In 1688 William and Rebecca Chamberlain and their growing family are now enjoying their homestead east of the Concord River in Billerica. I don’t know if they heard about the witch who was convicted and hanged in Boston, or if they paid it any attention. Yet, Salem Village is about to set off an explosion of evil caused by that incident. Dozens of the surrounding towns will feel the effect, including Billerica.

The witchcraft accusations of 1692 had a terrible impact on the William Chamberlain family. This chapter will attempt to uncover the experience of a family living in Billerica during these dark days. And, to separate myth from reality to discover what led up to this tragedy and what were the causes?

Witch trials throughout world history

Witch trials have been a part of world history since the middle ages. In Europe, when waves of persecution swept the continent from the 1400s century through the late 1700s, tens of thousands of people were executed for witchcraft.¹

These trials apparently served a hideous need for a community to gang up on those vulnerable. An accused witch could take the blame for the ills of society or be exploited for personal benefit. They were blamed for sicknesses, crop failures or even personal problems. Old, often isolated women became useful scapegoats and victims of a bullying culture.²

Tests given to determine if one was guilty of witchcraft were ridiculous. There was very little that the accused could do to defend themselves. Those who would speak up in their defense were likely to soon find themselves among the accused.²

Witch trials and their cruel punishments were the result of governments giving some members of society unquestioned power over others. One needed merely to make an accusation. This phenomenon is not unique to witch trials of centuries past. The Stanford prison experiment in 1971, revealed “the ease with which (some) regular people, if given too much power, could transform into ruthless oppressors.” The surprising and severe results caused the Stanford study, scheduled to continue for two weeks, to be terminated after six days.³

In 1604 in England, King James 1 re-instated the witchcraft act of 1542.  Witchcraft, therefore, became a crime punishable by death. Trials of witches were transferred from the church to secular courts. In the south-east region of England, under these witchcraft acts, over 500 witches, usually poor, elderly women, were put on trial and 112 were executed.⁴

A witch trial in Boston

Many of the Massachusetts Bay Puritans were transplants from south-east England. They had been continually experiencing great and distressing fears such as Indian attacks, mysterious diseases with unknown causes and fear of losing their religious freedom. Nevertheless, they had managed to avoided the horrors of witchcraft trials for over 60 years. Until, one day in Boston, a Puritan Minister and the local government chose to reward and empower four children for bad behavior.

In 1688, Martha Goodwin, age 13, accused the laundry maid’s daughter of stealing fabric and then ran out of the house crying. This prompted the washer woman, Ann “Goody” Glover, to have words with Martha. The argument became heated to the point that Glover yelled at Martha so vehemently that Martha became ill and began exhibiting bizarre behavior. A few days later her younger brother and two sisters began to manifest similar type behavior.^5,6

Ann Glover, an Irish Catholic immigrant, was arrested and tried for bewitching the Goodwin children. The court asked her to recite “The Lord’s Prayer” as her defense. Since Gaelic was her first language she could only do this in Latin. Glover was found guilty and hanged in Boston.⁶

The Reverend Cotton Mather who had testified in the trial of Glover, published Memorable Providences, in Boston in 1689. It was about witchcraft, the trial of Ann Glover and the behavior of the Goodwin Children.⁶

The Reverend Samuel Parris moved from Boston to Salem Village

Samuel Parris studied at Harvard until age 20. When his father died, he inherited a plantation and moved to Barbados. Because of the massive hurricane of 1680, he left Barbados. He changed his career and began working as a minister in Boston where Memorable Providences was published.^6,7

On November 19, 1689, Salem Village named Reverend Samuel Parris as their new minister. He moved to Salem Village and brought with him his wife Elizabeth, their three children, a niece and two slaves. A serious and dedicated minister, Parris desired to use his evangelical enthusiasm to revitalize the church.

Residents of nearby towns described Salem as a quarrelsome and contentious place. He was aware of conflicts that had taken place in Salem, and that the three previous ministers had departed after having issues with the congregation.

His ministry went smoothly in the beginning but, as he began to reveal his beliefs and traits, a number of Salem Villagers, including a few church members, did not like what they saw.⁷

In 1689, most Puritan churches were relaxing their standards for church membership. At the same time, many citizens were becoming more focused on obtaining wealth rather than devotion to the church.

Parris held rigidly to traditional requirements, and most village church members were happy with his unyielding standards. This set them apart and elevated their status above that of non-church members. Those who protested Parris’ requirements found allies among non-members, who were a large and influential part of the village.

