My 8x great grandfather Joseph Herrick took accused witch Sarah Good in custody
as ordered, but before taking her on to the Ipswich jail, they and his deputies spent the
night at the Herrick home. During the night something strange supposedly occurred.
Four months later, Joseph and his wife Mary (Endicott) Herrick were called on to testify
about the events of that night:
"Joseph Herrick Sr. and ux vs. Sarah Good.
The Deposition of Joseph Herrick senr. who testifieth and saith that on the first day of March 1692 I being the Constable for Salem, there was delivered to me by warrant from the worshipfull Jno Hathorne and Jonathan Corwin Esqrs. Sarah Good for me to cary to their majesties Goal at Ipswich and that night I sett a gard to watch her at my own house, namely Samu1 Braybrook Michaell dunell Jonathan Baker and the affore named parsons, Informed me in the morning that that night Sarah Good was gon for same time from them both bare foot and bare legde, and I was also Informed that that night Elizabeth Habbard one of the afflicted persons Complaned that Sarah Good came and afflected her being foot and bare legded, and Samuell Sibley that was one that was attending of Eliza Hubbard Strock Sarah Good on the Arme as Elizabeth Hubbard said, and Mary Herrick the wife of the abouesaid Joseph Herrick testifieth that on the 2th March 1692 in the morning I took notis of Sarah Good in the morning and one of her Armes was bloody from a little below the Elbow to the wrist, and I also took notis of her Armes on the night before, and then there was no sign of blood on them.
Joseph Herrick senr and Mary herrick appearid before us the Jury for Inquest, and did on the oath which the had taken owne this their evidence to be the truth this 28. of June 1692 Sworne in Court.
-p26
Records of Salem Witchcraft: Copied from the Original Documents ... (Google eBook)
Priv. print. for W.E. Woodward, 1864
Sarah Good was hung as a witch on 19Jul 1692 and one of the others executed that day was
Rebecca Nurse. Two petitions had asked the Court to spare Rebecca, one of which had been
signed by Joseph and Mary Herrick. Perhaps they signed it because Mary's parents were
among the other thirty eight signers.
I've only found two other documents so far involving Joseph Herrick with the witch trials, the
warrant ordering him to arrest Giles Corey, and Joseph's report that he had done so. Whether
it was the horrific method of Giles Coreys' death or some other factor that led to Joseph
later opposing the trials, I do not know.
1 comment:
Fascinating story! Thank you for sharing it! I wanted to tell you that I’ve included your post in my NoteWorthy Reads post for this week: http://jahcmft.blogspot.com/2015/04/noteworthy-reads-11.html.
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