The Murder of Joseph Denny
Created April 2003 - Updated 02-Mar-06 |
Joseph Denny and his companion, Elizabeth Polis, were Wabanaki basket makers traveling around western Maine in the 1870s and 1880s. Jospeh was born about 1818, if his age is stated correctly at the time of his death. According to Elizabeth, Joe never married and lived with his mother at Old Town until she died. Around 1872, he took up with Elizabeth, as her hired man, to do her "basket stuff" for her. Joe and Elizabeth were staying at Richmond ME in December of 1883, when Joe was murdered and she was raped.
As you read through the various versions of events, please keep the time period of the event in mind. White attitudes towards Indians were much different from today.
