A Guide to the Primary Sources of the Salem Witch Trials
People Accused of Witchcraft in 1692
What is this? Home
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: Dorcas Hoar, of BeverlyReturn
No. 96: Complaint of Jonathan Walcott & Thomas Putnam v. George Burroughs, Lydia Dustin, Susannah Martin, Dorcas Hoar, Sarah Morey, and Philip English √                
No. 99: Warrant for the Apprehension of Philip English, Sarah Morey & Dorcas Hoar, and Officer's Return √                
No. 102: Examination of Dorcas Hoar   √              
No. 103: Deposition of Thomas Putnam & Edward Putnam v. Dorcas Hoar       √   √      
No. 114: Mittimus for Susannah Martin, Lydia Dustin, Dorcas Hoar, & Sarah Morey     √            
No. 155: Deposition of Rachel Tuck & Hannah Cox v. Dorcas Hoar       √   √      
No. 208: Deposition of John Richards & Joseph Morgan v. Dorcas Hoar       √   √      
No. 216: Census of Prisoners and Dates of Prison Transfers     √            
No. 400: Indictment No. 1 of Dorcas Hoar, for Afflicting Elizabeth Hubbard         √        
No. 401: Indictment No. 2 of Dorcas Hoar, for Afflicting Mary Walcott         √        
No. 402: Deposition of Sarah Bibber v. Dorcas Hoar       √ √ √      
No. 403: Deposition of Elizabeth Hubbard v. Dorcas Hoar       √ √ √      
No. 404: Deposition of Ann Putnam Jr., v. Dorcas Hoar       √ √ √      
No. 405: Deposition of Mary Walcott v. Dorcas Hoar       √ √ √      
No. 556: Deposition of Mary Gage v. Dorcas Hoar, Sarah Wilds, & Sarah Bishop       √   √      
No. 557: Testimony of John Hale v. Dorcas Hoar       √   √      
No. 558: Deposition of Edward Hooper v. Dorcas Hoar       √   √      
No. 559: Deposition of John Lovett v. Dorcas Hoar       √   √      
No. 560: Depositions of Joseph Morgan & Deborah Morgan v. Dorcas Hoar       √   √      
No. 561: Deposition of John Tuck v. Dorcas Hoar and Statement of Joseph Tuck v. Dorcas Hoar       √   √      
No. 676: Petition of John Hale, Nicholas Noyes, Daniel Epps Jr., & John Emerson Jr. for Dorcas Hoar             √    
No. 869: Account for Payment Submitted by Isaac Little & John Harris, Sheriff's Deputy     √            
No. 910: Petition of John King & Annis King for Restitution for Dorcas Hoar                 √
No. 911: Petition of John King & Annis King for Restitution for Dorcas Hoar                 √
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                 √
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

Home Page | Manuscript Archives | Rare Books | Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt | Salem Witchcraft Papers | Woodward | Godbeer | Levin | Search