John Peabody (1642 - 1720)

Born 1642 in Hampton, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Ancestors

Husband of Hannah (Andrews) Peabody — married 23 Nov 1665 in Boxford, Essex, Massachusetts Bay

Husband of Sarah (Trescott) Peabody — married 26 Nov 1703 in Dorchester, Suffolk, Massachusetts Bay Province

Descendants

Died 5 Jul 1720 at about age 78 in Boxford, Essex, Province of Massachusetts Bay

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Biography

John Peabody was involved in the Salem Witch Trials

Captain John (Francis, John) was born at Hampton.

John Peabody was born about 1642. His mother died when he was about 7 and his Dad remarried a year later and had nine more children. So John grew up in a household of fourteen children plus at least one child from his step-mother’s former marriage.

John first married Hannah Andrews in Topsfield, Massachusetts on Nov. 23, 1665,^[1] in Topsfield, Essex, Massachusetts. Hannah was the daughter of Robert and Grace Andrews; she died Dec. 25, 1 700-1.

They were among the first settlers of Boxford, Massachusetts where John was the first school master. He served as town clerk for 24 years, was selectman for many years and captain of the militia.

John was made “freeman” in 1674. He was representative to the General Court 1689-1691. He was on the Salem Witchcraft jury which convicted John Willard. John Willard was sentenced to death and hung on August 19, 1692 .
 After the trial, John and eleven other jury members were moved to sign and circulate a declaration of regret.^[2]

He married second, Nov. 26, 1703, at Dorchester, Sarah Trescott Mosely, (widow of Increase Mosley) who survived him.^[3]

He died July 5, 1720 in Boxford, Massachusetts at the age of 78. His will, dated Oct. 17, 1719, was proved in August 1720. His sons “David Pabody” and “Nathan Pabody” signed the agreement of heirs. In addition to them, legatees included his five married daughters, several grandchildren, three servants and his widow.^[4]

John Pabody (Paybody, Peabody) born was born in Hampton. He first married Hannah, daughter of Robert and Grace Andrews.^[5]

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.^[6]
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.^[7]
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.^[8]

Sources

1. ↑ "Massachusetts Marriages, 1695-1910," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FHT9-YH2 : 9 February 2018), John Pabodye and Hannah Andrews, 23 Nov 1665; citing reference Book C, page 6; FHL microfilm 761,323.
2. ↑ Witches of Massachusetts, Legends of America website
3. ↑ "Massachusetts Marriages, 1695-1910," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FC4C-7PN : 9 February 2018), John Pabody and Sarah Mosely, 26 Nov 1703; citing reference ; FHL microfilm 0982354 IT 1.
4. ↑ Peabody, S. H., & Pope, C. H. (1988). Peabody (Paybody, Pabody, Pabodie) genealogy. Newburyport, Massachusetts: Parker River Researchers.
5. ↑ Peabody, S. H., & Pope, C. H. (1988). Peabody (Paybody, Pabody, Pabodie) genealogy. Newburyport, Massachusetts: Parker River Researchers.
6. ↑ “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. [#Page_ii.480].
7. ↑ https://www.mass.gov/doc/resolves-of-1957-chapter-145/download
8. ↑ https://malegislature.gov/Laws/SessionLaws/Acts/2001/Chapter122

See also:

• “General Register of the Society of Colonial Wars, 1899-1902; : Society of Colonial Wars. [from Old Catalog] : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming.” Internet Archive. New York [Printed by H. K. Brewer & co.], January 1, 1970. https://archive.org/details/generalregistero00soci/page/727.