The “Wheeler Witches of Salem”

The Salem witch trials occurred in colonial Massachusetts between early 1692 and mid-1693. More than 300 people were accused of practicing witchcraft—the devil’s magic—and 20 were executed.

 
 

Rebecca Blake Eames (1641 – 1721) – Among those accused of witchcraft during the Salem witch trials of 1692, Rebecca Eames’ case was as bizarre as the rest. While standing in the crowd watching the witch hangings on August 19, 1692, she was accused of causing a pinprick in the foot of another spectator and arrested. Immediately after watching George Burroughs, Martha Allen Carrier, George Jacobs, Sr., John Proctor, and John Willard hanged for witchcraft, she was arrested and examined that very day. Condemning herself to death, she testified that the devil had appeared to her as a colt and had persuaded her to follow him. She also testified that she had allowed her son Daniel, who was born in 1663, to be baptized by the devil. She also confessed to afflicting Timothy Swan. Examined again on August 31, 1692, by John Hathorne and Jonathan Corwin, she repeated her earlier confession as well as also implicating the “Toothaker Widow” and Abigail Faulkner as fellow witches. Two weeks later, on September 15th, Mary Walcott, Mary Warren, and Ann Putnam Jr. gave testimony that they, too, had been afflicted by Rebecca Eames. On September 17, 1692, Rebecca Eames, along with nine others was condemned to die. Four of the nine were executed just five days later on September 22nd.

 

Daniel Eames (1663 – After 1695) – The son of confessed witch Rebecca Eames described above, Daniel also found himself accused. The son of Robert and Rebecca Blake Eames, Daniel was born on April 7, 1663. Daniel and his wife and children lived in his parents’ home and worked on the family farm in Boxford. Shortly before his arrest, he had been absent for a period of time and when he came home, he began to use bad language and was making references to the Devil. Upon learning of this, Salem magistrates had him brought in. They began to ask several witnesses about him and Betty Johnson stated that she had accompanied his spirit at night and witnessed him afflicting the Phelps child. She also said that his specter had hurt her as well as Mary Lacey, Jr. When Eames was brought into the room, all of the afflicted fell to the floor as if struck. He denied all charges of witchcraft. However, more witnesses also accused him, including Mary Warren and Ann Putnam, Jr. Although he was imprisoned, the outcome of the charges is unknown. His wife, Lydia Eames (WHEELER) was also accused of Witchcraft, but, nothing is known of the outcome.

 

Lydia Wheeler (1662 – 1719) – Lydia is my 1st cousin 9x removed.

Lydia was born on May 7, 1662, in Newbury, Essex County, Massachusetts Colony. She was the daughter of David Wheeler and Sarah Wise. David, the youngest Wheeler son, came to the colonies after his parents did as a Servant at the age of 11.

 

Lydia and Daniel eventually had eight children. In most records, they seem to have changed the spelling of their last name to Ames, perhaps due to the history of the Eames name. Daniel abandoned Lydia and his children in 1695.

 

Lydia’s cousin, Abigail, had a much tougher time with the accusations against her and she spent 18 weeks in prison for it.

 

Abigail Wheeler (1660 – 1743) – Abigail is my 7th great-grandaunt.

Abigail was born on March 7, 1660, in Salisbury, Essex County of the Massachusetts Colony. She was the daughter of Henry Wheeler and Abigail Allen. Henry and David Wheeler from above were brothers. The accused witch Lydia discussed above ALSO had a sister named Abigail. She is often confused with her like-named cousin Abigail. Who does that? You’d think siblings would call “dibs” on names and not both use them. It’s caused a lot of confusion for people researching their ancestors.

Abigail married Ebenezer Barker on May 25, 1686, and they eventually had four children. Unlike her cousin, Abigail’s husband stood by her side and defended her.

 

On September 8th, 1692, Rose Foster accused Abigail Barker of being a witch. Rose Foster, the teenage granddaughter of Rebecca Eames of Boxford (listed above and who herself had been accused of witchcraft earlier in August). Rose’s father was Andover constable Ephraim Foster. Another afflicted girl named in the complaint was Samuel Martin’s 16-year-old daughter, Abigail. The third person, soon to be the principal accuser in Andover, was Moses Tyler’s 16-year-old stepdaughter Martha Sprague.

