George Burroughs proceeded to quote the Lords Prayer perfectly which was believed to be impossible for a witch to do. New England Marriages Prior to 1700. [citation needed] At his trial, which took place in May, he was found guilty based on evidence that included his extraordinary feats of strength, such as lifting a musket by inserting his finger into the barrel (such feats of strength being presumed impossible without diabolical assistance[8]). He was raised in the town of Roxbury (a century later would be the town William Dawes rode through to warn the colonists of the British) by his mother and would be educated at Harvard College where he graduated in 1670 with honors. After the Trials ), The deposistion of Ann putnam who testifieth and saith that on the 5'th of may 1692 at evening I saw the apperishtion of Mr George Burroughs who greviously tortored me and urged me to writ in his book which I refused then he tould me that his Two first wives would appeare to me presently and tell me a grat many lyes but I should not beleve them:then immediatly appeared to me the forme of Two women in winding sheats and napkins about their heads: att which I was gratly affrighted: and they turned their faces towards Mr. Burroughs and looked very red and angury and tould him that he had been a cruell man to them.and that their blood did crie for vengance against him: and also tould him that they should be cloathed with white Robes in heaven, when he should be cast into hell: and immediatly he vanished away: and as soon as he was gon the Two women turned their faces towards me and looked as pail as a white wall: and tould me that they ware mr Burroughs Two first wives and that he had murthered them: and one tould me that she was his first wife and he stabed hir under the left Arme and put a peace of sealing wax on the wound and she pulled aside the winding sheat and shewed me the place and also tould me that she was in the house Mr parish now lives w'n it was don, and the other tould me that Mr Burrough and that wife which he hath now kiled hir in the vessell as she was coming to se hir friends because they would have one another: and they both charged me that I should tell these things to the Magestraits before Mr Burroughs face and if he did not own them they did not know but that they should appere their: thes morning also Mis Lawson and hir daughter Ann appeared to me whom I knew: and tould me that Mr Burroughs murthered them: this morning also appeared to me another woman in a winding sheat and tould me that she was goodman fullers first wife and Mr Burroughs kiled hir because there was sum differance between hir husband and him: also on the 9'th may dureing the time of his ex- amination he did most greviously torment and afflect Mary Walcott mercy lewes Eliz Hubburd and Abigail williams by pinching prick'g and choaking them 24 ). The similarity of Thomas Putnams testimony with the afflicted girls testimonies and the shared language and phrasing in several of the girls testimony suggests that the girls might not have said those specific things and Putnam may have added these words to the documents himself to strengthen the case against Burroughs. [11] The gun said to have been used at his trial was for a time located at Fryeburg Academy in Fryeburg, Maine, having been taken there in 1808 for display in the Academy museum, but is believed to have since been destroyed in the Academy fire of 1850. Salem Witch Trials MemorialAddress: Liberty Street, Salem Mass, Proctors Ledge MemorialAddress: 7 Pope St, Salem, Mass, Site of the Salem Witch Trials ExecutionsAddress: Proctors Ledge, wooded area between Proctor Street and Pope Street, Salem, Mass. On August 2, the Court of Oyer and Terminer heard the case against Burroughs, as well as cases against John and Elizabeth Proctor, Martha Carrier, George Jacobs, Sr. and John Willard. This category includes civil, church, cemetery, obituary, and other death-related collections. 5. It he should become apprised of what was going on, his escape into remoter and inaccessible settlements would have baffled the whole scheme. One eye witness to the execution, Robert Calef, described the event in his book More Wonders of the Invisible World: Mr. But the government requiring some account of his trial to be inserted in this book, it becomes me with all obedience to submit unto the order. marce luis uppon har oath did owne this har testimony to be the truth be fore the Juriors for In quest:agust:3: 92. we whose names are under writen being present hard mircy lewes declare what is above writen what she said she saw and hard from the Apperishtion of Mr George Burroughs and also beheld hir tortors which we cannot express for sume times we ware redy to fear that every joynt of hir body was redy to be displaced: also we perceived hir hellish temtations by hir loud out cries mr.Burroughs . *John Partridge feild This page was last edited on 24 February 2023, at 21:13. 