no image
Privacy Level: Open (White)

Mary (Leach) Ireson (abt. 1659 - abt. 1711)

Mary Ireson formerly Leach
Born about in Salem, Essex, Massachusetts Bay Colonymap
Ancestors ancestors
Daughter of and
Sister of , , , , and
Wife of — married 1 Aug 1680 in Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts Bay Colonymap
Descendants descendants
Mother of , , , , and
Died about at about age 52 in Salem, Essex, Province of Massachusetts Baymap [uncertain]
Problems/Questions Profile manager: Colleen Griffin private message [send private message]
Profile last modified | Created 8 Jul 2011
This page has been accessed 3,872 times.

Contents

Biography

Mary (Leach) Ireson was accused of witchcraft in the Salem Witch Trials

Mary Leach was born probably Salem, Essex County, Massachusetts Bay Colony, about 1659 (assumes she was age 21 at marriage). She died probably Lynn, Essex County, after 29 November 1705 (named in estate settlement);[1] Mary was the daughter of Richard Leach and Sarah Fuller. She was "my daughter Mary now wife of Benjamin Ireson" in her father's will.

Mary married in Lynn, 1 August 1680, Benjamin Ireson.[2][3][4]

Accused of Witchcraft

Mary Ireson is one of the minor characters of the Salem witch trials. A complaint was sworn out against Mary Leach Ireson on June 4, 1692 By Edward Putnam and Thomas Rayment alleging that Mary had afflicted Mary Warren, Susanna Sheldon and Mary Walcott. She was soon arrested and examined on June 6th. As soon as she entered the room, several of the "afflicted girls" fell into fits. Susanna Sheldon would testify that Mary's specter had brought her the Devil's book and if she didn't sign it would tear her throat out. [5]

From one substantive document that has recently surfaced, we can gain insight into the often-unfair mechanisms of the witch trials court - especially how the female accusers' courtroom behavior could sway a jury, and how petrified the accused "witches" must have been during their trials. [6]

Family

Benjamin and Mary (Leach) Ireson were the parents of six children (birth order uncertain),[7][8]

  1. Edward Ireson, born in Lynn, 9 April 1681, died there "first week in May 1681."
  2. Richard Ireson, born, probably Lynn, say about 1683; married in Marblehead, Essex County, 5 October 1704, Rebecca Fortune.[9] Administrator of his father's estate; received a double portion in the 29 November 1705 estate settlement.
  3. Sarah Ireson, borm, probably Lynn, say about 1684; married (1) in Lynn, 21 December 1714, James Parker;[10] married (2) Benjamin Ingersoll, as his second wife. Sarah Ireson was named in the settlement of her father's estate, 29 November 1705.
  4. Ruth Ireson, born, probably Lynn, say about 1684; married, before 1705, John Day. Ruth Ireson was named in the settlement of her father's estate, 29 November 1705.
  5. Benjamin Ireson, born. probably Lynn, say about 1685; married in Marblehead, 7br :7 : 1713, Susanna Furnace.[11] Benjamin Ireson was named in the settlement of his father's estate, 29 November 1705.
  6. Edward Ireson, born, probably Lynn, say about 1690; married, perhaps Lynn, after 17 March 1715/6 (date of Lynn marriage intention), [H]anna Mansfield.[12] Edward Ireson was named in the settlement of his father's estate, 29 November 1705.

Research Notes

WikiTree pages of interest.

