The Salem witch trials followed in 169293, culminating in the executions of 20 people. Sarah died proclaiming her innocence as others had done as her husband and son watched helplessly. Lydia DustinDied in jail on March 10, 1693. In 1689, through the influence of the Putnams, Samuel Parris, a merchant from Boston by way of Barbados, became the pastor of the villages Congregational church. I have been told that I am related to the oldest woman in the witch trials. Regardless, the Salem Witch Trials are a memorial and a warning to what hysteria, religious intolerance, and ignorance can cause in the criminal justice system.. Roger ToothakerDied in jail in Boston on June 16, 1692. Given the subsequent spread of the strange behaviour to other girls and young women in the community and the timing of its display, however, those physiological and psychological explanations are not very convincing. Parris had shrewdly negotiated his contract with the congregation, but relatively early in his tenure he sought greater compensation, including ownership of the parsonage, which did not sit well with many members of the congregation. And a chance to find out more about my familys heritage! Kind of makes me proud! cousin! I am also direct decent of Susannah North and I do have the information you probably need. He had a reputation for being an angry, violent man and was once charged with murdering his farmhand in 1676. Salem Press Company, 1916.Municipal History of Essex County in Massachusetts: Tercentenary Edition. Many historians believe that a number of individuals in the colony, particularly the Putnam family, quickly took advantage of this witch hunt and mass hysteria by accusing rival neighbors or other colonists that they disapproved of or wanted revenge against. The Salem Witch Trials is still remembered as one of the most notorious cases of mass hysteria. After Governor Phipss wife was accused, he again interceded and ordered that a new court be established that would not allow so-called spectral evidence. Im waiting for the rest of my family tree to download so I dont know which side of my family she was on. Five others died in jail. An audio guide, map, and tour book all in one! They began flailing and acting like fools and accused their maid of witch craft. By the end of the Salem witch trials, 19 people had been hanged and 5 others had died in custody. The process of identifying witches began with suspicions or rumours. Roger Toothaker. A member of the Nelson family also sat on the grand jury that convicted her. As the trials continued, accusations extended beyond Salem Village to surrounding communities. Cases like Lydia Dustin and Mercy Good are perfect examples. Hundreds of people were accused and arrested so that would be tough to figure out. 25 People Died Due to the Salem Witch Trials. Shortly after, Willard himself was accused of witchcraft by Ann Putnam, Jr., who also accused him of beating her baby sister to death. Sarah OsbournDied in jail in Boston on May 10, 1692. Margaret Steverson Scott. Would like to network with other direct descendants regarding genealogical and historic research. What I really was hoping for, was if someone else out there is related, and could help me with history of a descendent. My mothers family(paternal) descended from the Aldens. More than 200 people were accused of practicing witchcraftthe Devils magicand 20 were executed. Rebecca Beatrice Brooks is the author and publisher of the History of Massachusetts Blog. All tours are valid for a lifetime. Eventually, the colony admitted the trials were a mistake and compensated the families of those convicted. Susannah North Martin was my 9th Great Grandmother. Four people also died in prison while awaiting trial. During Parkers trial, Warren made several surprising accusations against her, claiming Parker bewitched her mother to death, made her sister ill and drowned several men and boys in the sea, including a man named Thomas Wastgate and his entire crew who drowned after their ship sank. Elizabeth ProctorBrought to trial on August 5 and found guilty. Her children were also accused and were coerced into testifying against her. Additionally, a man was pressed beneath heavy stones until he died. The stone dungeons of Salem Town prison were discovered in the 1950s in St. Peter Street when the site was excavated to build a New England Telephone Company building. None of my ancestors went to trial; but jail must have been cruel. Sarah Wildes (Age: 65)Sarah Wildes lived in Topsfield and was the wife of a local judge John Wildes. Are they actually the same person? Do you know her name? Parker also had a reputation for clairvoyance and on one occasion successfully predicted that a friends husband had died at sea. It is believed that his work in the occult led to his witchcraft accusation. There they were questioned by a judge in front of a jury, which decided whether or not to indict the accused on charges of