Abigail Williams

Salem Witch Trials•I was born on July 12, 1680•No one knows the actual date of my

death, but I died at the age 17, in the year 1697.

•I lived with my uncle, Reverend Samuel Parris, and his daughter Elizabeth “Betty” Parris.

Salem Witch Trials• It is said that Witch

trials began with young girls telling stories: practicing voodoo and telling fortunes under direction of Tituba, Samuel Parris’ slave.

• We were interested in fortune telling because we wanted to know the occupation of our future husbands.

Salem Witch Trials• My cousin Betty and I were the

first two girls in Salem to exhibit strange behaviors in mid January, 1692, where we both became Ill.

• Reverend Parris then called in Reverend John Hale to observe myself and Elizabeth.

• He wrote that we "were bitten and pinched by invisible agents; their arms, necks and backs turned this way and that way and returned back again so as it was impossible for them to do of themselves and beyond the power of any Epileptic Fits or natural Disease to effects."

Salem Witch Trials•My uncle, as well as others then turned to

prayer and fasting wishing for us to get back to health.

•We did not seem to be getting any healthier, and that’s when Reverend Parris brought in Dr. William Griggs.

•He determined that we were under the influence of an “Evil Hand”.

Salem Witch Trials• As the talk of the witch

craft began to spread, we started thinking about who was afflicting us.

• It became obvious, and on February 29th, 1692, we filed a complaint that was issued against Tituba, Sarah Osborne, and Sarah good

Salem Witch Trials•Those same women who afflicted Betty

and I, also afflicted Ann Putnam, Jr. who also began to suffer sickness.

•We were at the trial hearings, and while we were there I suffered fits and outbursts.

•I said that I "saw the apparition of said Sarah Good at her examination pinch Elizabeth Hubbard and set her into fits and also Elizabeth Parris and Ann Putnam, Jr."

Salem Witch Trials•I continued to turn the witches in,

accusing Martha Cory, George Burroughs, Bridget Bishop, Elizabeth and John Proctor, Mary Easty, John Willard, Mary Witheridge, and Rebecca Nurse.

•However, those were not the only people I accused. I made 41 legal complaints , and gave formal testimony in 7 of them.

Salem Witch Trials• During Elizabeth Proctor’s

examination, I told them exactly what I had seen.

• I had seen Elizabeth’s specter, as well as 40 other witches partake in a sacrament of blood drinking outside of the household that I lived in.

• Sarah Cloyce and Sarah Good were the deacons that were presiding over the ceremony, and I told them that too.

• Elizabeth’s husband, John Proctor was involved in witch craft as well. I told them that he had pinched me.

Salem Witch Trials• Martha Cory’s

specter tried to get me to put my hand on the Devil’s book.

• Also, Rebecca Nurse tried to choke, pinch, and tempt me into the fire. She also attended the Devil’s Sacrament.

Salem Witch Trials•I gave my last testimony of June 3rd,

1962.•Although no one truly knows what

happened to me, there are rumors that I became a prostitute after. There is also rumors that I gave birth to a child, but no one really knows what happened.

•However, I died at the age of 17, in July of 1697.

Work Cited• Yost, Melissa M.. "Salem Witch Trials Important Persons." The Institute

for Advanced Technology in the Humanities. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 2012. <http://www2.iath.virginia.edu/saxon-salem/servlet/SaxonServlet?source=salem/texts/bios.xml&style=salem/xsl/dynaxml.xsl&chunk.id=b33&clear-stylesheet-cache=yes>.

• Lewis, Jone Johnson. "Abigail Williams - Salem Witch Trials." Women's History - Comprehensive Research and Information Guide. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 2012. <http://womenshistory.about.com/od/salempeople/a/Abigail-Williams.htm>.

• Yost, Melissa M.. "Salem Witch Trials Important Persons." The Institute for Advanced Technology in the Humanities. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 2012. <http://www2.iath.virginia.edu/saxon-salem/servlet/SaxonServlet?source=salem/texts/bios.xml&style=salem/xsl/dynaxml.xsl&chunk.id=b33&clear-stylesheet-cache=yes>.