The “Witches” of Massachusetts – E
The chilling annals of the Salem Witch Trials, a dark chapter in American history, are filled with names whispered in fear and accusation. This article delves into the lives of several individuals whose surnames begin with "E," caught in the web of paranoia and superstition that gripped Massachusetts in the late 17th century. Each story is a testament to the fragility of reputation and the devastating power of mass hysteria. Among these figures are Daniel Eames, Rebecca Blake Eames, Mary Towne Easty, Mary Hollingsworth English, and Phillip English, each facing accusations of witchcraft during this tumultuous period.
Daniel Eames (1663-After 1695) – The shadow of suspicion often fell upon the families of those accused of witchcraft, and Daniel Eames, son of the confessed witch Rebecca Eames, was no exception. Born on April 7, 1663, to Robert and Rebecca Blake Eames, Daniel resided with his wife and children in his parents’ home in Boxford, Massachusetts. He labored on the family farm, contributing to their livelihood. However, his life took a sinister turn when he became entangled in the Salem Witch Trials.
Shortly before his arrest, Daniel’s behavior underwent a disturbing change. He had been absent from home for an unspecified duration, and upon his return, he exhibited troubling signs. Witnesses reported that he used foul language and made unsettling references to the Devil. This aberrant behavior did not go unnoticed, and Salem magistrates were alerted. They initiated an investigation, questioning several individuals about Daniel’s actions and demeanor.
One of the most damning accusations came from Betty Johnson, who claimed to have accompanied Daniel’s spirit during nocturnal excursions. She testified that she witnessed him afflicting the Phelps child, adding a chilling layer to the allegations. Furthermore, Johnson asserted that Daniel’s specter had harmed her and Mary Lacey, Jr., further solidifying the accusations against him.
When Daniel Eames was brought into the presence of the afflicted, the scene was described as chaotic. The accusers reportedly fell to the floor as if struck, seemingly confirming his malevolent influence. Despite the overwhelming evidence presented against him, Daniel vehemently denied all charges of witchcraft. However, his denials were met with skepticism as more witnesses came forward to accuse him, including Mary Warren and Ann Putnam, Jr., both prominent figures in the witch hunt.
As a result of the accusations, Daniel Eames was imprisoned, his fate hanging in the balance. His wife, Lydia Wheeler Eames, was also implicated in the witchcraft accusations, but the outcome of her case remains unclear. Despite the uncertainty surrounding his trial, records indicate that Daniel Eames lived until at least 1695, suggesting that he may have escaped execution.
Rebecca Blake Eames (1641-1721) – The case of Rebecca Eames stands as a stark reminder of the bizarre nature of the Salem Witch Trials. Her ordeal began on August 19, 1692, while she was a mere spectator at the witch hangings. In a moment of shocking accusation, she was accused of causing a pinprick in the foot of another observer, leading to her immediate arrest.
Born in February 1641 in Gloucester, Massachusetts, to George and Dorothy Blake, Rebecca’s life had been relatively unremarkable until that fateful day. She married Robert Eames, an English immigrant, in Andover, Massachusetts, in 1661, and together they settled in Boxford, where they raised eight children.
The day she witnessed the executions of George Burroughs, Martha Allen Carrier, George Jacobs, Sr., John Proctor, and John Willard marked a turning point in Rebecca’s life. Immediately after the hangings, she was taken into custody and subjected to an examination. In a desperate attempt to save herself, she made a confession that ultimately sealed her fate. Rebecca testified that the devil had appeared to her in the form of a colt and had persuaded her to follow him. She further claimed that she had allowed her son Daniel, born in 1663, to be baptized by the devil, a statement that further implicated her family in the alleged witchcraft.
Rebecca’s confession did not end there. She also admitted to afflicting Timothy Swan, adding another name to the list of her supposed victims. On August 31, 1692, she was examined again by John Hathorne and Jonathan Corwin, two of the leading magistrates in the Salem Witch Trials. During this second examination, she reiterated her earlier confession and implicated the "Toothaker Widow" and Abigail Faulkner as fellow witches.
