| John Proctor migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). Join: Puritan Great Migration Project Discuss: pgm |
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John Proctor was born the oldest child of John Proctor and his wife Martha. His baptism was 9 October 1631, in Assington, Suffolk, England.[1] The senior John Proctor brought his family to America in 1635 on the Susan and Ellen, and they settled in Ipswich Massachusetts.[2]
John Proctor Sr died possessing a good estate over £1000 in value, most of it in land.[3] His son John prospered likewise, and in 1666 he removed from Ipswich to Salem Village, where he leased the former Downing farm, the Downing family by then having returned to England. Shortly after taking possession, John Proctor petitioned for a license to sell strong waters.I live at Mr Downing's farm which is in the common roadway, which occasioneth sever travellers to call in for some refreshment as they pass along and finding it like to be very chargable in case I should continue to accomodate such upon free cost, do earnestly request you that you would be pleased to grant me the liberty to set up a house of entertainment and to sell strong water only to strangers.[4]Between the farm and the roadhouse, run by his third wife Elizabeth after 1674, his estate continued to grow.
John Proctor was probably married three times (see Disputed Marriage note below.)
First, to Martha _____, about 1651. Martha w. John died 13 Jun 1659.[5]
Second, to Elizabeth Thorndike, 1 Dec 1662. She died 30 6m 1672 at Salem.[8]Children of this marriage:
Third, to Elizabeth Bassett, 1 Apr 1674. Children of this marriage:
The marriage of John Proctor and Martha _____ has been a matter of dispute. Torrey and Savage claimed that John Proctor Sr had married a second wife Martha, perhaps Martha Giddings or some variation on that spelling, sister of George Giddings whom he called "my brother", after the death of his first wife Martha Harpur. See: "Giddings-Proctor Addendum" to "The English Origins of George Giddings" NEHGR vol 135, p. 285.[11]
More recently, this Martha, still carrying the name Giddings, has been seen instead as the first wife of John Proctor Jr. This can be easily disposed of as genealogical gap filling. George's sister Martha was too old to be the spouse of John Proctor Jr.
William White and John Proctor are referred to as father and son in 1659,[12] causing a lot of speculation about this relationship.
Proctor replied if they were let alone so we should all be Devils & witches quickly they should rather be had to the whipping post but he would fetch his jade home & thresh the Devil out of her & more to the like purpose, crying hang them, hang them. And also added that when she [Warren] was first taken with fits he kept her close to the [spinning] wheel & threatened to thresh her, & then she had no more fits till the next day he was gone forth, & then she must have her fits again firsooth.”[14]
As the hysteria spread more persons were accused of bewitching the girls, among them Elizabeth Bassett Proctor. When John Proctor denounced the accusers and defended his wife, he was likewise accused, the first male to be arrested. Proctor had a known history of intemperate outbursts; in 1659, he was fined for "reviling speeches".[15] According to Upham,[16]"He was bold in his spirit and his language,- an upright man no doubt, as the whole tone of the memorials of him indicate, but free and imprudent in speech, impulsive in feeling, and sometimes rash in action."
While in prison, John Proctor wrote to a number of the prominent ministers in Boston, protesting the methods of the tribunal in Salem:
SALEM PRISON, July 23, 1692. Mr. Mather, Mr. Allen, Mr. Moody, Mr. Willard and Mr. Bailey; Rev., Gentlemen: The innocency of our case with the enmity of our accusers, and our judges and jury, whom nothing but our innocent blood will serve, having condemned us already before our trials, being so much incensed and enraged against us by the Devil, makes us bold to beg and implore your favorable assistance of this one humble petition to his excellency, that if it be possible our innocent blood may be spared, which undoubtedly otherwise may be shed, if the Lord doth not mercifully step in; the magistrates, ministers, juries and all the people in general being so much enraged and incensed against us by the delusion of the Devil, which we can term no other, by reason we know in our own conscience, we are all innocent persons. Here are five persons, who have lately confessed themselves to be witches, and do accuse some of us of being along with them at a sacrament since we were committed into close prison. This we know to be lies. Two of the five, all Curriers sons, young men who would not confess anything till they tied them neck and heels till the blood was ready to come out of their noses, and it is creditably believed and reported, this was the occasion of making them confess what they never did, by reason they said one had been a witch a month, and another five weeks, and that their mother made them so, who has been confined here this nine weeks. My son William Proctor, when he was examined because he would not confess he was guilty, when he was innocent, they tied him neck and heels till the blood gushed out at his nose, and would have kept him so 24 hours, if one more merciful than the rest had not taken pity on him, and caused him to be unbound. These actions are like the Popish cruelties. They have already undone us, in our estates, and that will not serve them, without our innocent blood. If it cannot be granted that we can have our trials at Boston, we humbly beg that you would endeavor to have those magistrates changed and others in their room, begging also, and beseaching you that you would be pleased to be here, if not all, some of you at our trials, hoping thereby you may be the means of saving the shedding of our innocent blood. Desiring your prayers to the Lord in our behalf, we rest your poor afflicted servants. JOHN PROCTOR AND OTHERS.[17]
The ministers met and altered their stand on the nature of spectral evidence, but it was too late for John Proctor, who was hanged 19 August 1692. His wife Elizabeth was also condemned, but, being pregnant, was reprieved until after the birth of her child - by which time the witchcraft hysteria had passed. Some Proctor children - Benjamin, William and Sarah, had also been arrested but were finally released without trial. It was years, however, before they received even partial reparations for their losses.
