I have previously commented on my relationship to Martha Carrier, who was hanged on August 19, 1692, at Salem during the “witch-hunt” time. Still, there are some things I wish to discuss related to this ancestor of mine, so perhaps I should explain that relationship in a bit more detail.
As a child, I was told by my mother that she (therefore I) was a descendent of John Alden and Priscilla Mullins (they of the “Speak for yourself, John.” legend), who came over on the Mayflower and landed at Plymouth Rock in 1620. But they aren’t a part of this discussion.
At some later point, I was also told that Martha Carrier, who had been hanged as a witch in the infamous Salem Witch Trials was also a relation of mine. (She was my 9th Great Grandmother, if you really care.) To be honest, while I found this interesting, it wasn’t all that important to me as a child.
As I got older, and especially after my sister, the family genealogist, started looking into our family’s genealogy, the whole thing became a bit more interesting. Maggi (my younger daughter, who was in college at that point as I remember) was somewhat interested in modern paganism, which spurred some additional interest in the whole subject of “witchcraft” on my part.
Then, along about 2008, Kathleen Kent, who turns out to be a somewhat distant cousin (descended from a different one of Martha’s sons than my family) published an historical novel called The Heretic’s Daughter, which focused on the events leading up to and surrounding Martha’s trial and hanging. The book described these events, as told (fictionally, of course) by her daughter, Sarah, who was 7 at the time of the events, but is telling the story as a grownup. This got me quite interested in this part of my family’s story.
I became even more interested in 2010, when my sister told Maggi and me about (and we attended) a “Carrier Family Reunion,” in Salem, during the early part of November of 2010 in honor of “Cousin” Kathleen’s 2nd book related to Martha and her family, The Wolves of Andover, later known as The Traitor’s Daughter. It is actually a prequel to The Heretic’s Daughter, and explains how Martha Allen met and married Thomas Carrier and their life together prior to the incidents of the Witch Trial period.
As the family legend, and the second book, which is told as a letter from Sarah to her children, goes, Sarah’s parents, especially Thomas, had to be extremely careful and cautious in any public dealings. You see, it’s believed that Thomas had, in earlier days, left his home in Wales, gone to England, become a member of the English army, and risen to be one of King Chas. I’s bodyguards. Later, he joined Oliver Cromwell’s revolt against the crown and, it is said that he was present on the scaffold when Chas. I was beheaded. Specifically, the family legend says that Thomas was the one who actually swung the axe to behead the King, but that is highly unlikely to ever be proven, either way. In any case, after the Restoration, Thomas (who MAY have originally been named Morgan) fled to this land to avoid Chas. II’s revenge and may have changed his name to Carrier in the process.
Now, the books I refer to are, obviously, historical fiction, but review of actual documents (Kathleen certainly did more research than I have, but I HAVE done a bit) suggests that the family legends seem to be quite a plausible version of the actual events, which are not completely known, or documented.
As best I have been able to discover, I believe that I may well be related to 3 of the people who were the accusers of Salem; 6 of those who were executed; and, at least 10 others who were formally accused of witchcraft, but either avoided arrest, escaped from prison, or were, otherwise, not executed. Also, I have some connection to 7 of the individuals who were among those conducting the “trials” (generally there were several “Magistrates” involved in each trial). It also seems that I have some relationship with Increase Mather, Clergyman of the North Church in Boston and Sixth President of Harvard College, which means that I’m also related to Increase’s son, Cotton Mather, who was also a well-known clergyman at the time, and was a leading exponent of the use of so-called “spectral evidence” during the trials. This was “testimony” from the accusers about their visions of a “witch’s” spirit (often in the form of a bird, or other creature) who the accusers was said to have sent out to torture them, but which couldn’t be seen by anyone else.
Does all this sound a bit “fishy” to you? I would suggest that the “witch hunt” (NOTE: This was a REAL witch hunt!) was quite likely just based on hysteria and (as it was later “confessed” by some of the accusers) may well have just been a bunch of mostly preteen girls “making sport!”
