John Proctor (Salem witch trials)
| John Proctor | |
|---|---|
| Born |
30 March 1632 Suffolk, England |
| Died | 19 August 1692 (aged 60) Salem Village, Massachusetts Bay Colony |
| Spouse(s) | Martha Giddens (m. c.1653–1659; her death) Elizabeth Thorndike (m. 1662–1672; her death) Elizabeth Bassett (1674–1692; his death) |
| Children | 4 (with Giddens) 7 (with Thorndike) 7 (with Bassett) |
John Proctor (March 30, 1632 – August 19, 1692) was a farmer and tavern keeper in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He was the son of John Proctor, Sr. (1594–1672) and Martha Harper (1607–1667). He died on August 19, 1692 in Salem Village, Massachusetts Bay Colony during the Salem Witch Trials after being accused and convicted for witchcraft.
John Proctor was born in Suffolk, England. When he was just three years old, his parents brought their family to America. They sailed from London, England, on 12 April 1635 on a ship called the “Susan and Ellen”.
Upon arrival, they settled in the Chebacco area of Ipswich, Massachusetts. Proctor's father owned many properties and was considered to be one of the wealthiest residents in Ipswich and had two shares in Plum Island in 1664. He also held various offices within the colony.
Proctor was a good businessman, comfortable working with people from all aspects of society. Around 1653, Proctor married Martha Giddens. They had 4 children:
Martha died in childbirth on 13 June 1659. Her death registry reads "Martha, wife of John Procter, died the 13 June 1659", Benjamin Proctor was the only surviving child from this marriage.
On 1 December 1662, Proctor married Elizabeth Thorndike (1641-1672), daughter of John Thorndike, founder of Ipswich, Massachusetts. They had seven children:
In 1666, Proctor moved to Salem and leased a 700 acre estate known as Groton farm (aka Downing Farm) in Salem Farms, the section of Salem Township just to the south of Salem Village. The farm was leased from Emmanuel Downing, brother-in-law to John Winthrop. In 1668, Proctor received his first license to operate a tavern here and the license was renewed annually. The Inn was located on Ipswich Road about a mile south of the Salem Village line. Elizabeth (Thorndike) Proctor died on 30 August 1672 shortly after she gave birth to their seventh child, Thorndike Proctor. Proctor's father also died in 1672 and he inherited 1/3 of the estate in Ipswich. His brothers Benjamin and Joseph inherited the other 2/3 of the estate. Each portion was valued at 1200 pounds.
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