The Reverend Thomas Barnard conducted what was known as a “Touch Test” in the Andover Church. It was believed that an afflicted person would be “cured” if she or he touched a “witch.” The evil, it was thought, would flow back into its source. The touch test had been used in Salem examinations since May, but on this day, all of Andover’s accused and afflicted were gathered together at the meeting house. The accused “witches” were blindfolded and led to the afflicted girls. If the afflictions ceased after touching one of the accused, it was believed a witch had been identified. By the time the touch test was over, all of the accused women and men, at least seventeen people, had been confirmed as witches. Among them was Abigail Barker (WHEELER).

With such evidence, Abigail Barker was arrested and charged with several crimes.

Abigail Barker (WHEELER) court document

 

Abigail Barker, wife of Ebenezer Barker of Andover in the County of Essex, being indicted by the Jurors, for our Sovereign Lord and Lady the King and Queen, upon their Oathes, by three Several Indictments; That is to Say: 

1’st: For that she the said Abigail Barker wife of Ebenezer Barker of Andover in the County of Essex, about Two years Since, at, & in the Town of Andover aforesaid, wickedly maliciously, and feloniously, a Covenant with the Devil did make, and Sign the Devils Book, and by the Devil was baptized, and renounced her former Christian baptism, and gave her Self up to the Devil, to Serve him and for the Devil, to be her Lord and Master, by which diabolical, and wicked covenant, She the said Abigail Barker, is become a detestable witch Contrary to the Peace of our Sovereign Lord and Lady the King and Queen their Crowne, and Dignity, and the Laws, in that case made, and provided.

 

2’dly For that she the said Abigail Barker, wife of Ebenezar Barker of Andover, in the County of Essex aforesaid, in and upon the Eighth day of September last, in the year of our Lord 1692, and divers other days, and times, as well before, as after; certain detestable Arts called witchcrafts, and Sorceries, wickedly maliciously, and feloniously, hath used, practiced, and exercised, at, and in the Towne of Andover aforesaid in the County of Essex aforesaid, upon, and against One Ralph Farnum Senior of Andover aforesaid by which said wicked arts aforesaid the said Ralph Farnum the day and Year aforesaid, and divers other days, and times, both before, and after was, & is, tortured, afflicted, consumed, wasted, pined, and tormented, contrary to the peace of our Sovereign Lord, and Lady, the King and Queen, their Crowne and Dignity, and the Laws in that case made, and provided.

 

3’dly For that she the said Abigail Barker, wife Ebenezar Barker, of Andover, in, and upon the Eighth day of September last in the year of our Lord 1692 and divers other days and times as well before as after certain detestable arts, called witchcrafts, and Sorceries, wickedly, maliciously, and feloniously hath used, practiced, and Exercised, at, and in the town of Andover aforesaid, in the County of Essex aforesaid, upon, and against, one Rose Foster, of Andover by which Said wicked Arts, the said Rose Foster, the day, and year aforesaid, and divers and others days, and times both before, and after, was, and is, tortured, afflicted consumed, pined and wasted, and tormented, against the Peace of our Sovereign Lord and Lady the King, and Queen, their Crowne and dignity, and the Laws, and Acts in that case made and Provided. — Upon the aforesaid Indictments, and each of them, the said Abigail Barker was then, and there, before the Justices of our Lord and Lady the King and Queen aforesaid, arraigned, and upon her arraignment, did then, and there, the day, and Year aforesaid, plead to them, and each of them Not Guilty, and put her Selfe, upon trial, by God, and her Country —

 

Abigail Barker is particularly remembered for an account of the touch test in “an undated declaration prepared and signed by six suspects [one of whom was Abigail] just prior to the resumption of trials in January 1693,” according to author Richard Hite. All of the accused had been forced to participate, and all were found guilty. Said the remarkable declaration,

 

“…we knowing ourselves altogether innocent of the crime, we were all exceedingly astonished and amazed, and consternated and affrighted even out of our reason; and our nearest and dearest relations, seeing us in that dreadful condition, and knowing our great danger, apprehended there was no other way to save our lives, as the case was then circumstanced, but by confessing ourselves to be such and such persons as the afflicted represented us to be, out of tenderness and pity, persuaded us to confess what we did confess.”

