BRIDGET BISHOP
Bridget Bishop was the first person to be tried and executed during the Salem Witch Trials. All over town, she had a bad reputation as someone who argued a lot and wore unpuritan-like clothing. In fact, she was accused of being a witch twice before the hysteria began. The first time was in 1679 when her husband had died, and his children had accused her of killing him on purpose. However, due to circumstantial evidence, no case went to trial. They had a stormy relationship and were even sent into court for arguing once. The second time was when she had married Edward Bishop, a well-respected sawyer. She was accused by her neighbor, who had gone insane and said Bridget had bewitched her. When she had recovered, she took back what she said, but shortly her fits came back and committed suicide. It should come to no surprise that, with her bad reputation around town, she was accused by a plethora of people and found guilty. She was hanged in June of 1692.
REBECCA NURSE
Rebecca Nurse was the second person to be accused and executed during the Salem Witch Trials. Her husband was described as a "trymaker".She had four sons and four daughters.Her sister Mary and Sarah Cloyce were also accused and put to death for witchcraft. Her trial was on June 30 when she was 71 years old and had "acquired a reputation for exemplary piety that was virtually unchallenged in the community."The girls that accused Rebecca Nurse for being a witch had fits or fainted. William Stoughton, Rebecca Nurse's judge, perusaded the jury to reconsider their final answer. The judges finally found her guilty and was then hanged on July 12, 1292.
Sarah good
Sarah Good was one the first women to be accused of being a witch in the town of Salem. To many townspeople, she was considered witch-like since she was a very odd,homeless woman. Sarah would go begging for door-to-door and if people would refuse her, she would walk away mumbling. According to the villagers she would mumble "curses". These "curses" were mostly what lead to Sarah's accusations. On March 1, 1692, she was accused of bewitching young Ann Putnam, Betty Paris, and Abigail Williams. Sarah's own five year old daughter, Dorcas, claimed her own mother was a witch. Sarah Good was hanged on July !9, 1692 along with four other women convicted of witchcraft
susannah martin
Susannah Martin was also accused of witchcraft and was one of 20 women who were executed during the hysteria of Salem. She moved from Buckinghamshire England to Salisbury, Massachusetts. She married widower George Martin and had 8 children. Her reputation, according to the locals, was being a troublemaker. During the 1660s, she was accused of witchcraft by William Browne because he said she was abusing his wife Elizabeth. Browne claimed that his wife has gone insane because of Susannah Martin. Later on April 13, William Sargent Junior said he witnessed Susannah give birth and kill a baby. She was arrested in Amesbury on May 2nd having been accused of aflicting Mary Walcott Abigail Williams, and Ann Putnam, Jr. Susannah Martin was guilty and was hanged July 19 1692.