Eventually, after the hysteria wore off, ALL of those “executed” were given a big “OOPS, we really didn’t mean to do that!” and their families were paid a small compensation, by way of apology. Not much recompense for destroying a number of families, “confiscating” their property, and causing the loss of any sort of reputation within the community.
Nowadays, of course, since Salem is most widely known for its infamous “Witch Hunt,” it’s become “The Witch City,” (see the Salem Police Dept. logo below):
As a child, I was told by my mother that she (therefore I) was a descendent of John Alden and Priscilla Mullins (they of the “Speak for yourself, John.” legend), who came over on the Mayflower and landed at Plymouth Rock in 1620. But they aren’t a part of this discussion.
At some later point, I was also told that Martha Carrier, who had been hanged as a witch in the infamous Salem Witch Trials was also a relation of mine. (She was my 9th Great Grandmother, if you really care.) To be honest, while I found this interesting, it wasn’t all that important to me as a child.
As I got older, and especially after my sister, the family genealogist, started looking into our family’s genealogy, the whole thing became a bit more interesting. Maggi (my younger daughter, who was in college at that point as I remember) was somewhat interested in modern paganism, which spurred some additional interest in the whole subject of “witchcraft” on my part.
Then, along about 2008, Kathleen Kent, who turns out to be a somewhat distant cousin (descended from a different one of Martha’s sons than my family) published an historical novel called The Heretic’s Daughter, which focused on the events leading up to and surrounding Martha’s trial and hanging. The book described these events, as told (fictionally, of course) by her daughter, Sarah, who was 7 at the time of the events, but is telling the story as a grownup. This got me quite interested in this part of my family’s story.
I became even more interested in 2010, when my sister told Maggi and me about (and we attended) a “Carrier Family Reunion,” in Salem, during the early part of November of 2010 in honor of “Cousin” Kathleen’s 2nd book related to Martha and her family, The Wolves of Andover, later known as The Traitor’s Daughter. It is actually a prequel to The Heretic’s Daughter, and explains how Martha Allen met and married Thomas Carrier and their life together prior to the incidents of the Witch Trial period.
As the family legend, and the second book, which is told as a letter from Sarah to her children, goes, Sarah’s parents, especially Thomas, had to be extremely careful and cautious in any public dealings. You see, it’s believed that Thomas had, in earlier days, left his home in Wales, gone to England, become a member of the English army, and risen to be one of King Chas. I’s bodyguards. Later, he joined Oliver Cromwell’s revolt against the crown and, it is said that he was present on the scaffold when Chas. I was beheaded. Specifically, the family legend says that Thomas was the one who actually swung the axe to behead the King, but that is highly unlikely to ever be proven, either way. In any case, after the Restoration, Thomas (who MAY have originally been named Morgan) fled to this land to avoid Chas. II’s revenge and may have changed his name to Carrier in the process.
Now, the books I refer to are, obviously, historical fiction, but review of actual documents (Kathleen certainly did more research than I have, but I HAVE done a bit) suggests that the family legends seem to be quite a plausible version of the actual events, which are not completely known, or documented.
As best I have been able to discover, I believe that I may well be related to 3 of the people who were the accusers of Salem; 6 of those who were executed; and, at least 10 others who were formally accused of witchcraft, but either avoided arrest, escaped from prison, or were, otherwise, not executed. Also, I have some connection to 7 of the individuals who were among those conducting the “trials” (generally there were several “Magistrates” involved in each trial). It also seems that I have some relationship with Increase Mather, Clergyman of the North Church in Boston and Sixth President of Harvard College, which means that I’m also related to Increase’s son, Cotton Mather, who was also a well-known clergyman at the time, and was a leading exponent of the use of so-called “spectral evidence” during the trials. This was “testimony” from the accusers about their visions of a “witch’s” spirit (often in the form of a bird, or other creature) who the accusers was said to have sent out to torture them, but which couldn’t be seen by anyone else.
Does all this sound a bit “fishy” to you? I would suggest that the “witch hunt” (NOTE: This was a REAL witch hunt!) was quite likely just based on hysteria and (as it was later “confessed” by some of the accusers) may well have just been a bunch of mostly preteen girls “making sport!”
