SMITH: Rooted in History, Salem Witch Trials

8th Great Grandparents

Smith Branch

Robert Smith

Robert Smith is my immigrant ancestor. Although he did not directly participate in the witchcraft accusations, his children were directly related to these events. 

Robert Smith was christened on 30 Apr 1626 in Kirton in Holland, Lincolnshire, England. 

England, Lincolnshire, Parish Registers, 1538-1990, database, FamilySearch, Robert Smith, 30 Apr 1626; citing Baptism, 30 Apr 1626, Kirton in Holand, Lincolnshire, england Record Office, Lincoln; FHL microfilm. https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1 QPT9-SH93. 

 

Robert arrived in Massachusetts Bay Colony circa 1644/5 as an indentured servant sponsored by John Witingham for the term of ten years. He testified on 27 March 1655 in the trial of of Richard Coy vs Mr William Hubard Sr that he and Richard Coy were indentured for a period of about ten years. 

Perley, Sidney editor. The Essex Antiquarian, A Quarterly Magazine Devoted to the Biography, Genealogy, History and Antiquities of Essex County Massachusetts. Volume 11.  Salem, Mass: The Essex Antiquarian, 1907. Pg 22. Public Domain, available Internet Archive and Hathi Trust.

Robert Smith married Mary French on circa 1655.

Torry, Clarence A. Third Torry Supplement to Torrey’s New England Marriages Prior to 1700.  Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing, 2004. P 239.  Available to view on Ancestry.com. 

Robert and Mary Smith lived in Boxford, MA. They had ten children. Robert's occupation is said to have been tailor and farmer. 

Sidney. History of  Boxford, Essex County, Massachusetts from the Earliest Settlement Known to the Present Time: A Period of about Two Hundred and Thirty Years. Boxford, MASS: Published by the Author, 1880. Pgs 33-34. Internet Archive and Hathi Trust.

Mary French

Mary French II was born on 2 Mar 1634 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colombia America to Thomas French Jr (1608-1680) and Mary Scudamore (1698-1681). They, along with Mary French's grandparents Sir Thomas French (1584-1639) and Susan Risddlesdale (1584-1658), made the journey during the 17th Century Great Migration. * see French 

Historical Collections of the Topsfield Historical Society, Vol 13. Topsfield Historical Society, 1908. Page 153.

Anderson, Robert Charles. The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-1633. Vol 1 A-F. Boston: New England Historic General Society, 1995. Pages 703-706.

Mary and Robert Smith married 6 Mar 1656 in Ipswich, Essex, MA. Together they had seven children. Three of their daughters married great nephews of three accused women: Rebecca Nurse, Mary Easty, and Sarah Cloyce. All were daughters of William Towne and Joanna Blessing. Robert and Mary's son, Samuel Sr, testified against Mary Easty.

Mary French-Smith died on 22 Mar 1684 in Topsfield, Massachusetts.

 

Children of Robert Smith and Mary French

Thomas (1656-1725) 

Mary (1658-1716) ~ m. Jonathan Towne (Cousin to Johnathan and Joseph Towne, and great nephew to three of the women accused of witchcraft: Rebecca (Towne) Nurse, Mary (Towne) Easty, and Sarah (Towne) Cloyce. 

Phebe (1661-1740) ~ m. Jacob Towne (Brother to Joseph Towne, and great nephew to three women accused of witchcraft: Rebecca (Towne) Nurse, Mary (Towne) Easty, and Sarah (Towne) Cloyce. 

 
Ephriam (1663-1740) ~ m. Mary Ramsdell * see Ramsdell, Immigrant Ancestors

Samuel Smith Sr, (1666-1748) ~ m. Rebekah Curtis * See Curtis

Amye (1668-1756) ~ m. Joseph Towne (Brother to Joseph Towne, and great nephew to three women accused of witchcraft: Rebecca (Towne) Nurse, Mary (Towne) Easty, and Sarah (Towne) Cloyce. 

