Unwavering faith: The testament of John Proctor
As the first man accused of witchcraft at the 1692 Salem trials, John Proctor’s position was unique. Born in England in 1631, his family had lived in the Bay Colony since 1635. Proctor was a well-known yeoman farmer, with property in Ipswich as well as 700 acres leased from the Downing estate. Proctor also operated a tavern on a busy road in what nowadays is Peabody, Massachusetts.
Much of Proctor’s trial centered upon his disbelief in the afflicted accusers, including his maidservant Mary Warren. It was common gossip that Proctor thought they should have their lies beaten out of them or be hanged. To belie his opinion, the afflicted accusers did a call-and-response routine in the courtroom. For example, Abigail Williams said Proctor’s specter would attack Sarah Bibber and in response, Bibber would have a fit. Judge Thomas Danforth didn’t see it as stage direction, and Judges John Hathorne and Jonathan Corwin—who had seen the play before—committed Proctor to jail.
Knowing himself innocent of witchcraft, Proctor looked to the judges and the local clergy for help but none was forthcoming. His friends and neighbors attested to John and Elizabeth Proctor’s good characters and Christian faith, petitioning for their release. It didn’t work. John Proctor even wrote to prominent Boston ministers asking that the trials be moved to Boston or at least the judges be replaced. He pleaded to the ministers to attend the trials too, to stop the “shedding of our innocent blood.” Apparently, he received no response.
Written under Duress
No doubt Proctor spent sleepless nights in jail, worrying about his fate and the fate of his loved ones. Despite suffering such injustice, Proctor’s unwavering faith shines through in his last will and testament, written in jail on August 2, 1692, with his brother Joseph Proctor, Philip Fowler, and Thomas Chote serving as witnesses.
While most wills of the 17th century start with a similar preamble, Proctor added artistic flourishes to his letters. He wrote in large script: “In the Name of God Amen!” He used a typical phrase, “of sound mind,” but with added weight that perhaps others were not. He openly declared: “I bequeath my Immortal Soul unto God” and distribute “my Earthly goods which God hath bountifully given me.” Finally, he had the last word.
Having had three wives and numerous children, 60-year-old Proctor divided his estate equitably among the children. In his will, he gave his two eldest sons, Benjamin and John Proctor, all his lands as their shares and then they had to pay their siblings equal portions. In 1695, the total estate was worth £208-0-0, divided by 12 surviving children, leaving £17-6-8 a share. Not factored into the equation and not mentioned in the will was the widow’s one-third dower.
This notable omission suggested that John Proctor expected his wife to hang. After all, the verdict in Elizabeth’s case was guilty, and though she had a short reprieve for her pregnancy, Judge William Stoughton was determined to see that sentence through. None of them anticipated a last-minute reprieve from Governor William Phips. Elizabeth, however, thought her husband was coerced into writing his will without mentioning their prenuptial agreement. She tried to plead her case after the estate was settled. Unfortunately, she was legally dead in the eyes of the law. In 1703, a reversal of attainder allowed her to challenge the courts. But it wasn’t until some of the trial victims and their families were awarded compensation in 1711 that she received her due. She and her deceased husband John Proctor received £150. The records did not show how the money was divided among the large Proctor family, but since Elizabeth’s name was in the decree, she hopefully received half.
A Lasting Legacy
Although Thorndike Proctor did not receive lands from his father John’s will, he decided to follow in his footsteps. He purchased part of the Downing estate where his father had lived, building a house near where the old tavern stood.
In 1724, Thorndike purchased Nicholas Chattwell’s house in Salem. According to Sidney Perley, from this house you could see the hanging of the alleged witches in 1692. His son Thorndike Jr. later purchased the land where the executions happened, at Proctor’s Ledge.
Thanks to the Proctor land purchases, Perley’s clues, and confirmation from the Gallows Hill Project team, today we can visit the place where 19 people were wrongfully hanged for witchcraft.