A Guide to the Primary Sources of the Salem Witch Trials
People Accused of Witchcraft in 1692
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For each person accused during the Salem witchcraft trials, you can access a large number (not all!) of the primary sources on-line, detailing what happened to them, as available in the original legal records and contemporary accounts. This is not an absolute definitive list, but it will get you started. The columns on the right will give you an idea of what kinds evidence exists in the case of each person as found in Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt.
Help using these primary sources
If you are trying to understand what happened to a specific person, please download this helpful guide concerning what sort of information you can find in the primary sources in each of these categories.

Accused: Mary Esty, of TopsfieldReturn
No. 79: Warrant for the Apprehension of William Hobbs, Deliverance Hobbs, Nehemiah Abbott Jr., Mary Esty, Sarah Wilds, Edward Bishop Jr., Sarah Bishop, Mary Black, & Mary English √                
No. 86: Examination of Mary Esty   √              
No. 87: Deposition of Margaret Reddington v. Mary Esty       √          
No. 88: Deposition of Samuel Smith v. Mary Esty       √          
No. 94: Mittimus for William Hobbs, Deliverance Hobbs, Mary Esty, Sarah Wilds, Edward Bishop Jr., Sarah Bishop, Mary Black & Mary English     √            
No. 187: Complaint of John Putnam Jr. & Benjamin Hutchinson v. Mary Esty, with Warrant for the Apprehension of Mary Esty, and Officer's Return √                
No. 191: Deposition of Jonathan Putnam, James Darling, Benjamin Hutchinson, & Samuel Braybrook v. Mary Esty       √          
No. 192: Testimony of George Herrick & John Putnam Jr. v. Mary Esty       √   √      
No. 197: Deposition of Elizabeth Hubbard v. Mary Esty, John Willard, & Mary Whittredge       √ √ √      
No. 204: Deposition of Samuel Abbey and Testimony of Sarah Trask v. Mary Esty, John Willard, & Mary Whittredge       √          
No. 205: Deposition of Mary Walcott v. Mary Esty       √ √        
No. 206: Deposition of Abigail Williams & Ann Putnam Jr. v. Mary Esty, John Willard & Mary Whittredge and Testimony of Ann Putnam Jr. v. Mary Esty       √ √        
No. 216: Census of Prisoners and Dates of Prison Transfers     √            
No. 262: Testimony of Edward Bishop Jr., Sarah Bishop, & Mary Esty Regarding Mary Warren       √          
No. 362: Deposition of John Putnam Jr. & Hannah Putnam v. Rebecca Nurse, Mary Esty, & Sarah Cloyce       √          
No. 459: Indictment No. 1 of Mary Esty, for Afflicting Mercy Lewis         √        
No. 460: Indictment No. 2 of Mary Esty, for Afflicting Elizabeth Hubbard         √        
No. 461: Statement of Sarah Bibber v. Mary Esty       √ √        
No. 462: Statement of Mary Warren v. Mary Esty       √ √        
No. 549: Summons for Witnesses v. Mary Esty, Sarah Cloyce, Giles Cory, & Martha Cory, and Officer's Return         √        
No. 552: Statement of Thomas Fosse & Elizabeth Fosse for Mary Esty     √            
No. 554: Summons for Witnesses v. Mary Esty, and Officer's Return         √        
No. 576: Excuse of Mary Towne         √        
No. 579: Summons of Mary Towne & Rebecca Towne, and Officer's Return         √        
No. 596: Petition of Sarah Cloyce & Mary Esty       √          
No. 601: Deposition of Edward Putnam v. Mary Esty       √   √      
No. 602: Statements of John Arnold & Mary Arnold for Mary Esty & Sarah Cloyce     √            
No. 654: Petition of Mary Esty           √ √    
No. 869: Account for Payment Submitted by Isaac Little & John Harris, Sheriff's Deputy     √            
No. 870: Account for Payment Submitted by Robert Lord, Blacksmith     √            
No. 876: Petition of Francis Faulkner et al. to Clear the Records of Rebecca Nurse, Mary Esty, Abigail Faulkner Sr., Mary Parker, John Procter, Elizabeth Procter, Elizabeth How, Samuel Wardwell, & Sarah Wardwell                 √
No. 882: Petition of Isaac Esty Sr. et al. for Restitution for Mary Esty                 √
No. 883: Petition of Isaac Esty Sr. for Restitution for Mary Esty                 √
No. 929: Recommendation and Authorization for Compensation Claims and Amounts Allowed                 √
No. 930: Summary of the Amounts Requested by the Victims & Their Relatives                 √
No. 931: An Act to Reverse the Attainders of George Burroughs et al. for Witchcraft           √ √ √ √
No. 933: Request for Copy of Act for Restitution                 √
No. 934: Order for Payment of Damages by Governor Joseph Dudley                 √
No. 958: Summary of Receipts of the Relations & Sufferers                 √
No. 959: Receipts for Sums Paid in Restitution                 √
No. 961: Order of George Abbott & Hannah Abbott for Payment, Case of Mary Esty                 √
No. 965: Order of Joseph Esty for Payment, Case of Mary Esty                 √
What kind of primary source evidence does a check in each column indicate?
  • Complaint or Arrest - Either a formal complaint or an arrest warrant against this person exists.
  • Examination - An account of an examination (interrogation) or confession before local magistrates or in prison exists.
  • Imprisonment - A mittimus to move this person to/from jail, a recognizance or bond to release the person from jail, a reference in a jailer's bill, or a request for compensation for time spent in jail exists.
  • Evidence Entered - At least one deposition, statement, testimony or petition from any proceeding (preliminary hearing, grand jury or trial) for or against this person exists.
  • Grand Jury or Indictment - A deposition, statement or testimony sworn before the grand jury of inquest, a physical examination of the body of this person, or an indictment brought before a grand jury exists.
  • Jury Trial - An entry in a court record book or a contemporary account of the trial exists.
  • Conviction - A death warrant indicating that the person was convicted, a notation about the case in a record book of the conviction, a statement that the person was convicted in either a request for reversal of attainder or for compensation from the Crown exists.
  • Execution - The return of an officer on a death warrant, a statement that the person was executed in a request for reversal of attainder or for compensation from the Crown, or an entry in Samuel Sewall's diary exists.
  • Restitution - Accounts submitted for restitution, orders for payment to survivors, acts for reversal of attainder or for payments of restitution, proclamations clearing the accused

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