Massachusetts Remediation

  1. 17 October 1710, Convictions Reversed, The General Court of Massachusetts Bay, An act, the several convictions, judgments, and attainders be, and hereby are, reversed, and declared to be null and void.[13]
  2. 17 Dec 1711, Compensation to Survivors, Governor Dudley, GOVERNOR OF MASSACHUSETTS BAY, approved compensation to such persons as are living, and to those that legally represent them that are dead
  3. 28 Aug 1957, No Disgrace to Descendants, General Court of Massachusetts, ...such proceedings, were and are shocking, and the result of a wave of popular hysterical fear of the Devil in the community, and further declares that, as all the laws under which said proceedings...have been long since abandoned and superseded by our more civilized laws, no disgrace or cause for distress attaches to the said descendants or any of them by reason of said proceedings.[14]
  4. 31 Oct 2001, Additional Victims Included, Massachusetts Senate and House of Representatives in General Court, AN ACT RELATIVE TO THE WITCHCRAFT TRIAL OF 1692, chapter 145 is hereby further amended by adding Bridget Bishop, Susannah Martin, Alice Parker, Margaret Scott and Wilmot Redd.[15]

About Mary Leach, baptized 3 : 7 [mo.] : 1654. Such a child was baptized then at Salem to "Sister Leach." The entry was duplicated early by Fayette Phelps Leach (1926)--correctly entered as 3 September 1656 (author reported a daughter of John), and wrongly entered as 3 July 1656 (author reported a daughter of Richard). Only ONE such baptismal record is extant, but both of the brothers had daughters so named, so there were TWO women, Mary Leach. Both Marys married in 1680, so they were probably about the same age. WikiTree has assigned the extant baptism to John's daughter, Mary (Leach) Field. It is noteworthy that Richard had another daughter baptized about nine months earlier--Elizabeth, 27 November 1653. See Working to devise the children of Richard^2 and John^2 Leach.

Mary (Leach) Ireson death. Eleanor Tucker (1995) believed Mary predeceased her husband. See see Eleanor Tucker, "The Ireson Family of Lynn and Marblehead," The Essex Genealogist, 15 (1995):10-17, at 11-12 (Benjamin); digital images by subscription, AmericanAncestors.

This seems not to be the case, as Mary's widow's thirds are part of the 29 November 1705 estate settlement. See Benjamin Ireson 1705 probate file, case 14619 (7 pp.), Essex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1638-1881; database and digital images by subscription, AmericanAncestors, especialy for the 29 November 1705, filmed page 4 of the file.

The Legends of America webpage, "Witches of Massachusetts," claims Mary (Leach) Ireson died 5 March 1711, but have yet to find historical support. See the 2023 G2G, Did Mary (Leach) Ireson die on 5 March 1711? Do we have historical support?

unkle: ffuller. One of the witch trial notes refers to her "unkle: ffuller." See "SWP No. 075: Mary Ireson," Salem Witch Trials Documentary Archive and Transcription Project; web content, University of Virginia.

