The Salem Witch Trials Victims: Who Were They?

On September 22, 1692, the last people hanged for witchcraft (8) in the US were executed. 19 were hanged overall with six other deaths during Salem witch trials. Here is the list of the last group executed on September 22.

Alice Parker (Age: unknown)
Alice Parker was the wife of fisherman John Parker. The couple lived in Salem town where Alice was known as a pious, honest woman. Parker also had a reputation for clairvoyance and on one occasion successfully predicted that a friend’s husband had died at sea.

In May of 1692, afflicted girl Mary Warren suddenly accused Alice Parker of witchcraft. During Parker’s trial, Warren made several surprising accusations against her, claiming Parker bewitched her mother to death, made her sister ill and drowned several men and boys in the sea, including a man named Thomas Wastgate and his entire crew who drowned after their ship sank. Alice Parker was brought to trial on September 9 and executed on September 22, 1692.

Mary Parker (Age: about 40)
Mary Parker was a widow from Andover. Parker was first named a witch by William Barker Jr and was accused of afflicting Martha Sprague. It is not known why Parker was accused but she stated during her examination that there was another woman in Andover named Mary Parker and suggested it was a case of mistaken identity.

Martha Sprague then stated that the woman in front of her was the woman who afflicted her. Mary Parker was brought to trial on September 17 and executed on September 22, 1692.

Ann Pudeator (Age: 70s)
Ann Pudeator was a widow who lived in Salem town where she also worked as a nurse and midwife. She had a reputation for being sharp-tongued and often quarreled with locals.

Pudeator was accused of witchcraft in May of 1692 by Sarah Churchill and several other afflicted girls of Salem Village. Some of her medical supplies, such as foot ointments, were confiscated and introduced to the court as objects of the occult.

During her trial, Pudeator accused many of her accusers of lying. Pudeator was brought to trial on September 9 and executed on September 22, 1692.

Wilmot Redd (Age: unknown)
Wilmot Redd lived in Marblehead and was the wife of fisherman Samuel Redd. Like Bridget Bishop and many other witch trial victims, Wilmot Redd had also been accused of witchcraft before in 1687. She was an unpopular person around town because she often quarreled with others and had an abrasive personality. Redd’s daughter was the wife of fellow accused witch Reverend George Burroughs.

Redd was accused of witchcraft in May of 1692 by the Salem Village afflicted girls and brought to Ingersoll Tavern in Salem Village for her examination. She had never met the afflicted girls before and when asked why they were afflicted she stated they were in a “sad condition.” She was indicted and several Marblehead residents testified against her. Redd was brought to trial in September and executed on September 22, 1692.

Margaret Scott (Age: 77)
Margaret Scott was a widow from Rowley. Scott had seven children but only three survived childhood. After her husband died in 1671, Scott was left destitute and forced to beg from her neighbors. This made her unpopular with her neighbors.

Scott was accused by two of Rowley’s most notable families: the Wicoms and the Nelsons. A member of the Nelson family also sat on the grand jury that convicted her. Scott was brought to trial on September 17 and executed on September 22, 1692.

Samuel Wardwell (Age: 49)
Samuel Wardwell was a carpenter from Andover. He was also a well known fortune-teller and practitioner of English folk magic. It is believed that his work in the occult led to his witchcraft accusation.

Wardwell was accused in September of 1692 and arrested and jailed in Salem. Shortly after, his wife and daughters were also arrested. During his examination, he admitted to fortune-telling and dabbling in magic and said that the devil may have taken advantage of him for these reasons. He then confessed to making a pact with the devil but later recanted his confession. Wardwell was brought to trial in mid-September and executed on September 22, 1692.

Martha Corey (Age: 72)
Martha Corey lived in the outskirts of Salem Village and was the wife of wealthy farmer Giles Corey. Corey had a reputation for being a pious member of the community despite the well-known fact that she had a child out of wedlock in the 1670s. Martha Corey was also an outspoken critic of the Salem Witch Trials and stated many times that the afflicted girls were liars.

During her own examination, she told the judge “we must not believe all that these distracted children say.” In March, Giles Corey testified against his wife in court, stating that she may have bewitched his farm animals and himself.

When Giles Corey himself was accused of witchcraft and arrested in April, he refused to provide any more information on Martha or himself. Martha Corey was brought to trial on September 9 and executed on September 22, 1692, just three days after Giles Corey had been tortured to death for refusing to enter a plea.

Mary Easty (Age: 58)
Mary Easty was the sister of accused witches Rebecca Nurse and Sarah Cloyce. She lived in Topsfield and was considered a pious, well-respected member of the community.

In April of 1692, Mary Easty was accused of witchcraft, arrested but was then released in May. She was accused again, a few days after her release, and arrested. She was examined and indicted on two charges of witchcraft. Easty was brought to trial on September 9 and executed on September 22, 1692."