witchcraft. Thanks! Pudeator was brought to trial on September 9 and executed on September 22, 1692. Upon the humble petition and suit of several of said persons and of the children of others of them whose parents were executed. She is one of the Ten Persons of Ipswich, the ten women who wrote a letter to the governor to plead for their release. It is not known what happened to the unclaimed bodies, or if there were any unclaimed bodies, but if there are they are most likely still buried in shallow graves at the execution site. Dorcas HoarBrought to trial on September 9, 1692 and found guilty. There was were 25 people hung or put to death during the salem witch. His son, George Jacobs, Jr, was accused as well but he evaded arrest. Ok, but thats not funny People died because of this. During the Salem witch trials of 1692, twenty-four accused witches died, 19 were hanged, one was pressed to death, and four died in prison. II, Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1922.The Social History of Crime and Punishment in America: An Encyclopedia. During the examinations the prisoners, who were mostly elderly, were stripped naked in front of a group of people and their bodies were poked and prodded and any suspicious marks or moles found were pricked with needles. The Salem Witch Trials began in January of 1692, after a group of girls began behaving strangely and a local doctor ruled that they were bewitched. Susannah North, an ancestor on my fathers side of the family. She was sentenced to death but pardoned by Governor Phips. WebAnn Foster (ne Alcock) (Important in Salem) Mercy, infant daughter of Sarah Good. Although some of the early victims were poor social outcasts from Salem Village, the accusations slowly spread to all types of people from all types of backgrounds, according to the book Death in Salem: The Private Lives Behind the 1692 Witch Hunt: Most of the victims were women. I was 8 years old at the time of his death and remember him with love. Are dogs allowed on the Newport Cliff Walk? She was accused again, a few days after her release, and arrested. Salem witch trials, (June 1692May 1693), in American history, a series of investigations and persecutions that caused 19 convicted witches to be hanged and many other suspects to be imprisoned in Salem Village in the Massachusetts Bay Colony (now Danvers, Massachusetts). She finally confessed thinking it would save her, her owner said tell us who your coven is or die so she named 2 others and lived. Found this fascinating..never knew there were family connections to Salem. These individuals were never seen from again and could have died shortly after for all anyone knows, at the very least, the lives they had been leading were taken from them. It has been estimated that tens of thousands of people were executed for witchcraft in Europe and the American colonies over several hundred years. and the Rev. Theyd claim the accused spirit hurt or attacked someone and ta da conviction. By the end of the Salem witch trials, 19 people had been hanged and 5 others had died in custody. He then confessed to making a pact with the devil but later recanted his confession. Shortly after the Salem witch hunt began in March of 1692, the Putnam family accused Sarah Wildes of witchcraft in April of 1692 and she was arrested. You have Ms. Sarah Wildes is a fore mother of mine and it disheartens me into rage that she is one of the witches that were killed. When the afflicted girls first began showing symptoms that they were bewitched, the girls accused the three women of the bewitching them. September 22, 1692, was an especially deadly day in Salems history. In total 14 women and 6 men were executed for witchcraft, and another five others died while awaiting their trials in prison. Salem, Essex Institute, 1895. The elderly Giles Corey, meanwhile, was pressed to death with heavy stones after he refused to enter an innocent or guilty plea.. Hi Nora. Many people testified against George Jacobs, Sr, including almost all the members of the Putnam family. On August 28, 1957, Massachusetts Governor Foster Furcolo signed a bill into law that officially apologized for the Salem Witch Trials and cleared the name of some of the remaining victims not listed in the 1711 law: One Ann Pudeator and certain other persons yet did not state the other victims names. I just spend my birthday on salem and the more. Some of her medical supplies, such as foot ointments, were confiscated and introduced to the court as objects of the occult. He later settled in Salisbury, Mass for a while before being asked to serve as the new minister in Salem Village in 1680. I learn by the more I want to you,.. Her name in the letter is Mehitabel Downing. After her husband died in 1671, Scott was left destitute and forced to beg from her neighbors. Willard was not immediately arrested but his in-laws, the Wilkins family, began to grow suspicious of him. