Bridget (Playfer) Bishop (1638 - 1692)

Born 1638 in England

Wife of Samuel Waselby — married 13 Apr 1660 in Norwich, Norfolk, England

Wife of Thomas Oliver — married 26 Jul 1666 in Salem, Essex, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Descendants

Died 10 Jun 1692 at about age 54 in Salem Town, Essex, Massachusetts Bay

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Biography

Bridget (Playfer) Bishop was executed for witchcraft in the Salem Witch Trials

Bridget (Playfer) Bishop is Notable.

Bridget Bishop was the first victim to be hanged during the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. Over 400 accused; about 72 accused and tried; 20 executed. Over 100 died awaiting trial or release.^[1]

"She came to Salem about 1664, presumably with her first husband Samuel Wasselby; however, he died by the time of the birth of their daughter Mary in 1665. Bridget soon thereafter married as her second husband Thomas Oliver by whom she had one known child. He died in 1679 and late that same year his wife was arraigned before the Essex County Court on a charge of witchcraft."^[2] She was acquitted of those charges. Bridget married as her third husband Edward Bishop probably in 1680 (certainly by 1689) by whom she had no children.

Bridget was a colorful and controversial character in puritan Salem. She was known for wearing a bright red bodice, embroidered it with multicolored patterns. She was accused of fighting with her husband Thomas Oliver on several occasions.

On 16 April 1692, Bridget was again accused of witchcraft, and arrested on 18 April. She maintained her innocence until the end. On 8 June 1692, she was tried for witchcraft, found guilty, and sentenced to death. Bridget was hung on Gallows Hill on 8 June 1692, becoming the first person executed for during the witchcraft "hysteria" in the late 17th century.

Name and Origins

Name: Bridget Playfer

AKA: Goody Oliver, Goody Bishop

The LNAB of the first person hanged as a witch in Salem was recently published with the discovery of her marriage record to Samuel Waselby.^[3] A search of parish records around Norwich, and of Playfer wills has yet to identify her birth, baptism, or parents.

Birth

Born: Say 1638 (between 1630 and 1640) in England.

The date is an estimate based on her marriage in 1660. She was married at St. Mary-in-the-Marsh in Norwich, Norfolk, England, and was presumably born nearby. However, a search of this parish and surrounding parishes has failed to find her birth or baptism record.

Marriage and Children

Married: 1st - Samuel Waselby on 13 April 1660 at the parish of St. Mary-in-the-Marsh in Norwich, Norfolk, England.^[3][4] The birth record of his daughter Mary states he was deceased at the time of her birth on 10 January 1665.^[5]

Married: 2nd - Thomas Oliver on 26 July 1666 in Salem, Essex County, Massachusetts. He died before 24 June 1679 when the administration of his estate was granted to Bridget his wife.

Married: 3rd - Edward Bishop, sawyer, probably in 1680 and certainly by 1687. It is important to note he is not the same as Edward Bishop Sr. of Salem and Beverly with whom he is frequently confused.^[6]

Children of Samuel Wasselby and Bridget Playfer:

1. Benjamin Wasselby. Baptized on 6 October 1663 at the parish of St. Mary-in-the-Marsh in Norwich, Norfolk, England.^[3] He was buried on 26 September 1664 at St. Dunstan in Stepney, Middlesex, England.^[7]
2. Mary Wasselby. Born 10 January 1665 in Boston, Massachusetts Bay Colony.^[5] This is the only record of her and she is presumed to have died young.

Children of Thomas Oliver and Bridget Playfer:

1. Christian Oliver. Born 8 May 1667 in Salem, Massachusetts.

Death

Died: 10 June 1692 in Salem, Essex County, Massachusetts. She was the first person hanged for alleged witchcraft on Gallows Hill in Salem.

Notes

Records:

• January 1670, Thomas Oliver and his wife were fined and sentenced to be whipped for fighting with each other.
• January 1678, Bridget and Thomas Oliver were sentenced to be gagged and stand back-to-back for and hour with their offenses written on a paper on their foreheads.
• 24 June 1679, administration of the estate of Thomas Oliver granted to Bridget his wife.
• 25 Feb. 1679/80, Bridget Oliver presented for possible witchcraft.
• December 1687, Bridget, wife of Edward Bishop, arrested for stealing a piece of brass. This is the first unequivocal date when she is married to Edward Bishop.

The first person executed for witchcraft during the Salem Witch Trials ^[8]

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.^[9]
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 [For Bridget Bishop, no compensation because survivors did not petition]^[9]
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.^[10]
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.^[11]

Witch Trials

“Execution of Bridget Bishop at Salem, 1692,” illustration by Joseph Boggs Beale, circa 1885.

