Witches in Colonial America by Kory L. Meyerink, MLS, AG®, FUGA

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

Witches in Colonial America  

by Kory L. Meyerink, MLS, AG^®, FUGA

This list attempts to identify, as fully as possible, those persons formally accused as witches in Colonial America, or those who suffered (usually as little children) with accused witches. Generally this means that there was some formal action taken, usually in court, or that early writers (leaders, memorial writers, historians) discussed the accusation. Court action is not limited to trials, for some cases never came to trial, being dismissed for insufficient evidence (usually after an arrest and/or evidentiary hearing), or the flight of the accused. It also includes cases of slander by an accused witch against the accuser(s), even if no other court record exists.

This list is alphabetical by the last name (using the most common or accepted spelling) of the accused witch, at the time of accusation, followed by the first name, when known. Most witches were married women, so maiden names are given, when known, after the first name, but in parenthesis. The object is to help family historians clearly identify each accused witch to determine if he or she fits on a family tree. Earlier married names follow any maiden name. If the maiden name is unknown, it is represented by (___) to indicate the surname given is a married name. Unmarried women are identified with (unmd.), (child), or (infant) after the given name. In the absence of a given name, the title Mr., Mrs., or Ms. (marital status unknown) is used to indicate gender. Where a woman’s given name is unknown, but her husband’s is, she is referred to as Mrs. [his name], such as Mrs. Nicholas Bailey.

To aid in identification, birth and death years follow the name, where known. Approximations are indicated with “c.” and a date (believed to be within five years), or a decade (e.g. 1610s). Where dates are not known, a relationship, such as [Mrs. John] (meaning her husband was John) may be given to aid in identification. Location indicates the town (or county in the South) where the accused was living when action was taken, even if the action was taken elsewhere (the Salem trials reached out to many nearby towns). The year indicates the year (or years, with repeated accusations) action was begun. Outcome provides, by abbreviations, the primary result(s) of the action. Entries for those who died, either by execution or in prison, are in italics.

Abbreviations for outcome:

• A = accused (or complaint filed), but apparently not brought to court
• C = cleared of charges, dismissed (usually at a later date, often by higher court or governor)
• DP= died in prison
• E = escaped from prison
• F = fled to another jurisdiction (colony), or in hiding (presumes an accusation, but not an arrest)
• H = hung (after imprisonment and trial)
• I = imprisoned (sometimes indicted, which usually meant some imprisonment)
• NG = found not guilty (acquitted), implies some time in prison, and usually a trial
• R = released from prison (usually on bail), not necessarily cleared
• SS = accused sued accuser for slander
• V = convicted (but not executed, usually cleared)
• X = executed, method not given
• nfr = no further record

