Sarah Cloyce, also known as Sarah Towne Cloyce, was one of the notable figures associated with the Salem witch trials that took place in colonial Massachusetts in the late 17th century. Born in 1654, Sarah was the sister of Rebecca Nurse, who was accused and executed during the trials. Sarah Cloyce's involvement in the Salem witch trials began in 1692 when her sisters, Rebecca Nurse and Mary Easty, were accused of practicing witchcraft. As the hysteria surrounding witchcraft spread throughout the community, Sarah Cloyce and her sister Mary were also accused of being witches. The accusations against Sarah and her sisters were primarily based on their reputation as independent and strong-willed women who did not adhere to the strict Puritan norms of the time. Sarah Cloyce vehemently denied the accusations of witchcraft and defended her sisters' innocence.

(Indictment No. 1 of Sarah Cloyce, for Afflicting Abigail Williams, Returned Ignoramous)

Essex in the Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New EnglandAnno RR's & Reginae & Mariae Angliae &c Quarto Annoq'e Domini 1692.

The Jurors for our Soveraigne Lord & Lady the King and Queen doe present That Sarah Cloyce Wife of Peter Cloyce of Salem -- in the County of Essex Husbandman upon or about the n'th Day of April -- In the yeare aforesaid and divers other Days and times as well before as after Certaine Detestable Arts called Witchcraft and Sorceries Wickedly Mallitiously and felloniously hath used practised and Exercised At and in the Towne of Salem in the Country of Essex -- aforesaid in upon and against one Abigail Williams of Salem -- aforesaid Single Woman -- by which said Wicked Acts the said Abigaill Williams the Day & Yeare -- aforesaid and Divers other Days and times both before and after was and is Tortured Aflicted Consumed Wasted Pined and Tormented against the Peace of our Sov'r Lord and Lady the King & Queen theire Crowne and Dignity and The Law In that case made and Provided

(Reverse) Indictment against Sarah
Cloyc for bewitching Abigail Williams

( Suffolk Court Files, vol. 32, docket no. 2677b p. 8. Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, Judicial Archives, Massachusetts State Archives. Boston, MA. )

SWP No. 33.2

(Indictment No. 2 of Sarah Cloyce, for Afflcting Mary Walcott, Returned Ignoramous )

[++ January 13, 1693 ]

Essex in the Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England Anno RR's & Reginae Gulielmi & Mariae Angliae &c Quarto Annoq'e Domini 1692//

The Juniors for our Sov'r Lord and Lady the King and Queen doe present that Sarah Cloyce wife of Peter Cloyce of Salem -- In the County of Essex In or upon the Eleventh Day of Aprill -- In the yeare aforesaid and Divers other Days and times as well before as after Certaine detestable arts called Withcrafts and Sorceries Wicked- ly Mallitiously and felloniously hath used practised and Exercised At and in the Towne of Salem -- aforesaid in the County of Essex -- aforesaid in and upon & against one Mary Walcott of Salem -- aforesaid Single Woman -- by which said Wicked acts the said Mary Walcott -- the Day & yeare -- aforesaid and divors other Days and times both before and after was and is Tortured Aflicted Consumed Wasted Pined and Tormented, and also for Sundry other Acts of Witchcraft by the said Sarah Cloyce -- Comitted and done before and since that time against the Peace of our Sov'r Lord and Lady the King and Queen theire Crowne and Dignity and the forme in the Stattute In that case made and Provided

( Suffolk Court Files vol. 32, docket no. 2677a, p. 7. Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, Judicial Archives, Massachusetts State Archives. Boston, MA. )

SWP No. 33.3

(Indictment No. 3 of Sarah Cloyce, for Afflicting Rebecca Towne, Returned Ignoramous)

[++ January 13, 1693 ]

Essex in the Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England ss//Anno RR's & Reginae Gulielmi & Mariae Angliae &c Quarto Annoq'e Domini 1692

The Jurors for our Sover' Lord and Lady the King & Queen doe present that Sarah Cloyce Wife of Peter Cloyce of Salem -- In the County of Essex Husbandman -- In & upon the Ninth Day of the Inst September -- In the yeare aforesaid and Divers other Days and times as well before as after Certaine Detestable arts called Witchcraft and Sorceries Wickedly Mallitiously and felloniously hath used practised and Exercised At and in the Towne of Salem in the County of Essex -- aforesaid in upon and against one Rebeckah Towne of Topsfeild in the County of Essex aforesaid Single Woman -- by which said Wicked Acts the said Rebeckah Towne the Day & yeare -- aforesaid and divers other Days and times both before and after was and is Tortured Aflicted Consumed Pined Wasted and Tormented, and also for sundry other acts of Witchcraft by the said Sarah Cloyce -- Comitted and done be fore and Since that time against the Peace of our Sov'rn Lord and Lady the King & Queen theire Crowne and Dignity and the forme of the Stattute In that case made and Provided.

