A Guide to the Primary Sources of the Salem Witch Trials
People Accused of Witchcraft in 1692
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For each person accused during the Salem witchcraft trials, you can access a large number (not all!) of the primary sources on-line, detailing what happened to them, as available in the original legal records and contemporary accounts. This is not an absolute definitive list, but it will get you started. The columns on the right will give you an idea of what kinds evidence exists in the case of each person as found in Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt.
Help using these primary sources
If you are trying to understand what happened to a specific person, please download this helpful guide concerning what sort of information you can find in the primary sources in each of these categories.

Accused: Martha Carrier, of AndoverReturn
No. 221: Complaint of Joseph Houlton & John Walcott v. Martha Carrier, Elizabeth Fosdick, Wilmot Redd, Sarah Rice, Elizabeth How, John Alden, William Procter, John Flood, Mary Toothaker, Margaret Toothaker, & Arthur Abbot.                
No. 222: List of Accused and Accusers                
No. 223: Warrant for the Apprehension of Martha Carrier, and Officer's Return                
No. 235: Examination of Martha Carrier                
No. 236: Deposition of Elizabeth Hubbard v. Martha Carrier                
No. 237: Deposition of Mary Walcott v. Martha Carrier                
No. 328: Summons for Witnesses v. John Willard & Martha Carrier, and Officer's Return, Copy                
No. 360: Deposition of Samuel Parris & John Putnam Sr. v. Rebecca Nurse & Martha Carrier                
No. 397: Indictment No. 1 of Martha Carrier, for Afflicting Mary Walcott                
No. 398: Indictment No. 2 of Martha Carrier, for Afflicting Elizabeth Hubbard                
No. 443: Summons for Witnesses v. Martha Carrier, and Officer's Return                
No. 444: Summons for Witnesses v. Martha Carrier, and Officer's Return                
No. 448: Deposition of John Rogers v. Martha Carrier                
No. 463: Testimony of Benjamin Abbott and Deposition of Sarah Abbott v. Martha Carrier                
No. 464: Deposition of Phoebe Chandler and Testimony of Bridget Chandler v. Martha Carrier                
No. 465: Testimony of Andrew Foster v. Martha Carrier                
No. 466: Statement of Samuel Preston v. Martha Carrier                
No. 467: Deposition of Thomas Putnam & John Putnam Jr. v. Martha Carrier                
No. 468: Deposition of Allen Toothaker v. Martha Carrier                
No. 745: Statement of Francis Dane Sr., Regarding Some of the Andover Accused                
No. 897: Petition of Thomas Carrier Sr. for Restitution for Martha Carrier        
No. 929: Recommendation and Authorization for Compensation Claims and Amounts Allowed          
No. 930: Summary of the Amounts Requested by the Victims & Their Relatives          
No. 931: An Act to Reverse the Attainders of George Burroughs et al. for Witchcraft          
No. 933: Request for Copy of Act for Restitution          
No. 934: Order for Payment of Damages by Governor Joseph Dudley          
No. 936: Order of Thomas Carrier for Payment                
No. 959: Receipts for Sums Paid in Restitution          
What kind of primary source evidence does a check in each column indicate?
  • Complaint or Arrest - Either a formal complaint or an arrest warrant against this person exists.
  • Examination - An account of an examination (interrogation) or confession before local magistrates or in prison exists.
  • Imprisonment - A mittimus to move this person to/from jail, a recognizance or bond to release the person from jail, a reference in a jailer's bill, or a request for compensation for time spent in jail exists.
  • Evidence Entered - At least one deposition, statement, testimony or petition from any proceeding (preliminary hearing, grand jury or trial) for or against this person exists.
  • Grand Jury or Indictment - A deposition, statement or testimony sworn before the grand jury of inquest, a physical examination of the body of this person, or an indictment brought before a grand jury exists.
  • Jury Trial - An entry in a court record book or a contemporary account of the trial exists.
  • Conviction - A death warrant indicating that the person was convicted, a notation about the case in a record book of the conviction, a statement that the person was convicted in either a request for reversal of attainder or for compensation from the Crown exists.
  • Execution - The return of an officer on a death warrant, a statement that the person was executed in a request for reversal of attainder or for compensation from the Crown, or an entry in Samuel Sewall's diary exists.
  • Restitution - Accounts submitted for restitution, orders for payment to survivors, acts for reversal of attainder or for payments of restitution, proclamations clearing the accused

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