Early American Witches
Name	Birth-Death	Location	Year(s)	Outcome
Abbott, Nehemiah, Jr.	c.1665-	Topsfield, MA	1692	R at prelim.
Abbott, Arthur	c.1639-	Topsfield, MA	1692	I
Alden, John, Capt.	c.1623-	Boston, MA	1692	I, NG
Andrew, Daniel	1643-1702	Salem, MA	1692	A, F
Ayers, William	unk.	Hartford, CT	1662	A, F
Ayers, Mrs. William	unk.	Hartford, CT	1662	A, F
Bailey, Elizabeth [Mrs. Jonas]	unk.	York (ME)	1659	NG
Bailey, Mrs. Nicholas	unk.	New Haven, CT	1655	C, F
Bailey, Nicholas	unk.	New Haven, CT	1655	C, F
Baker, Mrs. George	unk.	VA	1641	A, NG
Barker, Mary (child)	1679-1752	Andover, MA	1692	I, R, NG
Barker, William, Jr. (child)	1678-1745	Andover, MA	1692	I, R, NG
Barker, Abigail (Wheeler)	1656-1743	Andover, MA	1692	I, NG
Barker, William, Sr.	c.1646-1718	Andover, MA	1692	I, E
Barnes, Mary	d.1663	Farmington, CT	1663	X
Bassett, Mrs.	d.1651	Stratford, CT	1651	X
Bassett, Sarah (Hood)	1657-	Lynn, MA	1692	I, C
Batchelor, Ms.	unk.	Ispwich, MA	1655	A
Beamon, Alice	unk.	Springfield, MA	1677	SS
Benham, Winifred (King)	c.1630-	Wallingford, CT	1692, 97	NG, F
Benham, Winifred, Jr.	1684-	Wallingford, CT	1697	NG, F
Bennett, Elizabeth	unk.	St. Mary’s, MD	1665	A, C
Bishop, Bridget (Playfer) W Oliver	c.1640-92	Salem, MA	1680; 92	NG, H
Bishop, Edward, Jr.	1648-	Salem, MA	1692	I, E
Bishop, Sarah (Wildes)	c.1651-	Salem, MA	1692	I, E
Black, Mary (Negro slave)	unk.	Salem, MA	1692	I, C
Blackleach, John	unk.	Wethersfield, CT	1662-3	A, SS
Blackleach, Elizabeth (___)	unk.	Wethersfield, CT	1662-3	A
Bowden, Ms.	unk.	New Haven, CT	1689	SS
Bradbury, Mary (Perkins)	1615-1700	Salisbury, MA	1692	V, E
Bradstreet, John	1652-	Andover, MA	1692	A, F
Bradstreet, John	unk.	Rowley, MA	1652	NG
Bradstreet, Dudley	1648-	Andover, MA	1692	A
Bridges, Mary, Jr. (child)	1679-	Andover, MA	1692	I, R
Bridges, Mary (Tyler) Post	1644-	Andover, MA	1692	I, NG
Bridges, Sarah (unmd.)	1675-	Andover, MA	1692	I, R, NG
Brown, William	unk.	Gloucester, MA	1657	I
Browne, Christopher	unk.	Salem, MA	1674	A, C, R
Brumidge, Hannah (Varnum) Tyler	c.1633-	Haverhill, MA	1692	I, C
Buckley, Sarah (Smith)	c.1636-	Salem, MA	1692	I, C
Burr, Ms.	unk.	Wethersfield, CT	1678	SS
Burroughs, George, Rev.	c.1651-92	Wells, ME, MA	1692	H
Burt, Ann (Holland) Bassett	c.1610-73	Lynn, MA	1669/70	NG
Byrd, Anne (___)	unk.	Princess Anne, VA	1698	SS
Byrd, John	unk.	Princess Anne, VA	1698	SS
Cane, Nell	unk.	K&Q Co., VA	1693	nfr
Carrier, Andrew	1677-	Andover, MA	1692	I, R
Carrier, Richard	1674-	Andover, MA	1692	I, R
Carrier, Sarah (child)	1684-	Andover, MA	1692	I, R
Carrier, Thomas, Jr. (child)	1682-	Andover, MA	1692	I, R
Carrier, Martha (Allen)	c.1654-92	Andover, MA	1692	H
Carrington, Joan(ne) (___)	c.1610-51	Wethersfield, CT	1651	X
Carrington, John	1602-51	Wethersfield, CT	1651	X
Carroll, Hannah (___)	unk.	Salem, MA	1692	A
Carter, Bethiah (Pearson)	1645-	Woburn, MA	1692	I, R
Carter, Bethiah, Jr. (unmd.)	1671-	Woburn, MA	1692	A, F
Cartwrite, Alice (___)	unk.	Norfolk, VA	1678/79	A, C
Cary, Elizabeth (Walker)	c.1650-	Charlestown, MA	1692	I, E
Chamberlain, Rebecca (Shelley)	c.1625-92	Billerica, MA	1692	DP
Churchill, Sarah (unmd.)	1672-	Salem, MA	1692	I, R afflicted
Clarke, Mary (Johnson) Davis	1638-	Haverhill, MA	1692	I
