Timeline of Known Witchcraft Cases in 17th Century New England
Note: This timeline will begin to show cases 10 years before the start of the Salem Witchcraft Trials although cases date as far back as 1638 and continue on past the time of the Salem Witch Trials.
Case Details Key
Accusation: includes cases for which there is evidence of witchcraft accusation or suspicion but without recorded action taken in the court. Complaint: indicates some formal step toward prosecution of the accused (ex: petitioning, disposing about particular circumstances). Presentment/Indictment: shows appearance before the courts by the accused, preliminary to a Trial: which is a more important appearance before the court in which the accused is tried and the court decides on a verdict. Acquittal and Conviction: show the outcomes of trials. Confession: designates those among the accused who accepted guilt in the charges against them (confessed to practicing witchcraft). Execution: shows cases from which capital sentence resulted/the accused was tried, found guilty, and was executed (most likely hanged). Slander: lists the cases in which legal action was initiated by the suspected witch, not the supposed victim. Repeater: notes cases in which the suspected witch has been previously in court on similar charges.
Year, Name, and Location1682- Hannah Jones, Portsmouth, New Hampshire
1682- Name and gender unknown, Hartford, Connecticut 1682- Female, Name unknown, Kittery, Massachusetts 1683- James Fuller, Springfield, Massachusetts 1683- Female, First name unknown, Last name: Travally, Southampton, New York 1683- Mary Webster, Hadley, Massachusetts 1685- Mary Webster, Hadley, Massachusetts c.1687- Rachael Clinton, Ipswich, Massachusetts 1688- Female, First name unknown, Last name: Glover, Boston, Massachusetts 1688- Female, Name Unknown, Boston, Massachusetts 1688- Female, Name unknown, Boston, Massachusetts 1688- Female, Name unknown, Boston, Massachusetts 1689- Female, Name unknown, Boston, Massachusetts 1689- Female, First name unknown, Last name: Bowden, New Haven, Connecticut 1691- Mary Hale, Boston, Massachusetts 1691- Mary Randal, Northampton, Massachusetts 1692- Mercy Disborough, Fairfield, Connecticut 1692- Elizabeth Clawson, Stamford Connecticut 1692- Mary Staples, Fairfield, Connecticut 1692- Mary Harvey, Fairfield, Connecticut 1692- Hannah Harvey, Fairfield, Connecticut 1692- Female, First name unknown, Last name: Miller, Fairfield, Connecticut 1692- Winifred Benham, Wallingford, Connecticut 1692- Hugh Croasia, Stratford, Connecticut 1693- Female, Name unknown, Boston, Massachusetts 1693- Female, Name unknown, Boston, Massachusetts 1697- Winifred Benham, Wallingford, Connecticut 1697- Winifred Benham Jr., Wallingford, Connecticut |
Case DetailsComplaint and Presentment/Indictment
Accusation Accusation Complaint, Presentment/Indictment, Trial, and Acquittal Slander Complaint, Presentment/Indictment, Trial, and Acquittal Slander *Repeater* Complaint Complaint, Presentment/Indictment, Trial, Conviction, Confession, and Execution Complaint and Presentment/Indictment Accusation Accusation Accusation *Repeater* Slander Complaint and Presentment/Indictment *Repeater* Complaint and Presentment/Indictment Complaint, Presentment/Indictment, Trial, and Conviction (reprieved) Complaint, Presentment/Indictment, Trial, and Acquittal Complaint and Presentment/Indictment *Repeater* Complaint and Presentment/Indictment Complaint and Presentment/Indictment Accusation Complaint and Presentment/Indictment Complaint and Presentment/Indictment Accusation Accusation Complaint, Presentment/Indictment, Trial, and Acquittal *Repeater* Complaint, Presentment/Indictment, Trial, and Acquittal |
Information from Entertaining Satan: Witchcraft and the Culture of Early New England by John Putnam Demos