Andover, Massachusetts and the Salem Witch Trials
Nestled approximately fifteen miles northwest of the infamous Salem Village, lies the town of Andover, Massachusetts, a location whose history is inextricably linked to the dark chapter of the Salem Witch Trials. Its story begins in 1634 when a parcel of land was designated for an inland plantation, a deliberate attempt to encourage settlement further from the coast. Recognizing the potential of the area, colonial authorities offered various incentives to entice settlers to brave the wilderness. This initiative proved successful, and in 1641, John Woodbridge, accompanied by a group of pioneers hailing from Newbury and Ipswich, established the first permanent settlement.
The burgeoning community thrived, and in May 1646, it was officially incorporated as a town, christened Andover, a name most likely chosen to honor its namesake in England. A testament to the settlers’ commitment to self-governance, the first recorded town meeting convened in 1656 within the humble abode of John Osgood, a prominent early settler. This marked the beginning of a structured civic life in Andover, Massachusetts.
However, the tranquility of Andover was shattered in 1692 when the specter of the Salem Witch Trials descended upon the region. Like other villages in the vicinity, Andover, Massachusetts found itself engulfed in the maelstrom of fear, suspicion, and accusations that characterized this period of intense religious and social upheaval. Tragically, Andover, Massachusetts holds the somber distinction of having more individuals accused and arrested for witchcraft than any other town in New England.
The atmosphere within the town at the time was a volatile mix of anxieties. The revocation of the Massachusetts Bay Colony charter by the crown created political instability and uncertainty. Furthermore, the local church was fractured by differing theological viewpoints espoused by its two pastors, creating division within the community’s spiritual heart. Adding to the general unease, Indian raids in the nearby settlements of Haverhill and Billerica instilled a sense of vulnerability and fear among the inhabitants. All these factors created a fertile ground for the seeds of paranoia to take root and flourish.
The witch hysteria that originated in Salem Village soon cast its long shadow over Andover. The first resident to be accused was Martha Carrier, a woman known for her independent spirit and outspoken nature. In a society governed by rigid Puritanical norms, such assertiveness was often viewed with suspicion and disapproval. Her troubles began after a heated argument with her neighbor, Benjamin Abbot, stemming from a land dispute. Following this altercation, Abbot fell ill and attributed his condition to Carrier’s bewitchment. He later testified that she had also caused the death of one of his cows, solidifying his accusations in the eyes of the increasingly fearful community.
On May 28, 1692, Martha Carrier, along with her sister and brother-in-law, Mary Toothaker and Roger Toothaker, and their young daughter, Margaret, were arrested and formally charged with witchcraft. Three days later, on May 31, Carrier was subjected to a rigorous examination by Judges John Hathorne, Jonathan Corwin, and Bartholomew Gedney, prominent figures in the Salem witch trials. Testifying against her were several of the so-called "afflicted girls," including Susanna Sheldon, Mary Walcott, Elizabeth Hubbard, and Ann Putnam, Jr., all of whom claimed to be tormented by Carrier’s spectral presence. Carrier vehemently denied the charges, accusing the girls of fabricating their testimonies. In a particularly cruel twist, Carrier’s youngest children were coerced into testifying against their own mother. Later, in July, she was further implicated by Ann Foster, adding to the weight of evidence against her.
In the midst of these harrowing events, Martha Carrier’s children, including 18-year-old Richard Carrier, 15-year-old Andrew Carrier, 10-year-old Thomas Carrier, Jr., and 8-year-old Sarah Carrier, were also accused of witchcraft. While her children ultimately survived the ordeal, Martha Carrier was not so fortunate. She was found guilty on August 2 and, on August 19, 1692, was hanged alongside George Burroughs, George Jacobs, Sr., John Proctor, and John Willard, marking a dark day in the history of Andover, Massachusetts.
Around July 1692, a young man named Timothy Swan, who was suffering from an illness, began to accuse several individuals of witchcraft, including Mary Ayer Parker, Mary Tyler Post Bridges, Rebecca Blake Eames, and Frances Alcock Hutchins. In some of these accusations, he was joined by two of the "afflicted girls," Ann Putnam, Jr. and Mary Walcott. As in Salem Village, the hysteria spread rapidly through Andover. Between July 15 and September 7, Dudley Bradstreet, acting as Justice of the Peace, issued approximately thirty arrest warrants for Andover residents accused of witchcraft. This number would soon escalate dramatically.
