| Robert Ellis Cahill | |
| Birth Date: | November 25, 1934 |
| Death Date: | June 19, 2005 |
| Nationality: | American |
| Occupation: | Public Relations Sheriff Politician Folklorist Author |
| Alma Mater: | Boston University |
| Term Start: | 1975 |
| Term End: | 1978 |
| Predecessor: | Roger Wells |
| Successor: | Charles Reardon |
| Title2: | Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives 7th Essex District |
| Term Start2: | 1970 |
| Term End2: | 1975 |
| Successor2: | J. Michael Ruane |
| Title3: | Member of the Salem, Massachusetts City Council |
Robert Ellis Cahill (November 25, 1934 – June 19, 2005) was a folklorist and author. He was the author of more than three dozen books on New England history and folklore, as well as on scuba diving, shipwrecks and pirates.
Cahill served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1970 to 1975.
In 1974, Cahill was elected Sheriff of Essex County, Massachusetts. During his tenure as Sheriff, Cahill sought to modernize the department. The jails in Salem and Lawrence lacked toilets, which meant inmates had to defecate in buckets. There were also no rehabilitation programs in either jail and guards had no formal training. The minimum-security Correctional Alternative Center in Lawrence opened during Cahill's tenure.[1] While serving as Sheriff, Cahill investigated an alleged curse Giles Corey placed on the office. He found that all Essex County Sheriffs as far back as he could trace either died in office of heart problems or retired due to "an ailment of the blood". In 1978, Cahill, who suffered from a rare blood disorder himself, retired after he suffered a heart attack and stroke.[2]
Several of Cahill's books center on the infamous Salem Witch Trials and related topics, such as accounts of the Salem "Witch Dungeon" and colonial era crime and punishment. Cahill was born and raised in Salem, Massachusetts and also wrote several auto-biographical books, one recounting his experiences as Sheriff, and another relating tales of his childhood growing up in New England during World War II.
Cahill's most widely distributed lore and histories are mostly in the form of small books that can still be found in large quantities within souvenir shops located at tourist attractions throughout New England.
New England Collectible Classics (Chandler-Smith Publishing)
Old Salt Box Publishing House