The Salem Witch Trials. All you have to do is say those words, and you immediately think of a strange, murky period in the distant past where fact and fiction become oddly interchangeable. This infamous episode in American history, which occurred in the fall of 1692, saw hysteria gripping the people around Salem, Massachusetts. More than 150 people were questioned and imprisoned, with almost fifty confessing to practicing witchcraft. Nineteen people were convicted of witchcraft and executed by hanging.

The Enigmatic Bathshua Pope

One name appears in the records of three of those condemned witches: Bathshua Pope. The records show her name variously spelled as Bathsheba, Bethshua, or with her maiden name Folger. Although the spelling of her name is questionable, her impact on this critical moment in American history is not.

Bathshua Pope married Joseph Pope, Jr. in 1649, and they had eight children together. The family appeared normal in every way until things started to go wrong at the sawmill.

The Haunted Mill and the Seeds of Hysteria

Much of the drama that would become immortalized as the Salem Witch Trials centered around a sawmill. The mill was owned by two families: the Popes and the Coreys. Bathshua and Joseph were living with her widowed mother-in-law, Gertrude Pope. The mill, located on Norris Brook in West Peabody, became infamous when it abruptly stopped working in 1692. This malfunction was attributed to witchcraft by the miller, who testified that his mill wheel was “unaccountably stopped and would not go, and no reason could be assigned except the demonical malice and power of some witch.”

Whether the mill was actually haunted remains unproven. What is certain is that it launched Bathshua Pope to the forefront of this troubling chapter in American history.

Accusations of Witchcraft

Bathshua Pope pointed her finger at Martha Corey, Rebecca Nurse, and John Proctor. She accused them of inflicting pain upon her body through witchcraft. Her accusations led to their trials and eventual executions.

In April, during Rebecca Nurse’s trial, several afflicted persons reported seeing “a black man” whispering in Nurse’s ear. The judge stated, “What a sad thing it is that a church member here and now…should be thus accused and charged.” At this point, “Mrs. Pope fell into a grievous fit and cried out a sad thing sure enough; And then many more fell into lamentable fits.”

Elizabeth Proctor, the pregnant wife of John Proctor, was also accused in April. During her trial, John Proctor’s specter was said to be attacking Bathshua. Chadwick Hansen, in Witchcraft in Salem, reported that “immediately Goodwife Pope fell into a fit.”

The Trial and Executions of Martha and Giles Corey

Martha Corey, born Martha Panon, was another notable figure during the trials. Her trial took place in March 1693. Her second husband, Giles Corey, was also accused and ultimately killed. Martha had an illegitimate, mixed-race son named Benoni, which may have contributed to the accusations against her. Despite attempting to turn away from her past transgressions and being known for her piety, Martha was outspoken in her belief that the accusers were lying, which made it easy for the afflicted girls to accuse her.

At Martha’s trial, Bathshua joined other afflicted women in calling Martha “a gospel witch.” Marion Starkey, author of The Devil in Massachusetts, wrote, “Even while Martha proclaimed her innocence, her devils had not been able to resist devising new tortures for the girls. What Martha did, now they all did. If she bit her lips, they yelled that she had bitten theirs, and came running up to the magistrates to show how they bled.”

During her examination, Martha asked the judge not to believe the rantings of hysterical children. The girls continued to mimic her movements, claiming they were being controlled by her. Mercy Lewis called out that there was a man whispering in Martha’s ear, which was interpreted as evidence of her guilt. She was convicted and hanged on September 22, 1692.

Giles Corey, Martha’s husband, defended her against the allegations but was also accused of witchcraft. He refused to undergo a trial and was executed by pressing, a slow crushing death under a pile of stones. He died on September 19, 1692, three days before Martha was hanged. By refusing to plead, he ensured that his estate passed to his children, in accordance with his last will and testament.

The Hysteria Spreads

Martha Corey’s conviction and execution represented a turning point in the Salem Witch Trials, as she was a respected church member with good social standing. Her case escalated accusations across social boundaries, leading to over one hundred women being accused of witchcraft.

The Turning Point

Amidst the chaos, a pivotal moment arrived in October 1692. Governor William Phips of Massachusetts intervened and halted the trials. The turning point came when his own wife, Lady Mary Phips, was accused of witchcraft. Realizing the rampant injustice and the unchecked hysteria, Governor Phips ordered that spectral evidence no longer be admissible in court.

As the trials drew to a close, the public began to recognize the enormity of the tragedy that had unfolded. By May 1693, the remaining accused were pardoned, and efforts were made to compensate the families of the victims.

Lessons For a Founding Father

Throughout the hysteria and drama of the Salem Witch Trials, Bathshua Pope stood as a significant figure. Her husband appears to have intervened to prevent her from testifying at the trials, but her accusations were more than enough to wreak havoc.

Her husband seemed to have his doubts about her sanity. Perhaps that is why she was not allowed to testify at the trials. He continued to have concerns about her state of mind throughout his life. When he died in 1712, Joseph’s will left provisions for all of his children, except for the first two. Of the eldest daughter, the will observes that she was “infirm of mind, as probably had been her mother; at least, she was much afflicted in the witchcraft days.”

This sort of thing could easily cast a cloud over any family’s legacy. Some might try to hide it. Others could let it define them. Those who are wise would try to learn from it.

Perhaps that is one of the reasons why Bethshua’s nephew became such a zealous defender of individual rights. He was also known for other things: scientist, author, philosopher, and patriot. Some have said that he was the last, true Renaissance man.

We may never know the full impact that crazy Aunt Bethshua had on the boy who was born about 15 years after those dramatic days. We can be certain that he knew about her and had been taught the dangers that can occur when fundamental principles of justice get derailed. Those are lessons that Bethshua’s nephew, Benjamin Franklin, made sure were not forgotten as he took his place as one of America’s Founding Fathers.

Learn more about the Salem Witch Trials at the Salem Witch Trials Memorial.

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