The Reverend also hoped to, at some expense, refurbish the meeting house. This signaled to many that the Salem church was becoming more intrusive and expensive than some villagers wanted.⁷

Indian raids hit nearby Dunstable

In September 1691 two Indian raids hit the nearby town Dunstable, Massachusetts.  While the residents of Billerica paid little attention to the squabbles in Salem Village, they cringed at news of English colonists to the north being killed, and sold into captivity. The raids on Dunstable were too close to home. Therefore, the Billerica town militia began to fervently guard its borders.⁸

Samuel Parris brought slave Tituba from his plantation in Barbados

In Salem Village, the Reverend Parris’s strict orthodoxy and overbearing disposition was wearing on the town residents. As a result, on October 16, 1691 a “Committee of Five” chosen by the village disputed his contract. If his contract was terminated, his salary would have to come from local donations. This caused Salem Village to break into factions. The factional fighting began to be played out in the reverend’s passionate weekly sermons as a battle between God and Satan.⁷

One of the slaves whom Samuel Parris inherited with the Barbatos plantation was named Tituba. She was likely of South American Indian descent. Tituba sometimes tended to the three Parris children and would often entertain 9-year old Elizabeth (Betty) Parris and her cousin and some friends around the fire. She would play fortune telling games and tell them stories of magic and spirits from the Caribbean. This group of friends who gathered with her around the fireplace became known as the circle girls.⁹

20 Jan. 1692  Betty became obsessed with fortune telling and began to act in strange ways when her father would rebuke her. Her bizarre behavior included such things as falling on the ground, writhing in pain, barking like a dog and hiding under furniture. Her behavior was very similar to the behavior of the Goodwin children described in Cotton Mathers’ publication Memorable Providences.^7,9

Samuel Parris believed that prayer could cure his daughter but her odd behavior only got worse. Her cousin Abigail Williams, and friend Ann Putnam also began to exhibit bizarre behavior, such as babbling, twitching, and convulsing. He consulted with three other ministers but they would not explain their actions. A local doctor, William Griggs suggested that their malady must be the result of witchcraft.^7,9

Feb. 29, 1692  Since the sufferers of witchcraft were believed to be the victims of a crime, the community set out to find the perpetrators. Under intense adult questioning, Betty Parris and her cousin Abigail Williams named Tituba.⁷

Tituba loved little Betty and denied practicing witchcraft or hurting her in any way. The Reverend Parris beat his slave and demanded that she confess to the magistrates. He promising her freedom if she cooperated. She confessed to practicing witchcraft and claimed there were other witches in the village. She named two other outcast women Sarah Good and Sarah Osborne. Tituba was put in prison, but because she had confessed, she did not stand trial.⁹

The Contentions in Salem spread to nearby towns

Samuel Parris’ preaching greatly contributed to the creation of the divisions within the village that led to the accusations of 1692. The battle lines had been drawn and an unholy war began. The only weapon needed was a tormented child and an accusation. The only evidence required was spectral evidence, where an afflicted girl claimed the spirit of the accused had appeared in her dream.⁷

While the first accusations implicated misfits and social outcasts, the second wave were against the opposing factions of Salem Village often based on grudges, jealousy or revenge. The third wave of accusations targeted anyone who opposed the trials and dared speak out about them. John Procter called the “afflicted” girls frauds and liars. He was the first man to be accused. The battle soon spread to two dozen other nearby towns including Billerica, the home town of William and Rebecca Chamberlain.^6,10

Many citizens of Billerica, which was about 20 miles west of Salem Village, soon found themselves accused. Sarah Carrier accused her uncle and aunt Roger and Mary Allen Toothaker. John Durrant and Rebecca Chamberlain, both of Billerica, were thrown into prison on accusations of witchcraft. Other Billerica residents were summoned to testify as witnesses. John Rogers agreed to attend, Captain Danforth refused, stating that he had nothing to say.¹⁰

10 May 1692 Sarah Osborne, one of the first to be accused died in prison.⁶

The Court of Oyer and Terminer

On May 12, 1692 William Phips arrived in Salem from England as the newly appointed governor. He quickly attempted to take control of the situation and created the Court of Oyer and Terminer. This name was derived from French and Latin roots, meaning “hear and determine.”  He designed it specifically to try accused witches. Under less urgent circumstances, Phips would have waited for the legislature to pass a law defining a high court. Instead, he created his own charter under his authority. He appointed nine judges who were close to him and who were members of his council. These judges were also close with the Reverend Cotton Mather.¹¹

10 June 1692 Bridget Bishop was hanged at Gallows Hill. After her execution, Judge Nathaniel Saltonstall resigned from the court. He didn’t believe the afflicted girls were really possessed, and found their spectral evidence unconvincing. The afflicted girls then claimed they saw Saltonstall’s spectre with the other witches, and that he was a witch himself.^6,12

