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: Giles Cory, of Salem FarmsReturn
No. 62: Warrant for the Apprehension of Giles Cory, Mary Warren, Abigail Hobbs, & Bridget Bishop, with Summons for Witnesses, and Officer's Return                
No. 65: Examination of Giles Cory                
No. 66: Deposition of Benjamin Gould v. Giles Cory, Martha Cory, & John Procter                
No. 95: Examination of Deliverance Hobbs in Prison                
No. 164: Statement of Susannah Shelden v. Philip English, Sarah Buckley, Mary Whittredge, Bridget Bishop, Giles Cory, Mary English, & Martha Cory                
No. 216: Census of Prisoners and Dates of Prison Transfers                
No. 238: Statement of Susannah Shelden v. Giles Cory, Elizabeth Procter, Sarah Buckley, & John Willard                
No. 255: Deposition of Abigail Hobbs, Deliverance Hobbs, & Mary Warren v. George Burroughs, Sarah Good, Sarah Osburn, Bridget Bishop, Giles Cory, Rebecca Nurse, Elizabeth Procter, Alice Parker, Ann Pudeator, Abigail Soames, John Procter, & Lydia Dustin                
No. 481: Testimony of John DeRich v. George Jacobs Sr. et al.                
No. 549: Summons for Witnesses v. Mary Esty, Sarah Cloyce, Giles Cory, & Martha Cory, and Officer's Return                
No. 551: Testimony of John DeRich v. Giles Cory and Statement of Hannah Small & Martha Adams v. Giles Cory                
No. 564: Summons for Witnesses v. Giles Cory, and Officer's Return                
No. 592: Deposition of Sarah Bibber v. Giles Cory                
No. 593: Deposition of Mercy Lewis v. Giles Cory                
No. 594: Deposition of Ann Putnam Jr. v. Giles Cory                
No. 595: Statements of Mary Warren, Elizabeth Woodwell, Mary Walcott, & Elizabeth Hubbard v. Giles Cory                
No. 656: Deposition of Elizabeth Booth & Alice Booth v. Giles Cory                
No. 673: Letter of Thomas Putnam to Samuel Sewall                
No. 855: Account for Payment Submitted by William Baker, Constable                
No. 858: Account for Payment Submitted by William Dounton, Jailkeeper, Copy                
No. 869: Account for Payment Submitted by Isaac Little & John Harris, Sheriff's Deputy                
No. 899: Petition of John Moulton for Restitution for Martha Cory & Giles Cory                
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                
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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