Sources

  1. ↑ Benjamin Ireson 1705 probate file, case 14619 (7 pp.), Essex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1638-1881; database and digital images by subscription, AmericanAncestors, especially for the 29 November 1705, filmed page 4 of the file.
  2. ↑ Leach-Ireston 1680 marriage, Vital Records of Lynn, Massachusetts, to the end of the year 1849, 2 vols. (Salem, Mass., The Essex institute, 1905-1906), 2:225 (Leach); digital images, HathiTrust, "[Leach] Mary, and Benjamin Ierston, Aug. 1, 1680."
  3. ↑ Robert Charles Anderson, The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England 1620-1633, Volumes I-III, 3 vols. (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1995), 2:1063-1065 (Edward Ireson) at 1065 (Benjamin/Benoni); digital images by subscription, AmericanAncestors.
  4. ↑ Eleanor Tucker, "The Ireson Family of Lynn and Marblehead," The Essex Genealogist, 15 (1995):10-17, at 11-12 (Benjamin); digital images by subscription, AmericanAncestors.
  5. ↑ http://www.legendsofamerica.com/ma-witches-i-j.html
  6. ↑ http://salem.lib.virginia.edu/people?group.num=all&mbio.num=mb36
  7. ↑ Eleanor Tucker, "The Ireson Family of Lynn and Marblehead," The Essex Genealogist, 15 (1995):10-17, at 11-12 (Benjamin); digital images by subscription, AmericanAncestors.
  8. ↑ Benjamin Ireson 1705 probate file, case 14619 (7 pp.), Essex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1638-1881; database and digital images by subscription, AmericanAncestors, especially for the 29 November 1705, filmed page 4 of the file.
  9. ↑ Ireson-Fortune 1704 marriage, Vital Records of Marblehead, Massachusetts, to the end of the year 1849, 3 vols. (Salem, Mass., The Essex institute, 1903-1908), 2:235 (Ireson); digital images, HathiTrust, "[Ierson] Richard, and Rebbeca Fortune, Oct. 5, 1704."
  10. ↑ Ierson-Parker 1714 marriage, Vital Records of Lynn, Massachusetts, to the end of the year 1849, 2 vols. (Salem, Mass., The Essex institute, 1905-1906), 2:197 (Ierson); digital images, HathiTrust, "[Ierson] Sarah, and James Parker, Dec. 21, 1714."
  11. ↑ Ireson-Furnace 1713 marriage, Vital Records of Marblehead, Massachusetts, to the end of the year 1849, 3 vols. (Salem, Mass., The Essex institute, 1903-1908), 2:235 (Ireson); digital images, HathiTrust, "[Ierson] Benja[min], and Susanna Furnace, 7br : 7 : 1713."
  12. ↑ Ierson-Mansfield 1715/6 marriage intention, Vital Records of Lynn, Massachusetts, to the end of the year 1849, 2 vols. (Salem, Mass., The Essex institute, 1905-1906), 2:197 (Ierson); digital images, HathiTrust, "[Ierson] Edward, and Hanah Mansfield, int. Mar. 17, 1715-16."
  13. ↑ “Salem Witchcraft : with an Account of Salem Village, and a History of Opinions on Witchcraft and Kindred Subjects : Upham, Charles Wentworth, 1802-1875, Author : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming.” Internet Archive, January 1, 1970. [broken link] gutenberg.org/files/17845/17845-h/salem2-htm.html#Page_ii.480.
  14. ↑ https://www.mass.gov/doc/resolves-of-1957-chapter-145/download
  15. ↑ https://malegislature.gov/Laws/SessionLaws/Acts/2001/Chapter122

See also--

  • Mary Ireson in Salem Witch Trials
  • Augustus G. Parker, Parker in America 1630-1910 ... (Buffalo, N.Y. : Niagara Frontier Publishing Company, 1911), 538-539 (James^3); digital images, InternetArchive.
  • Marilyn Fitzpatrick, "James Parker of Groton," The Essex Genealogist, 13 (1993):146-151, 210-217; 14 (1994):28-38, 97-105, 165-171, at 14:35-37 (11-James^3 Parker); digital images by subscriptions, AmericanAncestors.




Is Mary your ancestor? Please don't go away!
 star icon Login to collaborate or comment, or
 star icon contact private message the profile manager, or
 star icon ask our community of genealogists a question.
Sponsored Search by Ancestry.com

DNA Connections
It may be possible to confirm family relationships with Mary by comparing test results with other carriers of her mitochondrial DNA. However, there are no known mtDNA test-takers in her direct maternal line. It is likely that these autosomal DNA test-takers will share some percentage of DNA with Mary:

Have you taken a DNA test? If so, login to add it. If not, see our friends at Ancestry DNA.



Comments: 6

Leave a message for others who see this profile.
There are no comments yet.
Login to post a comment.
GeneJ X
Her son Benjamin Ireson's wife, Susanna Furnace, was probably the daughter of David Furness (abt.1667-1727), whose profile reads, "David's probate record mentions ... Susanna Roe, wife of Benjamin Roo."

This heir seems likely Susanna Furnace, baptized--presumably not close to birth as she was baptized with several apparent siblings, children of "David and Sarah"--Marblehead, 11 February 1705 (Marblehead Vital Records). Likewise, the Susanna Furnace married (1) in Marblehead, 7br :7 : 1713, Richard Ireson, son of Mary (Leach) Ireson (abt.1659-abt.1711) and Benjamin Ireson (abt.1645-1705).

