Newbury

Settled in 1635, Newbury originally included Newburyport, set off in 1764, and West Newbury, set off in 1819. This page includes Newbury, Newburyport, and West Newbury.

Orientation

Untapped History: Two self-described history nerds offer a historic walking tour of Newburyport, which includes details about accused witch Elizabeth Morse.

Explore

Atkinson House (1664), Green Street at Hanover Street, Newbury Upper Green. PRIVATE home. John and Sarah (Mireck) Atkinson accused Susannah Martin of being a witch in 1692. Sign on fence.

Burying Ground of the First Settlers, 238 High Road, Newbury. Although it’s not known whether she is buried here, the Morse Society added a cenotaph that reads: “Mrs. Elizabeth Morse – Witch of Newbury – 1679-1681 arrested, tried, imprisoned, and reprieved. Confined to her husband William Morse 4 acre house lot on the SE side of Market Square until her death.” The back of William’s (newer) marker says: “wife Elizabeth 1616-1690. Convicted as a witch by her community may she lay in peace beyond these walls.”

Tristram Coffin house (1678), 14 High Road, Newbury. Tristram Coffin (c.1632-1704) married widow Judith (Greenleaf) Coffin (1625-1704). Their daughter Deborah Coffin married Joseph Knight who testified against Susannah Martin, who was hanged as a witch in 1692. Judith’s daughter, Elizabeth (Somerby) (Clark) Hale (1646-1716), married in 1698 Rev. John Hale (1636-1700) of Beverly, author of A Modest Enquiry into the Nature of Witchcraft. Owned by Historic New England.

First Parish Burying Ground, 20 High Road, Newbury. Burials include Henry Sewall (1615-1700) and Jane (Dummer) Sewall (1627-1701), parents of Judge Samuel Sewall and court clerk Stephen Sewall who served in the Salem witch trials; Ensign Joseph Knight (1652-1723) who testified against Susannah Martin. View map.

Knight-Ambrose House (1695), Elm Street, Newbury. PRIVATE home. Ensign Joseph Knight testified against Susannah Martin.

Elizabeth Morse plaque, corner of State and Liberty streets, Newburyport. In 1999, the Morse Society installed this plaque on the side of the brick building.

Museum of Old Newbury, 98 High Street, Newburyport. Covers Newburyport, Newbury, West Newbury, Byfield, and Plum Island. Library and Archives offers local history books, ship logs, maps, photographs, genealogy books, diaries, ledgers, and ephemera. Mary Adams Rolfe’s notebooks contain information on first settlers.

Henry Sewall house (c. 1678), High Road, Newbury. PRIVATE home. Judge Samuel Sewall’s parents lived here shortly before Henry’s death in 1678, when the house was called “newly built” in his will. After his mother Jane died, the home became the property of Samuel Sewall.

Research

G.A.R. Memorial Library, 490 Main Street, West Newbury.

Newbury Historical Commission, 25 High Street, Newbury. Manages the Lower Green Schoolhouse (1877) and its holdings include photos, documents, and ephemera. Website includes family history book links.

Newbury Town Library, 0 Lunt Street, Newbury.

Newburyport Public Library, 94 State Street, Newburyport. The Archival Center‘s collection focuses on genealogy and local history.

Sons and Daughters of the First Settlers of Newbury, a lineal society open to descendants who can trace back to first settlers before 1700.

Online Books & Records

History of Newbury, Mass., 1635-1902 by John J. Currier (1902)

Old families of Salisbury and Amesbury, Massachusetts; with some related families of Newbury, Haverhill, Ipswich and Hampton by David W. Hoyt (1897)

Sketch of the history of Newbury, Newburyport, and West Newbury, from 1635 to 1845 by Joshua Coffin (1845)