The Salem Witch Trials

Many people believe the Salem witch trials began in the year 1692. In truth, it really began many years earlier. In the year 1641, a law was made declaring witchcraft a capital crime.

In 1688 Martha Goodwin, along with her younger brother and two sisters, begin to act very strange. Goody Glover was arrested and blamed for "bewitching" the children. Even after Glover was hanged for witchcraft Martha Goodwin's symptoms stayed.

The date is January 20, 1692. It's been eight years since the execution of Goody Glover. Elizabeth Parris, 9 years old and Abigail Williams, 11 years old, begin to act very strange. The two girls fell into convulsive seizures, they screamed uncontrollably, they chanted mysterious spells and drifted into "trace-like" states. Without any known reason, many other girls begin to act the same way.

By around mid-February, a physician named Dr. Griggs was unable to find any physical illness in the girls. In the end, they concluded the girls were all being controlled by Satan. Later that month, prayer services were held and fasting rituals were conducted by Reverend Samuel Parris. The people of Salem believed this would release Satan from the "inflicted" girls.

In order to reveal the names of the "witch" who had harmed the girls, John Indian made what was called a "witch cake." This witch cake was made of rye and the urine of the infected girls. The cake was then fed to a dog. If the dog acted similarly to the girls that showed that the girls were "bewitched." There were, of course, those in the community who later believed the afflicted girls were faking it.

The bewitched girls were beginning to be pressured into telling who the witch was. After some hesitation, three names were given; Tituba (John Indians wife), Sarah Osborne and Sarah Good.

Sarah Osborne, an elderly woman, was not very popular in the community. In a Puritan life, not attending church was viewed as a sin, and Ms. Osborne had not attended in over a year. Sarah claimed to be innocent, but was imprisoned. May 10, 1692, she died of natural causes in a prison in Boston.

Sarah Good was homeless and known around the community as a beggar. It was said that when she was ignored she would mutter under her breath as she walked away. People believed she was cursing them and they often believed that she was responsible for the death of livestock. Ms. Good also declared she was innocent. However, on July 19 1962 she was executed.

Tituba was a slave who belonged to the Parris family. After three days of questioning, Tituba confessed to being a witch. In her confession, she said that a tall man dressed in black made her sign a book. She also said Sarah Osborne, Sarah Good and others in the village had signed the book as well. She went on to speak of talking cats. No one knows for sure why Tituba confessed. It is known that she practiced the art of fortune telling. However, that was seen as a form of "white magic" and was acceptable at the time. Some believe she confessed because she was told that the magistrates would give her a lighter sentence if she did. For whatever reason, she was sent to prison with Sarah Osborne and Sarah Good and there she stayed for thirteen months.

Tituba was able to avoid trial by confessing early. Later on, she recanted her confession and she and her husband both became "afflicted." When she recanted her confession Parris became angry and refused to pay for her jailors fee. After thirteen months someone unknown to records paid her fees and bought her and possibly her husband. No one knows where they went from there.

After these three women were sent to prison, other accusations spread like wild fire. No one was safe from the witch hunt. Even faithful churchgoers in the community were accused the same as those with a criminal background. In fact some of the arrests made were said to be "disturbing to the social order".

Martha Corey was a was at church every Sunday. She was loud and opinionated, which at the time was frowned upon for a woman to behave in such a manner. She was also a mother to an illegitimate child, and together they lived with her second husband. Needless to say, she was not very well liked in the community, so it was no real surprise when Ann Putnam accused her of witchcraft. On March 21, 1692, Mrs. Corey was examined by two magistrates, John Hathorne and Jonathan Corwin. Her trial was held on September 9, 1692, and she was condemned along with other women.

On March 19, 1692, Rebecca Nurse was accused of witchcraft by Ann Putnam as well as other girls. The girls claimed that they had seen Rebecca enter their rooms at night in "spirit form." They claimed that Ms. Nurse would torture them at night. Rebecca was 71 years old when she was accused. Not only was she very kind and generous, she was also extremely popular in Salem. When confronted with the accusation, she was quoted saying, "What sin has God found in me unrepented of that He should lay such an affliction upon me in my old age?" Magistrates Hathorne and Corwin examined Rebecca on March 28, 1692. Even though she was well respected in the community, on June 29 or 30 she was taken to trial and condemned to death.

