Witchcraft

The persecution of those believed to be witches was a malignant delusion that infected many parts of the world at different times. Primitive people imagined supernatural agents behind every event. In their fantasy, the world was inhabited by angels and demons, and people who collaborated with them, for good or evil. Anyone who was unpopular, behaved strangely, or had physical deformities, was suspected of being "familiar with the Devil". It seems like silly superstition, but at some times and places it was deadly serious.

Several branches of my family were involved, in different ways. Some of my ancestors were accused of witchcraft, and others were accusers.

Gertrud (LATSCH) STUELL in Germany (1590)

A woman called Gertrud from Alchen, Oberholzklau Parish, Siegen-Wittgenstein, Germany, was burned alive as a witch by the religious authorities, about 1590 in Oberholzklau. She was accused of bewitching her neighbors' livestock. Her identity is unclear, but [H, pp. 485-7] argues that she is likely Gertrud (LATSCH) STUELL, my 11g-grandmother, born around 1540 in Klafeld, Siegen-Wittgenstein, daughter of Tillman LATSCH (1500 - 1546) of Weidenau, Siegen-Wittgenstein, Germany. Gertrud was the 2nd wife of Hans STUELL, of Klafeld, who died in 1591, in the city of Siegen.

My line of descent:

Gertrude LATSCH (1540-1590)
Hans STUELL (1572-1599)
Jost STUELL (1595-1666)
Anna Dilthy STUELL (1629-1698)
Herman J OTTERBACH (1664-1717)
Maria K OTTERBACH (1699-1727)
Henry MARTIN (1720-1780)
Reuben MARTIN (1745-1812)
Stephen MARTIN (1798-1866)
Benjamin S MARTIN (1843-1899)
Stephen Mannon MARTIN (1874-1953)
William Ezra MARTIN (1896-1960)
MARTIN
Gary Lee Gapinski (1956- )

Mary (BLISS) PARSONS in Springfield, MA (1656-75)

Joseph ASHLEY was born 05 May 1652 in Springfield, MA, son of my 9g-grandparents, Robert ASHLEY and Mary EDDY. Joseph married Mary PARSONS, born 27 Jun 1661 in Northampton, MA, daughter of Cornet Joseph PARSONS and Mary BLISS. The PARSONS family had moved from Springfield to nearby Northampton in 1655. They were among the first white settlers in Northampton, where Joseph was a merchant, and owned the first tavern.

Mary (BLISS) PARSONS, mother of Mary (PARSONS) ASHLEY, was put on trial several times, on charges of witchcraft. She was acquitted each time, but the acrimonious relationships with several neighbors lasted many years. The trouble started in 1656, between the PARSONS and BRIDGMAN families, neighbors in Northampton.

"Mrs. Parsons was a proud and nervous woman, haughty in demeanor, and, belonging to the aristocracy of the time, held herself a dame of considerable importance. Besides this, it is recorded that she was something of a somnambulist and, in the frenzy of these attacks, would often wander off in the night until she fell from sheer exhaustion, and when she came to her senses, was unable to remember anything that had occurred. To prevent these nocturnal wanderings her husband locked the door and hid the key, which in some apparently occult manner she in variably found. It is stated that, later, she was locked in the cellar which proved an effectual prison. If compelled to sleep in the cellar of a New England house of the seventeenth century, it is no wonder she saw spirits and had fits!" [EN, pp. 150-1]

Mary (BLISS) PARSONS (1620 - 1712)

Joseph PARSONS was one of the wealthiest men in Springfield and Northampton, and also owned property in Hadley and Boston. Joseph and Mary PARSONS had 13 children, of whom 4 died at birth or infancy.

On the other hand, the family of James and Sarah BRIDGMAN was financially struggling, and had lost children. Sarah BRIDGMAN accused Mary PARSONS of causing the deaths of farm animals, injuries to children, and eventually, deaths of children. Many people in Springfield began to blame Mary for any accident or illness, and called her a witch.

In 1656 Joseph PARSONS filed slander charges against Sarah BRIDGMAN on behalf of his wife. The case was heard at the Magistrates' Court in Cambridge in October 1656, where 33 depositions were given. Almost half of Northampton's 32 households sent a witness, and a few others came from Springfield. The court ruled in favor of PARSONS, and Sarah BRIDGMAN was ordered to make a public apology or pay a fine.

At the time of the trial, Mary was pregnant with her 6th son. She had 4 boys at home, ages 1 to 10, and one boy had died in infancy. Her first daughter came along 5 years later.

