#OnThisDay in history: April 7, 1830 – The Murder of Capt. Joseph White at the Gardner-Pingree House
The Gardner-Pingree House is one of my favorite examples of Federal architecture in Salem. There’s something so satisfying about its symmetry. Owned by the Peabody Essex Museum, the house was built in 1804 by renowned architect Samuel McIntire.
But did you know that the house has a darker side? April 6 marks the anniversary of the murder of Joseph White, one of Salem’s wealthiest ship captains. The events surrounding his murder would later inspire the works of greats including Edgar Allan Poe and Nathaniel Hawthorne.
In 1830, Captain White, a wealthy shipmaster and slavetrader, lived there with his niece Mary, housekeeper Lydia and servant Ben. On the evening of April 6, he retired to bed around 9:40 PM. The next morning, Ben discovered a plank had been propped against an open window. Nothing appeared stolen, but when they checked on the Captain…
Upon entering White’s chamber, Benjamin was stunned to see “Captain White lay on his right side, diagonally across the bed. His left temple bore the mark of a crushing blow, although the skin was not broken. Blood had oozed onto the bedclothes from a number of wounds near his heart.”
The investigation revealed two members of the prominent Crowninshield family had been hired to murder the captain and steal his will. This became one of the biggest murder cases of the century and is even said to have inspired Parker Brothers to rebrand the board game “Cluedo” as “Clue”.
Some say the house remains haunted. What do you think?
Come to Salem and find out for yourself!
