Nehemiah Abbott Jr. (abt. 1662 - bef. 1736)

Born about 1662 in Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Ancestors

Husband of Remember (Fiske) Abbott — married 21 Jan 1685 (to 12 Jul 1703) in Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Descendants

Died before 27 Dec 1736 before about age 74 in Ipswich, Essex, Province of Massachusetts Bay [uncertain]

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Biography

Nehemiah Abbott Jr. was accused of witchcraft in the Salem Witch Trials

Nehemiah was questioned and released during the Salem Witch Trials.^[1]

Nehemiah Abbott was born about 1662 probably in Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts Bay Colony, the son of Nehemiah and Mary (Howe) Abbott.^[2]

Nehemiah Abbot married Remember Fiske on 21 January 16[85/6?] in Ipswich.^[3][4][5][2]

He died, probably in Ipswich, before 27 Dec 1736, when his estate entered probate. His son John was named as executor. The monetary value of the inventory made Feb 1, 1737, was £170:12s:4d. Mary and Mehitable, his daughters, were given one-half of all his land and meadows lying in Ipswich and Rowley, or elsewhere, and all the household effects and 'moveables' not otherwise disposed of. They were also to have the use of the house as long as they remained single. Sarah had been given her share before her father's death. In addition to one-half of the estate already deeded to his son, John, he was also to have half of what remained of the landed property after his father's death. Neither Nehemiah or any other children living are mentioned in the will.^[6]

Children born Ipswich, except the first:

1. Dorothy, b. 26 Apr 16[torn], Linebrook Parish, Topsfield
2. Nehemiah, b. 21 Jan 1690
3. John, b. 09 Apr 1691
4. Nehemiah, b. 19 Oct 1692
5. Mary, b. 05 Nov 1693
6. Elizabeth, b. 22 Dec 1694
7. Susanna, b. 1697
8. Mehetabell, b. 17 Oct 1700
9. Sarah, b. 1703

Witch Trials Testimony

Nehemiah Abbott was arrested for Witchcraft Apr 21, 1692. He was the only person released after refusing to confess.

The examination of Nehemiah Abbot, at a court at Salem village, by John Hawthorne and Jonathan Corwin Esqrs. 22nd April 1692.^[7]

What say you, are you guilty of witchcraft, of which you are suspected, or not?

No Sir, I say before God, before whom I stand, that I know nothing of witchcraft.

Who is this man? Ann Putman named him. -- Mary Walcot said she had seen his shape. What do you say to this?

I never did hurt them.

Who hurt you Ann Putman ?

That man.

I never hurt her.

Ann Putman said, he is upon the beam. Just such a discovery of the person carried out, and she confessed; and if you would find mercy of God, you must confess.

-- If I should confess this, I must confess what is false.

Tell how far you have gone, who hurts you?

I do not know, I am absolutely free. As you say, God knows.

If you will confess the truth, we desire nothing else that you may not hide your guilt, if you are guilty, and therefore confess if so.

I speak before God that I am clear from this accusation.

What, in all respects?

Yes in all respects.

Doth this man hurt you? Their mouths were stopped. You hear several accuse you, though one cannot open her mouth.

I am altogether free.

Charge him not unless it be he. This is the man say some, and some say he is very like him. How did you know his name?

He did not tell me himself, but other witches told me.

Ann Putman said, it is the same man, and then she was taken with a fit.

Mary Walcot, is this the man?

He is like him, I cannot say it is he.

Mercy Lewis said it is not the man. They all agreed, the man had a bunch on his eyes.

Ann Putman, in a fit, said, be you the man?

ay, do you say you be the man? did you put a mist before my eyes?

Then he was sent forth till several others were examined. When he was brought in again, by reason of much people, and many in the windows so that the accusers could not have a clear view of him, he was ordered to be abroad, and the accusers to go forth to him and view him in the light, which they did, and in the presence of the magistrates and many others discoursed quietly with him, one and all acquitting him, but yet said he was like that man, but he had not the wen they saw in his apparition, Note, he was a hilly faced man and stood shaded by reason of his own hair, so that for a time he seemed to some by-standers and observers, to be considerably like the person the afflicted did describe.

Mr. Samuel Parris , being desired to take in writing the examination of Nehemiah Abbot , hath delivered it as aforesaid, and upon hearing the same did see cause to dismiss him.

John Hawthorne , Jona. Corwin , { Assistants.

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.^[8]
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.^[9]
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.^[10]

Sources

1. ↑ The Salem Witchcraft Papers (SWP No. 005) Nehemiah Abbott Jr.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Abbott, Maj. Lemuel Abijah, Descendants of George Abbott of Rowley, Mass. (Abbott, Boston: 1906), p. 65.
3. ↑ "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (30 April 2018), Essex > Ipswich > Births, marriages, deaths 1663-1739 > image 129 of 352; town clerk offices, Massachusetts.]

   "1685. Nehemiah Abbot was maried to Remember Fiske, January 21st 16[torn]."

4. ↑ Massachusetts, Town Records, 1620-1988, online Ancestry.com, "Ipswich Church Records, Earmarks, with Births, Marriages, and Deaths," p. 133.

   "ABBOT, Nehemiah, and Remember Fiske, Jan. 21, 16[86?]."

5. ↑ Essex Institute, compiler, Ipswich Vital Records to the year 1849 (Salem, MA: Essex Institute, 1910), Vol. 2:15
6. ↑ Nehemiah Abbott, Probate packet #109 (1736), Essex County, MA: Probate File Papers
7. ↑ Thomas Hutchinson , The History of the Province of Massachusetts-Bay, From the Charter of King William and Queen Mary, in 1691, Until the Year 1750 [London, 1768; reprinted Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Press, 1936, 3 vols.], Vol. II, p. 35, citing W. S. Nevins Witchcraft in Salem Village in 1692, pp. 223-225.
8. ↑ Upham, Charles Wentworth, “Salem Witchcraft : with an Account of Salem Village, and a History of Opinions on Witchcraft and Kindred Subjects (Boston : Wiggin & Lunt, 1867)Vol. 2:479-480.
9. ↑ Massachusetts Resolves, 1957, Chapter 145, "Resolve Relative to the Indictment, Trial, Conviction and Execution of Ann Pudeator and Certain Other Persons for 'Witchcraft' in the Year Sixteen Hundred and Ninety-two"
10. ↑ Massachusetts Legislature “Session Law - Acts of 2001 Chapter 122,” "An Act Relative to the Witchcraft Trial of 1692", accessed March 2, 2021.

See also:

• “Case Files Referencing Nehemiah Abbott Jr.” New Salem - Pelican. Accessed February 27, 2020.
• Abbott, Maj. Lemuel Abijah, Descendants of George Abbott of Rowley, Mass. (Abbott, Boston: 1906), p. 65