Will: "... I John Procter, Senr of Salem, in Essex, in N=England, yeman, ... Sound mind ... I will And Bequeath an Equall proportion of my whole estate, when Justly valued unto Each one of my Children my two Eldest Sons shall have all my Lands Into their shares and what the Land may be vallued ate more then their my two Eldest Sons Equall portion, they my two sons shall pay unto the Rest of my Children; and they my Two Sons viz Benjamin Proctor and John Proctor Junr I do hereby Constitute and appointe to be my Lawfull Executors ... Dated this Second day of August in the year of Grace one Thousand Six hundred Ninety and Two ... 2d August 1692 My request is that my Brother White & Joseph Proctor my Brother be my overseers ..."
Witnessed Joseph Proctor, Phillip ffowler, Thomas Chote.
Sworn to 3 Dec 1694 by Philip Fowler. Joseph Proctor stated that he did not think his Brother John Proctor was of a disposing mine. James White was also present and made oath. and Thomas Chote made oath 10 Dec. The will was proved 22 March 1694.
Inventory: 22 Mar 1694. Land £208
Equal parts of £17. 6. 8 were distributed to Benjamin, Martha, Mary, William, Joseph, Samuel, John, -?-, Thorndike, Sarah, Elizabeth, Abigail
[7]
Note that John refers to his Brother White, probably the James White who made oath to his will. James White was married to John's sister Martha.
Following is the (abbreviated) account of Savage:[18]
JOHN, Ipswich, s. of the preced. b. in Eng. rem. in few yrs. to Salem, perhaps freem. 1690, m. Dec. 1662, Eliz. d. of John Thorndike, had prob. by a sec. w. Eliz. Bassett, m. 1 Apr. 1674, William, b. 6 Feb. foll.; Sarah, 28 Jan. 1677; Samuel, 11 Jan. 1686; Elisha, 28 Apr. 1687,d. next yr.; and Abigail, 27 Jan. 1692; of wh. the eldest two were imprison. in the execrable fanaticism of 1692. These ch. were prob. discharg. without trial; but the mo. was one of the first accus. of witcher. and her h. (to wh. the first w. had brot. ch. Martha, b. 4 June 1666; Mary, 26 Oct. 1667, d. soon; John, 28 Oct. 1668; Mary, again, 30 Jan. 1670; and Thorndike, 15 July 1672, and that w. d. next mo.), for showing proper regard for her, as Hutch. II. 26 and 55 tells, fell under equal suspicion. Both were tried and condemn. on 5th, and on him, 19 Aug. was inflict. the punishm. of death, wh. she escap. by reason of her pregnancy, and bef. the time elaps. in wh. she should have suffer. the power of delusion and the devil passed away. Yet four yrs. later, the wid. had to beseech the legislat. to order relic of her husband's prop. from the forfeiture.
From Hutchinson's History: [19] "Elizabeth Procter was charged about the same time: Her husband, as every good husband would have done, accompanied her to her examination, but it cost the poor man his life. Some of the afflicted cried out upon him also, and they were both committed to prison."
Charles W Upham wrote:[20] (Mary Warren) testified, with the appearance of animosity and vindictiveness, against her master John Procter, and her mistress his wife; thus contributing to secure the conviction of both, and the death of the former." (p. 121)
"John Procter had spoken so boldly against the proceedings, and all who had part in them, that it was felt to be necessary to put him out of the way. He had denounced the entire company of the accusers, and their revenge demanded his sacrifice." (p. 312)
Massachusetts Remediation
See also:
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John is 22 degrees from Herbert Adair, 20 degrees from Richard Adams, 16 degrees from Mel Blanc, 22 degrees from Dick Bruna, 20 degrees from Bunny DeBarge, 29 degrees from Peter Dinklage, 19 degrees from Sam Edwards, 16 degrees from Ginnifer Goodwin, 20 degrees from Marty Krofft, 12 degrees from Junius Matthews, 14 degrees from Rachel Mellon and 16 degrees from Harold Warstler on our single family tree. Login to find your connection.
I think we need to give up the notion that her surname was Giddings at all. And rename her Unknown.
Superfluous wives need to be merged and superfluous children either detached or merged, depending on evidence
What does this book actually say?
edited by Jillaine Smith
See also https://www.americanancestors.org/databases/new-england-historical-and-genealogical-register/image?volumeId=11644&pageName=285 and https://www.americanancestors.org/databases/new-england-historical-and-genealogical-register/image?pageName=409&volumeId=11667&rId=23485732
Does it refer to Savage?
That said, it appears he should be a II and not a III if a suffix is used.