(Reverse) Indictment ags't Sarah Cloyce
for bewitching Rebbecka Towne

( Suffolk Court Files, vol. 32, docket no. 2677, p. 8. Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, Judicial Archives, Massachusetts State Archives. Boston, MA. )

Sarah Cloyce vehemently denied the accusations of witchcraft and defended her sisters' innocence. Despite her protests, Sarah was arrested and imprisoned for several months. During her imprisonment, Sarah saw firsthand the horrors of the witch trials as innocent people were being executed.

Salem Witchcraft Papers

Introduction
SWP No. 005: Nehemiah Abbott Jr.
SWP No. 006: John Alden
SWP No. 007: Abigail Barker
SWP No. 008: Mary Barker
SWP No. 009: William Barker, Sr.
SWP No. 010: William Barker, Jr.
SWP No. 011: Sarah Bassett
SWP No. 012: Sarah Bibber
SWP No. 013: Bridget Bishop Executed, June 10, 1692
SWP No. 014: Sarah Bishop
SWP No. 015: Mary Black
SWP No. 016: Mary Bradbury
SWP No. 017: Mary Bridges, Sr.
SWP No. 018: Mary Bridges, Jr.
SWP No. 019: Sarah Bridges
SWP No. 020: Hannah Bromage
SWP No. 021: Sarah Buckley
SWP No. 022: George Burroughs Executed, August 19, 1692
SWP No. 023: Candy
SWP No. 024: Martha Carrier Executed, August 19, 1692
SWP No. 025: Richard Carrier
SWP No. 026: Sarah Carrier
SWP No. 027: Thomas Carrier Jr.
SWP No. 028: Bethia Carter, Sr.
SWP No. 029: Elizabeth Cary
SWP No. 030: Sarah Churchill
SWP No. 031: Mary Clarke
SWP No. 032: Rachel Clinton
SWP No. 033: Sarah Cloyce
SWP No. 034: Sarah Cole (of Lynn)
SWP No. 035: Sarah Cole (of Salem)
SWP No. 036: Elizabeth Colson
SWP No. 037: Giles Corey Pressed to Death, September 16, 1692
SWP No. 038: Martha Corey Executed, September 22, 1692
SWP No. 039: Deliverance Dane
SWP No. 040: Mary De Rich
SWP No. 041: Ann Dolliver
SWP No. 042: Lydia Dustin Died in Prison, March 10, 1693
SWP No. 043: Sarah Dustin
SWP No. 044: Rebecca Eames
SWP No. 044a: Daniell Eames
SWP No. 045: Mary Esty Executed, September 22, 1692
SWP No. 046: Esther Elwell
SWP No. 047: Martha Emerson
SWP No. 048: Joseph Emons
SWP No. 049: Phillip English
SWP No. 050: Thomas Farrer Sr.
SWP No. 051: Edward Farrington
SWP No. 052: Abigail Faulkner, Sr.
SWP No. 057: Dorothy Faulkner
SWP No. 058: Elizabeth Fosdick
SWP No. 059: Ann Foster Died in Prison
SWP No. 060: Nicholas Frost
SWP No. 061: Eunice Fry
SWP No. 062: Dorothy Good
SWP No. 063: Sarah Good Executed July 19, 1692
SWP No. 064: Mary Green
SWP No. 065: Elizabeth Hart
SWP No. 066: Margaret Hawkes
SWP No. 067: Sarah Hawkes
SWP No. 068: Dorcas Hoar
SWP No. 069: Abigail Hobbs
SWP No. 070: Deliverance Hobbs
SWP No. 071: William Hobbs
SWP No. 072: Elizabeth How Executed July 19, 1692
SWP No. 073: Elizabeth Hubbard
SWP No. 074: Frances Hutchins
SWP No. 075: Mary Ireson
SWP No. 076: John Jackson, Sr.
SWP No. 077: John Jackson, Jr.
SWP No. 078: George Jacobs, Sr. Executed, August 19, 1692
SWP No. 079: George Jacobs, Jr.
SWP No. 080: Margaret Jacobs
SWP No. 081: Rebecca Jacobs
SWP No. 082: Elizabeth Johnson, Sr.
SWP No. 083: Elizabeth Johnson, Jr.
SWP No. 084: Rebecca Johnson
SWP No. 085: Stephen Johnson
SWP No. 086: Mary Lacey, Sr.
SWP No. 087: Mary Lacey, Jr.
SWP No. 089: Mercy Lewis
SWP No. 090: Jane Lilly
SWP No. 091: Mary Marston
SWP No. 092: Susannah Martin Executed July 19, 1692
SWP No. 093: Sarah Morey
SWP No. 094: Rebecca Nurse Executed July 19, 1692
SWP No. 095: Sarah Osborne Died in Prison, May 10, 1692
SWP No. 096: Mary Osgood
SWP No. 097: Alice Parker Executed, September 22, 1692
SWP No. 098: Mary Parker Executed, September 22, 1692
SWP No. 099: Sarah Pease
SWP No. 100: Joan Peney
SWP No. 101: Hannah Post
SWP No. 102: Mary Post
SWP No. 103: Susannah Post
SWP No. 104: Margaret Prince
SWP No. 105: Benjamin Proctor
SWP No. 106: Elizabeth Proctor
SWP No. 107: John Proctor Executed, August 19, 1692
SWP No. 108: Sarah Proctor
SWP No. 109: William Proctor
SWP No. 113: Ann Pudeator Executed, September 22, 1692
SWP No. 114: Wilmott Reed Executed, September 22, 1692
SWP No. 115: Sarah Rice
SWP No. 116: Susannah Roots
SWP No. 117: Henry Salter
SWP No. 118: John Sawdy
SWP No. 119: Margaret Scott Executed, September 22, 1692
SWP No. 120: Ann Sears
SWP No. 121: Susanna Sheldon
SWP No. 122: Abigail Somes
SWP No. 123: Martha Sparks
SWP No. 124: Mary Taylor
SWP No. 125: Tituba
SWP No. 126: Job Tookey
SWP No. 128: Mary Toothaker
SWP No. 129: Roger Toothaker Died in Prison, June 16, 1692
SWP No. 130: Johanna Tyler
SWP No. 131: Martha Tyler
SWP No. 132: Mercy Wardwell
SWP No. 133: Samuel Wardwell Executed, September 22, 1692
SWP No. 134: Sarah Wardwell
SWP No. 135: Mary Warren
SWP No. 136: Sarah Wilds Executed July 19, 1692
SWP No. 137: John Willard Executed August 19, 1692
SWP No. 138: Abigail Williams
SWP No. 139: Sarah Wilson, Sr.
SWP No. 140: Mary Witheridge
SWP No. 163: Two Letters of Gov. William Phips (1692-1693)
SWP No. 164: Preparation for the Court of Oyer and Terminer (May - August 1692)
SWP No. 165: List of Eleven Accused Persons and Their Accusers, May 1692
SWP No. 166: Death Warrants Folder and Census of Prisoners (May - July 1692)
SWP No. 167: Petitions from Relatives of Prisoners and Others (October 1692 - January 1693)
SWP No. 168: A Bill Against Conjurations, Witchcraft, and Dealing with Evil and Wicked Spirits (December 1692)
SWP No. 169: Superior Court of Judicature: Warrants for Jurors and Returns (December 1692 - January 1693)
SWP No. 170: Superior Court of Judicature: Witchcraft Trials (January - May 1693)
SWP No. 171: Officials' Expense Accounts for 1692 (Submitted 1692 - 1694)
SWP No. 171b: Laws Passed
SWP No. 172: Petitions to the General Court, with Responses (1696-1725)
SWP No. 173: Reversal of Attainder and Restitution (1710 - 1750)

