During the infamous Salem witch trials of 1692-1693, more than 200 people were accused of practicing witchcraft. Among the accused were several women whose names have come to be associated with the trials, such as Sarah Good, Sarah Osborne, and Bridget Bishop. Interestingly, many of the accused witches were referred to by their patronymics, which were derived from their father's first names. This practice was common during the time period and served to identify a person's lineage and social standing. For example, Mary Esty, one of the accused witches, was commonly referred to as "Mary the daughter of Isaac Esty." This patronymic is composed of her father's first name, Isaac, and his family name, Esty.
In some ways, it’s easier to mention three significant groups that didn’t take issue with practicing witches:
This 30 minute talk, which features some of the documents within this collection, was delivered online on Friday 23 October 2020 by Dr Jessica Nelson. This 30 minute talk, which features some of the documents within this collection, was delivered online on Friday 23 October 2020 by Dr Jessica Nelson.
" This patronymic is composed of her father's first name, Isaac, and his family name, Esty. It was common for people to be known by their patronymics, which served as a form of identification in the community. In the case of the Salem witch trials, the use of patronymics may have been a way to further stigmatize and demonize the accused witches.
Early Modern witch trials
This document collection includes various documents relating to the witch craze in 17th century England. It allows students and teachers to develop their own questions and lines of historical enquiry on the nature of beliefs and behaviours, the role of the authorities and legal restraint, attitudes of communities or the role of women in society.
Through the documents students could explore questions such as how the persecution of witches was instigated, encouraged or enabled by the authorities or communities. How was the church involved? What type of people experienced persecution? Were some people pretending to be witches and why? Were both men and women involved? What was the possible impact of printed material on the witch craze? What general conclusions can students draw from considering this group of documents as a whole? How could study of the topic be extended?
It is hoped that these documents will offer students a chance to develop their powers of evaluation and analysis concerning aspects of popular culture and the witch craze in the 17th century and beyond. They might consider how these aspects have been interpreted in debates between historians and social scientists.
Taking it further students could be encouraged to find out more about the legacy of medieval and 15 th century attitudes, beliefs and reactions to heresy, demonology and witches (e.g. Nider’s Formicarius) and what ultimately prompted decriminalisation.
Finally teachers could also use the collection to develop their own resources or encourage students to ‘curate’ their own ‘exhibition’ of the most significant sources on the topic. Please note that some sources contain sensitive material so use with care. Transcripts have been modernised in terms of spelling, with some additional punctuation added, some words have been defined within the text using square brackets. The lines in the transcripts are numbered to help users find their place when using to the original document.
Connections to curriculum
Edexcel: A Level History:
The witch craze in Britain Europe and North America, 1580-1750
OCR History A H505 Y312 Unit:
The witch craze of the 16th and 17th Centuries
By referring to the accused women by their father's names, it implied that they were the products of their father's actions and therefore inherited their alleged witchcraft. This further reinforced the idea that witchcraft was a hereditary trait and justified the persecution and execution of these individuals. In addition to Mary Esty, other accused witches who were identified by their patronymics include Elizabeth Proctor (wife of John Proctor), Rebecca Nurse (wife of Francis Nurse), and Martha Corey (wife of Giles Corey). The use of patronymics in these cases served to diminish the individuality and agency of the accused women, reducing them to mere extensions of their fathers and husbands. Overall, the use of patronymics in the Salem witch trials highlights the power dynamics and social structures of the time. It also demonstrates how language and naming practices can be used to reinforce existing prejudices and justify acts of persecution..
Reviews for "Patronymics and Family Connections: Tracing Lineages in the Salem Witch Trials"
1. John Doe - 1 star
I found "Patronymics of alleged witches in the Salem witch hunts" to be extremely disappointing. The book lacked depth and failed to provide any new or interesting insights into the event. The author simply listed the names of alleged witches and their patronymics without any analysis or context. There was no attempt to explore the social and cultural factors that led to the witch hunts or to shed light on the experiences of the women involved. Overall, I felt like I wasted my time reading this book and would not recommend it to anyone.
2. Jane Smith - 2 stars
While I appreciate the effort of the author to shed light on the patronymics of alleged witches in the Salem witch hunts, I was left feeling underwhelmed by the book. The information presented was repetitive and lacked depth. The author failed to provide sufficient historical context or analysis to make the topic engaging and insightful. Additionally, the writing style was dry and tedious, making it hard to stay engaged throughout the book. Overall, I felt like this was a missed opportunity to explore a fascinating aspect of the Salem witch trials and I would not recommend it to others.
3. Samantha Brown - 2 stars
"Patronymics of alleged witches in the Salem witch hunts" was not what I expected. The book lacked focus and failed to provide a clear thesis or argument. The author seemed to be more interested in listing names and familial connections without providing any meaningful analysis. As a result, I found it difficult to stay engaged with the book and struggled to find any value in the information presented. I was disappointed by the lack of depth and would not recommend this book to others interested in the Salem witch trials.