Clawson, Elizabeth (Periment?)	1631-1714	Stamford, CT	1692	I, NG
Clinton, Rachel (Haffield)	1629-95	Ipswich, MA	c.1687; 92	A, I, R
Cloyce, Sarah (Towne) Bridges	1641-1703	Gloucester, MA	1692	NG
Cole, Eunice [Mrs. William]	c.1615-	Hampton, NH	1656, 73, 80	I, NG
Cole, Sarah (Davis)	1650-	Salem, MA	1692	I, R, C
Cole, Sarah (Aslett)	1662-1741	Lynn, MA	1692	I, R, NG
Collins, Jane (Greepe?)	unk.	Lynn, MA	1653	I
Collins, Mr.	unk.	Aquiday, RI	1640	A
Colson, Elizabeth(child)	1676-	Reading, MA	1692	I, C
Colson, Mary (Dustin)	1650-	Reading, MA	1692	I, C
Corey, Giles	c.1611-92	Salem, MA	1692	X (pressed)
Cory, Martha (___) Rich	c.1628-92	Salem, MA	1692	H
Cowman, John	unk.	St. Mary’s, MD	1674	V, R
Cox, Mary	unk.	Malden, MA	1692	I
Crawford, Edith (___) Pride	c.1600-	Salem, MA	1667	SS, I, NG
Croasia (or Crotia), Hugh	unk.	Stratford, CT	1692	A
Dane, Deliverance (Haseltine)	1655-	Andover, MA	1692	I, R
[Dane,] male slave of Nathaniel	unk.	Andover, MA	1692	I
Day, Phoebe (Wildes)	1653-	Gloucester, MA	1692	I, nfr
de Rich, Mary (Bassett)	1657-+1712	Salem, MA	1692	I, nfr
Dibble, Sarah (___)	unk.	Stamford, CT	1669	A
Dicer, Elizabeth (Austin)	unk	Gloucester, MA	1692	I
Dike, Rebecca (Dolliver)	c.1652-	Gloucester, MA	1692	I
Dike, James (infant, with mother)	1692-	Gloucester, MA	1692	nfr
Disborough, Mercy (___)	d. aft.1707	Fairfield, CT	1692	I, V, C
Dolliver, Ann (Higginson)	c.1653-	Gloucester, MA	1692	I
Downing, Mehittable (Brabrook)	c.1652-	Ipswich, MA	1692	I, R
Draper, Joseph (or John)	1671-	Andover, MA	1692	I, nfr
Dunkin, Elizabeth and John	unk.	Westmoreland VA	1694	A, SS
Durrant, John	c.1645-92	Billerica, MA	1692	DP
Dustin, Sarah (unmd.?)	1653-	Reading, MA	1692	I, NG, R
Dustin, Lydia (___)	c.1626-93	Reading, MA	1692	I, NG, DP
Dutch, Grace (Pratte)	1607-94	Gloucester, MA	1653	SS
Dyer, Thomas	unk.	Ipswich, MA	1692	I, nfr
Eames, Daniel	1663-	Boxford, MA	1692	I, nfr
Eames, Rebecca (Blake)	1641-1721	Boxford, MA	1692	I, R
Easty, Mary (Towne)	1634-92	Topsfield, MA	1692	H
Edmunds, Anna (__) [Mrs. William]	unk.	Ipswich, MA	1673	A
Edwards, Hannah (Mrs. Richard)	unk.	St. Mary’s, MD	1686	NG
Elwell, Esther (Dutch)	1639-1721	Gloucester, MA	1692	I
Emerson, Martha (Toothaker)	1668-1726	Haverhill, MA	1692	R
Emons, Joseph	unk	Gloucester, MA	1692	I
English, Mary (Hollingsworth)	1652-94	Salem, MA	1692	I, E, C
English, Phillip	1651-+1718	Salem, MA	1692	I, E, C
Evans, Susannah (___) Mrs. John	unk.	Albemarle, NC	1703	A, C, SS
Evans, Ms.	unk.	Portsmouth, NH	1656, 62	A, I
Evans, Agnes (___) [Mrs. William]	unk.	Gloucester, MA	1653	SS
Farrar, Thomas	c.1617-94	Lynn, MA	1692	I, C
Farrington, Edward	1662-	Andover, MA	1692	A, I, nfr
Faulkner, Abigail (Dane)	1652-1730	Andover, MA	1692	I, R
Faulkner, Abigail, Jr. (child)	1683-	Andover, MA	1692	I, R, C
Faulkner, Dorothy (child)	1680-	Andover, MA	1692	I, R, C
Flood or Floyd, John, Capt.	c.1640-	Malden, MA	1692	I
Fosdick, Elizabeth (___) Betts	c.1660-1716	Malden, MA	1692	I, nfr
Foster, Ann (___)	1620-92	Andover, MA	1692	I, DP
Fowler, Rebecca (Mrs. John)	d. 1685	St. Mary’s, MD	1685	H
Frost, Nicholas	unk	Piscataqua, NH	1692	A
Frye, Eunice (Potter)	1641-	Andover, MA	1692	I, NG
Fuller, James	unk.	Springfield, MA	1683	NG
Fuller, Rachel (Brabook)	1655-	Hampton, NH	1680	NG