The Towne Sisters: Rebecca Nurse, Mary Esty, Sarah Cloyce

“Rebecca Nurse (February 21, 1621–July 19, 1692) was a victim of the notorious Salem witch trials, hanged as a witch at 71 years of age. Despite being a fervent churchgoer and an upstanding member of the community—a newspaper of the day referred to her as “saint-like” and “a perfect example of good Puritan behavior”—she was accused, tried, and convicted of witchcraft and put to death without the legal protections Americans would come to enjoy.

Fast Facts: Rebecca Nurse
Known For: Hanged during the 1692 Salem witch trials
Also Known As: Rebecca Towne, Rebecca Town, Rebecca Nourse, Rebecka Nurse. Goody Nurse, Rebeca Nurce
Born: February 21, 1621 in Yarmouth, England
Parents: William Towne, Joanna Blessing
Died: July 19, 1692 in Salem Village, Massachusetts Bay Colony
Spouse: Francis Nurse
Children: Rebecca, Sarah, John, Samuel, Mary, Elizabeth, Francis, Benjamin (and sometimes Michael)
Early Life
Rebecca Nurse was born on Feb. 21, 1621 (some sources give this as her baptism date), in Yarmouth, England, to William Towne and Joanna Blessing. Her entire family, including several siblings, immigrated to the Massachusetts Bay Colony sometime between 1638 and 1640.

