Witches of Massachusetts – O-P

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Witchcraft Trial

Witchcraft Trial

Sarah Warren Prince Osborne (1643?-1692) – One of the first three women to be accused of witchcraft in the Salem witch trials of 1692, Sarah is sometimes referred to as “Goody Osborne,” Goody being short for “Goodwife” and at the time a form of address for old women of lowly social status. Born Sarah Warren in Watertown, Massachusetts, in about 1643, she grew up to marry a prominent man named Robert Prince of Salem Village. She moved with her husband to Salem Village in 1662, where Robert owned a 150-acre farm next to Captain John Putnam, who was also his brother-in-law. There, the couple would have three children. Unfortunately, Robert Prince died in 1674, leaving Sarah Prince a widow. He left his land entrusted to Sarah with the provision that it be given to them upon their sons’ coming of age. However, at that time, the two boys, James and Joseph, were only six and two years old, respectively. Soon after her husband’s death, Sarah hired an indentured Irish immigrant named Alexander Osborne as a farm hand and, at some point, paid off his indenture. Rumors quickly spread that Sarah Prince and Alexander Osborne were “living together,” and the pair eventually married. Afterward, Sarah attempted to overtake her children’s inheritance and seize control of the estate for herself and her new husband. However, the powerful Putnam family would defend the rights of her sons in an extensive legal battle. The conflict was still ongoing when Sarah Osborne became one of the first three persons accused of witchcraft in February 1692.

Sarah was accused by Thomas Putnam, Jr, Edward Putnam, Joseph Hutchinson, and Thomas Preston of afflicting Ann Putnam Jr., Elizabeth Parris, Abigail Williams, and Elizabeth Hubbard. Unlike the other two women accused with her, Tituba and Sarah Solart Poole Good, Osborne never confessed to witchcraft nor attempted to accuse anyone else. A warrant for her arrest was written on March 1. She was the second of the original three to be examined, and all the accusations against her were denied. In her defense, she was the first defendant to assert in her defense the theological claim that the devil could take the shape of another person without their compliance — a view that eventually prevailed and brought the Salem trials to a halt. However, the words of Sarah Good’s examination were twisted to accompany the “afflicted girls” accusations towards her, and later, Tituba would claim that the three of them were indeed working with the Devil. After the examination, she was placed in a Boston Jail to await her trial. However, Sarah, who had been ill for some time before her arrest, would never be tried. She died shackled in prison on May 10, 1692, at 49.

Mary Clements Osgood (1637?-1710) – Born in England in 1637, her father was Robert Clements. Five-year-old Mary was left with relatives when her father immigrated to America in 1642. She later joined her father, who was serving as a magistrate in Haverhill. Her father performed the ceremony when she married John Osgood, Jr. in November 1653. Of Andover, John Osgood was a man of prominence who had served thirty years in military service in which he had attained the rank of captain, was one of the first settlers in Andover and a church founder, was the first representative to the General Court from Andover, and owned a considerable amount of land. The couple would have one daughter they named Constance. Though Mary was described as a remarkably pious and good woman, she was accused of witchcraft. When she was examined, she was 68 years old. Though it is known that she spent some time in jail, she was later released, probably on bond. Her husband died on August 21, 1693. Mary lived until October 27, 1710.

Elizabeth Carrington Paine (1636?-1711) – Of Malden, Massachusetts, Elizabeth married Stephen Paine. A complaint of witchcraft was made against her on May 30, 1692, by Lieutenant Nathaniel Putnam and Joseph Whipple of Salem Village for afflicting Mercy Lewis and Mary Warren. A warrant was issued on June 2, and Elizabeth was brought in for examination the next day. While it is known that she was imprisoned, there is nothing more known of the disposition of the complaint.

Poppet

Poppet

Alice Parker – (??-1692) – A resident of Salem Towne, Alice was executed on September 22, 1692, during the Salem Witch Trials. She was married to a fisherman named John Parker and was but a simple housewife known to be a woman of good faith and good deeds when she was accused of witchcraft by Mary Warren. Alice was first examined on May 12, 1692, when Mary Warren implied that Alice Parker had murdered her mother. She would state that shortly after Alice had visited their home, Mary’s sister and mother had taken ill, and her mother died. She also said that Alice Parker had brought a poppet to her, threatening to stick a needle into its heart, afflicting Mary Warren.

Further testifying, Warren would say that Alice Parker had told her that she had attended a Bloody Sacrament meeting with about 30 other witches. The entire time that Mary Warren was giving her testimony, it was interrupted by periodic fits. Alice Parker stated her innocence from the beginning and maintained her innocence until her death. More people would testify against her through depositions and at her trial, stating that she had sent animals to attack people for her. Testifying against her were Martha Dutch, Sarah Bibber, Mary Walcott, Abigail Hobbs, Elizabeth Hubbard, and Ann Putnam, Jr. At her trial in September, Mary Warren would further accuse her of being the cause of several other area deaths. Alice Parker was found guilty and condemned to die on September 9, 1962. She was hanged on September 22, 1692.