Garlick, Elizabeth (Blanchard?)	c.1600-	Easthampton, NY	1658	A, I, NG
Gifford, Margaret (___) [Mrs. John]	unk.	Lynn, MA	1680	A, nfr
Gilbert, Lydia (___) [Mrs. Thomas]	1610s-54	Windsor, CT	1654	V, H?
Gleason, Ms.	unk.	Cambridge, MA	1665	A
Glover, Anne (___) [widow]	c.1630-88	Boston, MA	1688	H
Godfrey, John	c.1620-75	Andover, MA	1659, 62, 65	NG, SS
Godman, Elizabeth (___)	d.1660	New Haven, CT	1653, 55	C, SS
Good, Infant of Sarah	c.1691-92	Salem, MA	1692	DP
Good, Sarah (Solart) Poole	1653-92	Salem, MA	1692	H
Good, Dorcas (child)	c.1678-	Salem, MA	1692	I, R
Grady, Katherine	d. 1654	at sea, VA	1654	H, at sea
Graves, William	c.1615-79?	Stamford, CT	1667	I
Green, Mary (Green)	c.1658-	Haverhill, MA	1692	I, R
Greensmith, Nathaniel	d.1663	Hartford, CT	1662-3	H
Greensmith, Rebecca (___) Elson	d.1663	Hartford, CT	1662-3	H
Griswold, Hannah	unk.	Saybrook, CT	1667	SS
Hale, Mary	unk.	Boston, MA	1681, 91	NG
Hales, Mr.	unk.	Aquiday, RI	1640	I
Hall, Ralph	unk.	Setauket, NY	1665	NG
Hall, Mary (___)	unk.	Setauket, NY	1664, 65	NG
Harding, William	unk.	Northumberland, VA	1656	V, banished
Hardy, Thomas	unk.	Piscatauqua, NH	1692	I
Harrison, Katherine (___)	c.1620s-	Wethersfield, CT	1668	I, V, C, F
Hart, Elizabeth (Hutchinson)	c.1628-1710	Lynn, MA	1692	I, C
Harvey, Hannah (unmd.)	1675-by ‘98	Fairfield, CT	1692	I, C
Harvey, Mary (Staples)	c.1646-	Fairfield, CT	1692	I, C
Hawkes, Sarah (unmd.)	1671-1716	Andover, MA	1692	I, R
Hawkes, Margaret (___) [widow]	unk.	Salem, MA	1692	I, R nfr
[Hawkes,] Candy, slave of Margt.	unk.	Salem, MA	1692	I, NG
Hawkins, Jane (___) [Mrs. Richard]	c.1600-59	Boston, MA	1638	I, banished
Hibbens, Ann (___) Mrs. William	c.1610-56	Boston, MA	1656	H
Hoar, Dorcas (Galley)	c.1635-	Beverly, MA	1692	I, V, C
Hobbs, Abigail (unmd.)	c.1670-	Topsfield, MA	1692	I, R
Hobbs, Deliverance (___)	c.1647-	Topsfield, MA	1692	I, R
Hobbs, William	c.1642-	Topsfield, MA	1692	I, R
Holman, Mary (unmd.)	c.1640-	Cambridge, MA	1659, 60	NG
Holman, Winifred (___)	c.1615-	Cambridge, MA	1659	NG, SS
Holmes, Ms.	unk.	Scituate, MA	1660	SS
Howard, John	c.1645-	Rowley, MA	1692	A
Howe, Elizabeth (Jackson)	c.1637-92	Topsfield, MA	1692	H
Hutchins(on), Francis (___)	c.1615-	Haverhill, MA	1692	I, R
Hutchinson, Anne (Marbury)	1595-1643	Aquiday, RI	1640	A
Ingham, Mary (___) [Mrs. Thomas]	unk.	Scituate, MA	1676/77	NG
Ireson, Mary (Leach)	c.1655-	Lynn, MA	1692	I, nfr
Jackson, John, Sr.	c.1653-1718	Rowley, MA	1692	I, C
Jackson, John, Jr.	1670-	Rowley, MA	1692	I, C
Jacobs, George, Jr.	c.1642-	Salem, MA	1692	I, R
Jacobs, George, Sr.	c.1615-92	Salem, MA	1692	H
Jacobs, Margaret (child)	1675-	Salem, MA	1692	I, R, NG
Jacobs, Rebecca (Andrew) Frost	1646-	Salem, MA	1692	I, NG
James, Jane (___) [Mrs. Erasmus]	c.1620s-	Marblehead, MA	1650, 67	A, SS
Jenkins, Jane or Joan (___)	unk.	Norfolk, VA	1675	A, not tried
Jennings, Nicholas	c.1620-	Saybrook, CT	1661	NG
Jennings, Margaret (___)	c.1620-	Saybrook, CT	1661	NG
Johnson, Mary	c.1620-50	Wethersfield, CT	1648	X
Johnson, Abigail (child)	1682-	Andover, MA	1692	R
Johnson, Rebecca (Aslet)	1652-1734	Andover, MA	1692	I, R
Johnson, Elizabeth, Jr. (unmd.)	1670-	Andover, MA	1692	A
Johnson, Elizabeth (Dane)	c.1641-	Andover, MA	1692	NG
Johnson, Rebecca, Jr. (child)	1675-	Andover, MA	1692	I, R
