Salem witch trial judges

Share Flipboard Email. Jone Johnson Lewis is a women's history writer who has been involved with the women's movement since the late s. She is a former faculty member of the Humanist Institute. Learn about our Editorial Process. Featured Video.

Cite this Article Format. Lewis, Jone Johnson. George Burroughs and the Salem Witch Trials. Profile of Mary Lacey Sr. History of Witches Signing the Devil's Book. Hathorne showed particular interest in the accused witch Reverend George Burroughs.

Previously, Reverend Burroughs had been the minister in Salem Village, starting in Only lasting three years, Burroughs left the village, most likely as the result of the sporadic and inconsistent salary and the factionalism around his ministry. Hathorne, whose father had been a Salem magistrate, was born in , married at 33 and had six children.

The accused were then questioned by the magistrates, who generally assumed a presumption of guilt. Other tests and torture were also utilized against accused witches in the examinations and at trial. It was believed that a witch would not be able to recite the prayer without making a mistake.

Another test called the sink or swim test, the suspect would be curled up in a non-breathable position with rocks tied to their ankles. If the victim sunk, it would obviously die, and the midwives would know it was not a witch, yet if the victim floated, there would be a trial held.

Primary Menu Skip to content. Witch Water Float Test. Pages: 1 2 3 4. He earned two degrees from Harvard, a B. A young woman named Hannah Hull watched the year-old student during his oral exams and fell for him.

She pursued him, and they married in February The couple had 14 children, but only a few lived to adulthood. Young Sewall married well. His father-in-law, John Hull , a wealthy merchant and mintmaster, treated the young couple generously.

He gave them pounds as a wedding gift and let them move into his mansion in Boston.