Rebecca Towne 6/3/2002

1/17/1683;  Petition for settlement of a small estate left the undersigned by their father, who died ten years ago leaving no will, but left his estate in the hands of their mother who was appointed administatrix and the estate remained unsettled until her death, and now they desire that the following division may be allowed: the land to be divided equally to his three sons, Edmond, Jacob, and Joseph and the moveables equally to the three daughters, Rebecca, Mary, and Sarah; also the three brothers to pay all debts now due and what charges shall arise in settlement of the estate to be equally borne by all six.  Signed by Mary (her mark) Towne relict of Edmond, Jacob Towne, Joseph (his mark) Towne, Francis (his mark) Nurse with the consent of Rebecca, Mary (her mark) Esty formerly Mary Towne, Sarah (her mark) Bridges.      Witness:  John How, John Pritchet
Allowed by the court at Ipswich April 10, 1683 (Ipswich Deeds, Vol 4 page 515)

Tituba, the slave of Rev. Samuel Parris was the accuser of Rebecca Nurse.  "Rebecca was a respectable grandmother of seventy-one in 1692.  She had brought up eight children. She appeared to have no dark secrets in her past, so suspected fornication before marriage, no mulatto child.  She was on good terms with her husband.  He had not led a scandalous life, unless to be considered by some of sharp dealings in aquiring his property 'scandalous',  Unlike the husbands of the three previous suspects, all of whom had in one way or another, failed to defend their wives, Rebacca's husband was faithful and loyal throughout.  He and his sons and sons in law had all been active in parish activities ever since their settling in Salem Village some fourteen years before. Rebecca herself had only one thing in common with those already accused. She was a woman...Furthermore Rebecca had some powerful friends.  Sometime in March (the exact date is not given in the records), she was visited by a deputation consisting of four persons. They were her brother in law Peter Cloyes, still a loyal supporter of the
Reverend Samuel Parris, Daniel Andrew, a co-owner with Cloyes of a four hundred acre tract of farm land in Salem Village.  Daniel Andrew was, in turn, a brother in law of the other two members of the deputation, Israel Porter and his wife Elizabeth.  Israel's father, John Porter, had been an early settler of Salem Village and was described as a farmer. By the time of his death, in 1676, he was the largest landowner in Salem.  Two of his sons had married daughters of William Hathorne, father of the same John Hathorne with whom we have already become familiar as the presiding judge at the examinations."  (Currents of Malice - Persis W. McMillen)

3/19/1692; Saturday - friends Daniel Andrew (Israel's brother in law), Israel and Elizabeth Porter, and brother in law Peter Cloyse found Rebecca ill in bed - warned her of possible witchcraft charges.  A record of this interview was later presented to the court in an attempt to clear Rebecca.  (The Devil Discovered by Enders A. Robinson)
"We whose names are underwritten being desired to go to Goodman Nurse his house to speak with his wife and to tell her that several of the afflicted persons mentioned her; and accordingly we went and found her in a weak and low condition in her body as she told us she had been sick almost a week.
And we asked how it went otherwise with her and she said, blest be God for it, she had more of his presence in this sickness than sometimes she have had but not so much as she desired. But she would with the apostle press forward to the mark and many other places of the scripture to the like purpose.  And then of her own accord she began to speak of the affliction that was amongst them and in particular of Mr. Parris his family and how she was grieved for them though she had not been to see by reason of fits that she formerly used to have for people said it was awful to behold.  But she pitied them with all her heart and went to God for them. But she said she heard that there was persons spoke of that were as innocent as she was, she believed, and after much to this purpose. We told her we heard that she was spoken of also. "Well," she said, "if it be so, the will of the Lord be done."  She sat awhile, being as it were amazed. And then she said: "Well, as to this thing I am innocent as the child unborn, but surely, " she said, "what sin hath God found out in me unrepented of that he should lay such an affliction upon me in my old age?" And according to our best observation we could not discern that she knew what we came for before we told her."  (Currents of Malice - Persis W. McMillen)

3/23/1692;  Wenesday - warrant for Rebecca's arrest for practicing witchcraft.  (Salem Witchcraft Vol II by Upham:  The Devil Discovered by Enders A. Robinson)

