Witch Trials

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by James Lucas on November 12, 2011 at 9:31am

Hi Betsy,

My 'witch' is Mary Towne Estey - who is your ancestor? If it's Mary, I have quite a bit of birth/death information to share about descendants. 

Mary Towne married Isaac Estey in 1655, Topsfield, Essex, MA

Mary: b. 24 Aug 1634, Yarmouth, Norfolk, England - d. 22 Sep 1692, Salem, Essex, MA (Execution by hanging for witchcraft)

Isaac: b. 27 Nov 1627, Fenton Parish, England - d. 1711

Their son Isaac Estey married Abigail Kimball on 14 Oct 1689, Topsfield, Essex, MA

Isacc: b. abt 1656, Topsfield, Essex, MA - d. Apr 1714, Lynn, Essex, MA

Abigail: b. 22 Mar 1666, Ipswich, Essex, MA - d. 12 Feb 1760, Reading, Middlesex, MA

and so on…

Permalink Reply by Betsy Fosburgh on November 12, 2011 at 10:16pm

Hi,  Thanks for the response!  No, Mary isn't my witch, but she's a very interesting one!  Mine is Rebecca Shelly Chamberlain.  She is listed in the History of Billerica, MA as having been imprisoned in Cambridge Jail on suspected charges of witchcraft.  She never went to trial, but died in the Cambridge jail on Sept. 26, 1692.  There is some question about the name Shelly -- she may have been the daughter of Isaac Addington.  She married William Chamberlain of Billerica, also Woburn. 

The website adeaw.com -- Associated Daughters of Early American Witches -- is interesting, and that's where I found Rebecca, in their list of witches.  I'm checking on some otheres -- Mary Perkins m Thomas Bradbury, Elizabeth Dane Johnson, and Rebecca Blake Eames.   Their in the tree somewhere, but I have to determine if they are direct lines.

Genealogy is almost an addiction!

Stay in touch,

Betsy

Permalink Reply by Elizabeth Irwin Kane on November 14, 2011 at 11:01am

Hi Betsy,

I'm not sure if I have any witches in my line, but I did publish 2 articles in Cobblestone: The History Magazine for Young People in an issue on witches. One of my articles was "The Littlest Witch." It was about 4-year-old Dorcas Good, who was imprisoned with her mother and infant sibling. Her mother was hanged, the baby died in prison, and Dorcas was kept for several more months. In 1710 her father sued the courts for the deaths of his wife and baby and Dorcas' emotional problems. He was awarded 30 pounds. Prisoners were charged for food, blankets, and heavy leg irons, but the "country" was charged for the Goods' supplies because they were paupers.

Permalink Reply by Timothy Lunney on November 15, 2011 at 9:31am

Hello Betsy,

The "witch" in my family tree, who was hanged for the crime of witchcraft at Salem in July 1692, was Susanna North Martin.

See the attached story of her trial, death and postumous pardon.

Attachments:

• Susannah North Martin.pdf, 705 KB

Permalink Reply by Mary L Ennis on November 16, 2011 at 6:30pm

Hi Betsy

Our paths cross again (Puffer family).  Timothy, the witch in family tree is also Susanna North Martin as well as John & Elizabeth Proctor.  Mine are all in my Pulisfer family line.

 A couple weeks ago there was a special on National Geographics about the Witch Trials and research has revealed that the person responsible for starting the entire "witch hunt" was Reverand Samuel Parris.  The book "In the Devil's Snare by Mary Beth Norton is an excellent source.  @ Betsy - I will definitely check out Associated Daughters of Early American Witches.  Thanks!!!

Please stay in touch!

Mary