Mary Perkins Witch Trial InformationSource: "The Family of John Perkins of Ipswich, Massachusetts", by Geo. A. Perkins, M.D., Salem, 1882 In 1692, Jacob Perkins’s sister Mary Perkins Bradbury was placed on trial for witchcraft. At the time, she was living in Salisbury, Massachusetts. Richard Carr's father had been a suitor of Mary before she married Thomas Bradbury. This led to a fifteen year disagreement with Mary and he probably influenced his sons’ and his son's friend in their testimony. Her reply to the indictment was as follows: "I plead not guilty. I am
wholly innocent of such wickedness through the goodness of God that hath kept
me hitherto. I am the servant of Jesus Christ, and have given myself up to
him as my only Lord and Saviour, and to the diligent attendance upon him in
all his holy ordinances, in utter contempt and defiance of the Devil and all
his works, as horrid and detestable; and have endeavored to frame my life and
conversation in accordance with His holy word and in that faith and practice,
resolve, by the help and assistance of God, to continue to my life's end. For
the truth of what I have to say as to the matter of practice, I humbly refer
myself to my brethren and neighbors that know me, and to the searcher of all
hearts, for the truth and uprightness of my heart therein, human frailties
& unavoidable infirmaties excepted, of which I bitterly complain every
day." All of the
depositions against Mary were recorded in Seargent Thomas Putnam's
handwriting except one. Richard
Carr and Zarubabel Endicott testified that they had seen a blue boar come
from and re-enter her yard and window.
This was spectral evidence. Samuel Carr, Richard's brother also
testified that he had seen Mary perched on the capstan of a ship at sea when
things were going badly. William
Carr testified that there was nothing he knew against Mary and referred to a
broken love affair between the families. Mr. and Mrs. Bradbury were prominent citizens and signatures of 118 of her friends and neighbors of a statement "Concerning Mary Bradbury's life and conversation, we, the subscribers, do testify, that it was such as became the gospel: she was a lover of the ministry, in all appearance, and a diligent attender upon God' holy ordinances, being of a courteous and peaceable disposition and carriage. Neither did any of us (some of whom have lived in the town with her above fifty years) ever hear or ever know that she ever had any differences of falling-out with any of her neighbors, man, woman or child, but was always ready and willing to do for them what lay in her power night and day, though with hazard of her health or other danger. More might be spoken in her commendation, but this for the present." This written
testimony was not enough, as she was convicted anyway. By this time the Court of Oyer and
Terminer had agreed not to execute any who plead guilty, but Mary had pleaded
not guilty. She was convicted of
witchcraft on 9 Sep 1692 and sentenced to be executed on 22 Sep 1692. Her husband and friends, including
Jacob, broke her out of the Ipswich jail and she fled to Amesbury where she
died two years later. The last
convicted witch execution took place on 22 Sep 1692. In the following month, the new Governor Phipps was
appointed and put an end to the Court of Oyer and Terminer that had been
doing the sentencing. Any
remaining convicted witches (those that had plead guilt) had their sentences
commuted by the governor. This
was the end of the trials. On 17 Dec 1711, the governor and council authorized payment to twenty-three persons condemned at Salem. Mary’s descendants received twenty pounds in compensation. |