Rebecca's sister Sarah Cloyce was accused of witchcraft soon after Rebecca was sent to prison. Sarah had defended her sister when she was arrested for the same charge. On April 11, 1692, Sarah was examined by the magistrates.

Another one of Rebecca's sisters to fall victim to the witch hunt was Mary Easty. Mary had also defended Rebecca when she was accused of witchcraft. She was examined by the magistrates, Hathorne and Corwin, on April 22 1692. On May 18, she was released from prison. However, when the citizens of Salem found out, they protested. Shortly after being sent free she was arrested once more. Early in September, a trial was held and she was sentenced to death. Her sentence was carried out on September 22 when she was hanged at "Gallows Hill."

John Proctor was one of the townspeople who believed that the affliction the girls displayed was all for show. He believed with a good beating, the girls would stop "acting" and everyone would stop the "foolishness." The Proctors had a servant, Mary Warren, was said to show signs of affliction until John threatened to "beat it out of her."

John's wife, Elizabeth Proctor, was arrested on March 28, 1692. Elizabeth was examined by the magistrates April 11, 1692. While she was examined, John stood by her side and protested to the witch hunt. Later that day, John was the first man to be accused of witchcraft. Both Mr. and Mrs. Proctor were condemned and John was hanged on August 5, 1692. However, Elizabeth's execution was postponed, because she was pregnant.

Literally no one was safe from accusation. On March 23, 1692, four-year-old Dorcas Good was arrested by Deputy Samuel Brabrook. Dorcas was Sarah Good's daughter and was the youngest to be imprisoned during the witch hunt. Hathorne and Corwin interrogated Dorcas on March 28, 1692. During the interrogation, Dorcas claimed to have a familiar (an animal owned by a witch). She claimed that her familiar was a little snake and that the red spot at the end of her finger was where it sucked blood from her. She was released after the witch trials were over and according to her father, William Good, she was unable to "govern herself" from that point on.

Early in April 1692, Mary Warren, the Proctor's maid, admitted to lying about her afflictions. She also accused the other girls of lying about their illnesses. Mary Warren was the one who had accused John and Elizabeth Proctor of witchcraft earlier that year. Mary is examined on April 19, 1692. At the examination she recanted the statement she made earlier that month about lying and rejoined the accusers.

The accusations continued on April 13, when Ann Putnam claimed Giles Corey (husband of Martha Corey) was a witch. Ann was not alone in accusing Giles. Other girls soon joined in. They claimed Giles came to them in spirit form and forced them to write in the Devil's book. Ann also said a man who died in Giles Corey's house haunted her. Prior to his arrest for witchcraft, Corey had a criminal record. The record had mostly to do with stolen food and tobacco, but this did not help his case. Six days after Giles was arrested, he was examined by the magistrates and was sent to prison to await trial.

Giles was known for disapproving of the witch hunt and he knew he would be found guilty. So, instead he refused to stand trial. Because of this, he was ordered to be crushed to death by stones. On September 19, 1692, Giles Corey was stripped naked and had a board placed on his chest and stones were placed on top in him one by one. It is said that he mocked the executioners by repeatedly saying, "Add more weight." Giles lay under the weight for two days before it was finally over.

The first person to be executed in Salem for witchcraft was Bridget Bishop. Bridget led a somewhat "wild" life and was often seen by most as a bad influence. Apparently this charge of witchcraft was not the first to be made about Bridget. She was also accused twelve years earlier, but was found not guilty. The suspicions didn't end, however. Workmen claimed to have found "poppets" in her cellar. Poppets are similar to "Voodoo Dolls." Out of all the people accused Bridget had the most accusations thrown at her. She was examined by the magistrates on April 19 and she went to trial June 2. Eight days later on June 10, she was executed by hanging.

Shortly after her trial, Nathaniel Saltonstall resigned from the court. He said he believed the proceedings were going too far and were uncalled for. When Nathaniel resigned, Corwin took his place in the court.

On the same day Bridget Bishop was examined, Abigail Hobbs was also seen by the magistrates. However, unlike Bridget, Abigail confessed to the crime of witchcraft. Her trial was held on September17. She was pronounced guilty and was sentenced to hang.