When Mary BRIDGMAN, daughter of James and Sarah BRIDGMAN, died in 1674, the accusations against Mary PARSONS resumed. A suit was filed, and Mary was summoned to the court in Boston, to appear on 5 Jan 1675. In Mar 1675 she was sent to prison to await trail, and then found not guilty of witchcraft on 13 May 1675.

Ebenezer PARSONS, son of Joseph and Mary, was killed while fighting in King Philip's War, on 8 Sep 1675. The response from Mary's accusers was "Behold, though human judges may be bought off, God's vengeance neither turns aside nor slumbers." [PF, Vol 1, p. 47] So it seems she can't win. When she has good fortune, and others suffer tragedies, it's because she's a witch. When she has a tragedy, it's God's vengeance.

Joseph and Mary moved back to Springfield, where Joseph died in 1683. Mary (BLISS) PARSONS lived to a ripe old age. (Her birth date is disputed.) She outlived her husband and 8 of her 13 children.

1 Cornet Joseph PARSONS b: 25 Jun 1620 in Beaminster, Dorset, England, d: 09 Oct 1683 in Springfield, MA, age 63
+ Mary BLISS b: about 1620 in England, m: 26 Nov 1646 in Hartford, CT, d: 11 Jan 1712 in Springfield, age about 92
......2 Joseph PARSONS b: 01 Nov 1647 in Springfield, MA, d: 29 Nov 1729 in Northampton, MA, age 82
...... + Elizabeth STRONG b: 24 Feb 1647, m: 17 Mar 1669, d: 12 May 1736 in Northampton, MA, age 89
......2 Benjamin PARSONS b: 22 Jan 1648/49 in Springfield, MA, d: 22 Jun 1649 in Springfield, MA, age 5 months
......2 Capt. John PARSONS b: 14 Aug 1650 in Springfield, MA, d: 15 Apr 1728 in Northampton, MA, age 77
...... + Sarah CLARK m: 03 Dec 1675
......2 Lieut. Samuel PARSONS b: 23 Jan 1652/53 in Springfield, MA, d: 12 Nov 1734 in Durham, Middlesex, CT, age 81
...... + Elizabeth COOK m: 1677, d: 02 Sep 1690
...... + Rhoda TAYLOR m: 1691
...... + Mary WHEELER m: 15 Dec 1711
......2 Ebenezer PARSONS b: 01 May 1655 in Northampton, MA, d: 08 Sep 1675 in Northfield, Franklin, MA, age 20, killed by Indians in King Philip's War.
......2 Jonathan PARSONS b: 06 Jun 1657 in Northampton, MA, d: 19 Oct 1694 in Northampton, MA, age 37
...... + Mary CLARK m: 05 Apr 1682
......2 David PARSONS b: 30 Apr 1659 in Northampton, MA, d: 30 Apr 1659 in Northampton, MA, died at birth
......2 Mary PARSONS b: 27 Jun 1661 in Northampton, MA, d: 23 Aug 1711 in Springfield, MA, age 50
...... + Joseph ASHLEY b: 6 Jul 1652 in Springfield, m: 16 Oct 1685 in Springfield, d: 18 May 1698 in West Springfield, MA, age 45
...... + Joseph WILLISTON b: 1667 in Windsor, Hartford, CT, m: 2 Mar 1698/99 in Springfield, d: 10 Nov 1747 in Springfield, age 80
......2 Hannah PARSONS b: 01 Aug 1663 in Northampton, MA, d: 01 Apr 1739 in Springfield, MA, age 75
...... + Pelatiah GLOVER m: 07 Jan 1687, d: 22 Aug 1737
......2 Abigail PARSONS b: 03 Sep 1666 in Northampton, MA, d: 27 Jun 1689 in Springfield, MA, age 22
...... + John COLTON m: 19 Feb 1685
......2 Esther PARSONS b: 11 Sep 1668 in Northampton, MA, d: 11 Sep 1668 in Northampton, MA, died at birth
......2 Benjamin PARSONS b: 11 Sep 1668 in Northampton, MA, d: 11 Sep 1668 in Northampton, MA, died at birth
......2 Hester PARSONS b: 24 Dec 1672 in Northampton, MA, d: 30 May 1760 in Cromwell, Middlesex, CT, age 87
...... + Joseph SMITH m: 15 Sep 1689

Nicholas and Margaret JENNINGS in Lyme, CT (1661)

Balthasar DE WOLF and Alice PECK, my 8g-grandparents, lived in Lyme, CT. Balthasar and Alice had at least 5 children, during the period 1646-1656: Edward, Simon, Stephen, Susanna and Mary. They had one other child, unnamed, who was "bewitched to death."

