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This is alist of people associated with theSalem Witch Trials, a series of hearings and prosecutions of people accused ofwitchcraft incolonial Massachusetts between March 1692 and May 1693. The trials resulted in theexecutions of twenty people, most of whom were women.
The central figure in this 1876 illustration of the courtroom in the Salem witch trials is usually identified asMary Walcott, one of the accusers.
Surnames in parentheses preceded by "née" indicate birth familymaiden names (if known) of married women, who upon marriage generally took their husbands' surnames. Due to the low population of the MassachusettsNorth Shore at the time of the trials, a significant percentage of local residents were related to other local residents through descent or by marriage. Many of the witchcraft accusations were driven at least in part by acrimonious relations between the families of theplaintiffs anddefendants. Unless otherwise specified, dates provided in this list useJulian-dated month and day butNew Style-enumerated year (i.e., years begin on January 1 and end on December 31, in the modern style).
Ann Foster – Along with her daughter, Mary Foster-Lacey Jr., and granddaughter, Mary Lacey Jr., she was arrested on charges of witchcraft in July 1692. She was tortured and confessed after her own daughter provided evidence against her. In a bid to save her daughter and granddaughter, Ann took the blame on herself. She and her daughter were found guilty on September 22, 1692 and sentenced to hang. She was not immediately executed and instead, died in prison on December 3, 1692.
Lydia Dustin – Died March 10, 1693, after 11 months imprisonment, having been acquitted but, unable to pay her court fees. She is the mother of Sarah Dustin and Mary Coleson, both also arrested; a granddaughter, Elizabeth Coleson, was also issued a warrant but fled to prevent her arrest.
Roger Toothaker – A doctor who died in Boston Jail on June 16, 1692 after being charged with witchcraft. He was known to a form of homeopathic folk medicine and interestingly, also claimed to be specialized in detecting and punishing witches. He referred to himself as a witch hunter and bragged to locals that he had taught his daughter, who then killed a witch. His wife, Mary Allen Toothaker and two daughters, Margaret Toothaker and Martha Toothaker Emerson, would also be arrested.
Mercy Good – Died before her mother,Sarah Good, was executed on July 19, 1692. Mercy was born in prison after her mother's arrest on February 25, 1692.
Rebecca Addington Chamberlain (circa 1625-1692) – While no court records exist regarding her arrest warrant, it is the general consensus of historians that she was arrested on suspicion of witchcraft. She died at roughly age 67 on September 26, 1692, while still in prison.[1]
John Durrant - While no court records exist regarding his arrest, John was known to live in Billerica during the trial period and had multiple family members who were accused of witchcraft and arrested. His wife's stepdaughter's husband, Samuel Cardwell Sr., was hanged on September 22, 1692 for witchcraft. Being these connections, it is the general consensus that he was also imprisoned on this charge. He died in Cambridge Prison on October 27, 1692.[2]
Infant Scargen - Little information exists as to why his/her mother, Elizabeth Scargen, was imprisoned on charges of witchcraft but, she did spend a 6 month period in jail. During this time, she gave birth to an infant who soon died, prior to her release.
As many as up to 13 additional people are considered to also likely have died in prison while there on charges or witchcraft.
Daniel Andrew (1643-1702), from Salem Village; accused of witchcraft but fled before he could be brought in.[3]
Philip and Mary English fled to New York; returned to Salem after the conclusion of the trials.
Mary Bradbury fled Massachusetts until after the witch hysteria had died down; later acquitted, she died of natural causes in her own bed in 1700, aged 85.
Margaret Prince - arrested and indicted Sep 5, 1692; released on bail Dec 15, 1692 after signing the Ipswich Jail Petition; never went to trial
Mehitable Braebrook Downing; arrested with step-mother Joan Braebrook (wife of Richard Braebrook) in 1692, signed petition for release, release was secured before going to trial due to witchcraft trials coming to an end.[citation needed]
^Massachusetts Archives Collections, Governor's Council Executive Records, Vol. 2, 1692, pages 176–177. Certified copy from the original records at Her Majestie's State Paper Office, London, UK, September 16, 1846.
^Records of the Massachusetts Supreme Court of Judicature, 1692/3, Page 1. Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, Judicial Archives
