Witches of Hampton

When we think of witchcraft charges in 17th century colonial America, we usually think of Salem, Massachusetts-- even though the town with the most accusations of witchcraft was not Salem, but Andover.

Hampton, New Hampshire had its own share of "witches" itself, cases that date to the mid-1600's:

The most notable so-called witch was Eunice COLE, or Goody Cole, as she was known. In Puritan communities, most people were addressed as "Goodman/Goody So-and So" ("Goody" being an abbreviation of Goodwife). "Mister" and "Mistress" were reserved for citizens of high social rank.

Goody Cole was accused of witchcraft on at least three occassions, and imprisoned until her death on the last.

Another lesser known "witch" was Rachel FULLER. John and Mary (COX) GODFREY were among those who accused her; their baby boy Moses, who had evidently been ill, died after Goody Fuller touched him:

In July, 1680, a little child of John Godfrey died, and the old cry of witchcraft was raised again. An inquest was held, which twelve solid men of Hampton for jurors, and a verdict rendered: "We find grounds of suspicion that the said child was murdered by witchcraft." Godfrey's wife and daughter, Sarah, deposed that Rachel Fuller came in with her face daubed with molasses, and sat down by Goody Godfrey, who had the sick child in her lap, and took his hand; when the mother, in fear, drew the hand away and wrapped it in her apron. Then Rachel Fuller "turned about her and smote the back of her hands together sundry times and spat in the fire." The she strewed herbs on the hearth and sat down again and said: "Woman, the child will be well;" and then went out, beat herself thrice with her arms, as men do in winter, to heat their hands, picked something off the ground, and went home.

(Dow, Volume I, p. 84-5).

The following day the Godfrey children told their mother that Goody Fuller had told them that sweet bays under the threshold would keep a witch from being able to enter. The family laid bay leaves at the back door, and the next time Rachel Fuller visited (the Fullers were "next door" neighbors to the Godfreys), she did not come to the back door as usual, but to the front, and she stayed away from the side of the house where the sweet bays were; she never entered the house again.

Goody Fuller also was reputed to have claimed that there were several wizards and witches among Hampton's citizens:

Elizabeth Denham (wife of Alexander), deposed that Rachel Fuller told her "Witches did so go abroad at night, they did lay their husbands and children asleep;" and she said there were eight women and two men in the town, who were witches and wizards. The men's names were not given, but the women Goody Fuller reckoned as witches were: Eunice Cole, Benjamin Evans' wife and two (?) daughters, Grace (Swaine) Boulter, Mary (Boulter) Prescott, Isabella (Austin) Towle, "and one that is now dead."

(Dow, Volume I, p. 85).

Dow goes on to say that Isabella Towle was arraigned about the same time as Goody Fuller, but on a different charge, and that both she and Goody Fuller were imprisoned and discharged the following year.

Isabella (AUSTIN) TOWLE was my 8th great-grandmother:

Isabella AUSTIN (1633-1719) > Caleb TOWLE I (1678-1763) > Caleb TOWLE II (1701-1795)> Jeremy TOWLE (b. 1745) > Judith TOWLE (b. 1783) > Mary SEVERANCE (1805-1889) > James W WINSLOW (1838-1906) > Bessie M WINSLOW (b. 1886) > Dorothy E PALMER (1918-1984) > S. HOWES (1937-1999) > Me.

Grace (SWAIN) BOULTER was my 9th great-grandmother, and her daughter Mary was my 8th:

Grace SWAIN > Mary BOULTER (1648-1735) > James PRESCOTT (b. 1671) > Rebecca PRESCOTT (b. 1711) > Jeremy TOWLE (b. 1745) > Judith TOWLE (b. 1783) > Mary SEVERANCE (1805-1889) > James W WINSLOW (1831-1906) > Bessie M WINSLOW (b. 1886) > Dorothy E PALMER (1918-1984) > S. HOWES (1937-1999) > Me.

John and Mary (COX) GODFREY were my 8th great-grandparents:

John GODFREY (1634-1696) and Mary COX (1641-1707) > Sarah GODFREY (1664-1717) > Benjamin WEBSTER (1701-1781) > Jacob WEBSTER (1744-1836) > Mary WEBSTER (1772-1861) > William WINSLOW (1800-1860) > James W WINSLOW (1838-1906)> Bessie M WINSLOW (b. 1886) > Dorothy E PALMER (1918-1984) > S. HOWES (1937-1999) > Me.