Eventually, after the hysteria wore off, ALL of those “executed” were given a big “OOPS, we really didn’t mean to do that!” and their families were paid a small compensation, by way of apology. Not much recompense for destroying a number of families, “confiscating” their property, and causing the loss of any sort of reputation within the community.
Nowadays, of course, since Salem is most widely known for its infamous “Witch Hunt,” it’s become “The Witch City,” (see the Salem Police Dept. logo below):
And, since it’s best known for being where the most famous “witch-hunt” was held, it was referred to on the TV show Bewitched and there’s even a statue in town in honor of that. See below:
If one looks about the town a bit, however, one can find some actual memorials to the real, not just the “fun and games” sort of events which occurred here. For example, here’s a picture which Maggi took on a trip she took to Salem of the actual Witch Hunt Memorial, dedicated in August 1992, which is a neat garden tucked into a fairly quiet corner sort of behind the Peabody-Essex Museum (quite a nice art museum in town) and next to the Burying Point Cemetery, which dates back to the period, and contains the graves of some of the participants in the trials (None of those executed, of course, Their graves are, we think, completely lost.)
If you look carefully at the left side of this picture, there’s a sort of double-trunked tree back a ways. That tree is just this side of the specific memorial to Martha, which is one of the “benches” sticking out from the fence around the memorial. There’s one of those “benches” for each of the executed around the outside of the site. Here’s a closeup of Martha’s, again from Maggi.
Now, here’s a picture showing some of the "Carrier Reunion" folks gathered near that spot listening to Kathleen during the events of our weekend reunion in 2010.
Maggi and I were joined during this reunion by my sister, Janet and her husband, Nat, but, while I can pick Maggi and Nat out in this picture, I think Janet’s behind someone and I, of course, TOOK the picture, so I’m not IN it.
Just to prove I wasn’t lying, though, here’s a closeup of Martha’s bench which shows the writing on it (similar writing appears on all of the benches). It’s a bit hard to read, but it says MARTHA CARRIER / HANGED / AUGUST 19, 1692.
Just to prove I wasn’t lying, though, here’s a closeup of Martha’s bench which shows the writing on it (similar writing appears on all of the benches). It’s a bit hard to read, but it says MARTHA CARRIER / HANGED / AUGUST 19, 1692.
I probably am a bit prejudiced, but I’m proud to have this connection to American history because it reminds me that our ancestors were just people, like us. They did some good things and they did some less than good things, like all people. We should honor their triumphs, and LEARN from their errors. But we should NEVER pretend that we, as a country/people are PERFECT, nor pretend that we were/are! Our ancestors were just fallible human beings like the rest of us and, while they did some VERY good things, they also did some not so nice stuff, too. But I have gotten way off track from honoring Martha.
During her trial, Martha is quoted (in the court records, which exist) as having said regarding her accusers: “It is false and a shame for you to mind what these say, that are out of their wits.” We, today, need to remember that idea when we encounter stuff on social media, etc. We really need to stop, think, and check the sources of what we are being told! What are the actual FACTS? Who is saying this, and what’s their motive? As I used to tell my students, “Spaceguy @ Yahoo.com” seems a lot less likely to have the “Truth” about the space aliens invading Los Angles than “Dr. (“I am a real person who has studied this stuff”) @ NASA.gov.” That doesn’t mean that EITHER of them is actually right, but one would certainly APPEAR to have more credibility (and would probably be easier to fact-check).
I think it’s in The Wolves of Andover that the story is told about the advice Martha’s father gave her when he sent her off to live with her cousin, to assist her with her during her pregnancy and to put some polish on her home-making skills in preparation for her eventual marriage. (This was a fairly common practice during the period.) While she was there, she met Thomas Carrier, who, was an indentured servant to her uncle (and was also, perhaps, trying to avoid the King’s “regicide hunters”). Anyway, as Kathleen writes it, her father told her:
During her trial, Martha is quoted (in the court records, which exist) as having said regarding her accusers: “It is false and a shame for you to mind what these say, that are out of their wits.” We, today, need to remember that idea when we encounter stuff on social media, etc. We really need to stop, think, and check the sources of what we are being told! What are the actual FACTS? Who is saying this, and what’s their motive? As I used to tell my students, “Spaceguy @ Yahoo.com” seems a lot less likely to have the “Truth” about the space aliens invading Los Angles than “Dr. (“I am a real person who has studied this stuff”) @ NASA.gov.” That doesn’t mean that EITHER of them is actually right, but one would certainly APPEAR to have more credibility (and would probably be easier to fact-check).
