Ruth Blay was born on June 10, 1737. She spent much of her early life in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where her mother worked as a tailor. Ruth grew up in modest surroundings, eventually becoming a schoolteacher. She worked in several New Hampshire towns, respected by many for her teaching abilities.

By the 1760s, Blay was unmarried but involved in a relationship that resulted in pregnancy. Details about the man remain unknown—Ruth told the Curriers family, with whom she stayed in South Hampton, that her husband was traveling. Historians suspect this was a way to avoid scandal in a society that condemned unwed mothers.

On June 10, 1768, she delivered a baby girl, reportedly stillborn, while living with the Curriers. Four days later, her students discovered the child’s body hidden beneath the barn floor, alerted by a strong odor. When local authorities came to question her, Ruth did not deny the child was hers. Instead, she calmly acknowledged the truth and showed them blankets and clothing she had prepared for the infant—evidence that she had not intended to harm the baby.

Colonial New England law criminalized not only infanticide but also the concealment of illegitimate births. Concealment alone—regardless of whether the child died of natural causes—was punishable by death.

Ruth Blay was formally charged in September 1768 with “concealing the death of a bastard child.” She pled not guilty to murder. Her defense argued convincingly that the baby had been stillborn, noting her preparations of swaddling and baby clothes as proof she intended to care for it. The jury did not convict her of homicide. However, under the law, concealing the birth—even of a stillborn child—was enough to secure a death sentence.

Governor Benning Wentworth issued four reprieves over several weeks while appeals were made for clemency. Despite petitions and public sympathy, her final execution date was set for December 30, 1768.

That morning, Ruth was transported in a horse cart to Gallows Hill, overlooking parish land where a farmer grazed cattle. Hundreds—some accounts claim more than a thousand—gathered to watch. In their haste for a clear view, onlookers trampled stone walls bordering the field.

A minister delivered a grim sermon condemning the crime. Portsmouth’s High Sheriff Thomas Packer, who had presided over previous executions, fastened the noose around her neck as she stood on the cart. Without delay, he drove the horse forward, leaving Ruth to die slowly by strangulation. Witnesses later remarked on the cruelty of the execution.

Her body was buried at the foot of the gallows in an unmarked grave. Over time, the site became part of Portsmouth’s South Cemetery. Stories of hauntings at the burial grounds still circulate among locals.

Ruth Blay was the last woman executed in New Hampshire. Her story has become a symbol of the harsh laws and gender injustice of colonial America. In 2021, a mural was dedicated to her memory in Portsmouth. Created by artist Terrence Parker and supported by the nonprofit Friends of Ruth Blay, the artwork honors her as a cautionary figure in the struggle for women’s rights and fair treatment.

Her case continues to inspire historians, artists, and advocates who see in her story a reminder of the dangers of laws that criminalize women’s private lives.