The Not-So-Curious Case of Thomas(ine) Hall

The tragedy of Thomasine Hall is primarily this — we know so, so little about them. In fact, the entirety of our knowledge of them comes from the proceedings of a single court case.

What we know is this — in 1629, a person going by the name of Thomas Hall arrived at the English settlement of Warrosquyoacke, near “James Cittie” (what would become Jamestown), in the colony of Virginia. They were working as an indentured servant at the time, but soon drew attention from the townsfolk, as they dressed alternatively in women’s and men’s clothing, and sometimes…