Author Archives: Rebecca Beatrice Brooks

About Rebecca Beatrice Brooks

Rebecca Beatrice Brooks is the author and publisher of the History of Massachusetts Blog. Rebecca is a journalist and history writer who got her start in journalism working for small-town newspapers in Massachusetts and New Hampshire after she graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a B.A. in journalism. She is a member of Historic Salem Inc, the Danvers Historical Society, and the Salisbury Historical Society and she volunteers for the National Archives and the Massachusetts Historical Society transcribing historical documents. Visit this site's About page to find out more about Rebecca.

Thanksgiving in the Worcester Asylum: A Forgotten 1838 Celebration

Thanksgiving in the Worcester Asylum

In November of 1838, the Worcester State Hospital, known at the time as the Worcester Lunatic Asylum, held a Thanksgiving feast for its patients, during which they had a traditional… Read more »

Tuggy Noyse WItch of Byfield

Tuggy Noyse: The Witch of Byfield

According to legend, Tuggy Noyse was a woman from Byfield, Massachusetts, in the late 18th century who was suspected of being a witch. A story about Tuggy was published in… Read more »

The Byfield Post Office in Byfield, MA. Photo courtesy of Secretary of the Commonwealth William Francis Galvin, Chairman, Massachusetts Historical Commission

History of Byfield, Massachusetts

Byfield, Massachusetts, is a village within the town of Newbury. It is notable for being the home of Governor William Dummer, who lived on a farm there in the 18th… Read more »

Worcester State Hospital in Worcester, Mass. Photo by S. Lee & B. R. Pfeiffer, 1978, courtesy Secretary of the Commonwealth William Francis Galvin, Chairman, Massachusetts Historical Commission.

History of Worcester State Hospital

Worcester State Hospital was the first state hospital built in Massachusetts. Established in 1833, the hospital was originally known as the Worcester Lunatic Asylum. Worcester State Hospital in the 19th… Read more »

Jeremiah Lee Mansion in Marblehead, Mass. Photo by R. Strachan and JJ. Huckins 1978, courtesy Secretary of the Commonwealth William Francis Galvin, Chairman, Massachusetts Historical Commission.

Jeremiah Lee Mansion in Marblehead, Massachusetts

Built in 1767, the Jeremiah Lee Mansion is a Georgian-style house built for Jeremiah Lee on Washington Street in Marblehead. The mansion is a three-story wooden Georgian-style house with rusticated… Read more »