 

Her husband, Ebenezer Barker, quickly joined the newly formed Andover resistance and was a signer of petitions of October 12, October 18, and December 6 sent to the governor and the high court. Despite the petition, the grand jury at the Superior Court of Judicature indicted Abigail.

 

The following petition was written to the court on behalf of the following women: Petition for Mary Osgood, Eunice Fry, Deliverance Dane, Sarah Wilson, Sr., and Abigail Barker

 

To: To the honored court of Assize held at Salem, The humble address of several of the inhabitants of Andover. May it please this honored court,

We being very sensible of the great sufferings our neighbors have been long under in prison, and charitably judging that many of them are clear of that great transgression which hath been laid to their charge, have thought it our duty to endeavor their vindication so far as our testimony for them will avail. The persons in whose behalf we are desired and concerned to speak something at present are Mrs. Mary Osgood, Eunice Frye, Deliverance Dane, Sarah Wilson and Abigail Barker, who are women of whom we can truly give this character and commendation, that they have not only lived among us so inoffensively as not to give the least occasion to any that know them to suspect them of witchcraft but by their sober godly and exemplary conversation have obtained a good report in the place, where they have been well esteemed and approved in the church of which they are members.

We were surprised to hear that persons of known integrity and piety were accused of so horrid a crime, not considering, then, that the most innocent were liable to be so misrepresented and abused. When these women were accused by some afflicted persons of the neighborhood, their relations and others, tho’ they had so good grounds of charity that they should not have thought any evil of them, yet, through a misrepresentation of the truth of that evidence that was so much credited and improved against people, took great pains to persuade them to own what they were, by the afflicted, charged with, and, indeed, did unreasonably urge them to confess themselves guilty, as some of us who were then present can testify. But these good women did very much assert their innocency, yet some of them said they were not without fear lest Satan had some way ensnared them, because there was that evidence against them which then was by many thought to be a certain indication and discovery of witchcraft, yet they seriously professed they knew nothing by themselves of that nature.

Nevertheless, by the unwearied solicitations of those that privately discoursed them both at home and at Salem, they were at length persuaded publicly to own what they were charged with, and so submit to that guilt which we still hope and believe they are clear of. And, it is probable, the fear of what the event might be, and the encouragement that it is said was suggested to them, that confessing was the only way to obtain favor, might be too powerful a temptation for timorous women to withstand, in the hurry and distraction that we have heard they were then in. Had what they said against themselves proceeded from conviction of the fact, we should have had nothing to have said for them, but we are induced to think that it did not, because they did soon privately retract what they had said, as we are informed, and, while they were in prison, they declared to such as they had confidence to speak freely and plainly to, that they were not guilty of what they had owned, and that what they had said against themselves was the greatest grief and burden they labored under.

Now, though we cannot but judge it a thing very sinful for innocent persons to own a crime they are not guilty of, yet, considering the well ordered conversation of those women while they lived among us, and what they now seriously and constantly affirm in a more composed frame, we cannot but in charity judge them innocent of the great transgression that hath been imputed to them. As for the rest of our neighbors, who are under the like circumstances with these that have been named, we can truly say of them that while they lived among us, we have had no cause to judge them such persons as, of late, they have been represented and reported to be, nor do we know that any of their neighbors had any just grounds to suspect them of that evil that they are now charged with.

