Putnam salem witch trials

He would also give depositions against Rebecca Towne Nurse, and John Williard, all of whom would be executed. John Putnam died on April 7, Elizabeth died either while she was giving birth to her only child or, shortly thereafter in August Her son died a few months later.

Jonathan then married Lydia Potter in and the couple would eventually have nine children. He was a successful farmer and active in the community, chosen to the grand jury in , and as a highway surveyor the following year. He also served as a selectman for a number of years. Serving in the Salem Militia, he rose to the rank of Captain. Like his father and other members of his family, they saw it their duty to protect their nephews from Sarah Warren Prince Osborne, who they claimed was cheating their nephews out their inheritance.

When the witch hysteria broke out in , Sarah Osborne was one of the first to be accused. He immigrated with his parents to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in about He married Elizabeth Hutchinson in and the two would have seven children.

For years, Nathaniel joined his neighbors in trying to make Salem Village independent from Salem Towne. In addition to wanting the village to have its own church, he also protested that Salem Towne was too far away for its men to be expected to share in mandatory guard duty there. When Salem Village built its own church in he served on the building committee. Before , he and his brother John invested in an ironworks on lands they owned in nearby Rowley.

In , Nathaniel was second in wealth only to his brother Thomas and lived on a acre spread he had acquired from his father-in-law Richard Hutchinson. In , after his brother, Thomas, died, he became head of the prominent Putnam family. During the witchcraft hysteria of , he signed complaints against Elizabeth Fosdick and Elizabeth Paine, and would also serve as a witness against John Willard and Sarah Buckley. Nathaniel died on July 23, , in Salem Village. Thomas Putnam, Jr. Upon returning home, he married Ann Carr, who came from a wealthy family, on November 25, The couple would eventually have 12 children.

Beginning in the s, Salem Village began the process of trying to separate itself from the larger nearby community of Salem Towne. The Putnam family supported this effort wholeheartedly. The village finally was allowed to build its own church and hire a minister in Opposing him and his followers were the powerful Porter family. Both families were early settlers of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, both families had been successful, and both were large landowners in Salem Village.

Over time, the division of the community became more and more heated. In , Ann had recently lost a child and was pregnant again. She was also fearful, like many, of native and French attacks.

It was Ann Sr. Other neighborhood girls soon joined in. By March, the Reverend had removed his daughter from the environment, sending her to live with friends in Salem Town. Once Betty was gone, year-old Ann Putnam Jr. Although there were other Putnam siblings, only Ann appears in the records as an accuser.

Why would a year-old-girl claim her neighbors, and strangers, were practicing witchcraft? People gathered at the Putnam house to discuss the presence of witches in their midst, so Ann likely heard all of the latest gossip.

Reverend Parris constantly warned of evil in his sermons, frightening many of his parishioners, including young and impressionable children.

The feeling had to be addictive. Once the accusations grew, and more people were caught up in the fear, one can imagine how impossible it was to regain control of the situation. Whatever her motives, Ann Putnam Jr. In , an unknown illness killed both of her parents within two weeks of each other.

Thomas was years-old. Ann Putnam Jr. Another person in the Putnam household who was at the center of the accusations was family servant Mercy Lewis. She was a core member of the Salem Village girls who were in attendance at many of the examinations, almost as active an accuser as Ann Putnam Jr. She was one of the earliest to join the accusing group, experiencing afflictions by March. Mercy, years-old in , was one of the accusers who had experienced native attacks in Maine as a small child.

In , when just a toddler, a Wabanaki attack in Falmouth, Maine, killed her grandparents, uncles, and cousins.

She and her parents survived by fleeing to an island, along with their minister, George Burroughs. Though I do wondr what happened to Ann Putnam because she was fhe main acuser. It must be amazing to know that you are related to a trgic event in the In your comment you mention that two of your accused and imprisoned relatives escaped prison through the help of some local Indians. Could you give the names of those two?

My ancestors were among the accused and also escaped and temprarily left the area. They were Edward Bishop, Jr. They returned to Salem Village, though, and remained there until about , at which time they sold their land and removed to Rehoboth in Bristol County, Massachusetts Colony.

There are many descendants of these individuals and it makes you realize how important history is to your being here at all. My great grandmother was hung and her sister as well. I am far more interested in her and the fact that her grandson was a Minute Man at the Battle of Lexington.

These people were vital to the history and creation of this nation. Being a direct descendant of Thomas Putnam and Ann Carr, thru their youngest son, Seth, I find this most interesting, I have known most of my life on this association, and the name Putnam is still a family name…We will be visiting Salem and the surrounding area in mid-September, and are so looking forward to it. Thanks for your comment, Bill. I love hearing from Salem Witch Trials descendants.

Have fun on your trip to Salem! It was also quite interesting to be able to see, and photograph, the gravesite of Gen. Israel Putnam, and later, his homeplace. We did, as well, visit a store just next to the house, and found it to be owned by a descendant of the General. Our next venture will be to Charlestown to find the location of his gravesite.

The Sargent family as well as the Blodgett families still live in that area. I just love these essays on the History of Massachusetts in the 17th. Keep up the good writings and research. Thanks, Bill! I really hope they can get the funds they need. Glad you enjoyed your trip! Please let me know what you find out. I did take pictures and videos of our visit to the Putnam Cemetery, and thanks to the Mass. State Police Division HQ, I was allowed to park on their grounds, and walk up to the graveyard, with no problems.

He was named after HIS Putnam ancestors who came along before him. Just found out that Thomas Putnam, Jr is my 9th grt grandfather!! Researching my ancestors is amazing. I love making the connections to ancestors I never knew I had.

Your article was informative, easy to understand, and simply awesome!!!! Just found out today of my family connection to the Putnam family. Thomas Putnam Jr is my 8th great uncle. His sister Prudence Putnam Wyman is my 7th great grandmother. Will be putting a trip to Salem and Danvers on my bucket list.