Rebecca married Francis Nurse, who also came from Yarmouth, around 1644. They raised four sons and four daughters on a farm in Salem Village, now Danvers, Massachusetts, 10 miles inland from the bustling port community of Salem Town, now Salem. All but one of their children were married by 1692. Nurse, a member of Salem Church, was known for her piety but also for occasionally losing her temper.

She and the Putnam family had fought in court several times over land. During the witch trials, many of the accused had been enemies of the Putnams, and Putnam family members and in-laws were the accusers in many cases.

Trials Begin
Public accusations of witchcraft in Salem Village began on Feb. 29, 1692. The first accusations were leveled against three women who weren’t considered respectable: Tituba, an Indian slave; Sarah Good, a homeless mother; and Sarah Osborne, who had a somewhat scandalous history.

Then on March 12, Martha Corey was accused; Nurse followed on March 19. Both women were church members and respected, prominent members of the community.

Arrested
A warrant issued on March 23 for Nurse’s arrest included complaints of attacks on Ann Putnam Sr., Ann Putnam Jr., Abigail Williams, and others. Nurse was arrested and examined the next day. She was accused by townspeople Mary Walcott, Mercy Lewis, and Elizabeth Hubbard as well as by Ann Putnam Sr., who “cried out” during the proceedings to accuse Nurse of trying to get her to “tempt God and dye.” Several spectators adopted head motions indicating that they were in Nurse’s thrall. Nurse was then indicted for witchcraft.

On April 3, Nurse’s younger sister, Sarah Cloyce (or Cloyse), came to Nurse’s defense. She was accused and arrested on April 8. On April 21, another sister, Mary Easty (or Eastey), was arrested after defending their innocence.

On May 25, judges John Hathorne and Jonathan Corwin ordered the Boston jail to take custody of Nurse, Corey, Dorcas Good (Sarah’s daughter, age 4), Cloyce, and John and Elizabeth Parker for acts of witchcraft committed against Williams, Hubbard, Ann Putnam Jr., and others.

Testimony
A deposition written by Thomas Putnam, signed on May 31, detailed accusations of torment of his wife, Ann Putnam Sr., by Nurse’s and Corey’s “specters,” or spirits, on March 18 and 19. Another deposition detailed accusations of afflictions on March 21 and 23 caused by Nurse’s specter.

On June 1, townsperson Mary Warren testified that George Burroughs, Nurse, Elizabeth Proctor, and several others said they were going to a feast and that when she refused to eat bread and wine with them, they “dreadfully afflicted her” and that Nurse “appeared in the room” during the taking of the deposition.

On June 2, Nurse, Bridget Bishop, Proctor, Alice Parker, Susannah Martin, and Sarah Good were forced to undergo physical examinations by a doctor with a number of women present. A “preternathurall Excresence of flesh” was reported on the first three. Nine women signed the document attesting to the exam. A second exam later that day stated that several of the observed physical abnormalities had changed; they attested that on Nurse, the “Excresence … appears only as a dry skin without sense” at this later exam. Again, nine women signed the document.

Indicted
The next day, a grand jury indicted Nurse and John Willard for witchcraft. A petition from 39 neighbors was presented on Nurse’s behalf, and several neighbors and relatives testified for her.

Witnesses testified for and against Nurse on June 29 and 30. The jury found Nurse not guilty but returned guilty verdicts for Good, Elizabeth How, Martin, and Sarah Wildes. The accusers and spectators protested loudly when the verdict was announced. The court asked the jury to reconsider the verdict; they found her guilty after reviewing the evidence and discovering that she had failed to answer one question put to her (perhaps because she was nearly deaf).

She was condemned to hang. Massachusetts Gov. William Phips issued a reprieve, which was also met with protests and rescinded. Nurse filed a petition protesting the verdict, pointing out she was “hard of hearing and full of grief.”

On July 3, the Salem Church excommunicated Nurse.

Hanged
On July 12, Judge William Stoughton signed death warrants for Nurse, Good, Martin, How, and Wildes. All five were hanged on July 19 on Gallows Hill. Good cursed the presiding clergyman, Nicholas Noyes, from the gallows, saying “if you take away my life God will give you blood to drink.” (Years later, Noyes died of a brain hemorrhage; legend has it that he choked on his blood.) That night, Nurse’s family removed her body and buried it secretly on their family farm.

