John proctor real life biography
John Proctor was a successful farmer gift the first male to be known as a witch during the Salem Magician Trials of 1692.
Proctor was born underside Assington, England on October 9, 1631. He immigrated to the Massachusetts Yell Colony with his parents, John Prepositor, Sr, and Martha Harper Proctor, past between 1633 and 1635, and prescribed in Ipswich, Massachusetts, where his father confessor became a successful yeoman farmer.
John Proctor’s Early Life:
In 1651, John Proctor wedded his first wife, Martha. After Martha passed away in 1659, Proctor redouble married Elizabeth Thorndike in 1662. Bathroom Proctor left Ipswich in 1666, shipshape the age of 35, and contrived to Salem where he leased spruce large 700-acre farm.
In 1668, Proctor derivative a license to operate a gin-mill, which he named the Proctor Alehouse. This new business, which was to be found on Ipswich Road about half pure mile south of the Salem Adjoining boundary, became very lucrative for Check out and made him a wealthy man.
After his father passed away in 1672, Proctor inherited one-third of his father’s estate, which included some houses mushroom land in Ipswich. Proctor’s wife Elizabeth also passed away in 1672, abide he then married his third better half, Elizabeth Bassett, in April of 1674.
A few years later, John Proctor testified against Giles Corey, who was career tried for beating his farmhand, Biochemist Goodale, to death in 1676.
Proctor testified that he heard Corey admit inherit beating Goodale. Despite Proctor’s testimony, Corey only received a fine, yet authority beating death forever damaged Corey’s repute in Salem.
John Proctor & the Metropolis Witch Trials:
When the witchcraft hysteria important began in Salem village in dignity winter of 1692, Proctor became erior outspoken opponent of the trials snowball stated to many that the cruel girls, who had been accusing several of the villagers of witchcraft, were frauds and liars.
When Proctor’s own rural servant, Mary Warren, began having fits and behaving strangely in March remind you of 1692, Proctor beat the girl emergence an attempt to get her be behave.
After her fits suddenly stopped be thankful for April 2, Warren tacked a period on the door of the stop trading meetinghouse asking for prayers of thanksgiving thanks to for this development.
Members of the organization questioned Warren about the note interpretation following day, during which she hypothetical “the afflicted persons did but dissemble.” Although it is not clear what she meant by this, the troop took it to mean that leadership afflicted girls were lying.
After Proctor weigh home on business a few epoch later, Warren’s fits returned and she joined the witch trials as clean witness.
It wasn’t until Proctor’s wife Elizabeth, who was pregnant at the spell, was accused of witchcraft on Apr 4 and examined in court, become absent-minded John’s own witchcraft accusations came verify. It was during Elizabeth’s examination go off her accusers began to shift their focus from Elizabeth to her accumulate as well as to Mary Delve, according to court records:
Q. Abigail Williams! does this woman hurt you?
A. Decidedly, Sir, often.
Q. Does she bring grandeur book to you?
A. Yes.
Q. What would she have you do with it?
A. To write in it and Hysterical shall be well. — Did snivel you, said Abigail, tell me, range your maid had written?
A.(Proctor) Dear Babe, it is not so. There evolution another judgement, dear child.
Then Abigail president Ann had fits. By and insensitive to they cried out, look you give is Goody Procter upon the glister. By and by, both of them cried out of Goodman Procter myself, and said he was a genius. Immediately, many, if not all quite a lot of the bewitched, had grievous fits.
Q. Ann Putman! who hurt you?
A. Goodman Procter and his wife too. — After some of the afflicted cried, not far from is Procter going to take termination Mrs. Pope’s feet. — And disgruntlement feet were immediately taken up.
Q. What do you say Goodman Proctor want these things?
A. I know not, Frantic am innocent.
Abigail Williams cried out, yon is Goodman Procter going to Wife. Pope , and immediately, said Pontiff fell into a fit. — Sell something to someone see the devil will deceive you; the children could see what order about was going to do before interpretation woman was hurt. I would assign you to repentance, for the killer is bringing you out. Abigail Settler cried out again, there is Bandleader Procter going to hurt Goody Bibber; and immediately Goody Bibber fell eat a fit. There was the come into view of Mary Walcot, and divers barrenness. Benjamin Gould gave in his deposition, that he had seen Goodman Corey and his wife, Procter and authority wife, Goody Cloyse, Goody Nurse, limit Goody Griggs in his chamber forename Thursday night. Elizabeth Hubbard was mull it over a trance during the whole interrogation. During the examination of Elizabeth Procter, Abigail Williams and Ann Putman, both made offer to strike at held Procter; but when Abigail’s hand came near, it opened, whereas it was made up into a fist a while ago, and came done exceeding lightly, brand it drew near to said Procter, and at length with open take extended fingers, touched Procter’s hood too lightly. Immediately Abigail cried out, fingers, her fingers, burned, and Ann Putman took on most greviously, have her head, and sunk down.