 

Petitions from Relatives of Prisoners and Others (October 1692-January 1693) (Petition of Ebenezer Barker and Eight Others — October 1692)

 

To: To the Honored Generall Court Now sitting in Boston this 12 of October 1692

Right honored Gentlemen and fathers We your humble petitioners whose Names are under written petition as followeth: viz: We would Not Trouble Your honours w’th a Tedious diversion: but briefly spread open our distressed Condition and beg your honours favour and pitty in affording what Relieff may be thought Convenient as for the matter of our Trouble: it is the distressed Condition of our wives and Relations in prison at Salem who are a Company of poore distressed creatures as full of inward grieff and Trouble as thay are able to bear up in life withall and besides That the agrivation of outward Troubles and hardships thay undergo: wants of food Convenient: and the coldness of the winter season that is coming may soon dispatch such out of the way That have Not been used to such hardships: and besides that The exceeding great Charges and expences that we are at upon many accounts which will be two Tedious to give a pertickular account of which will fall heavy upon us especially in a time of so great charge and expence upon a general accout in the Country which is expected of us to bear a part as well as others which if put all together our familys and estates will be brought to Ruin: if it Cannot in time be prevented: having spread open our Condition: we humbly make our adress.

To your honours to Grant that our wives and Relations being of such That have been approved as penitent Confessors might be Returned home to us upon what bond your honors shall see good we do not petition to take them out of the hands of Justic but to Remain as prisoners under bond in their own familys where thay may be more tenderly Cared for: and may be redy to apear to Answer farther when the honored Court shall Call for them: we humbly Crave Your Honors favour and pitty for us and ours herin. having let down our Troubled state before you. we heartily pray for your honors

 

Petition of the Andover Ministers and Twenty-Two Others including Ebenezer Barker — October 1692

 

To: To his Excellency the Governor, and Council, & Representatives, now Assembled at Boston. The Humble Address of the ministers, and of some of the Inhabitants of Andover.

We being deeply sensible of the heavy judgment that the Righteous God hath brought upon this place, thought it our duty (after our earnest prayers to the God of Heaven, to give us help from our trouble) to lay before this Honourable Assembly, our present distressed estate, and to crave a redress of our grievances. It is well known that many persons of this Town, have been accused of witchcraft, by some distempered persons in these parts and upon complaint made have been apprehended and committed to prison. Now though we would not appear as Advocates for any who shall be found guilty of so horrid a crime, but we heartily desire that this place, and the whole land, may be purged from that great wickedness: yet if any of our #[freinds] friends and neighbors have been misrepresented, as tis possible some of them have been; wee would crave leave (if it might be without offense) to speak something in their behalf, having no other design therein, then that the truth may appear. We can truly give this Testimony of the most of them belonging to this Town, that have been accused, that they never gave the least occasion (as we hear of) to their nearest relations or most intimate acquaintance, to suspect them of witchcraft. Several of the women that are accused were members of this church in full Communion and had obtained a good report, for their blameless conversation, and their walking as becometh women professing godliness. But whereas it may be alledged, that the most of our people that have been apprehended for witchcraft have upon Examination confessed it. To which we Answer that we have nothing to plead for those that freely and upon conviction own themselves guilty; but we apprehend the case of some of them to be otherwise. for from the information we have had and the discourse some of us have had with the prisoners, we have reason to think that the extreme urgency that was used with some of them by their friends and others who privately examined them, and the fear they were then under, hath been an inducement to them to own such things, as we cannot since find they are conscious of; and the truth of what we now declare, we judge will in time more plainly appear. And some of them have expressed to their neighbors that it hath been their great trouble, that they have wronged themselves and the truth in their confessions.

We are also very sensible of the distressed condition of several poor families, on whom this great trouble is fallen; some more of our neighbors are like to be impoverished & ruined by the great charge they are at to maintain such of their families as are in Prison, and by the fees that are demanded of them, whose case we pray may be considered.

Our troubles which hitherto have been great, we foresee are like to continue and increase, if other methods be not taken then as yet have been, for there are more of our neighbors of good reputation & approved integrity, who are still accused, and complaints have been made against them, And we know not who can think himself safe, if the Accusations of children and others who are under a Diabolicall influence shall be received against persons of good fame.

We thought meet also to Sign if ye that not only persons of good credit among ourselves, but some Honorable & worthy men of other places, do suffer in their names by the accusations of afflicted people in this Town.