2, no. *Step. of a Sab: when that sacrament happened to be of Geo: Burroughs, ( Uncatalogued MS, Miscellaneous Manuscripts (1692), Massachusetts Historical Society, Boston, MA..), Anno Regis et Reginae Willim et Mariae nunc Angliae &c Quarto, Essex ss The Jurors for our Sovereigne Lord and Lady the King and Queen pr'sents That George Burroughs late of falmouth in the province of the Massach'ts Bay in New England, Clerk -- the Ninth Day of May in the fourth Year of the Reigne of Our Sovereigne Lord and Lady William and Mary by the Grace of God of England Scott- land France and Ireland King and Queen Defenders of the faith &c and Divers other Days and times, as well before, as after, Certaine Detestable Arts called Witchcrafts, and Sorceries, Wickedly, and felloniously, hath used Practised.&.Exercised at and within.the Towneship of Salem in the County of Essex aforesaid in upon and ag't one Mary Walcott of Salem Villiage in the County of Essex Singlewoman -- by which said wicked Arts the said Mary Walcott the Ninth Day of May in the forth Year aboves'd and Divers other Days and times as well before as after was and is Tortured afflicted Pined Consumed wasted and Tormented.ag't the Peace of our Sover- eigne Lord and Lady the King and Queen and ag't the forme of the Statute in that case made and Provided: Memorial plaque located on Masonic Temple. He denied this but did confirm that it had toads, which many people believed at the time served as witches familiars. Mathers son, Reverend Cotton Mather, later wrote an account of Burroughss case for his book, The Wonders of the Invisible World. He served as minister of Salem Village from 1680 until he left in 1683. . "Rev. 013: Bridget Bishop Executed, June 10, 1692, SWP No. On May 11, 1692, another accused witch, Margaret Jacobs, confessed to being a witch and said her grandfather, George Jacobs, Sr, and George Burroughs were witches as well. Short of stature, muscular, dark-complexioned, he was highly attractive to women, as is shown by his winning the hand of a rich widow as his second wife when he was a mere village minister. At his execution, he quoted the Lords Prayer which a witch should not have been able to do. 9, Massachusetts Historical Society, Boston, MA. Burrough to Governor and Council. This death is later brought out as evidence against Rebecca Nurse in 1692. El. ), Province of the Mattathusets Bay in New EnglandThe deposition of Thomas Greinslitt aged about forty years Testfieth. The girls testifying against him said that his first two wives and the wife and child of his successor at Salem Churchvisited as specters and accused Burroughs of killing them. Mary Walcott {testimony going to be read ). Richd.Hanniwell & John Greinslett were then present & some others yt are dead. ), Memorand'm in mr George Burroughs Tryall besides the written Evidences that was Sworne sev'll who gave theirs by word of mouth & Major Browne holding Out a heavy Gun w'th One hand. Burroughs accepted the offer and relocated to Salem Village. This article was interesting to me since I am 7th generation from Martha Carrier. Thomas putnam Capt Putman testifyed that he made his wife peter prescott lock & rested it upon his breast *Jonathan Corwin { Assis'ts, M[emoran]d[um]. George Burroughs was one of the first ministers to step into the Salem Village Church. James Duncan Phillips Library, Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, MA. On April 30, 1692, several of the girls of Salem leveled accusations of witchcraft at George Burroughs. 140163, 296-304, 319, 480, 482, 514. Trachea, bronchus and lung cancers deaths have risen from 1.2 million to 1.8 million and are now ranked 6th among leading causes of death. Rebecca Beatrice Brooks is the author and publisher of the History of Massachusetts Blog. at that time Before us *John Hathorne From June through September of 1692, nineteen men and women, all having been convicted of witchcraft, were carted to Gallows Hill, a barren slope near Salem Village, for hanging. Despite this, he was executed on the same day like many others. 