In honor of Halloween, Salem witches

As far back as I can remember, I've been fascinated by the Salem witchcraft trials (and by witches in general). My first specific memory of anything having to do with the trials was finding a book about it in a series of YA history books that I loved. They were real history books, just written in a way kids could understand (one of my favorite birthday presents was the book on Pocahontas from that series). I was in fifth grade, ten years old, and asked my mom about it. I remember telling her that if all these people thought there were witches, there must have been something to it. I was naive at ten, but even so, I was on to something.

Since then, I've read about the Salem trials voraciously. I've read good theories and bad, theories that have since been disproven and theories that seem quite plausible. The one thing I've taken away is that we may never know exactly why Salem happened. It seems a perfect storm of circumstances and one that's quite fascinating.

And recently, it's become quite personal. My "new" family--my husband's family--has roots in early America. Early northeast America. Specifically Canada, the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and the Maine frontier (which, at that time, was part of Massachusetts and riddled with violence between the English and the Native Americans). Of course any time Salem popped up in the records with the correct time frame, I had to check to see if the family was involved in the trials.

And so we get to Elizabeth Austin Dicer. She wasn't just involved, she was accused. However, she was not living in Salem at the time. The arrest warrant states she lived in Gloucester, though she is also stated as being of Piscataqua in other records. Her family did move to Maine afterward. Can't say as I blame them.

But Elizabeth, and the woman accused with her, Margaret Prince, apparently weren't typical of the accused in most witch-hunts. Of course the Salem travesty did include a lot of people atypical of being accused, including George Burroughs, a minister, and Rebecca Nurse, who was well respected in the town. Elizabeth and her husband William, a mariner, were wealthy. As they didn't live in Salem Town or Salem Village, there would have been no issues with the Putnams regarding land as others had. What did exist, though, was a charge from about ten or thirteen years earlier in which Elizabeth had called a Mrs. Hollingsworth a "black-mouthed witch and a thief." There was a fine involved. It seems Mrs. Hollingsworth was a licensed tavern keeper. (There was a Mary Hollingsworth who married Philip English, both of whom were also accused as witches, but I don't know if there was direct connection with the Mrs. Hollingsworth Elizabeth had words with or not.)

Elizabeth was arrested and tried. Sadly, records of her trial have been lost (though her arrest warrant and a petition for her release have survived). As she was imprisoned, the logical conclusion is that she was found guilty. However, a petition signed by ten families asking for the temporary release of the prisoners due to the horrific conditions of the prisons and promising they would return for sentencing in the spring, allowed her release. By the time she would have had to return, the Court of Oyer and Terminer had been disbanded and the hysteria was over.

This then, is my Halloween story. I have a "witch" in my family tree. And it is something that I think about quite a bit. (And yes, it is something I think could happen again.)

For your viewing pleasure, the arrest warrant and the petition from ten families to ask for the release of the accused:

Text reads:

To the Constable of Gloster. 

complaint haveing ben made to us their Majesties Justices of the Peace in Salem by Ebenezer Babson of Gloster against Elizabeth Dicer wife of Wm Dicer and Margaret Prince widow of Gloster for that they have griveously hurt & Tortured. Elenor Babson widow & Mary Sargent wife of Wm Sarjant Just'e of Gloster by witchcraft & has given Bond to their Majesties to procecut Said Complaint to Effect These are therfore in their Majestes name to require you to Aprehend & seize the Bodys of Elizab't Dicer wife of william Dicer of Boston Seaman & Margret Prince widow of Gloster & them bring before their Majesties Justices of the Peace in Salem their to be Examined about the premises for w'ch this shall be your warrant

Salem 3: September 1692.
*Bartho Gedney
*John Hathorn
*Jonathan. Corwin
(Reverse) in obedience to this within warrant I have Seized the bodys of Elizabeth Dicer & Margret Prince widow & brought them to Salem before their Majestes Justices of the Peace
5 Sep'r 1692/ *Thom griggs jun'or
Constbl of Glostr
( Boston Public Library -- Dept. of Rare Books and Manuscripts ) 

text reads:

(Petition of Ten Prisoners at Ipswich)

To the Honourable Governer and Councell and Generall Assembly now sitting at Boston 

The humble petition of us whose names are subscribed hereunto now prisoners at Ipswich humbly sheweth, that some of us have Lyen in the prison many monthes, and some of us many weekes, who are charged with witchcraft, and not being consciouse to our selves of any guilt of that nature lying upon our consciences; our earnest request is that seing the winter is soe far come on that it can not be exspected that we should be tryed during this winter season, that we may be released out of prison for the present upon Bayle to answer what we are charged with in the Spring. For we are not in this unwilling nor afrayed to abide the tryall before any Judicature apoynted in convenient season of any crime of that nature; we hope you will put on the bowells of compassion soe far as to concider of our suffering condicion in the present state we are in, being like to perish with cold in lying longer in prison in this cold season of the yeare, some of us being aged either about or nere four score some though younger yet being with Child, and one giving suck to a child not ten weekes old yet, and all of us weake and infirme at the best, and one fettered with irons this halfe yeare and all most distroyed with soe long an Imprisonment: Thus hoping you will grant us a releas at the present that we be not left to perish in this miserable condicion we shall alwayes pray &c.

Widow Penny. Widow Vincent. Widow Princ[e] Goodwife Greene of Havarell, the wife of Hugh Roe of Cape Anne, Mehitabel Dowing. the wife of T[h] imothy Day , Goodwife Dicer of Piscataqua Hanah Brumidge of Havarell Rachel Hafield besides thre or foure men