Mary Ayer Parker (mid-1600’s-1692) – Of Andover, Massachusetts, Mary Ayer Parker was executed on September 22, 1692, with several others, for witchcraft in the Salem witch trials. Fifty-five years old and a widow at the time of her arrest, Mary was born to John and Hannah Ayer. From England, the family moved to America somewhere along the line, settling in a few places before landing in Haverhill in about 1646. Mary Ayer grew up to marry Nathan Parker, and the couple had at least eight children. Over the years, her husband Nathan increased his land holdings from just his house lot and four acres to more than 200 acres. When Nathan died on June 25, 1685, he left his wife and children an ample estate. Mary inherited one-third of the house and land.

Though there was no documented friction with any of her neighbors nor any prior accusations of wrongdoing, Mary Ayer Parker was accused of having afflicted Sarah Phelps, Hannah Bigsby, and Martha Sprague with witchcraft. William Barker, Jr. named her in his September 1, 1692 confession, testifying that he and Goody Parker had afflicted Martha Sprague and that the two of them had ridden upon a pole and had been baptized in Five Mile Pond. Mary Parker was examined on September 2, 1692, when several “afflicted girls” from Andover and Salem Village fell into fits. These included Mary Warren, Sarah Churchill, Hannah Post, Sara Bridges, and Mercy Wardwell. When the “touch test” was employed during the examination, the girls were “cured.” Mercy Wardwell and William Barker, Jr. would also say that she had tortured Timothy Swan with iron spindles, pins, and other instruments. Mary Ayer Parker was found guilty of witchcraft on September 16, 1692, and she was executed just six days later on September 22, 1692.

Interestingly, regarding Mary Ayer Parker and the fact that she had no conflicts with anyone in Andover or Salem Village, there are questions about why she was targeted and even if she was the correct woman arrested. At that time, another woman who lived in the area was also named Mary Parker. That particular Mary Parker had been taken to court several times. In 1669, she was sentenced for fornication. In 1672, the court extended her indenture to Moses Gillman for bearing a child out of wedlock. A year later, she returned to court to obtain child support from Teague Disco of Exeter. Once again, she was charged with fornication and was sentenced to ten stripes. She came to trial two more times for fornication in 1676. This would be a reputation that was very bad during those Puritan times. Gossip was rampant. Was the wrong woman accused? Or was the fact that she had the same “disreputable” name enough to cause her to be accused?  Little evidence was given to convict Mary Parker, and her testimony was seemingly ignored. Interestingly, the presiding officer, Thomas Chandler, had once been good friends with the Parkers. But, had apparently disagreed with them somewhere along the line.

Sarah Parker (1670-??) – The daughter of Nathan and Mary Ayer Parker Sarah was born in Andover in 1670, Sarah was 22-year-old when she was named in the confessions of Elizabeth Dane Johnson, Sr. and Susannah Post in their confessions of August 1692. Although her mother, Mary Ayer Parker, was accused at about the same time and, within a month, was tried and executed, it doesn’t appear that Sarah Parker was ever indicted. There is nothing more known of her.

Margaret Skillings Prince (1625-1706) – Margaret was born to Mr. Skillings and Janet McIlwraith Skillings in 1625 in England. Somewhere along the line, she immigrated to America, and she married Thomas Prince in Gloucester in 1649. The couple would have six children. Her husband, Thomas, died on January 17, 1690. Two years later, the Widow Prince would be accused of witchcraft along with Elizabeth Dicer, also of Gloucester. The two were accused by Ebenezer Babson on behalf of his mother, the widow Eleanor Babson, on September 3, 1692.

Interestingly, just weeks before his accusation, Babson had been involved in another paranormal (or paranoid incident) of spectral soldiers who were allegedly haunting him. Whether he was blaming this other incident on the two women is unknown. In any case, Margaret Prince was indicted and also accused of having afflicted Elizabeth Booth of Salem Village. Her daughter, Mary Prince Rowe, and granddaughter, Abigail Rowe, were also accused. Margaret was released from Ipswich on a £200 bond on December 15, 1692, and appears to have never been tried. She died on February 24, 1706, in Gloucester, Massachusetts.

Benjamin Proctor (1659-1720) – The only surviving child of John Proctor and his first wife, Martha Giddons, Benjamin, like many other members of the Proctor family, was accused of witchcraft in May 1692. See more of the Proctor Family HERE!