6th great-grandson John Ritter. Dr. Andrew Baker, who performed Mr. Floyd's autopsy, said police officers'. and that he had made Abigail Hobbs a wicth and: severall wicthes more: and he has continewed ever sence; by times tempting me to write in his book and greviously tortoring me by beating pinching and almost choaking me severall times a day and he also tould me that he was above wicth for he was a cunjurer 6, Massachusetts Historical Society, Boston, MA. To Capt William Worwood Greeting. Startled, Ruck stated that even the Devil himself didnt know what she said, to which Burroughs replied My God makes known your thoughts unto me.. Vol. Salem Village , this 21'st of April, 1692 Much honored: Thomas Evans that he Carried Out Barrels Molossus & Meats &c out of a Canoo whilst his mate.went to the fort for hands to help out with them, Sarah Wilson Confess't that the night before mr Burroughs was Executed that there was a great Meeting of the witches Nigh Sarj't Chandlers that mr Burr. Although historians have blamed her accusation on causes ranging from a conspiracy against Andover's proprietary families to reaction against threats to patriarchal . 29. 8, Massachusetts Historical Society, Boston, MA. They begin [to] name my name they cannot Jurat in Curia, ( Essex County Court Archives, Salem - Witchcraft, vol. in journalism. Salem Sep'r 15'th 1692 Thomas Greinslitt appeared before their Maj'ties Justices of Oyer & Terminer in Open Court & Made Oath that the above mentioned perticulars & Every part of them were True William & Mary by the Grace of God of England Scotland France & Ireland King & Queen defend'rs of the faith &ca & Burroughs, ( Essex County Court Archives, Salem - Witchcraft, vol. George Burroughs, a 1670 Harvard graduate, grew up in Roxbury, MA; his mother returned to England, leaving him in Massachusetts. Ann Puttnam declared har above written evidence to Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1936, vol. Death . Elizabeth Hubbard George Burroughs and the Salem Witch Trials." The claim: The cause of George Floyd's death was a drug overdose. that we haveing ben conversant with severall of the afflected persons as maryWolcott mercy lewes Eliz: Hubburt and we have seen them most dreadfully tomented and we have seen dreadfull marks in their fleesh which they said Mr. Burroughs did make by hurting them: but on 9th may 1692 : the day of the Examination of Mr. George Burroughs the aforesaid parsons were most dreadfully tormented during the time of his Examination as if they would have been torn all to peaces or all their bones putt out of joynt and with such tortors as no tounge can express also severall times sence we have seen the afforesaid afflected parsons most dreadfully tormented and greviously complaining of Mr. Burroughs for hurting them and we beleve that Mr. George Burroughs the prisoner at the bar has severall times afflected and tormented the afforesaid persons by acts of witchcraft.. One of these witnesses stated that he was persuaded by others not to testify against Burroughs during the time of his trial but he said he later regretted this and decided to come forward after the fact. Elizer Keiser, Capt. George Burroughs was the only Puritan minister indicted and executed in Salem in 1692. His treatment of his first two wives was one subject of the interrogation; another was his supposed unnatural strength. Burroughs was described in a reading by Frances Hill: "George Burroughs was confident, strong-willed, and decisive, a man of action as well as a preacher, unusually athletic and clever enough to do well in Harvard. I, Wiggin and Lunt, 1867.Roach, Marilynne K. The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under Siege. Despite being far away from the witch hysteria in Salem, Massachusetts, Burroughs name was brought up as a witch and a warrant was put out for his arrest. 171: Officials' Expense Accounts for 1692 (Submitted 1692 - 1694), SWP No. George Burroughs, a Puritan minister who served in Salem, Massachusetts from 1680-83, was also one of the survivors of the attack by the Native Americans. The family will receive friends from 5-7 p.m. on Thursday, June 30, 2022, at the funeral home. Being askd w[hat] he thought of these things. 038: Martha Corey Executed, September 22, 1692, SWP No. George Burroughs moved to Maine, to serve the church in Wells. Last edited on 24 February 2023, at 21:13, Learn how and when to remove this template message, introducing citations to additional sources, "Warrant for apprehension of George Burroughs, and Officer's Return", "Reverend George Burroughs: Ringleader of the Salem Witches? He continued to serve as the pastor until the town was attacked and destroyed during a Wabanaki raid on August 11, 1676. *Stephen Sewall , Cler. I am a descendant of George Burroughs from his daughter Rebecca Fowle. 