Mary (Allen) Toothaker (abt. 1644 - 1695)

Born about 1644 in Andover, Essex, Massachusetts Bay

Ancestors

Wife of Roger Toothaker II — married 9 Jun 1665 in Billerica, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Descendants

Died 5 Aug 1695 at about age 51 in Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay

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Biography

Mary (Allen) Toothaker was accused of witchcraft in the Salem Witch Trials

Mary Allen was born about 1644, the daughter of Andrew Allen and Faith Ingalls, of Andover Massachusetts. ^[1]. She was noted in her father's last Will as Mary Toothacer. ^{[2] [3]} Her last name spelled both Allin and Allen.

On 9 June 1665, she married Roger Toothaker Jr. ^{[4] [1] [5] [6] [3]}

Their children included: ^[7]

1. Nathaniel, born April 27, 1666 ^[7], who died May 18,1683^[3]
2. Martha, born July 23, 1668 ^[7], who married Joseph Emerson^[3]
3. Allin, born September 17, 1670 ^{[7] [3]}
4. Roger, born November 27, 1672 ^[7], who became Dr. Roger Toothaker, and who married Sarah Rogers and Phebe Baldwin^[3]
5. Sarah, born circa 1674, who married Jonathan Witaker ^[3]
6. Mary, born June 7, 1675 ^[7], who died in infancy ^[3]
7. Mary, born September 28, 1676 ^[7], who died young ^[3]
8. Andrew, born October 4, 1679 ^[7], who lived in York, Maine^[3]
9. Margaret, born January 31, 1682/3 ^[7], who was captured in the Billerica Massacre on 5 August 1695, and was never seen again ^[3]

Mary was arrested during the Salem Witch Trials, along with her husband, and daughter Margaret, her sister Martha Carrier and several of Martha's children. Mary Toothaker was interrogated by John Hawthorne on 30 July 1692. She claimed that because of her fear of the Indians, she made a pact with the Devil for protection. It has been postulated that her confession was either coerced by torture or completely fabricated, however her fear of Indians was apparently justified. The area had been attacked by Indians, or as happened in many cases, white men mascarading as Indians. Two days after Mary's interrogation, The Toothaker house was burned in such an attack, while Mary was still in prison. At the end of January 1693 Mary and her daughter were freed from prison, and continued to help the sick. Her sister Martha (Allen) Carrier was condemned and hung as a witch. It is not known if her husband was freed, or if he died before a trial was possible.

Mary (Allen) Toothaker was killed on 5 August 1695 during the Billerica Massacre ^[8][9]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} "Descendants of Andrew Allen of Andover The Essex Antiquarian. 3:7. 1899 found in The Essex Antiquarian. Salem, MA: The Essex Antiquarian, 13 vols. 1897-1909. (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2006.)
2. ↑ Case #370 Essex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1638-1881 Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2014. (From records supplied by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives.)
3. ↑ ^{3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10} Ancestry of Charles Stinson Pillsbury and John Sargent Pillsbury compiled for Helen Pendleton (Winston) Pillsbury by Mary Lovering Holman, Published: Concord, New Hampshire: Priv. print. at the Rumford press, 1938. See page 1007 for Roger Toothaker and 1013 for Andrew Allen
4. ↑ Vital records of Billerica, Massachusetts to the year 1850; Billerica Volume 1, page 324, also found on NEHGS, which states TOOTHAKER Roger and Mary Allin, 9 June 1665.* [Toothacre. MR]
5. ↑ Great Migration 1634-1635, T-Y See page 75 Roger Toothaker, which cites Pillsbury Anc Vol 2, page 1013-5 (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2012.) Originally published as: The Great Migration, Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Volume VII, T-Y, by Robert Charles Anderson. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2011
6. ↑ Torrey's New England Marriages to 1700Volume 3, page 1529. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2008.) Originally published as: New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Boston, Massachusetts: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015, which states TOOTHAKER, Roger & Mary ALLIN (-1695); 9 Jun 1665; Billerica {Pillsbury Anc. 996, 1007, 1015; Durant 19; Essex Ant. 3:7, 120}
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 7.8} Vital records of Billerica, Massachusetts to the year 1850; Billerica Volume 1, page 191, also found on NEHGS, which states TOOTHAKER:
   • Allin [dup. Toothakar], s. Roger and Mary, September 17, 1670.
   • Andrew, s. Roger and Mary, October 4, 1679. [Toothacer. MR]
   • Margaret [dup. Margerit], d. Roger and Mary, January 31, 1682-3. [Margarett.MR]
   • Martha [dup. Toothakar], d. Roger and Mary, July 23, 1668. [Toothacre. MR]
   • Mary, d. Roger and Mary, June 7, 1675. [Toothacre. MR]
   • Mary, d. Roger and Mary, September 28, 1676.
   • Nathaniel [dup. Toothakar], s. Rog loler and Mary, April 27, 1666.
   • Rogeer [dup. Roger], s. Roger and Mary, November 27, 1672. [Roger Toothacre.MR]
8. ↑ Vital records of Billerica, Massachusetts to the year 1850; Billerica Deaths, page 400, which states TOOTHAKER; Mary [dup. Toothakar], w. Roger, "Slain by ye Indian Enemy," Aug. 5, 1695'.
9. ↑ “History of Billerica, Massachusetts, with a Genealogical Register : Hazen, Henry Allen, 1849-1900 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming.” Internet Archive. Boston, A. Williams and Co., January 1, 1883. https://archive.org/details/historyofbilleri00hazen/page/n153.

See also:

• Great Migration 1634-1635, G-H. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009.) Originally published as: The Great Migration, Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Volume III, G-H, by Robert Charles Anderson. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2003. https://www.americanancestors.org/DB116/i/7118/400/235154305
• Find A Grave: Memorial #51208212
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Toothaker
• Various sources at Ancestry.com

Acknowledgments

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