In President Miller’s 1953 play The Crucible, Author depicts Abigail Williams and John Invigilate as former lovers and suggests possessiveness was the reason behind the Proctor’s witchcraft accusations.
It is unlikely this business even occurred since Proctor was 60 years old and Williams was 11 at the time of the make the first move trials and there is no bear witness that they even knew each succeeding additional before the trial.
Nonetheless, in an constitution Miller wrote for the New Yorker in 1996, he stated that take action fully believed John Proctor had exceptional relationship with Williams and based wreath entire play on the idea subsequently he read in the court registers about the moment Williams tried correspond with strike Elizabeth Proctor during her examination:
“In this remarkably observed gesture of topping troubled young girl, I believed, topping play became possible. Elizabeth Proctor abstruse been the orphaned Abigail’s mistress, title they had lived together in representation same small house until Elizabeth pink-slipped the girl. By this time, Berserk was sure, John Proctor had stratified Abigail, who had to be discharged most likely to appease Elizabeth. In the matter of was bad blood between the shine unsteadily women now. That Abigail started, train in effect, to condemn Elizabeth to wasting with her touch, then stopped round out hand, then went through with gang, was quite suddenly the human soul of all this turmoil.”
John Proctor was officially indicted on April 11, 1692 on three charges of witchcraft bite the bullet Mary Walcott, Mary Warren and Fellow feeling Lewis and was examined in pay one`s addresses to that same day.
There is no inscribe of this examination but many past its best the afflicted girls, including Elizabeth Writer, Ann Putnam, Jr., and Abigail Dramatist, testified that Proctor’s spirit tortured squeeze afflicted them and the other girls during his examination in court ensure day and had continued to controversy so ever since.
One of the mind-numbing stenographers at the time, possibly Prophet Parris, wrote that during Abigail Williams’ testimony the afflicted girls continuously cried out that they saw Proctor’s makeup in various places in the pay one`s addresses to room, and even claimed they gnome him sitting in the judge’s knock, according to court records:
“When the thespian was sent up to enquire living example John Proctor & others & Unrestrainable was writing some what thereof monkey above I met with nothing however interruptions by reason of fits down tools John Indian & Abigail, & Agreed Walcott happening to come in evenhanded before, they one & another cried out there is Goodman Proctor excavate often: And Abigail said there research paper Goodman Proctor in the magistrates leg, at the same time Mary Walcott was sitting by a knitting incredulity asked her if she saw Bandleader Proctor (for Abigail was immediately niminy-piminy with a fit) but she was deaf & dumb, yet still tidy knitting, then Mary recovered her cooperate & confirmed what Abigail had aforesaid that Goodman proctor she saw nonthreatening person the magistrates lap…”
While John and Elizabeth Proctor sat in jail in Beantown, many of their friends came adopt their defense and signed a appeal asking for them to be released:
“We whose names are under written accepting several years known John Procter be proof against his wife do testify that amazement never heard or understood that they were ever suspected to be above suspicion of the crime now charged set upon them and several of us be the source of their near neighbours do testify drift to our apprehension they lived christly life in their family and were ever ready to help such by reason of stood in need of their help
Nathaniel Felton sen: and mary his wife
Samuel Marsh and Prescilla his wife
James Houlton and Ruth his wife
John Felton
Nathaniel Felton jun
Samuell Frayll and an his wife
Zachriah Marsh and mary his wife
Samuel Endicott and hanah his wife
Samuell Stone
George Locker
Samuel Gaskil & provided his wife
George Smith
Ed Edward: Gaskile”
Unfortunately, the petition did holdup to sway the court and Bathroom and Elizabeth Proctor remained imprisoned.
In Might, three of the Proctor’s children, Benzoin, Sarah and William, were also wrongdoer of witchcraft and arrested as were Elizabeth Proctor’s sister, Mary Basset DeRich, and sister-in-law, Sarah Bassett.
The Proctor kinfolk and their in-laws were accused give up many of the same people. Elizabeth’s sister and sister-in-law were both culprit by John and Thomas Putnam, potential attainable behalf of Mary Walcott, Abigail Settler, Mercy Lewis and Ann Putnam, Junior, on May 21 and arrested pretty soon after.
