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 the American Historical Association, Historic Salem Inc, the Danvers Historical Society, 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Historical Society and she volunteers for the National Archives and the Massachusetts Historical Society transcribing historical documents.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.

Woodcut of an armed female combatant from "A New Touch on the Times" circa 1779

The Roles of Women in the Revolutionary War

Women took on many roles in the Revolutionary War. Some of these roles were traditional, while others were unconventional and even scandalous for the time. From supportive jobs like nurses,… Read more »

Reverend John Hale of Beverly

Reverend John Hale of Beverly

Reverend John Hale was a minister from Beverly, Massachusetts, best known for his role in the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. Born in Charlestown in 1636 to local blacksmith Robert… Read more »

Was General Thomas Gage Born to Lose

Was General Thomas Gage Born to Lose?

General Thomas Gage was the commander-In-chief of North America for the British army in the Revolutionary War. As the military governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay, in April of… Read more »

Margaret Jones: First Person Executed for Witchcraft in Massachusetts

Margaret Jones: First Person Executed for Witchcraft in Massachusetts

Margaret Jones was a midwife from Charlestown, Massachusetts, and the first person to be executed for witchcraft in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The only information that exists of Jones’ case… Read more »

"Signing the Mayflower Compact," oil painting by Edward Percy Moran, circa 1900

John Billington: The Mayflower Murderer

John Billington was a Mayflower pilgrim and a signer of the Mayflower Compact who became America’s first murderer after he shot and killed a fellow colonist in 1630. Billington was… Read more »