Danvers in Essex County, Massachusetts — The American Northeast (New England)

Salem Village Witchcraft Victims’ Memorial

Photographed By Bill Coughlin, April 16, 2009

1. Salem Village Witchcraft Victims' Memorial Marker

The forward monument contains an open “Book of Life” surrounded by a pair of shackles.

Inscription.

Salem Village Witchcraft Victims’ Memorial. . In memory of those innocents who died during the Salem Village Witchcraft Hysteria of 1692. Back Monument: “I am an innocent person. I never had to do with witchcraft since I was born. I am a Gosple woman.” Martha Cory, “The Lord above knows my innocencye . . . as att the great day will be known to men and Angells. I Petition to your honours not for my own life for I know I must die and my appointed time is sett but the Lord he knows it is that if it be possible no more innocent blood may be shed . . . . ” Mary Esty, “If it was the last moment I was to live, God knows I am innocent . . . . ” Elizabeth How, “Well! Burn me, or hang me, I will stand the truth of Christ . . . . ” George Jacobs, Sr., Died in jail May 10, 1692 Sarah Osburn of Salem Village, Hanged June 10, 1692 Bridget Bishop of Salem, Died in jail June 16, 1692 Roger Toothaker of Billerica, Died in jail previous to July 19, 1692 infant daughter to Sarah Good of Salem Village, Hanged July 19, 1692 Sarah Good of Salem Village Elizabeth How of Topsfield Susannah Martin of Amesbury Rebecca Nurse of Salem Village Sarah Wilds of Topsfield, Hanged August 19, 1692 Rev. George Burroughs of Wells, Maine, formerly of Salem Village Martha Carrier of Andover George Jacobs, Sr. of Salem John Procter, Sr. of Salem Farmes John Willard of Salem Village, Died under torture September 19, 1692 Giles Cory of Salem Farmes, Hanged September 22, 1692 Martha Cory of Salem Farmes Mary Esty of Topsfield Alice Parker of Salem Mary Parker of Salem Ann Pudeator of Salem Wilmot Redd of Marblehead Margaret Scott of Rowley Samuel Wardwell of Andover, Died in jail December 3, 1692 Ann Foster of Andover, Died in jail March 10, 1693 Lydia Dastin of Reading, “Amen. Amen. A false tongue will never make a guilty person.” Susannah Martin, “I can say before my Eternal father. I am innocent and God will clear my innocency.” Rebecca Nurse, “The Magistrates, Ministers, Jewries, and all the People in general, being so much inraged and incensed against us by the Delusion of the Devil, which we can term no other, by reason we know in our own Consciences, we are all innocent Persons.” John Procter Sr., “ . . . I fear not but the Lord in his due time will make me as white as snow.” John Willard. . This memorial was erected in 1992 by Danvers Rotary. It is in Danvers in Essex County Massachusetts

In memory of those innocents
who died during the
Salem Village Witchcraft Hysteria
of 1692
Back Monument:
“I am an innocent person. I never had to do with witchcraft since I was born. I am a Gosple woman.”
Martha Cory

“The Lord above knows my innocencye . . . as att the great day will be known to men and Angells. I Petition to your honours not for my own life for I know I must die and my appointed time is sett but the Lord he knows it is that if it be possible no more innocent blood may be shed . . . . ”
Mary Esty

“If it was the last moment I was to live, God knows I am innocent . . . . ”
Elizabeth How

“Well! Burn me, or hang me, I will stand the truth of Christ . . . . ”
George Jacobs, Sr.

Died in jail May 10, 1692
Sarah Osburn of Salem Village

Hanged June 10, 1692
Bridget Bishop of Salem

Died in jail

Paid Advertisement

Click on the ad for more information.
Please report objectionable advertising to the Editor.

