William Stoughton was a colonial magistrate for the Massachusetts Bay Colony and the Chief Magistrate of Court of Oyer and Terminer during the Salem Witch Trials. Early Life: William Stoughton was born in 1631 to Israel and Elizabeth (Knight) Stoughton. It is not known if Stoughton was born in England…| History of Massachusetts Blog
The Dominion of New England was a merging of British colonies in New England in the 17th century. The Dominion was formed in 1686 and merged the colonies of Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island together into one large colony. In 1688, the Dominion was expanded to include New…| History of Massachusetts Blog
Samuel Sewall was a judge in the Salem Witch Trials and the only judge to apologize for his role in the trials. Sewall was born in Bishopstoke, England on March 28, 1652. His family had previously lived in the settlement of Newbury in the Massachusetts Bay Colony but temporarily returned…| History of Massachusetts Blog
Jonathan Corwin was a judge in the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. He was also Judge John Hathorne's brother-in-law and Sheriff George Corwin's uncle. The Corwin Family: Jonathan Corwin was born on November 14, 1640, in Salem, Massachusetts, to Captain George Corwin and Elizabeth Herbert. The Corwins (or Curwen, as…| History of Massachusetts Blog
King William's War, also known as the Second Indian War and the First French and Indian War, was an armed conflict between England and France in North America in the 17th century. The war was a battle over control of North America, particularly over the fur trade in North America.…| History of Massachusetts Blog
The Salem Witch Trials of 1692 were a dark time in American history. More than 200 people were accused of practicing witchcraft and 20 were killed during the hysteria. Ever since those dark days ended, the trials have become synonymous with mass hysteria and scapegoating. The following are some facts…| History of Massachusetts Blog
Bartholomew Gedney was one of the judges during the Salem Witch Trials. Gedney was also a physician, town selectman, ship carpenter, merchant and a colonel in the Essex County militia. Gedney was born to John Gedney in Salem on June 14, 1640. Gedney married Hannah Clark in 1662 and had…| History of Massachusetts Blog