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). People today actually pay witches or people to do witchcraft on other people. She was a pious and popular woman who had a longstanding feud with the Putnam family over border boundaries between their adjoining land. Several confessed witches testified against Willard as well as afflicted girl Ann Putnam, Jr., who testified that she saw many ghosts of people Willard allegedly killed. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Refund Policy. In her previous case she was accused of bewitching a local girl. Thank you for an excellent article. They settled in Eastern Kentucky, the Bell County area. List of people of the Salem witch trials This is a list of people associated with the Salem Witch Trials, a series of hearings and prosecutions of people accused of witchcraft in colonial There are notions so foolish that only an intellectual will believe them. Orwell Guess that explains it. Alice Parker was brought to trial on September 9 and executed on September 22, 1692. Basically said, at first The very first accused were smart. I used on-line documents from the Salem Witch Trials, tax records, deeds, and a scholarly article by Dr. David L. Greene. Could someone please help? How many people actually died in the Salem Witch Trials? Smithsonian reports Sarah Good was brought to trial June 29 and executed on July 19, 1692. The couple lived in Salem town where Alice was known as a pious, honest woman. Toothaker was accused of witchcraft during theSalem Witch Trialsbut his case never went to trial because he died in jail. History of Massachusetts Blog. During his examination, he admitted to fortune-telling and dabbling in magic and said that the devil may have taken advantage of him for these reasons. Roger Toothaker was a farmer and folk-healer from Billerica who specialized in detecting and punishing witches. Parriss orthodox Puritan theology and preaching also divided the congregation, a split that became demonstrably visible when he routinely insisted that nonmembers of the congregation leave before communion was celebrated. Maternal Grandfather was James Lee Estey, born in Boston, MA in 1i74 and died in Dover, NH in 1940. At the time of the witch trials she was poor and pregnant and would often go door to door in Salem Village begging for handouts while her husband worked as a day laborer. Over 10 reputable history/educational sites (Im talking .orgs) had articles reporting 20 executions and leaving it at that. A total of 25 people died because of the Salem witch trials. Certainly they were a breeding ground for diseaseBut accused witches were worse off than the other unfortunates [other prisoners.] In January 1692 Bettys and Abigails increasingly strange behaviour (described by at least one historian as juvenile deliquency) came to include fits. Scott had seven children but only three survived childhood. What is the legacy of the Salem witch trials? Very, very fascinating. Love it!! Thanx. About 5-10 more people died as a direct result of these trials. I got conflicting information until someone helping me told me that is her full name to get her true hints on ancestry .com. The girls then accused a local slave, Tituba, and two other women of bewitching them. John Proctor (Age: 61)John Proctor was a wealthy farmer who lived on the outskirts of Salem Village. This includes a Christian minister called George Burroughs. DaCapo Press, 2009.Hearn, Daniel Allen. The victims and their families named in the bill were also paid restitution totaling 600, which was divided up among them. The executions took place on a small hill, called Proctors Ledge, at the base of Gallows Hill in Salem town. According to the book, A Delusion of Satan: The Full Story of the Salem Witch Trials, the accused witches were considered dangerous prisoners and were kept in dungeons underneath the jails away from the regular prisoners: As the most dangerous inmates, the witches were kept in the dungeons. Significantly, those that they began identifying as other witches were no longer just outsiders and outcasts but rather upstanding members of the community, beginning with Rebecca Nurse, a mature woman of some prominence. Wardwell was accused in September of 1692 and arrested and jailed in Salem. A Delusion of Salem: The Full Story of the Salem Witch Trials. Much like Bridget Bishop, Howe had also been accused of witchcraft before. On October 31, 2001, the state amended the 1957 apology, clearing the names of the remaining victims: Chapter 145 of the resolves of 1957 is hereby amended by striking out, in line 1, the words One Ann Pudeator and certain other persons and inserting in place thereof the following words:- Ann Pudeator, Bridget Bishop, Susannah Martin, Alice Parker, Margaret Scott and Wilmot Redd.. But there are at least 10 more that are indisputably directly caused by the Salem Witch Trials. REFUSED TO ENTER A PLEA & TORTURED TO DEATH: Giles Corey (Age: 71)Giles Corey was a wealthy farmer who lived on the outskirts of Salem Village. Abigail Faulkner, SrBrought to trial on September 17 and found guilty. Ann Pudeator (Age: 70s)Ann Pudeator was a widow who lived in Salem town where she also worked as a nurse and midwife. 