3/24/1692;  taken from her sickbed, arrested and brought to home of Nathaniel Ingersoll for examination.  Committed to prison, refused to confess.   (Salem Witchcraft Vol II by Upham:  The Devil Discovered by Enders A. Robinson:  Daily News Record - 8/19/1993) 3/24/1692;  Rebecca brought before the magistrates for examination at the meeting house. "The Rev. Samuel Parris took down this examination in writing as the court desired.  "Upon hearing the aforesaid and seeing what we then did see, together with the charge of the persons then present --- we committed Rebecca Nurse, the wife of Francis Nurse of Salem village, unto their Majesties' jail in Salem, as permission then given out, in order to farther examination." "  (Currents of Malice - Persis W. McMillen)
March the 24th, Goodwife Nurse was brought before Mr. Hathorn and Mr. Curwin (Magistrates) in the Meeting House.  Mr. Hale, Minister of Beverly, began with Prayer, after which she being Accus'd of much the same Crimes made the like answers, asserting her own Innocence with earnestness.  The Accusers were mostly the same, Tho. Putmans Wife, etc. complaining much.  The dreadful Shreiking from her and others, was very amazing, which was heard at a great distance; she was also Committed to Prison.
A Child of Sarah Goods was likewise apprehended, being between 4 and 5 years Old.  The Accusers said this Child bit them, and would shew such like marks, as those of a small Sett of Teeth upon their Arms; as many of the Afflicted as the Child cast its Eye upon, would complain they were in Torment; which Child they also Committed.
Concerning these that had been hitherto Examined and Committed, it is among other things observed by Mr. Lawson that they were by the Accusers charged to belong to a Company that did muster in Arms, and were reported by them to keep Days of Fast, Thanksgiving and Sacraments; and that those Afflicted (or Accusers) did in the Assembly Cure each others, even with a touch of their Hand, when strangled and otherways tortured, and would endeavour to get to the Afflicted to relieve them thereby (for hitherto they had not used the Experiment of bringing the Accused to touch the Afflicted, in order to their Cure) and could foretel one anothers Fits to be coming, and would say, look to such a one, she will have a Fit presently and so it happened, and that at the same time whenthe Accused person was present, the Afflicted said they saw her Spectre or likeness in other places of the Meeting House Suckling of their Familiars.
The said Mr. Lawson being to Preach at the Village, after the Psalm was Sung, Abigail Williams said, "Now stand up and name yourText"; after it was read, she said, "It is a long Text."  Mrs. Pope in the beginning of Sermon said to him, "Now there is enough of that."  InSermon, he referring to his Doctrine, Abigail Williams said to him, "I know no Doctrine you had, if you did name one I have forgot it."  AnnPutman, an afflicted Girl, said, There was a Yellow Bird sate on his Hat as it hung on the Pin in the Pulpit.

5/14/1692; petition signed by 39 citizens protesting innocence of Rebecca.  (The Devil Discovered - Robinson)

5/31/1692;  Rebecca was sent from Boston jail to Salem to be questioned once again by the Court of Oyer and Terminer.  (Currents of Malice - Persis W. McMillen)

6/2/1692;  two physical examinations were performed one, in am and one in afternoon.  (The Devil Discovered - Robinson)

6/28/1692;  petitioned court for a third examination of her body.  (The Devil Discovered - Robinson)

6/29/1692;  Found not guilty initially but jury instructed by William Stoughten to rethink their verdict so a guilty verdict was the second one brought back. sentenced to death.  (Salem Witchcraft Vol II by Upham) (6/30/1692 - The Devil Discovered by Enders A. Robinson)  "Sarah Nurse, a daughter of Rebecca Nurse, testified that on the 29th of June 1692, she saw Sarah Bibber pull pins out of her clothes and hold them between her fingers and clasp her hands around her knees. Then she cried out, saying that Rebecca Nurse had pricked her."  (Currents of Malice  - Persis W. McMillen)
At the Tryal of Rebecca Nurse, this was remarkable that the Jury brought in their Verdict not Guilty, immediately all the accusers in the Court, and suddenly after all the afflicted not of Court, made a hideous out-cry, to the amazement, not only of the Spectators, but the Court seemed strangely surprized; one of the Judges exprest himself not satisfied, another of them as he was going off the Bench, said they would have her Indicted anew.  The chief Judge said he would not Impose upon the Jury; but intimated, as if they had not well considered one Expression of the Prisoners, when she was upon Tryal, viz, That when one Hobbs, who had confessed her self to be a Witch, was brought into the Court to witness against her, the Prisoner turning her head to her, said, "What, do you bring her? she is one of us," or to that effect; this together with the Clamours of the Accusers, induced the Jury to go out again, after their Verdict, not Guilty.  But not agreeing, they came into the Court, and she being at the Bar, her words were repeated to her, in order to have had her explanation of them, and she made no Reply to them, they found the Bill, and brought her in Guilty; these words being the Inducement to it, as the Foreman has signified in writing, as follows.