Click or scan to see
this page online

June 16, 1692
Roger Toothaker of Billerica

Died in jail previous to July 19, 1692
infant daughter to Sarah Good
of Salem Village

Hanged July 19, 1692
Sarah Good of Salem Village
Elizabeth How of Topsfield
Susannah Martin of Amesbury
Rebecca Nurse of Salem Village
Sarah Wilds of Topsfield

Hanged August 19, 1692
Rev. George Burroughs of Wells, Maine,
formerly of Salem Village
Martha Carrier of Andover
George Jacobs, Sr. of Salem
John Procter, Sr. of Salem Farmes
John Willard of Salem Village

Died under torture September 19, 1692
Giles Cory of Salem Farmes

Hanged September 22, 1692
Martha Cory of Salem Farmes
Mary Esty of Topsfield
Alice Parker of Salem
Mary Parker of Salem
Ann Pudeator of Salem
Wilmot Redd of Marblehead
Margaret Scott of Rowley
Samuel Wardwell of Andover

Died in jail December 3, 1692
Ann Foster of Andover

Died in jail March 10, 1693
Lydia Dastin of Reading

“Amen. Amen. A false tongue
will never make a guilty person.”
Susannah Martin

“I can say before my Eternal
father. I am innocent & God will clear my innocency.”
Rebecca

Back Monument image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Bill Coughlin, April 16, 2009

2. Back Monument

The granite back section of the memorial consists of three panels 12 feet long by 8 feet high containing the names of the 24 men and women and one child who died as a result of the witch hysteria. The outer panels contain statements made by eight of the accused witches during their harrowing examinations.

Nurse

“The Magistrates, Ministers, Jewries,
and all the People in general, being
so much inraged and incensed against
us by the Delusion of the Devil,
which we can term no other, by reason
we know in our own Consciences, we
are all innocent Persons.”
John Procter Sr.

“ . . . I fear not but the Lord in his due time
will make me as white as snow.”
John Willard

Erected 1992 by Danvers Rotary.

Topics. This historical marker and memorial is listed in these topic lists: Churches & Religion • Colonial Era. A significant historical month for this entry is March 1692.

Location. 42° 33.932′ N, 70° 57.464′ W. Marker is in Danvers, Massachusetts, in Essex County. Marker is at the intersection of Hobart Street and Forest Street, on the left when traveling west on Hobart Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 176 Hobart Street, Danvers MA 01923, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Salem Village Meeting House (a few steps from this marker); The Church in Salem Village (approx. 0.2 miles away); The 1681 Salem Village Parsonage

Left of Back Monument image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Bill Coughlin, April 16, 2009

3. Left of Back Monument

(approx. ¼ mile away); The 1734 Addition (approx. ¼ mile away); Salem Village Parsonage (approx. ¼ mile away); Samuel Parris Archaeological Site (approx. ¼ mile away); Samuel Holten House (approx. 0.3 miles away); Deacon Nathaniel Ingersoll (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Danvers.

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. To better understand the relationship, study each marker in the order shown.

Also see . . . Salem Witchcraft Trials, 1692. by Douglas O. Linder. “From June through September of 1692, nineteen men and women, all having been convicted of witchcraft, were carted to Gallows Hill, a barren slope near Salem Village, for hanging. Another man of over eighty years was pressed to death under heavy stones for refusing to submit to a trial on witchcraft charges. Hundreds of others faced accusations of witchcraft;

Center of Back Monument image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Bill Coughlin, April 16, 2009

4. Center of Back Monument

Above the center panel on a granite ellipse is carved the Tercentennial Committees logo featuring a man grasping an open book.

dozens languished in jail for months without trials until the hysteria that swept through Puritan Massachusetts subsided.” (Submitted on June 9, 2012.)

Right of Back Monument image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Bill Coughlin, April 16, 2009

5. Right of Back Monument

Photographed By Bill Coughlin, April 16, 2009

6. Salem Village Witchcraft Victims' Memorial Marker

Salem Village changed its name to Danvers to distance itself from the 1692 Witch hysteria.

Book of Life and Shackles image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Bill Coughlin, April 16, 2009

7. Book of Life and Shackles

Shackles, like those worn in prison by the accused, are part of the Witchcraft Victims' Memorial.

Credit plaque for Witchcraft Victims' Memorial image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Bill Coughlin, April 16, 2009

8. Credit plaque for Witchcraft Victims' Memorial

The monument was erected for the 300th anniversary of the witch prosecutions.

Credits. This page was last revised on October 14, 2020. It was originally submitted on May 2, 2009, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. This page has been viewed 5,903 times since then and 250 times this year. Last updated on October 25, 2011, by Michael Tiernan of Danvers, Massachusetts. It was the Marker of the Week June 10, 2012. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. submitted on May 2, 2009, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.