I think it’s in The Wolves of Andover that the story is told about the advice Martha’s father gave her when he sent her off to live with her cousin, to assist her with her during her pregnancy and to put some polish on her home-making skills in preparation for her eventual marriage. (This was a fairly common practice during the period.) While she was there, she met Thomas Carrier, who, was an indentured servant to her uncle (and was also, perhaps, trying to avoid the King’s “regicide hunters”). Anyway, as Kathleen writes it, her father told her:
Based on what I have learned, whether this story is true, or not, it appears to describe Martha pretty well. That means I think her father was successful in raising a PERSON, not just a simp. I think that’s what all of us fathers should want for our daughters.
After Martha had been arrested, but shortly before her trial, it appeared likely that her children would be arrested in an attempt to force them to testify against her in her trial. One should understand that, at that point, Thomas was defying custom by not attending church every Sunday with the unimprisoned rest of his family. So, the Saturday before their anticipated arrest, the story from The Heretic’s Daughter goes that:
After Martha had been arrested, but shortly before her trial, it appeared likely that her children would be arrested in an attempt to force them to testify against her in her trial. One should understand that, at that point, Thomas was defying custom by not attending church every Sunday with the unimprisoned rest of his family. So, the Saturday before their anticipated arrest, the story from The Heretic’s Daughter goes that:
The biblical passage cited by Thomas is, obviously, from Matthew, Chapter 6, and has always been one of my very favorites. I’ve never trusted those who make a show of praying and/or of being “religious” in public. It’s always struck me as more likely to be (not very good) theatre than portraying actual belief. I also note that Thomas was concerned enough to go against his own desires, in the hope that the people of the town would show some sense of decency and at least not force his children to testify against their own mother. (NOTE: I have found NO indication that there were EVER even thoughts of accusations of ANYTHING against Thomas; nor any explanation as to why that was the case.)
In fact, the children were arrested, the sons were tortured (tied neck and heels) to make them confess, which they did, and Sarah (who was 7 years old at the time) was incarcerated with her mother, who, it is said, specifically told her to protect herself, beg forgiveness, and testify against her mother to protect herself, which she also ultimately did.
Shortly before she was hanged, Martha is quoted as having said: “There is no death in remembrance. Remember me, and a part of me will always be with you.” This isn’t quite a direct quote from Psalms 6,5, but is close enough that it MIGHT have been the form used 330+ years ago.
I’ll try to be more cheerful next post, in a couple of weeks, but I felt a need to honor my ancestor, Martha, around the time of her “execution” and to suggest that I wish our current political scene wasn’t quite so reminiscent of Salem in 1692.
I’ll be back in a couple of weeks.
🖖🏼 LLAP,
Dr. B
In fact, the children were arrested, the sons were tortured (tied neck and heels) to make them confess, which they did, and Sarah (who was 7 years old at the time) was incarcerated with her mother, who, it is said, specifically told her to protect herself, beg forgiveness, and testify against her mother to protect herself, which she also ultimately did.
Shortly before she was hanged, Martha is quoted as having said: “There is no death in remembrance. Remember me, and a part of me will always be with you.” This isn’t quite a direct quote from Psalms 6,5, but is close enough that it MIGHT have been the form used 330+ years ago.
I’ll try to be more cheerful next post, in a couple of weeks, but I felt a need to honor my ancestor, Martha, around the time of her “execution” and to suggest that I wish our current political scene wasn’t quite so reminiscent of Salem in 1692.
I’ll be back in a couple of weeks.
🖖🏼 LLAP,
Dr. B
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