Later that summer, when the wife of Andover resident Joseph Ballard fell ill, they suspected that her illness might be caused by witchcraft. Mr. Ballard sought the assistance of Ann Putnam, Jr. and Mary Walcott, the afflicted girls from Salem Village, to identify the person responsible for his wife’s affliction. Upon visiting Elizabeth Ballard, the girls claimed that several people in Andover had bewitched her, including Ann Foster, her daughter, Mary Lacey Sr., her granddaughter, Mary Lacey, Jr., and numerous others. The Ballards then turned to Reverend Thomas Barnard, a former protégé of the influential Reverend Cotton Mather. Both Barnard and Mather firmly believed in the existence of witchcraft and were convinced that an "invisible empire" threatened the well-being of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. This belief was not shared by Barnard’s co-pastor, Reverend Frances Dane, who had consistently condemned the witch hunt and trials from the outset. However, Reverend Thomas Barnard disregarded his co-pastor’s opinions and played a significant role in spreading the witchcraft hysteria, organizing prayer meetings specifically targeting the Devil.
On September 7, 1692, Reverend Barnard ordered all those accused of witchcraft to gather at the Andover meeting house, where the "afflicted girls" were being held. He then conducted the "Touch Test," a particularly cruel and manipulative practice employed during the witch trials. The prevailing belief at the time was that if a witch’s hand touched the body of the person they had bewitched, the afflicted individual would immediately recover and be able to identify the witch. After reciting a prayer, Barnard blindfolded the accused and forced them to approach the "afflicted girls," who would feign fits and cries, claiming to be under the curse of a witch as the accused drew closer. When the accused touched the girls, they would suddenly recover from their fit and identify the person as the one who had afflicted them. This so-called evidence was deemed sufficient to warrant the arrest of the accused as witches.
Justice of the Peace Dudley Bradstreet promptly issued arrest warrants for eighteen men and women implicated in the touch test, including Sarah Lord Wilson and her 14-year-old daughter, Sarah, Jr.; Mary Tyler and her daughter, Johanna; Abigail Wheeler Barker, and many others.
The elite members of Andover society were initially caught off guard by the unfolding events. Captain Osgood, Deacon Frye, and other prominent figures in the church urged their friends and family members to confess, influenced by Thomas Barnard’s message that confession was the path to eternal salvation. Consequently, many "confessed" in the hope of avoiding trial and execution. However, as more and more wives and children were imprisoned, the church leaders began to realize that they had been misled by the fanaticism of their younger minister, Thomas Barnard. Finally grasping the full implications of the hysteria, they turned to their older minister, Reverend Frances Dane, and formed a resistance movement. Under his guidance, they began to take decisive steps to free the imprisoned members of their families.
During the legal proceedings, over forty Andover citizens, primarily women and children, were formally accused of having made a pact with the Devil. Three Andover residents, Martha Carrier, Mary Ayer Parker, and Samuel Wardwell, were convicted and executed. Five others either pleaded guilty at arraignment or were convicted at trial, including Mary Lacey Sr., Abigail Faulkner Sr., Sarah Wardwell, Elizabeth Johnson, Jr., and Ann Foster. Those who were not executed were later granted reprieves by Governor William Phips. Tragically, Ann Foster died in prison before she could be released.
Before the hysteria in Andover subsided, approximately eighty percent of the town’s residents had been caught up in the witch hunt. Andover, Massachusetts also bears the unfortunate distinction of having the highest number of confessed witches and the most children arrested.
The resistance movement led by Reverend Frances Dane, coupled with numerous petitions, gradually shifted public opinion against the trials. Eventually, even the radical Minister Cotton Mather began to suspect that innocent people were being hanged for witchcraft based on "spectral" evidence, which relied on testimony that a person’s spirit had appeared to a witness in a vision or dream. Andover played a crucial role in bringing the witch trials to an end.
By 1705, Andover’s growing population was expanding southward, leading to a proposal to build a new meeting house on the south end of town. In 1709, Andover was divided into two parishes, North and South.
Today, the original town of Andover is known as North Andover, a thriving community with a population of approximately 28,000. Its development is diverse, with much of the land along the Shawsheen and Merrimack Rivers dedicated to industry, while the lands southwest are more agricultural. It is considered a bedroom community of the greater Boston area, a testament to its enduring appeal and resilience.
The old burying ground in what is now North Andover marks the historical center of the early town. Nearby stood the meeting house, surrounded by clusters of homes on lots ranging from four to eight acres. The home of Benjamin Abbot, who accused Martha Carrier of witchcraft, still stands in Andover. Built in 1685, the house remained in the Abbot family for eight generations until 1933. Privately owned today at 9 Andover St., it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, serving as a tangible reminder of the complex and often tragic history of Andover, Massachusetts.