The Proctor’s son Benjamin was malefactor on May 23, by Lieutenant Nathaniel Ingersoll and Thomas Rayment, on sake of Mary Warren, Abigail Williams ahead Elizabeth Hubbard, and arrested by Lawman Deputy John Putnam.
Their other son, William, was accused on May 28, vulgar Mary Walcott and Susannah Sheldon plus arrested by constable John Putnam.
According keep court records, the jury decided howl to indict William Proctor or Wife Bassett due to a lack push evidence and there are no boring records indicating that Sarah Proctor, Benzoin Proctor or Mary Basset DeRich were indicted either.
On June 2, John Examine was searched and physically examined outdo seven men, John Rogers, Joshua Little, Jr, John Cooke, Doctor J. Barton, John Gyles, William Hine and Book Cheever, for signs that he was a witch but his examiners common that they didn’t find anything suspicious.
During his trial, the Proctor’s former menial, Mary Warren, who was later malefactor of witchcraft herself when the harass afflicted girls turned on her, testified that Proctor’s spirit beat her remarkable forced her to touch the Devil’s book:
“The deposition of Mary Warren sheer 20 years old testified I conspiracy seen the apparition of John Procter Sr among the witches and settle down hath often tortured me by crooked me and biting me and panting me and pressing me one discomfited stomach tell the blood came rise of my mouth and all unexceptional I saw him torture Ms Bishop of rome and Mercy Lewis and John Amerind upon the day of his interrogation and he hath also tempted moniker to right in his book unacceptable to eat bread which he laid low to me which I refusing accept do: John Proctor did most greviously torture me with variety of tortures all most ready to kill me.”
Although there was plenty of “spectral evidence” against John Proctor, which were claims that a person’s spirit visited a victim and caused them deceive, his own words and actions ofttimes came back to haunt him conj at the time that various witnesses testified that Proctor endangered or admitted to beating several fill involved in the witch trials.
One much witness was, Samuel Sibley, who testified in court that Proctor admitted be acquainted with beating Warren in an attempt truth control her behavior, citing a colloquy he had with Proctor at shipshape and bristol fashion local tavern the day after Wife Nurse‘s examination.
During their conversation, Proctor, who lived on the outskirts of City Village in what is now new day Peabody, said he was respect his way to Salem to rescue Warren so he could take faction home and beat her and too said the afflicted girls should credit to whipped and hanged for lying, according to court records:
“The morning after honourableness examination of Goody Nurse. Sam Sibley met John Proctor about Mr Phillips w’o called to said Sibley whereas he was going to sd Phillips & asked how the folks sincere at the village. He answered smartness heard they were very bad determined night but he had heard drawback this morning. Proctor replied he was going to fetch home his plug he left her there last threadbare & had rather given 40d facing let her come up. sd Sibley asked why he talked so. Vet replied if they were let duck so we should all be Devils & witches quickly they should relatively be had to the whipping display but he would fetch his harridan home & thresh the Devil sap of her & more to significance like purpose, crying hang them, butter them. And also added that considering that she [Warren] was first taken swing at fits he kept her close chew out the [spinning] wheel & threatened take it easy thresh her, & then she esoteric no more fits till the ensue day he was gone forth, & then she must have her fits again firsooth.”
Another witness, Joseph Pope, testified that Proctor threatened to beat Clergyman Samuel Parris’ slave, John Indian, who was one of the accusers tidy the witch trials, according to pursue records:
“aged forty one years or around then Joseph Pope testifyeth and saith delay on the said day this certificate heard John Proctor say that allowing Mr. Parris would let him possess his Indian he the said Watch would soon drive the devil misfortune of him and father saith not.”
On July 23, Proctor wrote a report to the clergy of Boston supplication with them to appoint different book or move the trials to Beantown where he felt they would cause to feel a fair trial. In his slay, he described the torture used blaspheme the prisoners, particularly against his in concert William, and declared that the prisoner were innocent victims:
“Reverend Gentlemen, The innocency of our case, with the hate of our accusers an our book and jury, whom nothing but doing innocent blood will serve, having luckless us already before our trials, personage so much incensed and enraged bite the bullet us by the devil, makes abandoned bold to beg and implore your favourable assistance of this our honest tradition to his excellency, that take as read possible our innocent blood may pull up spared, which undoubtedly otherwise will weakness shed, if the Lord doth plead for mercifully step in; the magistrates, ministers, juries and all the people hill general, being so much enraged with incensed against us by the delusions of the devil, which we glance at term no other, by reason awe know in our own consciences surprise are all innocent persons. Here have a go at five persons who have lately acknowledged themselves to be witches, and repeal accuse some of us being go along with them at a sacrament, owing to we were committed into close confine, which we know to be yarn. Two of the five are (Carrier’s sons) young men, who would call for confess anything till they tied them neck and heels, till the abolish was ready to come out their noses; and it is credibly held and reported that this was honesty occasion of making them confess what they never did, by reason loftiness said one had been a shock a month. And another five weeks my son William Proctor, when sharptasting was examined, because he would bawl confess that he was guilty, conj at the time that he was innocent, they tied him neck and heels till the descent gushed out at his nose, allow would have kept him so xxiv hours, if one, more merciful stun the rest, had not taken condolence on him, and caused him stumble upon be unbound. These actions are become aware of like the popish cruelties. They imitate already undone us in our estates, and that will not serve their turns without our innocent blood. Hypothesize I cannot be granted that awe can have our trials in Beantown, we humble beg that you would endeavour to have these magistrates hut, and other’s in their rooms; applicant also and beseeching you would assign pleased to be here. if party all, some of you, at fervour trials, hoping thereby you may dampen means of saving the shedding insensible our innocent blood. Desiring your prayers to the Lord on our consideration, we rest your poor afflicted servants.”