024: Martha Carrier Executed, August 19, 1692, SWP No. I s'd deponant saw Mr Borroughs: put his hand on the gun: to show us: how he held it and where he held his hand:and saying there he held his hand when he held s'd gun out: but:I saw him not hold it out then: He owned that none of his children, but the Eldest The Baxter Manuscripts, Volume 5 ed by James Phinney Baxter. Thomas Greinslit Sepr. Mercy Lewis's uncle, Thomas Skilling, died from an injury brought on by the Indian attack. What happened to Burroughss body after that day is unknown. He then moved to Wells, Maine, believing it would be safer from Indian attacks. The accusers said the black man [Devil] stood and dictated to him. Co-Founder of The Walt Disney Company. In 1711, the Massachusetts legislature passed a law to clear the names of the convicted witches and offered restitution to the survivors and their families if they came forward. Marcy Lewis Abigail Williams Ann putnam and Eliz Hubert and Susanah Sheldon (Viz) Upon Som: or all of them, of Salem Village or farm[es] whereby great hurt and dammage benne donn[e] to the Bodys of s'd persons above named therefore Craved Justice, Signed by Both above'd Complainers Jonathan Walcott And her daughter Mary affirmed that Mr. George Burroughs was at the witch meetings and witch sacraments, and that she knows Mr. Burroughs to be of the company of witches. Rebecca Burrows, who came from Virginia that she might enjoy God in his ordinance in N.E., & who joined the church in Roxbury 19, July 1657.. As one of the succession of three ministers who left the Village . take it in his hands or arms out of the Cannoo or boat and carry it and set it on the shore: and mr Borroughs being: there sayd that he had carryed one barrill of molasses.or sider: out of a cannoo that had like to have done him a displeasure: s'd mr Borroughs intimated: as if he did not want strength to do it but the disadvantage of the shore was such: that his foot slipping in the sand: he had like to have strained his legg Updated: November 4, 2011 . Tennessee: City Death Records, 1872-1923 for Nashville, Knoxville, and Chattanooga(at Ancestry/requires payment) coverage varies by city; includes digitized images of the death certificates or registers Tennessee Death Indexes, 1908-1912 and 1914-1933from the Tennessee State Library and Archives *Stephen Sewall Cler After most humble and hearty thanks presented to your Honors for the great care and pains you have already taken for us, for which we are never able to make you recompense (and we believe you do not expect it of us; therefore a full reward will be given you of the Lord God of Israel, whose cause and interest you have espoused, and we trust this shall add to your crown of glory in the day of the Lord Jesus); and we, beholding continually the tremendous works of divine providence -- not only every day but every hour -- thought it our duty to inform your Honors of what we conceive you have not heard, which are high and dreadful: of a wheel within a wheel, at which our ears do tingle. Hannah Fox my 8th great grandmother. we whose names are under written being present with ann putnam at the times above mentioned: saw hir tortured and hard hir refuse to writ in the book also hard hir declare what is above writen: what she said she saw and hard from the Apperishtion of Mr. George Burroghs and from thos which acc[used him] for murthering of them New details are being revealed in regards to the death of George Floyd. Summary . [Edward Putnam]?tag/putnam_edward.html) According to the book The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under Siege, a terrible thunder storm struck while the lawmen and Burroughs were on the road to Salem and the thunder, wind and falling trees frightened both the horses and the men. was Baptised. Women are disproportionately affected. white calf in his house. Summary George Burroughs was born on January 13, 1917. George Burroughs, signed by Peter's brothers John and Nathaniel, were sent to the Governor and Council to improve the conditions of Wells, Maine. 