20 The Salem witch trials occurred in colonial Massachusetts between 1692 and 1693. If the womans touch abated the girls convulsions, it proved that she was guilty. Just think of how many witches there would be today if we didnt take care of them back then. The bill states: Province of Massachusetts Bay Anno Regni, Anna Reginae Decimo. Thirteen women and two men were executed. https://www.britannica.com/event/Salem-witch-trials, Bill of Rights Institute - The Salem Witch Trials, World History Encyclopedia - Salem Witch Trials, Salem Witch Trials - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), Salem witch trials - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). The Witch trials in England were conducted from the 15th century until the 18th century. Contrary to popular belief, none of the victims were burned at the stake. Months in a dungeon convicted of witchcraft as a toddler. My name is Scott Bromage. The Salem witch trials and executions came about as the result of a combination of church politics, family feuds, and hysterical children, all of which unfolded in a vacuum of political authority. The charges were eventually dropped or dismissed. (The hallucinogen LSD is a derivative of ergot.) The other victims were either found guilty but pardoned, found not guilty, were never indicted, evaded arrest or escaped from jail. In 1867, former Salem mayor Charles Wentworth Upham wrote a book about the Salem Witch Trials, titled Salem Witchcraft: With an Account of Salem Village and a History of Opinions on Witchcraft and Kindred Spirits, during which he applauded the victims for their bravery and courage: The sufferers in 1692 deserve to be held in grateful remembrance for having illustrated the dignity of which our nature is capable; for having shown that integrity of conscience is an armor which protects the peace of the soul against all the powers that can assail it; and for having given an example, that will be seen of all and in all times, of a courage, constancy, and faithfulness of which all are capable, and which can give the victory over infirmities of age, weaknesses and pains of body, and the most appalling combination of outrages to the mind and heart that can be accumulated by the violence and the wrath of man.. Redds daughter was the wife of fellow accused witch Reverend George Burroughs. They are wrong. Buy now, travel whenevercoupon code on the next screen. If not..wonder what happened to Elizabeth after arrest. As convicted witches, they were not allowed a Christian burial in consecrated ground. Date: She was sentenced to death but never executed. Martha Sprague then stated that the woman in front of her was the woman who afflicted her. Hi me to my 9th great grandmother They screamed, made odd sounds, threw things, contorted their bodies, and complained of biting and pinching sensations. She was released from prison in March, 1693. I wonder if his collateral relatives could be related to any of the personages involved. "All 19 who were executed through a hanging died at Proctor's Ledge. Four people also WebSarah osborne salem witch trials.In 1682, a young girl from Topsfield named Hannah Trumble began experiencing fits, and accused How of making her ill through witchcraft. The reason is because English law only allowed death by burning to be used against men who committed high treason and only after they had been hanged until almost dead, quartered and drawn. Location: Redd was accused of witchcraft in May of 1692 by the Salem Village afflicted girls and brought to Ingersoll Tavern in Salem Village for her examination. However, no one ever embodied the concept of a witch as previously described. Its a good thing they stayed in custody since nobody who reached that court was EVER found innocent. They are estimated to have resulted in the death of between 500 and 1000 people, 90 percent of whom There are documented deaths directly caused by the Salem Witch Trials that, for whatever reason or another, are not being included in this official death count. His pregnant wife, Elizabeth was spared and the hysteria had passed by the time she gave birth, so she survived. Easty was brought to trial on September 9 and executed on September 22, 1692. When the court ordered that he plead guilty, he replied: More weight.. The hunts were efforts to identify witches rather than pursuits of individuals who were already thought to be witches. John Alden Jr. Edward Bishop Jr. Sarah Bishop Mary Bradbury William Barker Sr. Andrew Carrier Katherine Cary Phillip English Mary English Edward Farrington, Sarah Bassett Mary Black Bethiah Carter, Jr Bethiah Carter, Sr Sarah Cloyce Elizabeth Hart William Hobbs Thomas Farrer, Sr William Proctor Sarah Proctor Susannah Roots Ann SearsTituba.