Of Nurse’s two sisters who also were charged with witchcraft, Easty was hanged on Sept. 22 and Cloyce’s case was dismissed in January 1693.

Pardons and Apology
In May 1693, Phips pardoned the remaining defendants accused of witchcraft. Francis Nurse died on Nov. 22, 1695, two years after the trials had ended. That was before Nurse and 21 others of the 33 who had been convicted were exonerated in 1711 by the state, which paid compensation to the families of the victims. In 1957, Massachusetts formally apologized for the trials, but It wasn’t until 2001 that the last 11 of those convicted were fully exonerated.

On Aug. 25, 1706, Ann Putnam Jr. publicly apologized “for the accusing of several persons of a grievous crime, whereby their lives were taken away from them, whom, now I have just grounds and good reason to believe they were innocent persons…” She named Nurse specifically. In 1712, Salem Church reversed Nurse’s excommunication.

Legacy
The abuses of the Salem witch trials contributed to changes in U.S. court procedures, including the guarantee of the right to legal representation, the right to cross-examine one’s accuser, and the presumption of innocence instead of guilt.

The trials as a metaphor for the persecution of minority groups remained powerful images into the 20th and 21st centuries, particularly in playwright Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible”(1953), in which he used events and individuals from 1692 allegorically for the anti-communist hearings led by Sen. Joseph McCarthy during the Red Scare of the 1950s.

The Rebecca Nurse homestead still stands in Danvers, the new name of Salem Village, and is open to tourists.

Sources
“Salem Witch Trials: American History.” Encyclopedia Britannica.
“The Witchcraft Trial of Rebecca Nurse.” History of Massachusetts blog.
“An Unexpected Turn in the Trials.” The Salem Journal.”

Lewis, Jone Johnson. (2019, September 14). Biography of Rebecca Nurse, Victim of the Salem Witch Trials. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/rebecca-nurse-biography-3530327

Family Connections Continue

Fifteen years after Rebecca Nurse’s execution and the conviction of Abigail Dane Faulkner, Rebecca’s grandson Samuel Nurse and Abigail’s daughter Dorothy Faulkner were married on 25 November, 1708.

Rebecca Nurse Homestead

Biographical Sketch of Mary Towne Estey

“Mary Easty Facts
Known for: hanged as a witch in the 1692 Salem witch trials
Age at time of Salem witch trials: about 58
Dates: baptized August 24, 1634, died September 22, 1692
Also known as: Mary Towne, Mary Town, Mary Esty, Mary Estey, Mary Eastey, Goody Eastie, Goody Easty, Mary Easte, Marah Easty, Mary Estick, Mary Eastick

Family background: Her father was William Towne and her mother Joanna (Jone or Joan) Blessing Towne, accused once of witchcraft herself. William and Joanna arrived in America around 1640. Among Mary’s siblings were Rebecca Nurse (arrested March 24 and hanged June 19) and Sarah Cloyse (arrested April 4, case dismissed January 1693).

Mary married Isaac Easty, a well-to-do farmer born in England, around 1655 – 1658. They had eleven children, seven alive in 1692. They lived in Topsfield, rather than either Salem Town or Village.

Salem Witch Trials
Rebecca Nurse, Mary Easty’s sister and a well-respected matron, was denounced as a witch by Abigail Williams and arrested on March 24. Their sister, Sarah Cloyce, defended Rebecca, and was ordered arrested on April 4. Sarah was examined on April 11.

A warrant was issued for Mary Easty’s arrest on April 21, and she was taken into custody. The next day, she was examined by John Hathorne and Jonathan Corwin, as were Nehemiah Abbott Jr., William and Deliverance Hobbs, Edward Bishop Jr. and his wife Sarah, Mary Black, Sarah Wildes, and Mary English. During Mary Easty’s examination, Abigail Williams, Mary Walcott, Ann Putnam Jr., and John Indian said that she was hurting them, and that their “mouths were stopt.” Elizabeth Hubbard cried “Goody Easty you are the woman….” Mary Easty maintained her innocence. Rev. Samuel Parris took the notes on the examination.

E: I will say it, if it was my last time, I am clear of this sin.
Of what sin?
E: Of witchcraft.

Despite her assertions of innocence, she was sent to jail.

On May 18, Mary Easty was set free; existing records do not show why. Two days later, Mercy Lewis experienced new afflictions, and she and several other girls claimed to see Mary Easty’s specter; she was charged again and arrested in the middle of the night. Immediately, Mercy Lewis’s fits ceased. More evidence was gathered by deposition and during several days of examination of Mary Easty in late May.

