Tag Archives: Salem Witch Trials

William Way (1652–1725) and the accused witches

William Way (1652-1725)

11 William Way


William Way. Son of Aaron Way Sr. and Joanna Sumner. Born ca 1652 at Dorchester, Mass. Baptised 13 Nov
1652.80
Married at Mass. Persis Witt, born 1655, Lynn, Essex Co., Mass., daughter of John Witt.

William Way died 1725 at Dorchester, Berkeley Co., S.
C.81 Will dated 2 Aug
1715 at Dorchester, S.C.82

He joined the Salem-Village (now known as Danvers) church with his wife in 19 Nov 1689. Three years later were
the famous Salem Witchcraft Trials. During the course of the accusations by Rev. Samuel Parris against
several people, several of the members, including Samuel Nurse, John Tarbell (Samuel’s next door
neighbor83),
and Thomas Wilkins, bore witness against the accusations. They were very careful.

“Their line of action was extremely narrow. It was necessary to avoid all personalities, and every
appearance of passion or excitement; to make no charge against Mr. Parris that could touch the
church, as such, or reflect upon the courts, magistrates, or any others that had taken part in the
prosecutions. It was necessary to avoid Continue reading →

Defenders of the accused in the Salem Witch Trials 1692-10-18

The Salem Witch Trials took place all over Massachusetts colony.
In Andover, almost everyone accused confessed, but, according to a petition mentioned in a TV show:
“from the information we have had and
the discourse some of us have had with the prisoners, we have reason
to think that the extream urgency that was used with some of them by
their friends and others who privately examined them, and the fear
they were then under, hath been an inducement to them to own such
things, as we cannott since find thay are conscious of;”
I was familiar with that since some of my ancestors defended some of the accused,
and more ancestors moved south after that nightmare.


[Petition and chart]

Petition and chart

Gretchen and I were watching

Salem’s Lot, Season 9, Episode 2, of Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.

An ancestor of guest Jeff Daniels signed a peition on behalf of their wives and daughters who had been accused of being witches.
This petition was Continue reading →