Anne Hutchinson, the daughter of a clergyman, was born in
Lincolnshire, England, in 1615. A Puritan, Hutchinson emigrated
with her husband to America in 1634. Hutchinson settled in
Massachusetts Bay, where she soon obtained a following as a
preacher. Hutchinson began to claim that good conduct could be a
sign of salvation and affirmed that the Holy Spirit in the
hearts of true believers relieved them of responsibility to obey
the laws of God. She also criticised New England ministers for
deluding their congregations into the false assumption that good
deeds would get them into heaven. Complaints were made about
Hutchinson's teachings and John Winthrop, the governor of
Massachusetts, called her to appear before the authorities.
During her cross-examination she claimed that she had received a
revelation from God. To the Puritan authorities this was
blasphemy and she was banished from the community. After the
death of her husband in 1642, Hutchinson moved to a new
settlement in Pelham Bay. The following year Ann