15 June 1692 Cotton Mather wrote a letter requesting the court not use spectral evidence as a standard and urged that the trials be speedy. The Court of Oyer and Terminer ignored the criticism of spectral evidence but hastened to speed the trials.⁶

16 June 1692 Roger Toothaker of Billerica died in prison a few weeks after his incarceration.⁶

19 July 1692 Sarah Good and four other women were hanged at Gallows Hill.⁶

19 Aug. 1692 Four men and two women including John Proctor and a former minister of Salem, the Reverend George Burroughs, were hanged on Gallows Hill. Elizabeth Proctor who also had been found guilty was not hanged because she was pregnant.⁶ John thought that his wife was to be executed at the same time, so he did not include her in his will. This left her penniless. John Proctor may be the cousin of Sarah Procter, the wife of Thomas Chamberlain^T2.

The Reverend George Burroughs accusation was based on a grudge

The Reverend George Burroughs was the only minister to be executed. Some of the residents of Salem Village, including Ann’s parents, had a grudge against the former town minister. Ann Putnam and others accused him of being a witch.

George Burroughs was standing on a ladder before the crowd, waiting to be hanged, when he declared his innocence and then fervently and correctly recited the Lord’s Prayer. This was considered impossible by the Court of Oyer and Terminer for a witch. The spectators were thereby deeply affected and many brought to tears. Because of this reaction, it was feared that the spectators might rise up to halt the execution. Cotton Mather, being mounted upon a horse, addressed the gathering to impress the people of his guilt, saying that the devil often had been transformed into an angel of light. This somewhat appeased the people and the executions went on.¹³

Aug. 1692  Indians stunned the village of Billerica raiding two households killing two mothers and four children. (This occurred near the current site of the North Cemetery).⁸

Rebecca Chamberlain dies in Cambridge Prison

19 Sep 1692 Giles Cory was pressed by weights because he refused to enter a plea to the charges of witchcraft. He died two days under the weight.⁶

22 Sep 1692 Six more women and two men were hanged. One escaped execution by confessing.⁶

26 Sep 1692 Rebecca Chamberlain, age 67, wife of William^W1 and mother of 13 children, died in Cambridge Prison. Rebecca Chamberlain was believed to be a victim of the Salem witch hunts.¹⁴

Public opinion turns against the witch trials

3 Oct. 1692 The Reverend Increase Mather, President of Harvard College and father to Cotton Mather, denounced the use of spectral evidence.⁶

8 Oct. 1692 As ministers in Boston and public opinion turned against the trials, Governor Phips ordered that spectral evidence no longer be admitted in witchcraft trials.^6,17

29 Oct. 1692 Phips prohibits further arrests, releases many accused witches, and dissolves the Court of Oyer and Terminer.⁶

25 Nov. 1692 The General Court establishes a Superior Court to try remaining witches.⁶

3 Jan. 1693 Judge Stoughton orders execution of all suspected witches who were exempted by their pregnancy. Phips denied enforcement of the order causing Stoughton to leave the bench.⁶

Jan. 1693 Forty-nine of the of the fifty-two surviving people who had been brought into court on witchcraft charges were released because their arrests were based on spectral evidence.⁶

1693 Tituba is released from jail and sold to a new master. Samuel Parris did not keep his promise and refused to pay the fees to release Tituba.⁶

April 1693 Governor William Phips ended the special witchcraft court in Salem. Accusations soon abated and eventually stopped. At least twenty-five people had died. They executed nineteen by hanging, one tortured to death, and at least five died in jail due to harsh conditions. Over 160 people were accused of witchcraft, most were jailed, and many deprived of property and legal rights. Nearly fifty people confessed to witchcraft, most to save themselves from immediate trial.¹⁰

May 1693 Phips pardoned those still in prison on witchcraft charges.⁶

Three years later, Indians attack Billerica

Aug. 1695 Another raid of Indians struck Billerica killing or taking captive 15 residents from four houses east of the Concord River in the northern section of town.  The Indian attack came at mid-day in broad daylight.  They first raided the home of John Rogers.  Rogers, reportedly, was asleep in bed when he was hit with an arrow through his neck. He ripped the arrow from his neck, and died holding it in his hand.  A woman who witnessing the attack escaped through a window and hid in a pile of flags in the yard. The Indians kidnapped Rogers’ son and daughter, four other children escaped.⁸

The raiders struck next at the home of John Levistone.  They killed his mother-in-law and his five young children and took captive his 11-year-old daughter.  The third house raided belonged John Rogers’ younger brother Thomas Rogers. The Indians killed him and his son.⁸

The ironic fate of Mary Toothaker

The last home raided by the Indians belonged to Mary Allen Toothaker. Her sister, Martha Carrier was hanged as a witch in Salem in 1692, and her husband, Dr. Roger Toothaker, had been accused of witchcraft and died in prison.