Thus having given your Honors some account of our present troubles, we crave pardon for our boldness in this Address, and humbly pray this Honored Court to take into their serious consideration our low and distressed estate: And that the only wise God may bless your counsels & Endeavors for the welfare of his people, shall be the prayer of

Dated at Andov’r 18’th Oct. 1692.

 

Declaration of Mary Osgood, Martha (?) Tyler, Deliverance Dane, Abigail Barker, Sarah Wilson, and Hannah Tyler

We whose names are under-written, inhabitants of Andover; when as that horrible and tremendous judgment beginning at Salem village in the year 1692, by some called witchcraft, first breaking forth at Mr. Parris’s house, several young persons, being seemingly afflicted, did accuse several persons for afflicting them, and many there believing it so to be, we being informed that, if a person was sick, the afflicted person could tell what or who was the cause of that sickness: Joseph Ballard, of Andover, his wife being sick at the same time, he, either from himself or by the advice of others, fetched two of the persons, called the afflicted persons, from Salem village to Andover, which was the beginning of that dreadful calamity that befell us in Andover, believing the said accusations to be true, sent for the said persons to come together to the meeting house in Andover, the afflicted persons being there.

After Mr. Barnard had been at prayer, we were blindfolded, and our hands were laid upon the afflicted persons, they being in their fits and falling into their fits at our coming into their presence, as they said; and some led us and laid our hands upon them, and then they said they were well, and that we were guilty of afflicting them: Whereupon, we were all seized, as prisoners, by a warrant from the Justice of the peace and forthwith carried to Salem. And, by reason of that sudden surprisal, we knowing ourselves altogether innocent of the crime, we were all exceedingly astonished and amazed, and consternated and affrighted even out of our reason. and our nearest and dearest relations, seeing us in that dreadful condition, and knowing our great danger, apprehended there was no other way to save our lives, as the case was then circumstanced, but by our confessing ourselves to be such and such persons as the afflicted represented us to be, they, out of tenderness and pity, persuaded us to confess what we did confess.

And indeed that confession, that it is said we made, was no other than what was suggested to us by some gentlemen, they telling us that we were witches, and they knew it, and we knew it, which made us think that it was so; and our understandings, our reason, our faculties, almost gone, we were not capable of judging of our condition; as also the hard measures they used with us rendered us incapable of making our defense, but said anything and everything which they desired, and most of what we said, was but, in effect, a consenting to what they said. Sometime after, when we were better composed, they telling us what we had confessed, we did profess that we were innocent and ignorant of such things; and we hearing that Samuel Wardwell had renounced his confession, and quickly after condemned and executed, some of us were told we were going after Wardwell.

 

However, in a trial by jury on January 6, 1693, she was found not guilty by the 12 jurors.

A Jury being called by foreman and Accordingly Sworne, no exception being made by the Prisoner the said Indictments, and each of them, being read, together with Evidences, and Examinations and the Prisoners defense being heard: the Jury went out to agree on their verdict, who returning, did then and there, in open Court, deliver their verdict; That the Said Abigail Barker was Not Guilty, of the felony by witchcraft, for which she stood Indicted, in, and by, the said Indictments, and each of them.

The Court Ordered, Abigail Barker aforesaid, to be discharged, paying her fees.

 

She was released, having been imprisoned for 18 weeks in Salem. Afterward, Abigail went back to her life in Andover and was 87 years old when she died there in 1743.

 

Eventually, the courts issued restitution to those accused to pay for the fines and other fees they incurred.

Account of Ebenezer Barker — Case of Abigail Barker

To: To the Honorable Committee

An Account of what Ebenezer Barker of Andover paid for his wife Abigail Barker who was accused of witchcraft and suffered Imprisonment 18 weeks at Salem in the year 1692 Viz To the Keeper of the Goal 1-10-0 it For Court Charges 1-7-4 The sums aboves’d he was forced to pay before his wife could be Released. Besides his maintaining his wife wholly in prison with provision and other necessaries 2-10-0 £ s d (Note £ s d stands for pounds, shillings and pence).

Total. 5-7-4 £ s d

* Ebenezer Barker