Ancestry/Genealogy

Quite a few of my relatives were participants in the witch trials to some degree or other, including three of my distant great-grandfathers who were jurors. David Nelson, owner of the website Bloodlines of Salem wrote: “You probably know already that besides Ayer, you are also related to other trials participants including Andrews, Peabody, Perley, Cogswell, Foster and Perkins.”

At the virginia.edu website is the testimony of my distant aunt and uncle Samuel and Deborah Perley against “witch” Elizabeth Howe. The Perleys’ daughter fell ill and insisted that a neighbor, Elizabeth Howe, had caused the illness through witchcraft. The daughter lingered on for a couple of years, then died of her illness. Elizabeth Howe was hanged as a witch. She didn’t stand a chance at trial, since Samuel’s brother Thomas Perley, my 7th great-grandfather, was a witch trials juror.

( Samuel Perley et ux v. Elizabeth How )

the first of june 1692

the dePosition of Samuel Perley and his wife aged about 52 an his wife about 46 years of age


We having a dauter about ten years of age being in a sorowful condition this # being sone after a faling out that had bene betwen jeams how and his wife and # miself our daughter tould us that it was jeams hows wife that afflicted her both night and day som times comPlainig of being Pricked with Pins and sometimes faling doun into dredful fits and often sai i could never aflict a dog as goode how aflicts me mi wife and i did often chide her for naming goode how being loth her name should be defamed but our daughter would tell us that though we would not beleve her now yet you will know it one day we went to several doctors and thai: tould us that she was under an evil hand: our daughter tould us that when she came nere the fire or water this witch Puls me: in and was often soreli burnt and she would tel us what cloaths she wore and would sai there she goes and there she goes and now she is gone into the oven and at these sights faling doun into dreadful fits and thus our daughter continuing about two or three years constantli afirming to the last that this goode how that is now seised was the cause of her sorows and so Pine d a wai to skin and bone and ended her sorowful life, and this we can atest uPon oath ruth Perleys mark

Sam'll Pearly and his wife declared the above written to be the truth upon oath after this the above said goode how had a mind to joyn to iPswich Church thai being unsatisfied sent to us to bring in what we had against her and when we had decleared to them what we knew thai se cause to Put a stoP to her coming into the Church within a few dais after I had a cow wel in the morning as far as we knew this cow was taken strangli runing about like a mad thing a litle while and then run into a great Pon -- and drouned herself and # as sone as she was dead mi sons and miself towed her to the shore and she stunk so that we had much a doe to flea her.

My interpretation:

We, having a daughter about ten years of age being in a sorrowful condition, this being soon after a falling out that had been between James Howe and his wife and myself, our daughter told us that it was James Howe’s wife that afflicted her both night and day, our daughter sometimes complaining of being pricked with pins and sometimes falling down into dreadful fits, and often said, “I could never afflict a dog as Goody Howe afflicts me.” My wife and I did often chide her for naming Goody Howe, being loathe that her name should be defamed, but our daughter would tell us that though we would not believe her now, “Yet you will know it one day.” We went to several doctors and they told us that she was under an evil hand. Our daughter told us that when she came near the fire or water, “This witch pulls me in” and our daughter was sorely burned and she would tell us what clothes Goody Howe wore and our daughter would say, “There she goes, and there she goes, and now she is gone into the oven,” and at these sights falling down into dreadful fits and thus our daughter, continuing about two or three years constantly affirming to the last that this Goody Howe that is now seized (under arrest) was the cause of her sorrows, pined away to skin and bone and ended her sorrowful life, and this we can attest upon oath.

Samuel Perley and his wife declared the above written to be the truth upon oath. After this, the above said that Goody How had a mind to join to Ipswich Church. Samuel’s statement: They (probably the church elders), being unsatisfied, sent to us to bring in what we had against her and when we had declared to them what we knew, they saw cause to put a stop to her coming into the church. Within a few days, I had a cow that was well in the morning as far as we knew. This cow was taken to strangely running about like a mad thing for a little while, and then ran into a great pond – and drowned herself and as soon as she was dead, my sons and myself towed her to the shore and she stunk so that we had much ado to flee her.

The phrase “and she would tel us what cloaths she wore” refers to the belief that the witches’ specters would appear to people, with the specters wearing the same clothes the “witch” herself had been seen wearing on that day. Because of this belief, many puritan women were afraid to be seen in public, for fear someone would accuse them of being witches, and use “spectral evidence” against them in court: “She appeared to me and pinched me and pulled my hair last Tuesday, and she was wearing....”

I think the Perleys’ daughter held a huge grudge against Elizabeth Howe over the disagreement between Howe and Samuel and Deborah Perley, and that the Perleys’ daughter went all Munchausen’s and anorexic and slowly starved herself to death.

Given the time of year, I think the Perleys’ cow may have died of ergot poisoning. Their daughter, however, could turn her "afflictions" on and off at will.

Some puritans, including children, were very bad people.