Mary Toothaker had confessed to practicing witchcraft in 1692 and said she had been a witch for about two years. Mary told the court that she was terrified of Indians and had fought with them in her nightmares. Therefore, she said she had yielded to the Devil, and signed the Devil’s book. For this, the Devil promised her that the Indians would not hurt her.

Mary admitted attending a witches meeting where others were present including the leader, Reverend George Burroughs. She thereby implicated Burroughs and at least five others. The court set her free for her testimony. The Indians killed Mary Toothaker in the raid of August 1695, and took her youngest daughter captive.⁸

New Salem Minister tries to repair reputation of the Church

In 1697, Salem ousted Samuel Parris as minister and replaced him with Joseph Green. Green spent the rest of his life trying to repair the reputation of the church.^6,15

14 Jun. 1697 The General Court ordered a day of fasting and soul-searching for the tragedy at Salem. During this service one of the trial judges, Judge Samuel Sewall, stood up in the South Church and admitted to “blame, and shame.”  Also, twelve jurors stood and confessed that their actions were “sadly deluded and mistaken”.^6,15

1702 The General Court declares the 1692 trials unlawful.⁶

2 Aug. 1703 Thomas Chamberlain^W3 was born the son of Daniel Chamberlain^W2 and his wife Mary at Billerica, Middlesex Massachusetts.¹⁶

In 1706, Ann Putnam, one of the leading accusers was extremely sorry.  She stood up in church and publicly apologized for her actions. She had accused sixty-two people of witchcraft and was the only one of the accusers to publicly apologize. Her statement concluded: “I have just grounds and good reason to believe they were innocent persons; and that it was a great delusion of Satan that deceived me in that sad time.”^6,15

Common history views Ann and her “afflicted” young peers as selfish, vicious fakers. Apparently, at least in Ann’s case, her parents and several other adult accusers had a strong influence. Her parents, minister and many of the people fed Ann names of those with whom they had quarreled.”¹⁷

To be continued… 

Chapter 6- John Chamberlain and the Battle at Pequawket

Was Rebecca’s maiden name Addington or Shelley? You may be interested in Chapter E8- Rebecca Chamberlain and the Puzzle of Sarah Shelley’s will

If you got this far, please click “Table of Contents”, or “Good Bye!”  This will simply let me know someone read this article.

Thanks, Dennis Chamberlain

© Copyright Dennis D. Chamberlain, The Chamberlain Story, 2016. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the written content of this site without express and written permission from the author and owner is strictly prohibited. Use of excerpts and links is OK. However, please provide credit and direction to www.thechamberlainstory.com

References:

1. Tim Lambert, Background to the Witch Trials, www.localhistories.com
2. www.intriguing-history.com/witchcraft-act-1562
3. Maria Konnikova, The Real Lesson of the Stanford Prison Experiment, http://www.newyorker.com/science
4. www.parliament.uk/witchcraft/Witchcraft Act(1)
5. Anti-Catholicism in the Salem Witch Trials http://www.unamsanctamcatholicam.com
6. CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS RELATING
   TO THE SALEM WITCHCRAFT TRIALS, http://law2.umkc.edu
7. The Reverend Samuel Parris of Salem Village, http://www.legendsofamerica.com
8. Ryan W. Owen, When Eastern Massachusetts was the Frontier, 1695, https://forgottennewengland.com
9. Tituba, http://school.discoveryeducation.com
10. Witchcraft in Billerica, http://www.billericalibrary.org
11. AllenJ, The Dissolving of the court of Oyer and Terminer, http://people.ucls.uchicago.edu
12. From:Marion Starkey’s The Devil in Massachusetts, http://newenglandfolklore.blogspot.com
13. Robert Calef, George Burroughs, https://en.wikipedia.org
14. Rebecca Addington or Shelly Chamberlain, www.findagrave.com
15. The Salem Witch Trials, 1692, https://www.geni.com
16. Thomas Chamberlain, https://familysearch.org
17. Salem Witch Trials, Ann Putnam, Jr., http://salem.lib.virginia.edu
18. Note from reader: Regarding “actress portraying Tituba”….that’s Naomi Harris, in a character called Calypso, in the Pirates of The Caribbean movies. Just a FYI for accuracy.- Kirsten Crosson