Background

Long before her arrest in 1692 for witchcraft, Bridget Bishop had a notorious history in puritan Salem. It was certainly this reputation which made her an easy target when the witch hysteria began in early 1692. What distinguished Bridget was her well-known manner of dress-- a red paragon bodice on her dress. ‘Paragon’ refers to everyday clothing; it was usually made out of dark bland colors, not red. Not only was her bodice red but she had embroidered it with multicolored patterns. It was showy for a Puritan society and caused her to stand out and be associated with anti-Puritan behavior. On several occasions she was punished for publicly fighting with her husband, Thomas Oliver, and forced to stand in the town square. Soon after Thomas’ death in 1679, she was accused of bewitching him to death, though she was acquitted of those charges. She was known for entertaining people at “unseasonable” hours of the night and promoting disorder by playing games. The Salem witchcraft “hysteria” began in January 1692 when several young girls began having fits, and a Caribbean slave, Tituba, along with two other women–the homeless beggar Sarah Good and the poor, elderly Sarah Osborn of bewitching them. While Good and Osborn denied the charges, Tibuta confessed and offered to expose other witches. She was likely seeking to save herself from certain conviction by acting as an informer. Dozens more would be accused before Bridget Bishop was caught up in the firestorm.

Arrest

Bridget Bishop was arrested on 18 April 1692 along with several other woman and taken to Ingersoll's Tavern. The following day, magistrates John Hathorne and Jonathan Corwin examined Abigail Hobbs, Bridget Bishop, Giles Corey, and Mary Warren. Bridget was accused of bewitching five young women, Abigail Williams, Ann Putnam, Jr., Mercy Lewis, Mary Walcott, and Elizabeth Hubbard during the examination.

Trial and Accusations

Beginning on May 30, Bridget Bishop was tried before the Court of Oyer and Terminer on its first day in session. Multiple witnesses gave depositions and testimony again Bridget Bishop. She was convicted of the charges and sentenced to death. Nathaniel Saltonstall, one of the justices on the court, resigned, probably because of the death sentence.

The five young, original accusers stated that Bridget Bishop was the witch that hurt them. Ann Putnam stated that Bridget called the devil her God. During the trial, if Bridget looked at any of her accusers they would be immediately struck down and could only be revived by Bridget's touch.

This trial was the first to involve spectral evidence. Several accused her of appearing as a specter and pinching, choking and biting them. Bridget angrily denied the accusations, at one point saying "I am innocent to a Witch. I know not what a Witch is." A magistrate responded, "How can you know, you are no Witch ... [and] yet not know what a Witch is?" Two men she had hired to work on her cellar testified that they had found "poppits" in the walls: rag dolls with pins in them. While some might consider spectral evidence suspect, such evidence was considered to be even stronger. Several men testifying that she had visited them -- in spectral form -- in bed at night.

William Stacy claimed he'd been frightened by Bridget Bishop fourteen years before and that she had caused the death of his daughter. Her husband testified first that he'd heard her accused before of witchcraft, and then that she was a witch. Several people stated that she had confessed to causing the deaths of a number children.

On a physical examination of Bridget, it was stated that they had discovered a third breast, though on a follow-up examination the third breast was gone.

To all this, Bridget proclaimed her innocence. She frequently stated that she had never even met the accuser, or had never even been to a location she was stated to have been seen at. Some of these denials probably hurt her as they were obvious falsehoods (such as denying knowing someone who worked in the orchard next to hers).

Death Sentence

On 8 June 1692, Bridget Bishop was found guilty and sentenced to be hanged until dead.

While she was not among the first to be accused, she was the first to be tried in that court, the first to be sentenced, and the first to die. She was executed by hanging on Gallows Hill on June 10.

Bridget Bishop's (assumed) stepson, Edward Bishop, and his wife, Sarah Bishop, were also arrested and charged as witches. They escaped the jail and hid until the "witchcraft craze" had ended. Their property was seized, however, and later redeemed by their son.^[12][13]

Sources

Footnotes and citations:

1. ↑ "Name, Colony, year of first accusation or trial:

   BISHOP, Bridget (PLAYFER) WASSELBE OLIVER MA 1692

   BISHOP, Edward, Jr. MA 1692" "Associated Daughters of Early American Witches: 'Listing of Those Who were Accused, Tried, or Convicted of Witchcraft Prior to 1700, Approved Ancestors"