107: John Proctor Executed, August 19, 1692, SWP No. Executed, August 19, 1692, SWP No. The resettlement of Falmouth was under way, and Burroughs was preparing to resume his old post there.. Putnam stated that Burroughss spirit had to come to her on April 20 and confessed to her that he had bewitched his first and second wife to death, as well as the wife and child of Reverend Deodat Lawson and several soldiers at Eastward. When it was finally over and Burroughs still remained in their custody, the lawmen took it as a sign that the Devil had unsuccessfully tried to free Burroughs. George Burrough (1579-1653), rector of . 1700.Mather, Cotton. An arrest warrant was issued for Burroughs that day in Portsmouth, NH and was ordered to be carried out by Major Elisha Hutchinson and Field Marshal Jonathan Partridge. Couple of interesting notes. She is a former faculty member of the Humanist Institute. Putnam testified again later on that the spirits of Burroughss wives also came to her on May 5 and told her that Burroughs had murdered them, his first wife said he had stabbed her at the parsonage in Salem Village and the second wife said he killed her in the vessell as she was coming to see her friends because they would have one another.. George Burrows. Jurat in Curia, ( Essex County Court Archives, Salem -- Witchcraft Vol. [9] 28. According to Mathers account of the trial, in September, two witnesses came forward and offered testimony against Burroughs. The 30 people who testified against Burroughs at his trial were: Sarah BibberEzekiel CheeverRichard CarrierThomas EvansThomas GreenlitHannah HarrisElizabeth HubbardBenjamin HutchinsonAbigail HobbsElizar KeyserMary LaceyMary Lacey JrMercy LewisAnn Putnam, JrRebecca PutnamEdward PutnamThomas PutnamPeter PrescottRobert MorrellThomas RuckSusannah SheldonMartha TylerMary WarrenElizabeth WardwellMary WalcottSamuel WebberMary WebberSarah WilsonSimon WillardWilliam Wormall. Former Site of the Salem CourthouseAddress: Washington Street (about 100 feet south of Lynde Street), opposite the Masonic Temple, Salem, Mass. Burroughs graduated from Harvard University in 1670 and, in 1673, married his first wife Hannah Fisher. George Burroughs was the only minister that was executed during the Salem Witch Trials. ), Gentlemen then s'd King sayd I beleive he is a Child of god, a Choice Child of god, and that God would Clear up his Inocency; soe I told him my Opinion or feare was, that he was, the Cheife of all the persons accused for witchcraft or the Ring Leader of them -- all, and told him also that I beleived if he was such an one his Master meening the divell had told him before now, what I said of him, And s'd King seemeing to mee to be in a passion. Death . that they & Every of them be & personaly app'r forthwith at the pr'sent Court of Oyer & Termin'r holden at Salem to Testify the truth to the best of thier knowledge on certain Indicm'ts Exhibited against mr George Burrough hereof Make return fail Not dated in Salem Aug't 4'th 1692 in the fourth yeare of Our Reign Three years later, on June 22, 2008, George once again experienced heart failure and passed away at . and seemed to have a Motion upward upon Which I called the Mayd, and she looking up into the Chimney saw the same, and my wife looking up could not see any thing, soe I did and doe #[very Certainly] [Concider] it was some diabolicall apperition, Mr. Elizer. And this did somewhat appease the people, and the executions went on; when he [Mr. Burroughs] was cut down, he was dragged by a Halter to a hole, or grave, between the rocks, about two feet deep; his shirt and breeches being pulled off, and an old pair of trousers of one executed put on his lower parts: he was so put in, together with Willard and Carrier, that one of his hands, and his chin, and a foot of one of them, was left uncovered. Jurat in Curia, ( Withcraft Papers, 11a, Massachusetts Historical Society, Boston, MA., Boston, MA., Boston. Aug. 3, 1692. This was near enough the border with French Canada that the threat of French and Indian war parties was real. Lewis testified that on several nights in May, Burroughs appeared to her and tortured her and on the second night tried to persuade her to join him as a witch: the next night he tould me I should not see his Two wifes if he could help it because I should not witnes agast him this 9th may mr Burroughs caried me up to an exceeding high mountain and shewed me all the kingdoms of the earth and tould me that he would give them all to me if I would writ in his book and if I would not he would thro me down and brake my neck: but I tould him they ware non of his to give and I would not writ if he throde me down on 100 