Johnson, Stephen	1679-	Andover, MA	1692	I, R
Jones, Thomas	unk.	Charlestown, MA	1648	I
Jones, Margaret (___)	d.1648	Charlestown, MA	1648	H
Jones, Hannah (Walford)	c.1630s-	Portsmouth, NH	1682	I
Kendall, Elizabeth	d.1647?	Cambridge, MA	1647?	X?
Knapp, Mrs.	c.1610s-53	Fairfield, CT	1653?	H
Lacy, Mary Jr. (unmd.)	1674-	Andover, MA	1692	I
Lacy, Mary (Foster)	1652-	Andover, MA	1692	I, R
Lake, Alice (___) [Mrs. Henry]	d.1651	Dorchester, MA	1651	X
Lee, Mary	d. 1654	at sea, MD	1654	H, at sea
Lilly, Jane (___)	c.1657-	Reading,MA	1692	I, R, C
Manship, Mrs. Richard	unk.	MD	1654	acquitted
Marshfield, Mercy (___)	c.1605-54	Springfield, MA	1649	SS
Marston, Mary (Osgood)	1665-	Andover, MA	1692	I, R
Martin, Susannah (North)	1621-92	Amesbury, MA	1669; 92	NG, H
Mattson, Margaret	c.1620s	Philadelphia, PA	1684	NG
Meaker, William	unk.	New Haven, CT	1657	A, C, SS
Merrick, Sarah	unk.	Springfield, MA	1651	A
Messenger, Katherine [Mrs. Edw.]	unk.	Windsor, CT	1673	SS
Miller, Mrs.	unk.	Fairfield, CT	1692	A
Mitchell, Joan (Mrs. Thomas)	unk.	Charles Co, MD	1658-62	SS
Money, Phyllis	unk.	Westmoreland, VA	1694	A, SS
Morrell, Sarah [child of Peter]	c.1678-	Beverly, MA	1692	I, C
Morris, Eleanor	unk.	K&Q Co., VA	1695	SS
Morse, Elizabeth (___)	1615-c.90	Newbury, MA	1679	I, V, C
Neal, Mrs. Christopher (Capt.)	c.1620s	Northumber., VA	1671	SS
Nurse, Rebecca (Towne)	1622-92	Salem, MA	1692	H
Oliver, Mary	unk.	Boston, MA	1649-50	V, nfr
Osborne, Sarah (Warren) Prince	c.1643-92	Salem, MA	1692	DP
Osgood, Mary (Clement)	c.1637-	Andover, MA	1692	I, R, NG
Paine, Elizabeth (Carrington)	c.1636-1711	Malden, MA	1692	I, nfr
Palmer, Katherine (___)	c.1620	Wethersfield, CT	1660, 72	A, SS, F
Parker, Alice (___)	d. 1692	Salem, MA	1692	H
Parker, Sarah (unmd.)	1670-	Andover, MA	1692	I
Parker, Mary (Ayer)	c.1637-92	Andover, MA	1692	H
Parsons, Mary (Lewis)	c.1615-c.51	Springfield, MA	1651	NG
Parsons, Hugh	c.1625	Springfield, MA	1651	V, NG
Parsons, Mary (Bliss)	1625/8-1712	Northampton, MA	1656, 74	SS, NG
Parsons, John	1650-	Northampton, MA	1674	A
Passanauton, Samuel[Indian]	unk.	unknown, MA	1692	I, nfr
Pease, Sarah (___)[Mrs. Robert]	unk.	Salem, MA	1692	I, nfr
Penny, Joanna (___) Brabrook	c.1620-	Gloucester, MA	1692	I, R
Perkins, Elizabeth (Wooten?)	c.1615-90?	Gloucester, MA	1653	SS
Post, Hannah	1666-	Andover, MA	1692	I, NG
Post, Susannah	1661-	Andover, MA	1692	I, R
Post, Mary	1664-	Andover, MA	1692	I, R
Powell, Caleb	c.1640s-	Newbury, MA	1679	NG
Prince, Margaret (___)	c.1630-1706	Gloucester, MA	1692	I, nfr
Proctor, William	1675-	Salem, MA	1692	C
Proctor, John	c.1632-92	Salem, MA	1692	H
Proctor, Sarah (child)	1677-	Salem, MA	1692	I, R
Proctor, Benjamin	1659-	Salem, MA	1692	I
Proctor, Elizabeth (Bassett)	c.1651-	Salem, MA	1692	V, C
Prout, Katherine	unk.	Charles, MD	1702	A, C, SS
Pudeator, Ann (Poindexter )G.	c.1620-92	Salem, MA	1692	H
Randall, Mary	unk.	Northampton, MA	1691	I
Read, Margaret	unk.	Ipswich, MA	1680	C (dismissed)
Reed, Wilmot (___)	c.1638-92	Marblehead, MA	1692	H
Rice, Sarah (___) Davis	c.1631-	Reading, MA	1692	I, nfr
Richardson, Elizabeth	d. 1658	at sea, MD	1658	H, at sea
Richardson, Martha	unk.	Albemarle, NC	c.1703	A, C
Robinson, Mrs.	unk.	Norfolk, VA	1659	not tried, SS
