The tragic events of the Salem witchcraft trials in 1692 etched a dark chapter into American history, forever linking the small Puritan community with mass hysteria and injustice. This period saw numerous individuals accused of practicing witchcraft, many of whom faced imprisonment, public scrutiny, and even death. Among the scores caught in this maelstrom were several individuals whose names began with the letter ‘H’, each with a unique, yet equally harrowing, story of accusation and survival, or in some cases, condemnation.
This detailed account explores the lives and accusations of those from the ‘H’ section of the accused, offering insight into the personal toll of the Salem Witch Hysteria and the broader societal anxieties that fueled it.
Elizabeth Hutchinson Hart (1622-1700)
Elizabeth Hutchinson Hart, born in Suffolk, England, in 1622, was a woman who navigated the tumultuous waters of the Salem witchcraft trials. Daughter of Thomas and Anne Browne Hutchinson, she immigrated to the United States, eventually marrying Isaac Hart around 1650. By 1692, Elizabeth resided in Lynn, Massachusetts, when the accusations began to plague the region. She found herself among the accused, specifically targeted for allegedly afflicting some of the most prominent ‘afflicted girls’ of the trials: Mary Walcott, Abigail Williams, Mercy Lewis, and Ann Putnam, Jr.
Despite the severity of the accusations, it remains uncertain whether Elizabeth Hutchinson Hart was ever formally indicted. However, the initial complaint was enough to warrant her arrest and subsequent imprisonment in Boston on May 18, 1692. She endured months of confinement, finally being released in December of the same year. Her case highlights the precarious position of many accused individuals, whose lives were upended by mere accusations, regardless of formal conviction. Elizabeth survived the ordeal, living until 1700.
Sarah Hawkes (1671-1716)
Sarah Hawkes, Jr., born in Lynn, Massachusetts, in 1671, found her fate tragically intertwined with her family during the Salem witchcraft trials. Her father, Adam Hawkes, died shortly after her birth, leading her mother, Sarah Hooper Hawkes Wardwell, to remarry Samuel Wardwell of Andover. It was Samuel Wardwell’s accusation and arrest for witchcraft that precipitated a chain reaction, drawing Sarah, her mother, and her half-sister, Mercy Wardwell, into the vortex of accusations.
Samuel Wardwell, Sarah’s stepfather, tragically met his end on Gallows Hill, hanged on September 22, 1692. Sarah, her mother, and her sister, however, although imprisoned, would eventually be released. Their collective experience underscores the familial impact of the trials, where an accusation against one member often led to the implication of others, creating a devastating ripple effect across households and communities. Sarah lived until 1716, carrying the memories of this dark period.
The Hobbs Family: William, Deliverance, and Abigail
The Hobbs family, originally from the frontier region of Casco, Maine (then part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony), sought refuge in Topsfield, near Salem Village, due to incessant attacks by Wabanaki Native Americans. This relocation, however, placed them directly in the path of a different kind of terror: the Salem witchcraft trials.
William and Deliverance Hobbs were not active church members, a detail that likely contributed to their vulnerability in the strictly pious Puritan society. Their daughter, seventeen-year-old Abigail, possessed a reputation for being ‘wild.’ She was known to roam the forests at night and displayed an irreverent and disrespectful attitude towards religious norms. Abigail reportedly boasted of her fearlessness and even mocked the holy sacrament of baptism by mimicking the ritual on her mother. These unconventional behaviors, particularly in a period of intense religious fervor, made her a prime target.
The accusations against the Hobbs family were initiated by Marcy Lewis, another individual from their former home in Maine. Abigail Hobbs was the first to be arrested on April 18, 1692, with Deliverance and William following just three days later. Initially, Abigail vehemently maintained her innocence. However, the brutal nature of the proceedings and the harsh conditions of imprisonment eventually broke her spirit. She began to confess to practicing witchcraft, specifically afflicting Mary Lewis. More tragically, Abigail turned witness against her own parents and made accusations against others, including the prominent figure John Proctor.
Deliverance Hobbs, approximately 50 years old at the time, also confessed to witchcraft under duress. She, too, became a witness against her husband, William. In stark contrast, William Hobbs steadfastly maintained his innocence throughout the ordeal, refusing to confess or implicate anyone else. Despite the web of accusations and confessions within the family, all three Hobbs members ultimately avoided hanging, a testament to the unpredictable nature of the trials’ outcomes.
Years later, in 1710, William Hobbs petitioned the General Court for compensation, seeking £40 to cover the expenses incurred during his family’s imprisonment. His willingness to accept this amount, though seemingly modest, highlights the profound financial and personal costs borne by those ensnared in the witch hunt.
John Howard (1645-??)
John Howard of Rowley, Massachusetts, found himself embroiled in the Salem witchcraft trials alongside John Jackson, Sr., and John Jackson, Jr. All three were laborers in Rowley and were believed to be related to Elizabeth Jackson Howe, a woman who would tragically be hanged for witchcraft on July 19, 1692. The accusations against Howard and the Jacksons stemmed from a complaint filed by Joseph Tyler and Ephriam Foster, alleging they had committed acts of witchcraft against Rose Foster and Martha Sprague of Andover.
A warrant for their arrests was issued on August 25, 1692. They were subsequently examined by Magistrate Hawthorne and others, leading to their indictment and imprisonment. Beyond the fact of their incarceration, however, historical records offer little further information regarding the specific details of their trials or ultimate fates. Their cases underscore the many individuals who disappeared into the historical record after initial accusation and imprisonment, their stories incomplete, yet illustrative of the widespread fear that gripped the colony.
Elizabeth Jackson Howe (1635-1692)
Born in England around 1635 to John and Katherine Jackson, Elizabeth Jackson Howe was barely a year old when her family immigrated to the United States, settling in Rowley, Massachusetts. By the age of seven, she was already working as a maid in Reverend Ezekiel Rogers’ household, reflecting the challenging realities of colonial life. In April 1658, Elizabeth married James Howe from nearby Ipswich, and the couple established a farm in Topsfield, Massachusetts, where they raised five children. Despite her husband James being blind, they achieved a measure of success as farmers.
Elizabeth was known for her assertive personality, a trait that, regrettably, likely contributed to her unpopularity in the strictly pious Puritan community. Her troubles began as early as 1682, when at 45 years old, a young local girl named Hannah Trumble began experiencing fits and accused Elizabeth of using witchcraft to cause her illness. While no formal charges were brought at that time, the accusation irrevocably damaged Elizabeth’s reputation, leading to her refusal of admittance to the Ipswich church – a significant social and spiritual blow in Puritan society.
A decade later, with the fever pitch of the Salem witchcraft trials consuming Massachusetts, Elizabeth was accused once again. On May 28, 1692, a warrant was issued for her arrest, charging her with witchcraft acts against prominent ‘afflicted girls’ Mary Walcott, Abigail Williams, and others from Salem Village. Constable Ephraim Wildes of Topsfield arrested her the following day, taking her to Lieutenant Nathaniel Ingersoll’s home for examination.
During her examination, the scene unfolded with dramatic intensity. Mercy Lewis and Mary Walcott, two of her primary accusers, reportedly fell into violent fits. When Elizabeth looked at Mary Warren, Warren allegedly collapsed. Ann Putnam Jr. and Susannah Sheldon also provided testimony against her. Despite the overwhelming pressure, Elizabeth Howe bravely declared her innocence, stating,