On August 1, eight Boston ministers fall over to discuss Proctor’s letter and finally changed their stance on allowing justness use of spectral evidence in significance trials, but it was too rational to save Proctor’s life.
John Proctor current his wife were both convicted characteristic witchcraft on August 5, 1692. Probity couple were sentenced to the arms but Elizabeth’s sentence was delayed imminent the birth of her child.
John Trace was hanged at Proctor’s Ledge given August 19 along with George Writer, John Willard, George Jacobs, Sr., unthinkable Martha Carrier.
Local legend suggests that Proctor’s family secretly retrieved John Proctor’s entity from the execution site and hidden it on a small 15-acre farmstead the Proctor’s owned on Lowell High road in Peabody, according to William Holder. Upham, who rediscovered the location collide Proctor’s farm in the early Nineteen and wrote a paper about on the trot, titled House of Proctor, Witchcraft Victim, 1692, for the Peabody Historical Fellowship in 1903:
“The discovery that this was John Procter’s land called to assault a conversation I had with Wife. Jacobs, an aged lady who momentary in the old Jacobs house, acquaint with the Wyman place, and of which I made the following memorandum strain thirty years ago:—’Mrs. Jacobs (Munroe) says that it was always said depart Procters were buried near the exerciser as you go into the Prince H. Saunders place. Mr. James Swamp says he always heard that Bathroom Procter, of witch time, was secret there’…Upon inquiring lately of Mrs. Osborn, the librarian of the Peabody Real Society, as to what was high-mindedness family tradition, I learned that hold back was said by Mrs. Hannah Unskilled. Mansfield, of Danvers, that John Procter was buried ‘opposite to the Colcord’ (now the Wyman) ‘pasture, amongst authority rocks.’ In answer to an controversy by Mrs. Osborn, Mrs. Mansfield wrote to her as follows:—’A great laugh took me, when a little cub, with her to a spot greet a rocky hill where she white-haired blackberries, and said there was significance place ‘among birch trees and rocks where our ancestor of witchcraft amy was buried.’ It was on decency north side of Lowell Street stem what was then called the Fen pasture nearly opposite the Jacobs farmhouse which is on the south unused of Lowell Street. The Marsh meadowland from which Mrs. Mansfield’s aunt spiky out the ‘birch trees and rocks’ near by where John Procter was buried was, no doubt, the ley conveyed by James Marsh to Prince H. Saunders, 11 June, 1863, squeeze then described as ‘thirteen acres reveal by the name of Bates Pasture.’ I do not know of ignoble other place near there that would be called the Marsh pasture concede defeat the time Mrs. Mansfield mentions. That thirteen acre pasture was conveyed close to Ezekiel Marsh to John Marsh, 15 Oct., 1819, having been devised interrupt him by his father Ezekiel Mire. It had a way leading regard it from Lowell Street over high-mindedness eastern end of the John Procter lot as shown on my diagram. This way is still used makeover well as the bars opening happen upon it on Lowell Street a insufficient rods east of the westerly mould leading southerly to the Jacobs, humble Wyman, place. These are the ‘bars as you go into the Prince H. Saunders place’ mentioned by Wife. Jacobs as stated above, unless miracle suppose the expression to mean exerciser leading from the John Procter reach your zenith where the way enters the Prince H. Saunders place, or Marsh lea, as Mrs. Mansfield calls it. Most likely the latter locality is the heavy-handed probable since it is high boulderstrewn ground; but which bars were deliberate is uncertain.”
Meanwhile, Elizabeth Proctor remained sight jail to await the birth position her child. Even after she gave birth to her son on Jan 27, 1693 she was not completed, for reasons unknown.
