PORTSMOUTH, R.I. (WPRI) — Clifton Humphrey never expected to learn, while delving into his family history, that one of his ancestors was tried, convicted and hanged for the murder of his mother. Thomas Cornell Jr. was accused of killing Rebecca Briggs Cornell at their Portsmouth home back in 1673. "He's a distant cousin," Humphrey said, noting that Cornell was his 7th-great aunt's father. "Convicted on a ghost story." Through his research, Humphrey learned that Cornell and his mother had an argument the night she died. "He sent his son upstairs to get his grandmother," Humphrey said. "He went to open the door and yelled downstairs that there was smoke coming out from underneath the door." Cornell rushed to his mother's bedroom and burst through the door, only to find "a pile of ashes," according to Humphrey. Historian Rory Raven, who wrote about Cornell's death in his book "Haunted Providence," said Cornell was the last person to see his mother alive. Clifton Humphrey "Rebecca's body was laying at the foot of the bed burned horribly," Raven explained. Humphrey, who read Raven's book, said Cornell and his family initially speculated that his mother had dropped her pipe and that's what sparked the fire. "She had the pipe, she fell asleep and she burned," Humphrey said. But a couple of days after her funeral, Raven said Cornell's uncle came forward with a shocking accusation. "Her brother had a dream where Rebecca came to him and showed him the burns on her body and said, 'See how I was burned?'" Raven explained. "It kind of made it sound like someone did this to her, and this was apparently enough to get the case reopened." Briggs Cornell's body was dug back up and an autopsy was performed, according to Raven. "[The doctors] found a stab wound in her stomach," Raven said. Cornell was arrested as a result of the discovery, even though the evidence pointing to him as his mother's killer was minimal. "This is spectral evidence," Raven said. "This is the kind of thing that, 20 years later, would get people hanged in Salem." "He was found guilty and was executed," Humphrey added. "He was basically convicted on a ghost story." "Spectral evidence is not allowed." The Salem Witch Trials resulted in more than 200 arrests and two dozen deaths before spectral evidence was banned in 1693. In an effort to clear his distant relative's name, Humphrey is now attempting to have Cornell pardoned posthumously, similarly to how those wrongfully convicted in the Salem Witch Trials were exonerated centuries after their deaths. "I will feel like I have righted a wrong," Humphrey said. "I can get this guy off because spectral evidence is not allowed." "It's a true New England story," he continued. Humphrey told 12 News he has penned a letter to Gov. Dan McKee to request the pardon, noting that Cornell's execution was "based on evidence from a ghost." "I hope you can help and correct this 351-year-old case of injustice," he wrote in the letter. It's unclear whether McKee has received Humphrey's letter yet. 12 News reached out to his office regarding Humphrey's request but has not yet heard back. "It's sacred ground." Cornell's home has since been demolished and the Valley Inn was built in its place. Joe Occhi, the restaurant's owner, told 12 News that, although Cornell’s entire family is buried in a nearby historical cemetery, Thomas Cornell is not. "He always maintained his innocence," Occhi said. "His last request was to be buried in his family cemetery." "His request was denied, which actually does make a lot of sense since he was convicted of killing a family member," he continued. "It's sacred ground." The judge decided to place Cornell in an unmarked grave at the furthest point on the property from the family cemetery, according to Occhi. The Cornell family cemetery. Thomas Cornell Jr.'s final resting place. "He's under the driveway, pretty much under the bus stop sign," Occhi said, adding that experts have confirmed his remains are there using a ground-penetrating radar. "It's unmarked ... But he's legitimately there and has been for 350 or so years." It's something that locals are "pretty aware of," Occhi said, especially after Kindred Spirits visited the Valley Inn a few years ago. Though Occhi admitted there have been some odd occurrences at the restaurant, which his family opened back in 1957, he always sticks to his mother's advice. "She always said, 'If there's anybody here, just leave them alone. They obviously like us, so be good to them,'" he said with a laugh. "I'm not going to say either way whether any of it is real or not, but I'm going to be nice to them like my mom said." Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Special Coverage & Notices SIGN UP NOW