A jury of inquest considered Mary Easty’s case on August 3-4 and heard testimony of many witnesses.

In September, officials gathered witnesses for the trial of Mary Easty among others. On September 9, Mary Easty was pronounced guilty of witchcraft by a trial jury and sentenced to death. Also found guilty that day were Mary Bradbury, Martha Corey, Dorcas Hoar, Alice Parker, and Ann Pudeator.

She and her sister, Sarah Cloyce, petitioned the court together for a “fayre and equall hearing” of evidence for them as well as against them. They argued that they had no opportunity to defend themselves and were not allowed any counsel and that spectral evidence was not dependable. Mary Easty also added a second petition with a plea was focused more on others than herself: “I petition your honors not for my own life, for I know I must die, and my appointed time is set …. if it be possible, that no more blood be shed.”

On September 22, Mary Easty, Martha Corey (whose husband Giles Corey had been pressed to death on September 19), Alice Parker, Mary Parker, Ann Pudeator, Wilmott Redd, Margaret Scott, and Samuel Wardwell were hanged for witchcraft. Rev. Nicholas Noyes officiated at this last execution in the Salem witch trials, saying after the execution, “What a sad thing it is to see eight firebrands of hell hanging there.”

In a quite different spirit, Robert Calef described Mary Easty’s end in his later book, More Wonders of the Invisible World:

Mary Easty, Sister also to Rebecka Nurse, when she took her last farewell of her Husband, Children and Friends, was, as is reported by them present, as Serious, Religious, Distinct, and Affectionate as could well be expressed, drawing Tears from the Eyes of almost all present.

After the Trials
In November, Mary Herrick testified that Mary Easty’s ghost visited her and said that she was innocent.

In 1711, Mary Easty’s family received 20 pounds compensation and Mary Easty’s attainder was reversed. Isaac Easty died on June 11, 1712.”

Lewis, Jone Johnson. (2019, August 28). Mary Easty: Hanged as a Witch in Salem, 1692. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/mary-easty-biography-3530324

Biographical Sketch of Sarah Towne Bridges Cloyce

“Known for: accused in the 1692 Salem witch trials; she escaped conviction though two of her sisters were executed.

Age at time of Salem witch trials: 54
Also known as: Sarah Cloyse, Sarah Towne, Sarah Town, Sarah Bridges

Before the Salem Witch Trials
Sarah Towne Cloyce’s father was William Towne and her mother Joanna (Jone or Joan) Blessing Towne (~1595 – June 22, 1675), accused once of witchcraft herself. William and Joanna arrived in America around 1640. Among Sarah’s siblings were two also caught up in the Salem witch hysteria of 1692: Rebecca Nurse (arrested March 24 and hanged June 19) and Mary Easty (arrested April 21, hanged September 22).

Sarah married Edmund Bridges Jr. in England, about 1660. She was a widow with five children when she married Peter Cloyce, father of six; they had three children together. Sarah and Peter Cloyce lived in Salem Village and were members of Salem Village church.

Accused
Sarah’s sister, Rebecca Nurse, 71, was accused of witchcraft by Abigail Williams on March 19, 1692. She was visited by a local delegation on March 21 and arrested the next day. Magistrates John Hathorne and Jonathan Corwin examined Rebecca Nurse on March 24.

March 27: Easter Sunday, which was not a special Sunday in the Puritan churches, saw Rev. Samuel Parris preaching on “dreadful witchcraft broke out here.” He emphasized that the devil could not take the form of anyone innocent. Tituba, Sarah Osborne, Sarah Good, Rebecca Nurse and Martha Corey were in prison. During the sermon, Sarah Cloyce, likely thinking of her sister Rebecca Nurse, left the meetinghouse and slammed the door.

On April 3, Sarah Cloyce defended her sister Rebecca against charges of witchcraft — and found herself accused the next day.

Arrested and Examined
On April 8, Sarah Cloyce and Elizabeth Proctor were named in warrants and arrested. On April 10, the Sunday meeting at Salem Village was interrupted with incidents identified as caused by the specter of Sarah Cloyce.

On April 11, Sarah Cloyce and Elizabeth Proctor were examined by magistrates John Hathorne and Jonathan Corwin. Also present were Deputy Governor Thomas Danforth, Isaac Addington (secretary of Massachusetts), Major Samuel Appleton, James Russell, and Samuel Sewall, as was the Rev. Nicholas Noyes, who gave the prayer. Rev. Samuel Parris took notes. Sarah Cloyce was accused in testimony by John Indian, Mary Walcott, Abigail Williams, and Benjamin Gould. She shouted out that John Indian was a “grievous liar” and refused to confess.

