I ran across some interesting family history on my Dad's side of the family. My 9th Great Grandmother, Ann Alcock Foster was convicted of being a witch in Salem and died in prison while awaiting her sentence of death by hanging in 1692.
Ann's story is a tragic one. She was arrested and imprisoned for witchcraft. She was tortured and deprived of food, water, warmth and her dignity. She was tried on four different occasions. She finally confessed to being a witch after being tortured, and after her daughter and granddaughter testified against her to save themselves. Following is an account of part of her hearing.The language and spelling are hard to read in parts.
" In the trials eight citizens of Andover were condemned. Three of these were hanged: Martha Carrier, Samuel Wardwell, Mary Parker; one died in prison, Ann Foster; Abigail Faulkner was reprieved, and by the delay ultimately saved; Sarah Wardwell and Elizabeth Johnson and Mary Lacey were condemned at the very latest trial, January 1692, and set free on the general jail delivery when the frenzy was checked. The following is a list of those names of the accused which have been found and the various identifying notes in regard to them.
...Foster, Ann, mother of Abraham Foster, condemed (died in prison)
...Lacey, Mary [Foster], wife of Lawrence Lacey, condemed.
...Lacey, Mary Jr., daughter of Lawrence Lacey
...Lacey, Mary, Jr., daughter of Lawrence Lacey
...Wardwell, Samuel, hanged.
...Wardwell, Sarah, wife of Samuel Wardwell, condemed.
...Wardwell, Mercy, daughter of Samuel Wardwell, not guilty....
The above marked 'not guilty' were those on whom verdict was pronounced at the court which sat January, 1692/3. The others were perhaps not all formally tried 'Examinations,' so called, in which many confessed, preceded the trials and the evidence of the witnesses....In the examinations of the accused which preceded the regular trial, most made confession and thus averted the extreme penalty....
Several women of Andover who confessed, accused Martha Carrier as the cause of their being led into witchcraft. Three of these were Ann Foster, her daughter, Mary Lacey, and her granddaughter, Mary Lacey, Jr. Ann Foster said she rode on a stick with Martha Carrier to Salem village, that the stick broke and she saved herself by clinging around Martha Carrier's neck. She said they met three hundred witches at Salem village, among them the Rev. Mr. Burroughs and another minister with gray hair (Mr. Dane of Andover was supposed to be hinted at). This story was confirmed by the daughter and the granddaughter....
Mary Lacey, daughter of Ann Foster, was condemed. She said the devil had carried her in his arms to Newbury falls, and there he had baptized some of the 'higher powers.' She alos said (to use the words of the deposition) 'if she doe but take a ragg, clout or any such thing and roll it up together and imagine it to represent such and such a person, then whatsoever she doth to that Rag or clout so rouled up the person represented thereby will be in lyke manner afflicted.'..."
Bailey, S.L. (1880). Historical Sketches of Andover (comprising the Present Towns of North Andover and Andover), Massachusetts. Houghton, Mifflin, Retrieved 3 Jan 2009 from http://books.google.com/books? id=xf7UNTRnW4gC
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