Posted on 03/15/2012 3:14:31 PM PDT by nickcarraway
1692 Salem witch trial document sold at auction The original court indictment of Margaret Scott, an elderly Rowley woman, was hanged during the witchcraft hysteria in Salem in 1692. (Swann Auction Galleries) (CBS/AP) SALEM, Mass - A document from the Salem witch trials was sold at auction for $31,200 when it hit the auction block on Thursday.
Pre-auction estimates put it between $25,000 to $35,000.
The original court indictment of Margaret Scott, a widow from Rowley, Massachusetts in her 70s, and one of the last people hanged during the 1692 hysteria in colonial Massachusetts.
It was part of a private collection of historical documents being sold at Swann Auction Galleries in New York City.
Richard Trask, the Danvers town archivist and a leading expert on the trials, told The Salem News "Scott was found guilty at her trial and she was executed along with seven others in September of 1692."
Trask said it is just the third time in a 50-year career he can recall a witchcraft document being sold.
"It's not that unusual to see a document from this early, but it's almost impossible to get one on the auction market from the witch trials," Rick Stattler of Swann Auction Galleries told The Salem News. "They just don't turn up."
Nineteen people were hanged and one person was crushed to death during the course of the trials. Other accused witches died in prison.
Her children retrieved (stole) her body from the pit, and buried her on her farm in Danvers, no one knows where, but there is a beautiful monument in the small graveyard. Her home is still standing.
But how did they know she was a witch?
Ask Helen Thomas. She was rumored to be witch number 20...
I’ve read about Rebecca Nurse and about the trials. Amazing that you’re descended from her.
I checked the Wikipedia Rebecca Nurse page (I know, I know), and it says Mitt Romney is an 8th generation descendant. So I guess you’re related to Mitt, lol.
She turned me into a NEWT!
..I got better...
Did she weigh as much as a duck?
OH NO I’M NOT. YOU STOP THAT,YUK. Oh well, can’t choose the family. lol
The epitaph was written by John Greenleaf Whittier.
That her home is still standing is amazing, it is open to the public, located in Danvers, Mass.
This home and grounds and other buildings are always used when they film something about the trials, or for the movie "The Crucible", all on the Nurse homestead.
The towns little girls involved themselves in voodoo with a slave girl, and were caught, by the Parish minister who's daughter was involved.
These little girls knew their punishment was going to be severe, so they made up stories and accused the towns people of some awful things. These girls pretended so well and so long that it became the hysteria of the Courts as well.
It was only after these people met their death, many years later that one of the girls came forward and confessed and asked for forgiveness.
Google has much on this.
|
|
|
| GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother & Ernest_at_the_Beach | |
|
|
Thanks nickcarraway. |
|
|
|
|
Hi, cousin!
Sorry I did not respond sooner, had errands today.
BTW: Are you aware of the Film "Three Sovereigns for Sarah", she is the one sister that made it out alive, as she was hidden. The King awarded her 3 sovereigns after this mess finally was ended, (whatever that coin is), one for each of the girls. Sarah is played by Vanessa Redgrave.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.