Elizabeth Bassett Proctor, c.1651-17??) – Married to John Proctor, both she and her husband were accused of witchcraft and condemned to death. Her husband, John, was hanged on August 19, 1692, but Elizabeth was given a reprieve because she was pregnant. By the time she gave birth, the hysteria had died down, and she was later released. She would later marry for the second time in 1699. See more of the Proctor Family HERE!

John Proctor before he was hanged for witchcraft

John Proctor before he was hanged for witchcraft

John Proctor (1631-1692) – Husband of Elizabeth Bassett Proctor, both he and his wife would be convicted of witchcraft and sentenced to hang. John Proctor was hanged at the gallows in Salem Towne on August 19, 1692, but Elizabeth was given a reprieve because she was pregnant. By the time she gave birth, the hysteria had died down, and she was later released. Numerous more members of his family were also accused, including Benjamin Proctor, his son from his first marriage, and William Proctor and Sarah Proctor, his son and daughter with Elizabeth Bassett. Several more were accused from Elizabeth’s side of the family, including her sister, Mary Bassett DeRich, and her sister-in-law, Sarah Hood Bassett. See more of the Proctor Family HERE!

Sarah Proctor (1676-17??) – The daughter of John and Elizabeth Bassett Proctor, she was accused of witchcraft in May 1692 and imprisoned. See more of the Proctor Family HERE!

William Proctor – (1692-??) – The oldest son of John and Elizabeth Bassett Proctor, William was accused of witchcraft in May 1692 and imprisoned. See more of the Proctor Family HERE!

Ann Greenslit Pudeator (16??-1692) – In her 70s at the time of her execution for witchcraft, Ann was a well-to-do widow when she was accused. Nothing is known of where Ann was born or what her maiden name was, but she grew up to marry Thomas Greenslit, and the couple would have five children. The couple was thought to have lived in Falmouth, Maine. Somewhere along the line, the family moved to Salem Towne. Thomas Greenslit died in 1674, leaving his wife destitute. She was then thought to have worked as a midwife and a nurse to support the family. In the early 1670s, she worked for Jacob Pudeator, a neighbor, and was nursing his wife Isabel, who was ill. Isabel Pudeator died on March 3, 1675 (or 1676). The childless widower, who was some 20 years younger than Ann Greenslit, married her about a year after his wife died. He was about 35, and she was about 55 at their marriage. Jacob worked as a blacksmith and owned property in Salem Towne. Just five years later, in 1682, Jacob Greenslit passed away, leaving bequests to each of Ann’s five children and the remainder of his property to Ann herself.

When the witch hysteria erupted in 1692, Ann found herself a target. Some have theorized that her likely occupation as a nurse and midwife, along with her being a woman of property, made her vulnerable to accusations of witchcraft. A warrant for her arrest was issued on May 12, 1692. She would soon be examined, and Sarah Churchill would be the first to testify against her, saying that the elderly woman had presented her with the Devil’s Book and forced her to sign it, as well as having tortured her with poppets with thorns. Before long, the “afflicted girls,” including Mary Warren, Ann Putnam, Jr., Elizabeth Hubbard, Mary Walcott, and Sarah Bibber, were falling into fits and accusing her as well, saying that Ann’s specter had pinched, pressed, and choked them. Constable Joseph Neal described having found a number of “curious containers of various ointments,” which were thought to have been used for witchcraft. Though Ann Pudeator denied having ever met those claiming to be afflicted, she was indicted and brought to trial on July 2, 1692, where further damaging testimony would be given against her. Mary Warren would say that Ann had caused John Turner to fall from a tree, as well as accusing her of killing her husband, Jacob, as well as Jacob’s first wife, Isabel. John Best, Sr. also accused Ann of having murdered his wife, whom Ann had served as a nurse. More testimony provided stated that she was able to turn herself into a bird to bewitch people and that she had caused the death of Joseph Neal’s wife. Interestingly, none of her children came to her defense during the trial. Ann Greenslit Pudeator was found guilty and sentenced to hang.

Afterward, she wrote a petition to the court that denounced her accusers, stating that Mary Warren, Sarah Churchill, John Best, Sr., John Best, Jr., and Samuel Pickworth had borne false witness against her. She would also say that John Best Jr. was a known liar. But, her petition would come to no avail. She was hanged on Gallows Hill on September 22, 1692, the final set of executions resulting from the Salem Witch Trials. In October 1710, the General Court passed an act reversing the convictions of those for whom their families had pleaded, but Ann Pudeator was not among them.

© Kathy Alexander/Legends of America, updated January 2024.

Also See:

The Salem Witchcraft Hysteria (Main article)

Accused “Witches”

The “Afflicted” Girls

Procedures, Courts & Aftermath

Timeline of the Witchcraft Hysteria

Towns Involved