Roots, Susanna (___)	c.1620-	Beverly, MA	1692	I, nfr
Rowe, Abigail (child)	c.1677-	Gloucester, MA	1692	I
Rowe, Mary (Prince)	1658-1723	Gloucester, MA	1692	I
Sadie, John, Jr.	c.1679-1702	Andover, MA	1692	I, R
Salter, Henry	c.1628-	Andover, MA	1692	I, R
Sanford, Andrew	unk.	Hartford, CT	1662	NG
Sanford, Mary (___)	d.1662	Hartford, CT	1662	X
Scargen, Elizabeth (___)	c.1665-	Beverly, MA	1692	I
Scargen, child	d. 1692	Beverly, MA	1692	I, DP
Scott, Margaret (Stevenson)	c.1621-92	Rowley, MA	1692	H
Seager, Elizabeth (Moody?)	c.1600-	Hartford, CT	1663, 65	I, V, C
Sears, Ann (___) Farrar	c.1621-	Woburn, MA	1692	I, R
Sewell, Bessie (___) [Mrs. Thomas]	unk.	Springfield, MA	1651	A
Sherwood, Grace (___) Mrs. James	1660-1740	Princess Anne, VA	1697-8, 05	A, SS, I, C, R
Somers, Henry	unk	Middlesex Co MA	1692	A
Somes, Abigail (___)	1655-	Gloucester, MA	1692	I, C
Sparks, Martha (Barrett)	c.1665-	ChelMs.ford, MA	1692	I, R
Spencer, Sarah	unk.	Colchester, CT	1724	A, C, SS
Staples, Mary (___)	c.1620-96	Fairfield, CT	1654, 92	C, SS
Stephens, Alice (___)	unk.	VA	1668	A, nfr
Stevens, Ephraim	1648-	Andover, MA?	1692	A, F
Stratton, Alice (___) [Mrs. Samuel]	1600/10-52?	Watertown, MA	1650, 52	A, SS
Taylor, Mary (Harrington)	c.1652-	Reading, MA	1692	I, R, NG
[Thatcher], slave of Mrs.	unk.	Boston, MA	1692	I, nfr
Tituba (slave)	c.1665-.	Salem, MA	1692	C, sold slave
Tookey, Job	c.1665-	Beverly, MA	1692	I, NG
Toothaker, Roger, Dr.	c.1634-92	Billerica, MA	1692	DP
Toothaker, Mary or Jerson (Allen)	c.1645-95	Billerica, MA	1692	I, NG
Toothaker, Margaret (child)	1683-	Billerica, MA	1692	I, R
Towle, Isabella (___) [Mrs. Phillip]	c.1632-	Hampton, NH	1680	NG
Trevally, Hannah (Horton) Hildreth	1631-98	Southampton, NY	1683	SS
Tyler, Mary (Lovett)	c.1652-	Andover, MA	1692	I, NG
Tyler, Hannah (child)	1678-	Andover, MA	1692	I, NG
Tyler, Joanna (child)	1681-	Andover, MA	1692	I, R, C
Tyler, Martha (child)	1681-	Andover, MA	1692	I, R, C
Varleth, Judith (unmd.)	c.1645-1711	Hartford, CT	1662	I, NG
Vinson, Sarah (___) [Mrs. William]	c.1620-1661	Gloucester, MA	1653	SS
Vinson, Rachel (Varney) Cooke	c.1631-1707	Gloucester, MA	1692	I
Violl, Virtue (unmd.)	unk.	Talbott, MD	1712	NG
Wakeley, James	c.1610s-90s	Hartford, CT	1662-3, 65	A, F
Walford, Jane (___)	c.1610s-	Portsmouth, (NH)	1656, 69	I, C, SS
Wardwell, Sarah (Hooper) Hawkes	1650-	Andover, MA	1692	I, R, NG
Wardwell, Mercy (unmd.)	1673-1754	Andover, MA	1692	I, R
Wardwell, Samuel	1643-1692	Andover, MA	1692	H
Warren, Mary (unmd.)	1672-	Salem, MA	1692	I, R afflicted
Watkins, Mary [slave]	unk.	Salem, MA	1692	I, sold as slave
Webster, Mary (Reeve)	c.1630s-96	Hadley, MA	1683, 85	NG, SS
Wells, Thomas	unk.	Ipswich, MA	1668	A
Whittredge, Mary (Buckley)	c.1664-	Salem, MA	1692	I, C
Wildes, Sarah (Averill)	c.1627-92	Topsfield, MA	1692	H
Wilford, Ruth (child)	1672-1708	Haverhill, MA	1692	I
Willard, John	c.1662-92	Salem, MA	1692	H
Williams, Robert	unk.	Hadley, MA	1669	NG
Wilson, Sarah, Jr. (child)	1678-	Andover, MA	1692	I, R, C
Wilson, Sarah (Lord)	c.1648-1727	Andover, MA	1692	I, R, C
Wingborough, Barbara	unk.	VA	1657	C, nfr
Wooland, Edward	unk.	Essex, Co., MA	1692	I
Wright, Joan (___) [Mrs. Robert]	c.1590-	Surry, VA	1626	A, C
Young, Alice (___) [Mrs. Henry]	d.1647	Windsor, CT	1647	H