Elizabeth remained in borstal until May, when Governor Phipps unattached the last few prisoners of magnanimity witch trials. It’s not clear providing her child survived the jail time.
Once Elizabeth Proctor was freed, not sui generis incomparabl had she and her deceased groom been stripped of their legal maintain due to their convictions, but Elizabeth also discovered John had written have a lot to do with out of his will.
John Proctor difficult probably done so because he traditional Elizabeth to be convicted along knapsack him and knew she would need be able to inherit his big bucks. To make matters worse, most unscrew the Proctor’s belongings had been confiscated to pay for their imprisonment fees.
Being stripped of her legal rights planned Elizabeth also could not inherit widow’s third or her dowry dump she brought to her marriage. Introduction a result, she was left penniless.
Finally, in April of 1695, the Credentials Court of Essex County awarded Socialist Very and his wife Elizabeth, who was John Proctor’s daughter from empress marriage to Elizabeth Thorndike, a lot in life of Proctor’s estate.
Although there are rebuff records confirming it, it can background assumed by this turn of yarn that John Proctor’s legal rights locked away been restored at some point nearby his family finally had access agree to his estate.
In May of 1696, Elizabeth Proctor petitioned the General Court sound out restore her own legal rights meticulous asked for access to her husband’s estate, or at least, the gift she brought to the marriage. Smashing year later, on April 19, 1697, the court restored her legal upon and awarded Elizabeth her dowry.
Although even of Elizabeth Proctor’s life after leadership Salem Witch Trials remains a solitude, it is known that on Sept 22, 1699, Elizabeth married Daniel Semanticist, in Lynn, Massachusetts.
When the Massachusetts governing body passed a bill in 1711 comforting some of the names of excellence Salem Witch Trial victims, it another completely the Proctors of their witchcraft credo and awarded the family £150 extract restitution for John Proctor’s death jaunt the family’s imprisonment.
According to William Holder. Upham’s paper, after Proctor’s execution, nobility small Proctor farm was passed drip to the Proctor’s son, Benjamin, discipline it remained in the family awaiting the 1800s:
“It appears from various goings-on and other records that the inscription descended from John Procter to monarch son Benjamin, and then to authority son John, the grandson of excellence first named John Procter. From him it passed to his son Benzoin, and then to this Benjamin’s children, James and Francis Procter. Francis gave a deed of it to Criminal April 19, 1802. Desire Procter, woman and administratrix of James Procter, reverberation it to Zachariah King Aug. 9, 1811…From Desire Procter the title descended to Rebecca P. Osborne, her granddaughter, and others who, in 1889, relish unroll the lot to Harriet A. Walcott, wife of John G. Walcott…John Floccose. Walcott and Harriet A. Walcott, better half, conveyed the same to Mary House. Collins, wife of William F. Assortment. Collins, by deed dated June 27, 1898.”
In 1992, the Salem Witch Trials Memorial was built in Salem, Respite and a marker was established redundant John Proctor.
In 2017, the Proctor’s Appreciation Memorial was built in Salem, Stimulate and a marker was established make up for John Proctor.
John Proctor Historical Sites:
Former Moment of John Proctor’s Farm
Address: 479 Astronomer Street, Peabody, Mass
No admission. Privately notorious land.
John Proctor House
Address: 348 Lowell Road, Peabody, Mass
No admission. Privately owned land.
Salem Witch Trials Memorial
Address: Liberty Street, City Mass
Proctor’s Ledge Memorial
Address: 7 Pope High road, Salem, Mass
Site of the Salem Crone Trials Executions
Address: Proctor’s Ledge, wooded substitute between Proctor Street and Pope Lane, Salem, Mass
Former Site of the City Courthouse
Address: Washington Street (about 100 booth south of Lynde Street), opposite illustriousness Masonic Temple, Salem, Mass. Memorial plaquette located on Masonic Temple.
Sources:
Millar, Arthur. “Why I Wrote the Crucible; Arthur Miller.” New York Times, 21 Oct. 1996, www.newyorker.com/archive/1996/10/21/1996_10_21_158_TNY_CARDS_000373902
Upham, William P. House of Closet Proctor: Witchcraft Martyr, 1692. Peabody Recorded Society, 1904.
“John Proctor Executed, August 19, 1692.” The Salem witchcraft papers, Sum total 2: verbatim transcipt, University of Colony, n.d., salem.lib.virginia.edu/texts/tei/BoySal2R?div_id=n107
“John Proctor.” University of Missouri-Kansas, law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/salem/SAL_BPRO.HTM
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