Among those who accused Sarah Cloyce was Mercy Lewis, whose paternal aunt Susanna Cloyce was Sarah’s sister-in-law. Mercy Lewis took a less active role in accusing Sarah Cloyce than she did in accusing others including Sarah’s sister Rebecca Nurse.

That very night of April 11, Sarah Cloyce was transferred to Boston prison, along with her sister Rebecca Nurse, Martha Corey, Dorcas Good, and John and Elizabeth Proctor. Even after her jailing, John Indian, Mary Walcott, and Abigail Williams claimed to be tormented by Sarah Cloyce.”

Petitions
“Sarah Cloyce and Mary Easty petitioned the court for a “fayre and equall hearing” of evidence for them as well as against them. They argued that they had no opportunity to defend themselves and were not allowed any counsel and that spectral evidence was not dependable. Mary Easty also added a second petition with a plea was focused more on others than herself: “I petition your honors not for my own life, for I know I must die, and my appointed time is set …. if it be possible, that no more blood be shed.”

But Mary’s plea was not in time… September 22. Rev. Nicholas Noyes officiated at this last execution in the Salem witch trials, saying after the execution, “What a sad thing it is to see eight firebrands of hell hanging there.”

In December, a brother of Sarah Cloyce helped pay the bond to release William Hobbs from jail.

Charges Finally Dismissed
Charges against Sarah Cloyce were dismissed by a grand jury on January 3, 1693. Despite the charges being dropped, as was the custom, her husband Peter had to pay the prison for her fees before she could be released from imprisonment.

After the Trials
Sarah and Peter Cloyce moved after her release, first to Marlborough and then to Sudbury, both in Massachusetts.

In 1706, when Ann Putman Jr. publicly confessed in church her contrition for her part in the accusations (saying that Satan had put her up to it), she pointed to the three Towne sisters:

“And particularly, as I was a chief instrument of accusing of Goodwife Nurse and her two sisters [including Sarah Cloyce], I desire to lie in the dust, and to be humbled for it, in that I was a cause, with others, of so sad a calamity to them and their families….”

In 1711, an act of the legislature reversed the attainders on many who had been convicted, but since Sarah Cloyce’s case was eventually dismissed, she was not included in that act.

Sarah Cloyce in Fiction
Sarah Cloyce was the key character in the 1985 American Playhouse dramatization of her story in “Three Sovereigns for Sarah,” starring Vanessa Redgrave as Sarah Cloyce in 1702, seeking justice for herself and her sisters.

The television series based on Salem did not include Sarah Cloyce as a character.”

Lewis, Jone Johnson. (2018, December 6). Sarah Cloyce: Accused in the Salem Witch Trials. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/sarah-cloyce-biography-3530328

Sara Towne Bridges Cloyce and her husband, Peter Cloyce lived here in Framingham after the trials of 1692

Primary Source Documents

The best source is the Salem Witch Trials: Documentary Archive and Transcription Project
“SWP No. 094: Rebecca Nurse Executed, July 19, 1692.” SWP No. 094: Rebecca Nurse Executed, July 19, 1692 – New Salem – Pelican, University of Virginia, 2018, salem.lib.virginia.edu/n98.html.

“ SWP No. 045: Mary Esty Executed , September 22, 1692.” SWP No. 045: Mary Esty Executed , September 22, 1692. – New Salem – Pelican, University of Virginia, 2018, salem.lib.virginia.edu/n45.html.

“ SWP No. 033: Sarah Cloyce.” SWP No. 033: Sarah Cloyce – New Salem – Pelican, University of Virginia, 2018, salem.lib.virginia.edu/n33.html.

Sarah Towne Clayes

Sarah Clayes (1638 – 1704) and her family were among the earliest settlers on Thomas Danforth’s land near Cowassock Brook in present day West Framingham. How they came to settle there is a very interesting story.

Sarah was born in 1638 in the Massachusetts Bay Colony to William Towne and his wife Joanna Blessing Towne. Sarah married Edmund Bridges in 1659 or 1660. After Edmund died in 1682, she married Peter Cloyse and they settled in Salem Village. In 1692 in Salem, a group of young girls began to accuse some people of witchcraft. Among the accused were Sarah Cloyes’ sisters Rebecca Towne Nurse and Mary Towne Easty (Estey, Esty). During a Sabbath church service, the Reverend Parris began preaching against witchcraft and the accused witches, Sarah walked out of the meetinghouse, door slamming behind her. Soon thereafter, she too was accused of witchcraft by the young girls. One of her accusers claimed to have seen her specter (a ghostly appearance) curtsy to the devil outside the meetinghouse. On April 12, 1692, with Deputy Governor Thomas Danforth present as a member of a council which observed the proceedings at Salem, charges were brought against Sarah Cloyes and Elizabeth Proctor. They and several other accused witches were sent to jail in Boston to await their fate. Sarah’s sister, Rebecca Nurse, and the others were hanged. Mary Towne Easty was also imprisoned in April only to be released a month later when the young girls backed off on their accusations. She was re-imprisoned after her accusers stated that they were being tormented by her specter. Mary was sent to the gallows on September 22, 1692.