Sources

Hundreds of books and articles have been written about witchcraft in early America, but a few have been particularly helpful in compiling this list, as they provide summary biographical information and/or reasonably thorough lists of the accused witches covered. Treatment of witches in the literature tends to divide into two parts:The Salem era (1692) is the most popular in literature and has the most accusations. Witchcraft prior to Salem is generally covered separately, and occurred throughout southern New England, with a couple of cases in what is now New York (but then in towns under Connecticut’s influence). Limited court action was taken in states further south.

Salem Era

Among the most useful are two primarily biographical books that help connect the various family members involved in what the author sees as a conspiracy against certain elements in the towns. Enders A. Robinson’s The Devil Discovered: Salem Witchcraft 1692 (New York: Hippocrene Books, 1991) treats what he considers the first, or Salem, phase of the conspiracy, covering about half the accused witches. The same author’s Salem Witchcraft and Hawthorne’s House of Seven Gables (Bowie, MD: Heritage Books, 1992) covers the second, or Andover phase, when accusations moved out of Salem.

The social aspects of the Salem era are well treated by Paul Boyer and Stephen Nissenbaum in Salem Possessed: The Social Origins of Witchcraft (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1972). The actual papers of the trials were edited, introduced, and indexed by the same authors in The Salem Witchcraft Papers, 3 vols. (New York: Da Capo Press, 1977) Before Salem Despite its age, the best treatment of the Connecticut side of witchcraft still seems to be John M. Taylor’s the Witchcraft Delusion in Colonial Connecticut, 1647-1697 (1908 reprint, Bowie, Md.: Heritage Books, 1989). A more comprehensive treatment of this era is the classic work by John Putnam Demos, Entertaining Satan: Witchcraft and the Culture of Early New England (New York: Oxford University Press, 1982). A slightly more recent volume is David D. Hall’s Witch-Hunting in Seventeenth-Century New England (Boston: Northeastern University Press, 1991).

Outside of New England and New York

About 30 cases of witchcraft were prosecuted, to some extent, in the colonies south of New York. One lady was hung in Maryland, while three perished on ships en route to Virginia or Maryland. Much less research has been done of these various cases, and the accused are generally less well identified. Journal articles seem to be the best source, including: Davis, Richard Beale “The Devil in Virginia in the Seventeenth Century” Virginia Magazine of History and Biography 65 (1957) 131-49. and Parke, Frances Neal “Witchcraft in Maryland” Maryland Historical Magazine 31:4 (Dec. 1936) p. 271-298. Additional documentation on the Maryland cases can be found in the various volumes of the published Maryland Archives.

Additional useful information is in Drake, Frederick C. “Witchcraft in the American Colonies” American Quarterly 20 (1968) 694-725, as well as “How North Carolina Juries Dealt with Charges of Witchcraft.” North Carolina Historical and Genealogical Register 2 (April 1901): 56-59, 68-69 and Schaeffer, Paul N. “Pennsylvania’s Witchcraft Trial” Historical Review of Berks County 29 (Autumn 1964): 125-128.

There are a few web sites on the Internet with information on witches, but they are incomplete and/or often derived from these and older works. Many include persons who appear on older lists now understood to be erroneous. However, much information about some individuals on this list can be found on the web, with the help of the more complete identification given here. People who actually died as a result of their accusation typically have more biographical information, as they have been the subjects of more research.

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

Misidentified, Unconfirmed, and “Phantom” Witches

The following people appear on various lists of Colonial American witches, but a closer review of current literature suggests that there is no proof that formal charges were ever filed against them. Some were involved in the Salem witchcraft delusion as afflicted girls, spouses, or even among the leadership, but their names have ended up on some lists as witches. Others are clearly mistaken versions of the names of persons who were accused and tried as witches. A few can simply not be confirmed in any documented list.

