1692 Salem

04/07/2025

When the crowds became to large to be held at Ingersoll’s Ordinary the interrogations moved to the Meeting House down the street!

04/06/2025

The Salem Witch Trials
On this day, April 6, 1692

In the evening, specters appeared at Thomas Putnam's home to torment Ann Putnam and at the parsonage to attack Abigail Williams. Abigail screamed to her uncle that Goodman Proctor was pinching her.

Just south of the village, Benjamin Gould was startled awake by the specters of Giles and Martha Corey standing beside his bed. As soon as he saw them, they vanished, leaving him with two sharp pinches in his side.

04/06/2025

The Witchcraft Victims Memorial is just a couple of blocks away from Ingersoll’s Tavern.
172 Hobart Street, Danvers, Ma. aka Salem Village.

04/06/2025

April 6th, 1830.
Captain Joseph White is brutally murdered in his home on Essex Street, Salem, Massachusetts

The conspiracy to murder Capt. Joseph White, instigated by his two nephews was prosecuted by Daniel Webster.

04/06/2025

Today in 1830 Captain White was murdered in Salem on Essex St. This is a precedent setting case and the first time in America where conspiracy to commit murder was the same as committing murder.
The murder is said to be the inspiration for Poe's "The Tell Tale Heart" ... Parker Brothers Games will buy the rights to an English game called Cluedo and give it some local flair and names, turning it into the game we now call Clue! Some call Captain Whites house the Clue Mansion and quite literally, Captain White was murdered in the upstairs bedroom with a club ... and a knife!

In 1830, a brutal crime in Massachusetts riveted the nation—and inspired the writings of Edgar Allan Poe and Nathaniel Hawthorne

04/05/2025

For more information on the plans to save Ingersoll’s Ordinary in Danvers!
https://www.danversma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/2523/Articles-35-37---Final-Report-of-the-Ad-Hoc-Historic-Preservation-Study-Committee-March-2024?bidId=&mibextid=Zxz2cZ

04/05/2025

On April 11, 1692 John is indicted on charges of witchcraft during his wife Elizabeth’s examination after he is accused by Abigail Williams and Mary Walcott.
"If they were let alone so we should all be Devils & witches quickly they should rather be had to the whipping post but he would fetch his jade home & thresh the Devil out of her & more to the like purpose, crying hang them, hang them!"
- John Proctor

John and Elizabeth Proctor owned a Farm and Tavern on Ipswich Road in Salem, Ma. They were both skeptics of the witch hysteria that had taken hold of Salem i...

04/05/2025

We recommend these high quality books about the Salem Witch Trials.

04/04/2025

The Salem Witch Trials
On this day, April 4, 1692

While being tormented by Elizabeth Proctor, a new specter joined in to afflict Abigail Williams. "You can pinch as well as your wife?" Abigail said to the specter of John Proctor.

04/04/2025

The Salem Witch Trials
On this day, April 4, 1692

Captain Jonathan Walcott and his uncle, Lieutenant Nathaniel Ingersoll, traveled to Salem Town to speak with the Magistrates about Elizabeth Proctor and Sarah Cloyse. They reported that these two women had been tormenting Abigail Williams, Mary Walcott, Ann Putnam Jr., Mercy Lewis, and John Indian.
Recognizing the gravity of the situation, the magistrates decided to delay issuing arrest warrants until they could consult with other government officials in Boston.

04/04/2025

Jack and Jeff!
I love Salem, but October is just awesome!

04/04/2025

Forever Mourning! My shadow on the headstone is like my ghost!
Broad Street Cemetery
Salem, Massachusetts

04/04/2025

04/04/2025

On this day, in the year 1692, Mary Warren's statement recanting her former bewitchment claim was read aloud for all to hear in the Salem Village meeting house.

Though Mary had previously been among the accusers, her employer, John Proctor, was skeptical of the whole affair. He refused to believe Mary's many spectral stories, believing the afflicted witnesses were liars. Proctor threatened to "beat the devil" out of his servant, keeping her at her chores and away from the witchcraft proceedings in the Village.

In this environment, Mary recovered. She wrote a statement attesting to her recovery and requesting prayers of thanks for her deliverance. Notably, she also included the peculiar statement that the other afflicted witnesses "did but dissemble." While this could mean she believed they were deceived by false visions, some interpreted it to mean they were liars.

It is no surprise Mary Warren was soon accused by her former fellow witnesses and was sent to prison. Pictured here are the examination notes from an interrogation of Mary Warren in prison. Courtesy of Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives.

04/03/2025

I saw death, life, beauty and destruction in one photo! Even the headstones are broken, because nothing is forever! I take photos to share what I think is beautiful. We are not here long enough to get caught up in the little things that won’t matter when we are gone! Life is just too short for that!

04/03/2025

So I posted a photo I took in the Howard Street Cemetery. The groundskeeper ran over a flag and shredded it and I thought the photo was interesting. I cleaned up the shredded flag and disposed the remains after. I never meant for it to be a political statement! Sorry to anyone who was offended by it.
Should I just remove the post now?