Jacob (1674-1738)

Mariah (1677-1739)

Photo taken at Pine Grove Cemetery, Topsfield, MA in April 2019. There are engravings on additional sides that are dedicated to Robert and Mary, Samuel and Rebekah, and Samuel and Priscilla Smith. Incidentally, the obelisk in the background belongs to Zaccheus and John Gould, Priscilla's grandfather and great grandfather.

Samuel Smith

Samuel was born 26 of Jan 1666 in Boxford, Essex, Massachusetts Bay, British Colonial America. 

First married Phoebe Dow (1674-1708). Married second Rebekah Curtis on 25 Aug 1708/9. Together they had ten children.  

Topsfield (Mass.), and George Francis Dow. Vital Records of Topsfield, Massachusetts, to the end of the year 1849. Topsfield: Topsfield Historical Society, 1903. Page 135

 

Samuel died 12 Jul 1648 in Topsfield, Massachusetts. 

Topsfield (Mass.), and George Francis Dow. Vital Records of Topsfield, Massachusetts, to the end of the year 1849. Topsfield: Topsfield Historical Society, 1903. Page 250.

 

There have been many books written on the events in Salem in 1692, and it is not the purpose of this blog to explore the causes leading toward it. However, I do want to share the historical information I found that directly relates to Samuel and his testimony against Mary (Towne) Easty. It is recorded as follows: 

Historical Collections of Topsfield, Vol 13. Topsfield Historical Society, 1908. Link starts at the beginning of the article Topsfiled and the Witchcraft Delusion by Abbie Peterson Towne and Marietta Clark. 

In the History of Topsfield Massachusetts author George Frances Dow devoted a chapter to the Witchcraft Delusion in Topsfield, and the real reasons behind the accusations. I found Mary Easty's eloquence of her plea to the court, pages 339-341.

Dow, George Frances. History of Topsfield Massachusetts. Topsfield, MA:The Topsfield Historical Society, 1940. 

Upham, Charles Wentworth, 1802-1875. Salem Witchcraft: With an Account of Salem Village, And a History of Opinions On Witchcraft And Kindred Subjects. Boston: Wiggin and Lunt, 1867. Two Volumes. 

On 22 Sep 1692, Mary (Towne) Easty and along seven others (Martha Corey, Ann Pudeator, Alice Parker, Mary Parker, Wilmont Redd, Margaret Scott, and Samuel Warwel) were hung at Gallows Hill. 

Rebekah Curtis

Rebekah Curtis was borne 20 Jan 1687 in Topsfield, Essex, MA to John B Curtis and Mary Looke. Rebekah's sister, Elizabeth, arried John Gould, another ancestor that testified in the witchcraft accusations. Rebekah died 13 Mar 1753 in Topsfield, Massachusetts. She is buried in Pine Grove Cemetery in Topsfield. 

Children of Samuel Smith Sr and Rebekah Curtis

Phebe (1708-1753)

Mary (1711-1785)

Samuel Smith Jr, Revolutionary Patriot (1714-1785) ~ m. Priscilla Gould

Rebecca (1715-1794)

Elizabeth (1718-1753)

Hephzibah (1722-1744)

Robert (1724-1795)

Susanna (1726-1741)

Hannah (1729-1764)

John (1738-Unk)

Descendants of Robert Smith, Immigrant Ancestor

Samuel Smith Sr ~ m. Rebekah Curtis

Samuel Smith Jr, Revolutionary Patriot ~ m. Priscilla Gould

Asael Smith, Revolutionary Soldier ~ m. Mary Duty

Joseph Smith Sr ~ m. Lucy Mack

  

Hyrum Smith ~ m. Mary Fielding 

Joseph Fielding Smith ~ m. Edna Lambson (4th living wife)

Edna Melissa Smith ~ m. John Fife Bowman

John Hyrum Bowman ~ m. Rosetta Ellen Jackson

• For privacy reasons, I have not listed my children, parents, siblings, or cousins