The accusations against Rebecca Eames continued to mount. On September 15th, Mary Walcott, Mary Warren, and Ann Putnam Jr. testified that they, too, had been afflicted by her. Two days later, on September 17, 1692, Rebecca Eames, along with nine others, were condemned to die. Four of the nine were executed just five days later, on September 22, adding to the growing death toll of the witch trials.
However, Rebecca’s story did not end there. Her son, Daniel Eames, and her grandson were also accused of witchcraft, highlighting the far-reaching consequences of the accusations. In October, the Court of Oyer and Terminer, which had been responsible for conducting the witch trials, was dissolved. Despite this, Rebecca Eames remained incarcerated in Salem prison.
On December 5th, she submitted a petition to Governor Phips, retracting her "false and untrue" confession. She claimed that she had been "hurried out of my senses" by Abigail Hobbs and Mary Lacey, other accused witches, who had coerced her into confessing by threatening her with execution if she did not comply.
In March of 1693, Rebecca Eames was finally released from prison. However, her ordeal had taken a toll on her family. Her husband, Robert, who had stood by her throughout her trial, was deeply affected by the experience and died just a few months later, on July 22, 1693. In 1711, Rebecca Eames and 21 others were named in an act of the Massachusetts legislature, and her civil rights were restored, marking a formal recognition of the injustice she had suffered. She lived to the age of 82, passing away in Boxford, Massachusetts, in 1721. The tragedy that The “Witches” of Massachusetts – E caused to her family remained a shadow.
Mary Towne Easty (1634-1692) – The accusations against Mary Towne Easty, the sister of Rebecca Towne Nurse and Sarah Towne Cloyce, both also accused of witchcraft, shocked the Salem community. Born on August 24, 1634, in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England, to William Towne and Joanna Blessing Towne, Mary was one of eight children. Around 1640, the family immigrated to America, seeking a new life in the colonies.
In 1655, Mary married Isaac Easty in Topsfield, Massachusetts, and the couple went on to have 11 children. Like her sister Rebecca, Mary was a respected and pious member of the Salem community, making her accusation all the more surprising.
During her examination on April 22, 1692, Mary’s innocence was seemingly disregarded. When she clasped her hands together, Mercy Lewis, one of the afflicted girls, imitated the gesture and claimed to be unable to release her hands until Easty did the same. Similarly, when Mary inclined her head, the afflicted girls accused her of trying to break their necks. Mercy Lewis even claimed that Easty’s specter had climbed into her bed and laid her hand upon her breasts, adding a disturbing sexual element to the accusations.
Despite the seemingly irrefutable evidence presented by the afflicted girls, Mary maintained her innocence. When asked by magistrates John Hathorne and Jonathan Corwin how far she had complied with Satan, she replied, "Sir, I never complied but prayed against him all my days, I have no compliance with Satan, in this…I am clear of this sin."
Surprisingly, Mary was released from prison after two months and discharged on May 18th. However, her freedom was short-lived. On May 20, Mercy Lewis claimed that Easty’s specter was afflicting her, and the other girls supported the claim. A second warrant was issued that night for Easty’s arrest. She was taken from her bed and returned to prison, and Lewis’s fits ceased after Mary was chained.
Mary Easty was tried and condemned to death on September 9, 1692. She was hanged on September 22, 1692, along with Martha Corey, Ann Pudeator, Alice Parker, Mary Parker, Wilmot Redd, Margaret Scott, and Samuel Wardwell. On the gallows, she prayed for an end to the witch hunt, demonstrating her compassion and concern for the community despite the injustice she had suffered. Her parting words to her family were described "as serious, religious, distinct, and affectionate as could be expressed, drawing tears from the eyes of almost all present." Her sister, Rebecca Towne Nurse, had already been hanged on July 19th, adding to the family’s tragedy. Her other sister, Sarah Towne Cloyce, who had also been accused, was not indicted and escaped the same fate. The “Witches” of Massachusetts – E story is a story of family tragedy.
