The Witch Trial Connections Don't End

I thought I'd found all the connections to the Salem Witch Trials of 1691-92 but I hadn't.

William Dounton, father of Thomas Flint's wife Mary, was the Salem jailer during the trials. He is our 9th great-grandfather.

Then there is Joseph Herrick (1645-1718) was constable in Salem during the period of the trials. He is our 8th great-grandfather. Henry Hericke, progenitor of most of the Herricks in America, migrated to Salem in 1629 as a member of Higginson's fleet. Joseph, Henry's 4th son, was married to Sarah, the daughter of Richard Leach, on February 7, 1667. He was referred to as Governor, which means he had probably been at in command of a military district at some point, or perhaps he had been the magistrate of a West Indies colony. His descendants were large in number, and have held many important positions.

Joseph Herrick was a soldier during King Philip's War. In 1692, at age forty-seven, he was a corporal in the village militia. He was the constable of Salem, and, as such, central to the proceedings in the witchcraft trials. At the beginning he was persuaded by the accusers; but by the end he had become a skeptic. In one of the cases, he became an advocate for an accused person, which was probably quite dangerous; and in the end he was a leader in the opposition movement. His parents are mentioned in a court record to have been fined "for aiding and comforting an excommunicated person, contrary to order."

Joseph had brothers Ephraim, Zachariah, Henry, and George (who was constable of Essex county). Ephraim had a son John (1662-1729). John Herrick's wife Bethia Solart was Sarah Good's sister. Sarah Good was one of the executed witches. Her full name was Sarah Solart Poole Good.

11th Great-grandfather Samuel Appleton (1586-1670) had a son (our 10th grand-uncle), also Samuel (1626-1696) who was a Major (later Colonel) in the militia and a member of the Court of Assistants which tried the first accused but he had no part in the Comission of Oyer and Terminer which condemned so many and he had no further involvement with the whole sad episode.

Mary Leach Ireson was an 8th great-grand aunt, daughter of Richard & Sarah Ann Fuller Leach 9th great-grandparents. Mary Ireson became involved in the Salem witch trials when a complaint was sworn out against her on 4 June 1692 by Edward Putnam and Thomas Rayment, alleging that Mary had afflicted Mary Warren, Susanna Sheldon and Mary Walcott. She was arrested and examined on 6th June. As soon as she entered the room, several of the "afflicted girls" fell into fits. Susanna Sheldon testified that Mary's specter had brought her the Devil's book and if she didn't sign it would tear her throat out. No further information is known beyond the initial examination.

Apparently there are a number of reports of 9th great-grandfather Francis Wyman of Woburn and Billerica testifying in the trials but it seems he has been confused with Francis Wycombe, a woman, who testified in the trial of Margaret Scott. There is no other mention of Francis or his immediate family of which I am aware at this time.

No doubt there will be more connections discovered as I continue my research and I'll note them here.