MOLLY RAVENCROFT

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Powers/Abilities: Molly was experienced with rural living in the 17th century.     She was experienced as an equestrian, able to wield a handgun, and she willing and able to use a rock to brain someone attacking her lover.     Her feelings for her lover could overwhelm her reason, which apparently cost her her life. Height: Unrevealed (she was a few inches shorter than Cortland, with average height of men in the 17th century being 5'6"; while we don't know how tall Cortland was, I'd say approximately 5' to 5'5") Weight: Unrevealed (approximately 100 to 120 lbs.) Eyes: Dark (apparently brown) Hair: Black . . History: (Ruins of Ravencroft: Carnage#1 (fb)) <1664> - Having fallen in love during their journey to the New World, Molly Ravencroft and Cortland Kasady established a homestead and began to make their lives in the newly renamed New York.

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Comments: Created by Frank Tieri and Guillermo Sanna.

    The site on which Cortland was imprisoned (and in which Molly died) later was the site upon which the Ravencroft Institute was built under the direction of her descendant, Jonas Ravencroft.

    How did Jonas know Molly's fate so well? Perhaps she kept her own journal up until the time she went to see Cortland. But, then how did she know what happened with Cortland.

When Molly met Cortland:  

Molly Ravencroft and Cortland Kasady came to the USA just after the English renamed New Amsterdam as New York, which fits with the 1664 A.D. date given in-story.

Great Britain was not formed until 1707, so Molly and Cortland should be citizens of England, rather than Great Britain or the United Kingdom.

Ruins of Ravencroft said British, but that's more of common term for the people of the area, rather than a proper term for the countries at that point.
Molly at least would be from Britain, as that's a geographical term, like saying someone from Canada is North American
--Loki

"Stuart Restoration" - slight impact on citizenship. James VI and I died in 1625, and was succeeded by his son, Charles I. In this era there was no permanent army, and to raise armies for war or money for public works the king had to rely on it being supplied by his nobles. In return those nobles had a say in running the country, being called by the king whenever he needed something from them to form a parliament. Charles I believed kings had a divine right to rule and inevitably came to loggerheads with his parliaments (in both England and Scotland), culminating in a civil war that he lost. He got beheaded in 1649, and England became a republic ruled by Oliver Cromwell. Charles I's son, Charles II, had sensibly escaped to the Netherlands in 1648; after Cromwell's death the English asked Charles II to return and become the new king, which he did in 1660. So between 1649 and 1660 anyone from England would have been a citizen of the Commonwealth of England rather than the Kingdom of England.
--Loki
    Which would also mean that Molly was presumably a citizen of the Commonwealth of England for a period of time, before becoming a citizen of the Kingdom of England again.
    Given how people matured earlier  several centuries ago, it is uncertain whether Molly was born before 1649 and was a citzen of the Kingdom of England prior to it becoming a Commonwalth. Probably?

    Ravenscroft (and so presumably Ravencroft) was a family name that came from a place in Cheshire called that.
See the  family coat of arms courtesy of https://www.amazon.sg/Ravenscroft-Family.../dp/B08F6YD54W

    Real world records confirm two Ravenscrofts emigrating to the American colonies close to 1664:

Benjamin Ravenscroft, who settled in Virginia in 1679
Samuel Ravenscroft, who arrived in New England in 1679

    Cheshire is a region in England just off the border from northern Wales, which was part of the kingdom of England by 1664.

    Cheshire map came from this site: https://www.britannica.com/

    Cassady (or Kasady) was an Irish surname. By 1664 Ireland was under English rule, if not yet part of a unified kingdom. So it's possible Cortland Kasady was Irish, and just set out from England with Molly Ravencroft.

    Cassady originates from O Casaide; O=descendent of, Casaide = curly haired. The name originates in Fermanagh, Ireland,
--Loki

    In the 17th century the principal component of the population in the colonies was of English origin, and the second largest group was of African heritage. German and Scotch-Irish immigrants arrived in large numbers during the 18th century. 

    It's certainly possible that Cortland Kasady could have an English, Dutch, or French parent based on the origins of the first name, so maybe it's a family name, but he was born in England...
    Obviously, everything is speculation...

    Huge thanks to Loki, for all of the information and imagery in these comments! And anything that wasn't from Stuart was his confirming my guesswork.

Descendants of Molly and Cortland:

They were lovers who traveled to New York around 1664.
There is no indication that they were married.
I believe that they encountered the “Others” (later known as the Cult of Knull) while living together…was “living in sin” completely unheard of at the time?
Cortland went cuckoo-for-coco-puffs after that encounter and slew Molly before fleeing into the wilderness.
Jonas Ravencroft lists himself as the descendant of Molly. If so, she either had children out of wedlock, or was married to Cortland and had children before dying.
OR “descendant” was used when they really had common ancestry…maybe some of her family came over with her, and Jonas was descended from them?
Similarly, Cletus is supposed to be the descendant of Cortland. I believe that’s confirmed?
Is there more information detailing the relationship beyond Cletus’ parents, Roscoe and Louise?
Is Molly and/or Jonas Ravencroft part of Cletus Kasady’s ancestry?

Profile by Snood.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Molly Ravencroft should be distinguished from:

• RAVENCRAG ASYLUM (Hanson) - Montréal, former base of Operation: Cobra--Marvel Preview#21
• RAVENLIGHT, HELLHOUND of - Hodiah Twist character--Amazing Adventures I#32
• RAVENLOCK, GAVIN - see GHOST of RAVENLOCK--Nick Fury: Agent of SHIELD I#3
• RAVENLOCK, "BLACK" HUGH - Gavin’s ancestor, impersonated by him as the Ghost--Nick Fury: Agent of SHIELD I#3
• RAVENSCORE, DIRK of Earth-88194 - son of Tyler, slew him and took over control of the family, forced father to mutate him--[Powerline#1], 2 
• RAVENSCORE, ERIC of Earth-88194 - son of Tyler, courted Lenore Castle, blasted off Ripley’s hand--Powerline#1
  
• RAVENSCORE, TYLER of Earth-88194 - father of Dirk and Eric, led assault of Guillermos, killed by Dirk for failure to defeat Powerline.. Sculpt matter, open portals in space--Powerline#1
• RAVENSTORM, JEDEDIAH - 19^th Century criminal, founded town of Lawless, Arizona, eventually hanged for crimes circa December 31, 1875, cursed the town and trapped the people’s spirits there, form usurped by Kthara until exorcised by Son of Satan--Marvel Two-In-One#14 
• RAVENWOOD - agent of Adrienne Frost--Generation X#67
• other "Raven" characters, groups, items, events, races, or places....

Appearances:
Ruins of Ravencroft: Carnage#1 (March, 2020) - Frank Tieri (writer), Guillermo Sanna (flashback artist), Danny Khazem (assistant editor), Devin Lewis (editor)
Ruins of Ravencroft: Sabretooth#1 (March, 2020) - Frank Tieri (writer), Guillermo Sanna (flashback artist), Danny Khazem (assistant editor), Devin Lewis (editor)

First posted: 09/16/2023
Last updated: 09/17/2023

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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