Mary Hollingsworth English (1655-1694) – Mary Hollingsworth English, born in 1655 to wealthy Salem Towne merchant William Hollingsworth and his wife Eleanor Story, was another victim of the Salem Witch Trials. She married Philip English in 1675, a French man who had immigrated to Salem in 1670. The couple would eventually have seven children.
Philip English had already established himself as a successful trading merchant, but the relationship with the successful William Hollingworth would help him grow his business even more. On April 19, 1692, Mary was arrested to answer a complaint of witchcraft, having been accused by Susanna Sheldon, who claimed to have seen Mary’s apparition, accompanied by a black man wearing a tall hat. On April 22nd, she was examined at the Salem meeting house. She was accused by Abigail Williams would also testify that George Jacob’s specter told her that he had recruited Mary as a witch.
Mary remained housed in Salem for three weeks following her examination. On May 12, she was transferred to a jail in Boston to await trial. When her husband, Philip English, loudly criticized the whole affair, he, too, was accused, and on April 30, 1692, a warrant was issued for English’s arrest. However, having advance warning, Philip fled to Boston, where he hoped his influence could be used to free Mary.
His escape caused problems for Mary, and he returned to Salem to face charges of witchcraft. He was examined on May 31st and sent to join his wife in a jail in Boston. With the help of influential friends, the couple was allowed to be free each day, on the promise that they would return at night to sleep in the jail. They were soon persuaded by a Boston minister to flee before their trials, and they reluctantly agreed, leaving behind their two teenage daughters to stay with friends in Boston. The couple then made their way to New York.
When the hysteria ended in 1693, the couple returned to Salem to find that Sheriff Corwin had confiscated much of their property. The next year, shortly after giving birth to a son, Mary died. The “Witches” of Massachusetts – E trials took a heavy toll on the English family.
Phillip English (1651-1736) – Philip English, originally Philippe d’Anglois, was born in 1651 and immigrated from the Isle of Jersey to Salem Town in 1670, changing his last name to English. He established himself as a successful trading merchant and married Mary Hollingsworth in about 1675. The couple resided in a grand home near the harbor and had seven children.
Philip continued to grow his business, owning a fleet of 21 ships, a wharf, and real estate on the harbor. He took an active role in local affairs, being elected a Salem Town selectman in April 1692. The couple soon became the target of witchcraft accusations, possibly due to several factors, including Philip’s French origin, his Episcopalian faith in a Puritan community, and his involvement in numerous lawsuits over disputed property. The fact that Mary’s deceased mother had once been accused of witchcraft may have also contributed to the accusations.
On April 19, 1692, Philip’s wife Mary was arrested to answer a complaint of witchcraft. On April 22nd, she was examined at the Salem meeting house, accused by Susannah Sheldon and Abigail Williams. Mary remained imprisoned in Salem for three weeks before being transferred to a jail in Boston to await trial.
Philip’s vocal criticism of his wife’s arrest quickly made him a target as well. Susannah Sheldon accused him of having a Devil’s book and of murdering a man. Another accuser, William Beale, claimed that English had caused him nosebleeds during a real estate dispute and speculated that the sudden deaths of his sons were the result of English’s evil work.
On April 30, 1692, a warrant was issued for Philip’s arrest. He fled to Boston, hoping to use his influence to free Mary. However, his escape caused problems for his wife, and he returned to Salem to face charges of witchcraft. He was examined on May 31st and sent to join his wife in a jail in Boston. With the help of influential friends, the couple was allowed to be free each day, on the promise that they would return at night to sleep in the jail. They were soon persuaded by a Boston minister to flee before their trials, leaving behind their two teenage daughters. The couple escaped to New York.
When the hysteria ended in 1693, the couple returned to Salem to find that Sheriff Corwin had confiscated much of their property. The next year, Mary died shortly after giving birth to a son. Philip returned to his shipping business and remarried to the Widow Sarah Haskell Ingersoll, with whom he had one child. He pursued claims for reimbursement of his property, finally receiving 532-pound sterlings in 1711, the highest amount paid to any of the accused. Philip English died in 1736.