Balthasar's daughter the victim of witchcraft

The second mention connects him with the superstitions of the day, for September 5th, 1661, Nicholas and Margaret Jennings of "Sea Brook" are indicted "for not haveing the feare of God before their eyes," "having entertained familiarity with Satan, the great enemy of God and mankind, and by his help done works above the course of nature, ye loss of ye lives of severall p'sons, in p'ticuler ye wife of Reynolds Marvin with ye child of Baalshar de Wolf with other soceries; " the child is spoken of as "bewitched to death." [CBP, p. 86]

Witchcraft Trial

Hartford Quart. Court Septbr 5 : 61. The Inditement of Nicholas and Margret Jennings : Nicholas Jennings, thou art here indited by the name of Nicholas Jennings of Sea Brook for not haueing the feare of God before thine eyes ; thou hast enterteined familiarity wth Sathan the great enemy of God and mankind, and by his help hast done works aboue the course of nature to ye loss of ye lines of severall p’sons and in p’ticuler ye wife of Reynold Marvin wth ye child of Baalshar de Wolf, wth other sorceries, for wch according to ye Law of God and ye Established lawe of this Comon Wealth thou deservest to die. [ES, Vol. 2, p. 127]

More Witchcraft

The witchcraft-delusion threw its dark shadow over Connecticut at an early day. The first execution appears to have occurred in Hartford in 1646,41 and in 1657 a Mrs. Garlick, who had been employed in. the family of Capt. Lyon Gardiner, some time in command of the Fort at Saybrook, was brought to trial at Hartford for this crime, but was not convicted. She was then of Easthampton, L. I. Whether we are to look for the origin of the excitement which soon after broke out in Saybrook to her influence, can not now be determined, but it is clear that "witchery" began to trouble the good people of that vicinity about that time, for we find the General Court in 1659 passing an order that Mr. Samuel Wyllys42 be "requested to goe downe to Sea Brook, to assist ye Maior in examining ye Suspitions about Witchery, and to act therein as may be requisite." 43 As no later mention of this case has been found, it has been thought that the Commission did not find enough "witchery" to make any report thereon to the Court. But the trouble did not cease. The "wife of Reynold Marvin" died shortly after, under circumstances which led some to think she had been bewitched. Her death probably took place in the spring or summer of 1661, for at the Quarter Court held at Hartford, September 5, 1661, one Nicholas Jennings (a passionate fellow, who had been in trouble four years before for "beateing of a Cow of Ralph Keeler's") with his wife Margaret, both of Saybrook, were indicted for having "enterteined familiarity with Sathan . . . and by his help done works aboue ye course of nature, to ye loss of ye liues of seueral p'sons and in p'ticular ye wife of Reynold Marvin . . . with other sorceries" (seeNotes on the Family of De Wolf). The jury did not agree ; a "majority found them guilty, and the rest found strong ground for suspicion."

41 See Winthrop's Journal, ii. 307.

42 This was, no doubt, Retinoid's friend and neighbor at Farmington.

43 See Drake's Annals of Witchcraft, in New England, etc. . . . Boston, 1869, p. 112, where we learn that "the Maior" was "Major John Mason, long the chief military man of Connecticut. He was stationed at Saybrook in 1647."

[ES, Vol. 3, part 1, pp. 107-8]

Elizabeth (JACKSON) HOWE in Topsfield, MA (1692)

Elizabeth JACKSON was born about 1637 in Rowley, Yorkshire, England, daughter of William and Joanne JACKSON. She married James HOWE/HOW in Apr 1658. They lived in Topsfield, MA and had 6 children, from 1659 to 1673.

Elizabeth was tried for witchcraft, in one of the most infamous of the Salem Witch Trials, and she was hanged on 19 Jul 1692.

One of the accusers of Elizabeth HOWE was Deacon Isaac CUMMINGS, son of my 10g-grandparents, Isaac and Anne CUMMINGS.

VIII. There was likewise a Cluster of Depositions, That one Isaac Cummings refusing to lend his Mare unto the Husband of this How, the Mare was within a Day or two taken in a strange condition: The Beast seemed much abused, being bruised as if she had been running over the Rocks, and marked where the Bridle went, as if burnt with a red hot Bridle. More over, one using a Pipe of Tobacco for the Cure of the Beast, a blew Flame issued out of her, took hold of her Hair, and not only spread and burnt on her, but it also flew upwards towards the Roof of the Barn, and had like to have set the Barn on Fire: And the Mare dyed very suddenly. [WDNE, Vol I, p 192]

Another accuser of Elizabeth HOWE was Timothy PERLEY.

