Elizabeth Howe
Elizabeth Howe and her family had moved to Salem in 1638 when she was age one. When Elizabeth was sixteen, she testified against a man who was accused of taking cattle back after they were impounded. This attracted attention because she was a female, and they were usually submissive and rarely talked. Elizabeth married a man named James Howe, who was a blind farmer. His blindness caused Elizabeth to make some important decisions regarding finances, agricultural practices, and household chores, which was much more than any woman would have done if married to a man with eyesight. Her lack of church membership also caused her to be a target during the hysteria because anyone who did not go to church was suspected of witchcraft. The first accusation of witchcraft against Elizabeth was from her neighbors, whom she was related to. Hannah Perley was someone who regularly had fits, and during her fits, she accused Elizabeth of bewitching her. After she had recovered, a reverend asked her if Elizabeth did in fact bewitch her, to which Hannah replied no, and if she had, she did not remember. Among her chief accusers was her own brother-in-law, John Howe. His cattle had died unexpectedly, and the cause was unknown. John immediately accused Elizabeth of doing so because he did not help her in an examination. The Perleys also accused her of bewitching their fence, and after a new fence was put up and broke down again, it was all blamed in Elizabeth. Her support system had slowly died off. Her parents were rather influential people, but had died in 1688. Although she had many supporters, her accusers got the better of it. Her refusal to admit to using witchcraft caused a certain execution. She was executed on July 19, 1692.
Sarah Wildes
Sarah Wildes was 36 when she married John Wildes in Topsfield, Massachusetts. Sarah already had a bad reputation which caused problems in the family. She had been accused of having too much intimcacy with Thomas Wardell. Her husband John WIldes had financial problems with the Gould family, Making matters worse for Sarah was the fact that the Goulds were related to the powerful Putnam family of Salem Village. On April 21, 1692, Thomas Putnam Jr, issued a warrant for Sarah's arrest because she was accused of afflicting Ann Putnam Jr, Mercy Lewis, and Mary Wallcott. On May 13,1692, 65 year old Sarah was sent to jail. On July 19, 1692, she was hanged in Salem Massachusetts.
George burroughs
George Burroughs was a minister indicted and executed in Salem on 1692. He was born in Suffolk, England and at a young age he left England for Massachusetts. He attended Harvard College and graduated in 1670. George preached in Portland on Casco Bay until it was attacked by Indians on August in 1676. In 1683, he was not being payed alot and in March he stopped meeting his congregation. He then accepted an offer to resume his ministerial at Casco Bay which had been reorganized. In May 1692 during the Salem witch trials, based on the accusations of the Putman's who had sued him for one the previous debts, he was arrested and brought back to Salem. George was called the ring leader of the witches which was a virtual priest of the devil. While he was waiting to be hanged he recited the Lord's prayer which was generally considered by the court of Oyer and Terminer to be impossible for a witch to do. He was then executed on august 19, 1692.
Martha Carrier
Martha Carrier was born in Andover, Massachusetts; her parents being one of the first settlers there. She married Thomas Carrier, a Welsh indentured servant, in 1674, after giving birth to their first child; this scandal was not forgotten. They had four or five children and lived in Billerica, Massachusetts. On May 28, 1692 she was arrested along with her brother-in-law and sister. Martha managed to maintain her innocence even though she was being accused by Ann Putnam and Mary Walcott. She pleaded not guilty and accussed the afflicting girls of being liars. On August 2, Martha was found guilty of witchcraft and sentenced to be hanged along with six others.