Said to be one of the most controversial accusations was made once again by Ann Putnam along with other girls of Salem. George Burroughs was the former minister in Salem. At the time, he had been living in Wells, Maine. Ann Putnam claimed, not only was Burroughs a witch (or wizard), but that he was the leader of all the witches in Salem. Even as a minister, he didn't exactly fit the title. He had a harsh temper, mistreated his wives (he was widowed three times) and known for having knowledge about the occult. He was arrested in Wells, Main. Less than a week later, he was brought in front of the magistrates of Salem. In early August he was tried and found guilty of witchcraft. He along with four others were executed on Gallows Hill on August 19.

On April 22, 1692, Nehemiah Abbott, William and Deliverance Hobbs, Edward and Sarah Bishop, Mary Black, Sarah Wildes and Mary English were all accused of witchcraft and examined before the town magistrates. Out of the eight accused, only Nehemiah Abbott was cleared of the charges.

Though no physical torture was ever recorded as being used in the American Colonies, the proceedings during this witch trial were still viewed as harsh. So harsh, in fact, that Deliverance Hobbs soon cracked under the pressure of it all and confessed to being a witch. She was the fourth person in Salem to admit to the crime. She wasn't the only one in her family to confess. Her daughter, Abigail Hobbs, had been arrested earlier in April and had also confessed. Her husband, William, however, stood by his denial and remained in prison until December, 1692. William Hobbs was quoted as saying, "I can deny it to my dying day."

Sarah Wildes trial was held on June 30 and her execution was carried out on July 19, 1692.

Early in May 1692, Sarah Morey, Lydia Dustin, Susannah Martin and Dorcas Hoar were all seen by the magistrates, Hathorne and Corwin. A week later, one of the afflicted girls, Sarah Churchill, was also accused of witchcraft and examined.

Susannah Marin's trial was held on June 30. She was found guilty and on July 19 her execution was carried out on Gallows Hill.

Dorcas Hoar was tried and condemned on September 9, 1692. She confessed to the crime on September 21 and therefore delayed her execution.

Margaret Jacobs and her grandfather George Jacobs, Sr., were examined by Hathorne and Corwin. Margaret not only confessed to the crime, but also testified that her grandfather, as well as George Burroughs, were both witches. When later questioned Margaret said, "They told me if I would not confess I should be put down into the dungeon and would be hanged. But, if I would confess, I should save my life."

George Jacobs, Sr., was pronounced guilty on August 5. He was hanged on Gallows Hill on August 19. Shortly after George was executed, his granddaughter, Margaret recanted her testimony.

Somewhere in mid-June 1692, the townspeople began to sign petitions to save the accused people they believed were innocent.

Elizabeth Howe was tried on June 30 and was found guilty. Less than a month later, on July 19, she was hanged. "If it was the last moment I was to live, God knows I am innocent." - Elizabeth Howe.

On August 19, Martha Carrier and John Willard were hanged as witches.

Alice Parker, Ann Pudeator and Mary Bradbury were among those tried on September 9, 1692. All three women were sentenced to death. Both Alice Parker and Ann Pudeator were hanged on September 22.

On September 17, Margaret Scott, Wilmott Redd, Samuel Wardwell, Mary Parker, Abigail Faulkner, Rebecca Eames, Mary Lacy, and Ann Foster were all found guilty of witchcraft. Margaret Scott, Wilmott Redd, Samuel Wardwell and Mary Parker were executed on September 22. This was the last of those to be executed for witchcraft.

Thomas Brattle wrote a letter to Governor Phips on the brutalities of the witch trials. He was not the first one to bring it to the Governor's attention. Prisoners had been writing to him for months. The Governor ordered spectral or otherwise intangible evidence were no longer to be used in the trials. Later on that month, Governor Phips completely did away with the Court of Oyer and Terminer made earlier in the year for the witch trials.

Soon the cries of the afflicted girls went unheard and the chaos that was the witch hunt subsided.

The last trial was held on January 1693. By May 1693, all the remaining prisoner's held for witchcraft were pardoned by the Governor.

The years following were filled with prayers for the dead, prayers for forgiveness and days of fasting. Many of the people accused and later released moved from Salem shortly after everything ended. In August 1706, Ann Putnam wrote a formal apology and had her pastor read it to the congregation. The state of Massachusetts made a final apology to everyone in 1957.

No one really knows how the witch trials got so out of hand. Some speculate that it had something to do with diseases that were going around or the fact that they were "cramped" in a new world. What ever the cause of the witch trials of 1692, it is agreed by all that this was one of the worst moments in American history.