The PERLEY family is closely related to some of my ancestors. Timothy's brother, John PERLEY, married Mary HOWLETT, daughter of my 10g-grandparents, Thomas HOWLETT and Alice FRENCH. Timothy's brother, Thomas PERLEY, married Lydia (PEABODY) HOWLETT, widow of Thomas HOWLETT Jr, another son of Thomas HOWLETT and Alice FRENCH.

1 Allen PERLEY b: 1608 in England, d: 28 Dec 1675 in Ipswich
+ Susanna m: 1636, d: 11 Feb 1691/92 in Ipswich
......2 John PERLEY b: 1636, d: 15 Dec 1729 in Boxford, Essex, MA
...... + Mary HOWLETT b: Abt. 1645, m: Abt. 1661, d: 21 Oct 1718 in Boxford, Essex, MA
......2 Samuel PERLEY b: Abt. 1639
...... + Ruth TRUMBULL m: 15 Jul 1664 in Ipswich
......2 Thomas PERLEY b: 1641
...... + Lydia PEABODY m: 08 Jul 1668 in Rowley, Essex, MA, d: Aft. 23 Dec 1667
......2 Nathaniel PERLEY b: 1643
......2 Sarah PERLEY b: 1648
...... + William WATSON m: 15 Jan 1670/71 in Ipswich
......2 Timothy PERLEY b: 1655, d: 25 Jan 1718/19 in Ipswich
...... + Deborah m: Abt. 1682
......2 Martha PERLEY b: Abt. 1658
...... + Benjamin COKER m: 31 May 1678 in Newbury, Essex, MA

IX. Timothy Perley and his Wife, testify’d, Not only unaccountable Mischiefs befel their Cattle, upon their having of Differences with this Prisoner: but also that they had a Daughter destroyed by Witchcrafts; which Daughter still charged How as the Cause of her Affliction. And it was noted, that she would be struck down whenever How were spoken of. She was often endeavoured to be thrown into the Fire, and into the Water, in her strange Fits: Tho’ her Father had corrected her for charging How with bewitching her, yet (as was testified by others also) she said. She was sure of it, and must dye standing to it. Accordingly she charged How to the very Death; and said, Tho' How could afflict and torment her Body, yet she could not hurt her Soul: And, That the Truth of this matter would appear when she should be dead and gone. [WDNE, Vol I, pp 192-3]

Sources

[CBP] Charles d'Wolf of Guadalupe, his ancestors and descendants (1902) by Calbraith B. Perry

[EH] Elizabeth Howe on Wikipedia

[EN] Early Northampton (1914) by the Betty Allen Chapter, DAR

[ES] Family histories and genealogies (1892) by Edward Salisbury and Evelyn Salisbury Vol 1 part 1 Vol 1 part 2 Vol 2 Vol 3 part 1 Vol 3 part 2

[H] Ancestry and Descendants of the Nassau-Siegen Immigrants to Virginia 1714-1750, by B.C. Holtsclaw, 1964

[HW] Historical Witches and Witchtrials in North America

[J] Connecticut Witch Trial of Nicholas and Margaret Jennings

[MM] Jury Finds Mary Parsons Not Guilty of Witchcraft, 13 May 1675, on Mass Moments

[MPW] Mary (Bliss) Parsons on Wikipedia

[NMJ] Nicholas and Margaret Jennings

[PF] Parsons Family : Descendants of Cornet Joseph Parsons (1912) by Henry Parsons Vol 1 Vol 2

[PFG] Parsons on Find A Grave

[SBD] The Son of Balthazar De Wolf

[SW] The Superstitions of Witchcraft (1865) by Howard Williams

[TL] Looking Back: Saybrook, still haunted by witches, by Tedd Levy

[WD] The Witchcraft Delusion In Colonial Connecticut (1647-1697), by John M. Taylor

[WDNE] The Witchcraft Delusion in New England: Its Rise, Progress, and Termination (1866) by Samuel G. Drake

Vol I Vol II Vol III

[WDTH] The witchcraft delusion of 1692 by Thomas Hutchinson (1870)


Last updated 24 Aug 2022 by William Haloupek. Contact haloupek at gmail dot com.