pichforks.. [12], Execution of Reverend George Burroughs, 1901 drawing, Genealogy of the Burroughs Family, 1894. lookt upon her & she fell into a The afflicted girls, Ann Putnam, Jr., Sarah Bibber, Mercy Lewis, Elizabeth Hubbard, Abigail Hobbs, Mary Warren, Susannah Sheldon, testified against Burroughs as well and accused him of murdering members of his family and other people in the community. ), Elizer Keysar aged aboute fourty five yeares Sayth that on Thursday last past being the fift day of this Instant moneth of May I was at the house of Thomas [Beadles] in salem, and Capt Daniell King being there also, at the same tyme, and in the Same Roome. Thirty-five citizens of Salem Village signed a petition to the court, but it did not move the court. George Carlin experienced several heart problems, having three heart attacks over three decades - one in 1978, 1982, and 1991. 2, Charles William Sever, 1881.Hoyt, David Webster. Thomas Putnam, The abovs'd Complaint was Exhibited before us this 30'th aprill 1692, (Essex Institute Collection, no. Sworne the first of June 1692 On August 19, George Burroughs, George Jacobs, John Proctor, John Willard, and Martha Carrier, were brought by cart to the execution site at Proctors Ledge, near Gallows Hill, where a large crowd, which included Reverend Cotton Mather, had gathered to watch the event. man killed them [words rubbed out] Many of the things you point out verify what was passed down in family history. The idea that the Devil may have infiltrated the church terrified the people of Salem and made Burroughss trial one of the most significant trials in the witch hysteria. Sarah Vibber Jurat On August 19, 1692, George Burroughs plunged to his death and was buried in a shallow grave. 097: Alice Parker Executed, September 22, 1692, SWP No. 172: Petitions to the General Court, with Responses (1696-1725), SWP No. then we come into the house of left Ingersoll and I went into the great Roome and abigle come in and said ther he stands I said wher wher and presently draed my rapyer but he emmedetly was gon as she said then said she ther is a gray catt then i said wher abouts doth she stand ther s'd she ther than I struck # [with] with my rapyer then she fell in afitt and when it was over she said you kild hur and immedetly Sary good come and carrid hur away this was about 12 a clock Burroughs was arrested on charges ofwitchcraft on April 30, 1692, based on the accusation of some personal enemies from his former congregation who had sued him for debt. George Burroughs was the only minister executed as part of the Salem Witch Trials onAugust 19, 1692. In 1992, the Salem Witch Trials Memorial was built in Salem, Mass and a marker was established for George Burroughs. The police caused George Floyd's death, but drugs and heart disease played a role, the medical examiner says. Death . 2, no. Hubbard, ( Witchcraft Papers, no. Salem August 2'd 1692. Although they still believed in witches and believed witches may have invaded Salem, they had doubts that so many people could have been guilty of the crime. The six, including Burroughs, were sentenced to death. Burroughs denied these accusations, but they were common accusations against him. George Burroughs was probably born around Suffolk, England around 1650 prior to migrating to Massachusetts Bay Colony with his parents. On Monday afternoon, an independent autopsy ordered by George's family found . 037: Giles Corey Pressed to Death, September 16, 1692, SWP No. In 1689, George Burroughs and his family survived another raid, but Mercy Lewis' parents were killed and she began to work as a servant for George Burroughs's family. part of the day, & the other at Charlstown part His failure to baptize his children or to attend communion and the secrecy he seemed to keep did not look well on him. He is remembered especially for reciting the Lord's Prayer during his execution, something it was believed a witch could never do. yo'r humble Servant, (Reverse) To Jno Hauthorn When the parsonage was finally completed, the Burroughs family moved in and took on a young servant, Mercy Lewis, a fellow survivor of the Wabanaki raid of 1676. Jurat in Curia, (Reverse) Sarah Viber ag't Stories circulated about him, including many that described his tremendous strength so great that some believed it could not be earthly. He was about 42 years of age. Edward putnam Ann Putnam Nathaniel Ingersoll and five others paid a 15 pound bond to keep Burroughs out of prison and also collected depositions in his favor.