Name	Location	Date	Status
Abbott, Mr.	Billerica, MA	1692	unknown, probably Arthur Abbott of Topsfield
Abbott, Nehemiah	Andover, MA	1692	was described by afflicted girls, confused with son Jr.
Andrews, Mr.	Billerica, MA	1692	unknown, unless he is Daniel Andrew of Salem
Baker, Mrs. Ebenezer	Andover, MA	1692	is Abigail (Wheeler) Barker, wife of Ebenezer Barker
Barry, William	Andover, MA	1692	unknown on any confirmed list
Bassett, Mary	Lynn, MA	1692	mistake for Sarah Bassett
Bibber, Sarah	Wenham, MA	1692	an afflicted adult, never accused
Buckley, Sarah, Jr.	Salem, MA	1692	probably confused with her mother, Sarah, or sister Mary
Buxton, John	Salem, MA	1692	was part of the leadership, never accused
Carey, Nathaniel	Charlestown, MA	1692	husband of Elizabeth, attended trial, never accused
Carter, Paul	Accomack, VA	1679?	convicted of murder, not witchcraft
Cave, Sarah	Andover, MA	1692	mistake for Sarah Carrier, or 1673 daughter of Thomas
Coffin, Sarah	Salem, MA	1692	apparent typo for Mary Coffin (below)
Coffin, Mary	Gloucester, MA	1692	unconfirmed, surname never connected to witches
Dane, Mrs. Nathan	Andover, MA	1692	apparently same as Deliverance, wife of Nathan Dane
Davis, Sarah	Wenham, MA	1692	constable fetched her to Salem, never accused
Derrick, Mary	Lynn, MA	1692	same as Mary de Rich
Derrill, Mary	Lynn, MA	1692	probably same as Mary de Rich
Desborough, Nicholas	Hartford, CT,	1683	suspicion set by Cotton Mather, no formal action
Dyer, Mary	MA	1669	her miscarriage ascribed to Devil, never accused
Eames, Robert	Boxford, MA	1692	husband of Rebecca, never accused
Good, Dorothy	Salem, MA	1692	mistake for Dorcas Good
Grade, Katherine	Jamestown, VA	1658	same as Katherine Grady in 1654 (hung at sea)
Grant, Matthew	Windsor, CT	1649	his diary records early Conn. trials, never accused
Harrington,	Andover, MA	1692	unknown, not further identified,
Hatfield, Rachel	Ipswich, MA	1692	same as Rachel (Haffield) Clinton, divorced wife
Hogg, Jane	MA	1657	unconfirmed
How(e), James	Topsfield, MA	1692	mentioned in depositions against his wife, never accused
Hubbard, Elizabeth	Salem, MA	1692	afflicted girl, age 17, never accused
Jacobs, Martha	Salem, MA	1692	mistake for Margaret, or Mary, wife of George
Laundry, John	Andover, MA	1692	unknown, name not in any historical documents
Lee, John	Andover, MA	1692	mentioned in Eliz. Fuller’s deposition, never accused
Lewis, Mercy	Salem, MA	1692	afflicted girl, age 17, never accused
Morey, Sarah	Beverly, MA	1692	mistaken name, really Sarah Morrell (also Merrill)
Osborne, Mary	Andover, MA	1692	probably never existed, likely mistake for Mary Osgood
Pope, Anne	MA	1657	unconfirmed
Post, Sarah	Andover, MA	1692	probably never existed, likely mistake for Susannah Post
Prince, Mary or Martha	Gloucester, MA	1692	same as Mary (Prince) Rowe
Riels, Mary de	Salem, MA	1692	mistake for Mary de Rich
Riste, Sarah	Beverly, MA	1692	same as Sarah Rice of Reading
Sawdy, John	Andover, MA	1692	same as John Sadie, Jr.
Sheldon, Susannah	Salem, MA	1692	afflicted girl, age 18
Toothaker, Jason	Billerica, MA	1692	really Jerson, who was same as Mary Toothaker
Usher, Hezekiah	unknown, MA	1692	apparently accused late, never arrested, maybe fled
Wardwell, Mary	Andover, MA	1692	mistake for Mercy Wardwell
Warren, Sarah	Andover, MA	1692	mistake for Sarah (Warren) Prince Osborne
White, Mrs.	Salem, MA	1692	unknown unless mistake for Mrs. Sarah Wildes
Williams, Abigail	Salem, MA	1692	afflicted girl, age 11
Wright, Mary	LI, N Eng	1660	acquitted, convicted of being Quaker & banished

About 30 of these names trace back to an undocumented list in the 1959 Encyclopedia of Witchcraft and Demonology (Rossell Hope Robbins, New York: Bonanza Books, reprinted 1981), which clearly shows very poor scholarship and uncritical evaluation of names (and spellings). Many do not appear in any of the more recent, scholarly and well-sourced references, and the others appear under a more accepted spelling, as noted above.

At the end of the Salem/Andover delusion, some of the “afflicted girls” began naming large numbers of prominent persons, including the wife of one of the ministers leading the trials against the “witches.” Another was a close relative of the colonial governor. This left the girls with no credibility, and such persons, although named by the girls, were never formally accused and should never appear on a list of witches.