2. ↑ Hearn, Daniel Allen. Legal Executions in New England: A Comprehensive Reference, 1623-1960. (1999): p. 65."
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} The American Genealogist (1989): page 207. "Bridget (Playfer) (Wasselbee) (Oliver) Bishop."
4. ↑ Norfolk, England, Church of England Baptism, Marriages, and Burials, 1535-1812. (Ancestry.com online database). Norfolk, Norwich, St Mary in the Marsh, 1558-1664. Image 17 of 54. Original image of the marriage of Bridget Playfer and Samuel Waselby.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} Boston. Boston Births, Baptisms, Marriages, and Deaths, 1630-1699. (1883): page 98.
6. ↑ The American Genealogist (1981): pages 129-138. "Salem Witches I: Bridget Bishop."
7. ↑ "England Deaths and Burials, 1538-1991", FamilySearch online database. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JCJX-TZS), Samuell Waselby in entry for Benjamin Waselby, 26 Sep 1664. Image 612 of 706.
8. ↑ Wikipedia: Bridget Bishop.
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} Upham, Charles Wentworth. Salem Witchcraft : with an Account of Salem Village, and a History of Opinions on Witchcraft and Kindred Subjects, vol. 2. (Boston, 1867): Page 479.
10. ↑ Commonwealth of Massachusetts Government Website. Resolves of 1957, chapter 145.
11. ↑ 192 General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Session Laws, Acts of 2001, Chapter 122: AN ACT RELATIVE TO THE WITCHCRAFT TRIAL OF 1692.
12. ↑ Find A Grave Memorial #8290, Bridget Bishop.
13. ↑ Wikipedia: Bridget Bishop.

Source list:

• 192 General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Session Laws, Acts of 2001, Chapter 122: AN ACT RELATIVE TO THE WITCHCRAFT TRIAL OF 1692.

• The American Genealogist vol. 57 (1981): pages 129-138. "Salem Witches I: Bridget Bishop," by David L. Green. AmericanAncestors.org Link

• The American Genealogist vol. 58 (1982): page 163. "Bridget Bishop Correction," by George E. McCracken. AmericanAncestors.org Link

• The American Genealogist vol. 64 (1989): page 207. Bridget (Playfer) (Wasselbee) (Oliver) Bishop, by Robert Charles Anderson. AmericanAncestors.org Link

• Boston. A Report of the Record Commissioners Containing Boston Births, Baptisms, Marriages, and Deaths, 1630-1699. (Boston: Rockwell and Churchill, 1883; Boston: Municipal Printing Office, 1908). page 98.

• Brooks, Rebecca Beatrice . "The Witchcraft Trial of Bridget Bishop", (posted 10 October 2011). at History of Massachusetts Blog website.

• Commonwealth of Massachusetts Government Website. Resolves of 1957, chapter 145.

• "England Deaths and Burials, 1538-1991", FamilySearch online database. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JCJX-TZS), Samuell Waselby in entry for Benjamin Waselby, 26 Sep 1664. Image 612 of 706.

• Find A Grave Memorial #8290, Bridget Bishop.

• Haines, Juliet. Devil Made Me Do It!: Crime and Punishment in Early New England. (Mofford; Rowman & Littlefield; Conn., USA; 2011): pages 34-35.

• Norfolk, England, Church of England Baptism, Marriages, and Burials, 1535-1812. (Ancestry.com online database). Norfolk, Norwich, St Mary in the Marsh, 1558-1664. Image 17 of 54. Original image of the marriage of Bridget Playfer and Samuel Waselby.

• Roach, Marilynne K. The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-day Chronicle of a Community Under Siege. (Maryland, 2002): page 156."

• Roach, Marilynne K. "Where Did Accused "Witch" Bridget Bishop Live?" in American Ancestors (Fall 2013): page 45-47.

• Roach, Marilynne K. Were the Salem Witchcraft Victims Buried or Not?, in "American Ancestry Magazine" (NEHGS, Boston, Summer 2020): Vol. 21, No. 2, Page 46.

• Salem, Vital Records of Salem, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849, vol 4: Marriages. (Salem: Essex Institute, 1924): page 439. AmericanAncestors.org Link .

• Salem Witch Trial: Documentary Archive and Transcription Website. "Case Files Referencing Bridget Bishop."

• Salem Witch Trial: Documentary Archive and Transcription Website. The Salem Witchcraft Papers: SWP No. 013, Bridget Bishop Executed.

• Wikipedia: Bridget Bishop.

• Wikipedia: Edward Bishop (Salem witch trials).

• Wikipedia: Salem Witch Trials.