse,[2] and is reported to have been one of the earliest people, if not the first person, to have been hanged for sodomy in what would eventually become the United States.[3][4]

Rape accusations

In 1624 Cornish was ship master of the Ambrose, which was harbored in the James River of August of that year.[5] During this time Couse worked on the Ambrose and was ordered to put clean sheets on Cornish's bed, upon which point Couse alleged that his master had been drunk and made a sexual advance upon him.[6] Despite Couse's refusal, Cornish was then reported to have forcibly sodomized Couse.[7] He also reported that Cornish also later sexually fondled him on numerous occasions and also humiliated him in front of the rest of the crew.[5]

Trial

Couse left the ship and charged Cornish with forcible sodomy. Cornish was given a trial, during which one of his crew members reported overhearing a conversation between Couse and Cornish that corroborated part but not all of Couse's claims.[6] The trial ended with Cornish being found guilty and sentenced to hang, which happened on an unspecified date in early 1625.[5]

This conviction and execution was challenged by several people - most notably Edward Nevell and Thomas Hatch, both of whom were indentured servants.[5] Both men felt that Cornish was innocent and that his death was wrongful on the part of Virginia's governor, Nevell going so far as to tell Cornish's brother of his beliefs. These remarks were seen as offensive as they put the blame for Cornish's death on the Virginian governor Sir Francis Wyatt and both men were severely punished for their comments.[8] Nevell had both of his ears cut off and was unable to become a free man in Virginia while Hatch only lost one ear, but was whipped and his service contract was extended for an additional seven years.[6]

Legacy

In 1993 the William and Mary Gay and Lesbian Alumni created the Richard Cornish Endowment Fund for Gay and Lesbian Resources.[6]

References
  1. Stewart, Chuck (2014). Proud Heritage: People, Issues, and Documents of the LGBT Experience. ABC-Clio. p. 365. ISBN 9781610693998. Retrieved 10 August 2015.
  2. Norton, Rictor. "The Trial of Richard Cornish 1624". Rictor Norton. Retrieved 10 August 2015.
  3. Marschak, Beth; Lorch, Alex (2008). Lesbian and Gay Richmond. Arcadia Publishing. p. 9. ISBN 9780738553689. Retrieved 10 August 2015.
  4. Williams, Walter L.; Retter, Yolanda (2003). Gay and Lesbian Rights in the United States: A Documentary History. Greenwood Press. p. 23. ISBN 9780313306969. Retrieved 10 August 2015.
  5. Godbeer, Richard (2002). Sexual Revolution in Early America. JHU Press. pp. 123–124. ISBN 9780801868009. Retrieved 10 August 2015.
  6. Murrin, John M. "Richard Cornish, alias Richard Williams (d. after January 3, 1625)". Encyclopedia Virginia. Retrieved 10 August 2015.
  7. Smith, Bruce R. (1995). Homosexual Desire in Shakespeare's England: A Cultural Poetics. University of Chicago Press. pp. 194–195. ISBN 9780226763668. Retrieved 10 August 2015.
  8. Burg, B. R. (1995). Sodomy and the Pirate Tradition. NYU Press. p. 39. ISBN 9780814712351. Retrieved 10 August 2015.
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