7/4/1692.  I Thomas Fisk, the Subscriber hereof, being one of them that were of the Jury the last week at Salem-Court, upon the Tryal of Rebecka Nurse, etc., being desired by some of the Relations to give a Reason why the Jury brought her in Guilty, after her Verdict not Guilty; I do hereby give my Reasons to be as follows, viz, When the Verdict not Guilty was, the honoured Court was pleased to object against it, saying to them, that they think they let slip the words, which the Prisoner at the Bar spake against her self, which were spoken in reply to Goodwife Hobbs and her Daughter, who had been faulty in setting their hands to the Devils Book, as they have confessed formerly; the words were "What, do these persons give in Evidence against me now, they used to come among us."  After the honoured Court had manifested their dissatisfaction of the Verdict, several of the Jury declared themselves desirous to go out again, and thereupon the honoured Court gave leave; but when we came to consider of the Case, I could not tell how to take her words, as an Evidence against her, till she had a further opportunity to put her Sense upon them, if she would take it; and then going into Court, I mentioned the words aforesaid, which by one of the Court were affirmed to have been spoken by her, she being then at the Bar, but made no reply, nor interpretation of them; whereupon these words were to me a principal Evidence against her.     THOMAS FISK.

When Goodwife Nurse was informed what use was made of these words, she put in this following Declaration into the Court.
These presents do humbly shew, to the honoured Court and Jury, that I being informed, that the Jury brought me in Guilty, upon my saying that Goodwife Hobbs and her Daughter were of our Company; but I intended no otherways, then as they were Prisoners with us, and therefore did then, and yet do judge them not legal Evidence against their fellow Prisoners.  And I being something hard of hearing, and full of grief, none informing me how the Court took up my words, and therefore had not opportunity to declare what I intended, when I said they were of
our Company.   REBECKA NURSE

After her Condemnation she was by one of the Ministers of Salem excommunicated; yet the Governour saw cause to grant a Reprieve, which when known (and some say immediately upon granting) the Accusers renewed their dismal outcries against her, insomuch that the Governour was by some Salem Gentleman prevailed with to recall the Reprieve, and she was Executed with the rest.

7/19/1692;  Hanged.  Her family secretly removed her body to her homestead and there buried her in an unmarked grave.  (promotional brochure of the Rebecca Nurse homestead)

3/2/1702-3;  A Petition to the Governor and General Court requesting the reversal of Attainder "on thoses Executed and those Condemned in 1692"  was made by "severall of the Inhabitants of Andover, Salem Village, and Topsfield."  Among the signers were Peter Cloyes, senior, Isaac Easty, Isaac Easty, Junior, Samuel Nurse, and John Nurse.  Summons for witnesses from Topsfield to testify versus Sarah Cloyce and Mary Easty.   (Records of the Peabody Institute Library, Danvers, MA)

1710;  A Samuel Nurse made this statement;  We were at the whole charge of providing for her during her imprisonment in Salem and Boston for the space of almost four months.  We spent much time and made many journeys to Boston, Salem and other places in order to have vindicated her innocence.  Although we produced plentiful testimony that my honored mother had led a blameless life from her youth up, yet she was condemned  and executed"  (The Devil Discovered - Robinson)

3/1721;  At the request of her children, the notice of her excommunication was erased from church records)   (George Towne book;  Salem Witchcraft Vol II by Upham)

1885;  Nurse family had a monument erected to her at Danvers, Massachusetts, inscribed with John Greenleaf Whittier poem;

A tribute to her entitled "Rebecca Nurse, Saint but Witch Victim", by Charles Sutherland Tapley.  Contains a list of her descendants compiled by Charles A. Towne of Park Ridge, Illinois about 1930.

1997;  The Rebecca Nurse Homestead is open to the public.  It includes 27 acres of fields, pasture and woods.  An old dirt road leads to the ancient saltbox style house situated on a small knoll near the property midpoint.  The property has been used extensively in film and video documentaries and dramas, including Alistair Cooke's America, Three Sovereigns for Sarah, My Mother the Witch, and Young Goodman Brown.
The home passed from the hands of the Nurse family in 1784 when Phineas Putnam bought it.  It then remained in the Putnam family until 1908, when the house was purchased and restored by the Rebecca Nurse Memorial Association.  In 1926 the property was given to the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities, and in 1981, ownership of the homestead was taken on by the Danvers Alarm List Company, Inc.
Today the house includes three restored rooms with period furnishings of the 17th and 18th century.  Among other buildings on the properties is the abt 1681 Zerubabel Endecott house frame, now clad on the outside to resemble a barn.  Inside the building is and exhibit of 'First Period' architecture as well as a gift shop area.  A short distance away is a reproduction of the 1672 Salem Village Meeting House.  This building features a multimedia sound and sight program explaining the 1692 witchcraft outbreak.
(promotional brochure of the homestead)

Further Sources;  Encyclopedia of New England Families; Currents of Malice by Persis McMillen