And further, Susannah Ireson married [(2)], in Marblehead, 26 November 1716, Benjamin Row of Gloucester [Marblehead Vital Records].

For the Ireson marriage, see Ireson-Furnace 1713 marriage, Vital Records of Marblehead, Massachusetts, to the end of the year 1849, 3 vols. (Salem, Mass., The Essex institute, 1903-1908), 2:235 (Ireson); digital images, HathiTrust, "[Ierson] Benja[min], and Susanna Furnace, 7br : 7 : 1713."

See then also Benjamin Ireson 1715 probate, case 14620 (6 pp.), Essex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1638-1881; database and digital images by subscription, AmericanAncestors, probate dated 27 June 1715, mentions "widow's 1/3" and "only child"; bond dated 14 June 1715 has "Susannah Ireson, principle, William Ffurnace of Salem and William Young sureties."

Edited to add: Marblehead has birth, "[Ireson] Benjamin, s. Susanna, bp. Mar. 13, 1714-15. cr1"

posted by GeneJ X
edited by GeneJ X
GeneJ X
Some other probate files worthy of further work.
  • Richard Ireson 1767 probate (Marblehead), case 14633 (8 pp.), Essex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1638-1881; database and digital images by subscription, AmericanAncestors, committee to appraise is Isaac Mansfield, Mrss Francis Felton, John Carder all of Marblehead; Richard Ireson was a fisherman; administrator is Miriam Ireson; allowances to John Leach, Giles Qumy, John Dodd, [Joshua Orne, crossed out], Hannah Stacey, Capt. Richard Homan; there follows a list of debts unpaid; an allowance for the widow ...
  • Richard Ireson 1738 probate (Marblehead/Intestate), case 16432 (15 pp.), Essex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1638-1881; database and digital images by subscription, AmericanAncestors, Samuel Ireson, fisherman, is administrator of the estate of his father;
  • Receipts 1737 from, _____ _____, Francis Rowlan, Rob Bull, Edward Stacy,
  • In "additional account" 1741 payments to,
  • Francis Rowlan
  • Rob Bull
  • __Elkinss
  • __Lewis
  • Edward Stacy
  • ... further trouble
posted by GeneJ X
edited by GeneJ X
GeneJ X
Might we update her birth to "about 1659 (assumes she was age 21 at marriage)"?

There was no Mary Leach baptized at Salem on 3 July 1654; rather, the baptism was on 3 September 1654. That baptism is attributed to her cousin, Mary (Leach) Field (bef.1654-). --Gene

posted by GeneJ X
GeneJ X
I have seen the Legends of America site for its claim that Mary (Leach) Ireson died on 5 March 1711.

Hoping someone has found a historical record to support the claim? --Gene

posted by GeneJ X
edited by GeneJ X
GeneJ X
Please see the G2G, Working to devise the children of Richard^2 and John^2 Leach. --Gene
posted by GeneJ X
GeneJ X
Profile suggests Benjamin and Mary had but one child, but in 1995, Eleanor Tucker reported there were five born to the marriage.

See Eleanor Tucker, "The Ireson Family of Lynn and Marblehead," The Essex Genealogist, 15 (1995):10-17, at 12 (Benjamin); digital images by subscription, AmericanAncestors.

Tucker reports Mary died before 29 November 1705, "as she is not named in the settlement of Benjamin's estate."

posted by GeneJ X
edited by GeneJ X

Mary is 16 degrees from Emeril Lagasse, 19 degrees from Nigella Lawson, 19 degrees from Maggie Beer, 42 degrees from Mary Hunnings, 25 degrees from Joop Braakhekke, 22 degrees from Michael Chow, 19 degrees from Ree Drummond, 20 degrees from Paul Hollywood, 19 degrees from Matty Matheson, 21 degrees from Martha Stewart, 27 degrees from Danny Trejo and 23 degrees from Molly Yeh on our single family tree. Login to find your connection.

L  >  Leach  |  I  >  Ireson  >  Mary (Leach) Ireson

Categories: Salem Witch Trials