Peter and Sarah Clayes House at 657 Salem End Road. Photograph by M.S. Evans from the Framingham History Center collection 2002.459.

In August 1692, Sarah was transferred to jail in Ipswich to await her hanging. Her husband, Peter, was allowed to visit her while she was in jail. Sarah managed to escape from prison with his help and then she was hidden by friends for a time. In March 1693, Sarah and her family made their way to the Cowassock Brook area of Danforth’s land in what is now known as Framingham. Here they changed their last name to Clayes. Members of her extended family also made their way to Framingham. Included were her sons from her first marriage, Benjamin and Caleb Bridges, her husband’s sons from his first marriage, Peter Jr., and James Clayes, Rebecca Nurse’s son Benjamin and his family and other Towne family members. This area became known as Salem Plain and later as Salem End. Today, Salem End Road runs through the heart of the Salem End area.

Thomas Danforth was no longer Deputy Governor when the witch executions were carried out. He strongly disapproved of them, and worked behind the scenes to put them to an end. It is not known if he helped Sarah Clayes in any way to escape from jail and make her way to his land in present day Framingham.

Five houses built by these families from Salem still stand today. They are: the Peter & Sarah Clayes House (c1693), the Nurse Homestead (c1694), and the Israel Towne House (c1717) on Salem End Road; the Caleb Bridges House (c1700) on Gates Road; and the John Towne House (c1704) on Maple Street.

The home of Sarah and Peter was restored in 2017-2018 and placed on the market in December 2018. The 5 bedroom, 2.5 bath has immense character and boosts secret doors and spaces that speak to it’s long and fascinating history.

657 Salem End Road, Framingham. Restored in 2018.

Facts

Alternate spelling of her name: *Cloyes *Cloyce *Clayce

Salem Witch Trials: February 1692 – May 1693.

Bibliography

Fradin, Judith Bloom and Dennis Brindell Fradin. The Salem Witch Trials. Marshall Cavendish, 2009.

Herring, Stephen. Framingham: An American Town. Framingham Historical Society, The Framingham Tercentennial Commission, 2000.

“Salem witch trials.” Britannica School, Encyclopædia Britannica, 26 Jan. 2016. school.eb.com/levels/high/article/Salem-witch-trials/65052. Accessed 20 Feb. 2017

Tuller, Roberta. “Sarah Towne Bridges Cloyes.” An American Family History. 2016. http://www.anamericanfamilyhistory.com/TowneFamily/TowneSarahBridgesCloyes.html Assessed 20 Feb. 2017.

Temple, Josiah H. History of Framingham, Massachusetts, 1640-1885. A special Centennial year reprinting of the 1887 edition, New England History Press, 1988.

Sarah (Towne) Cloyes (abt. 1637 - abt. 1703)

On 11 Jan 1659/60, she married 1st Edmund Bridges, son of Edmund and Alice Bridges, at Salem, Massachusetts Bay. [5] [4] He died by 1682, and Sarah married second Peter Cloyes, son of John and Abigail Cloyes. [4] [6]

She died in 1703 in Framingham, Massachusetts Bay. [4]

Salem Witchcraft Trials

The sister of Rebecca Nurse and Mary Easty, both of whom were convicted of witchcraft and hanged during the Salem Witch Trials. Sarah was accused herself and condemned and jailed. [7]

Sarah's parents, William and Joanna Towne, were married in St. Nicholas' church. "In this church, founded in A.D. 1123, dedicated to St. Nicholas, in 1251, and still retaining the name were married, March 25, 1620, William Towne and Joanna Blessing, and here their six first children were baptised." [4] William and Joanna (Blessing) Towne emigrated to Salem, Massachusetts in 1635. [8] They had two more children in Salem.

On April 4, 1692, a conspiracy complaint (No 6) was filed against Sarah Cloyce. On April 11, 1692, she was arrested. She was examined before Thomas Danforth (the deputy governor), Issac Addington (the secretary of the province), John Hawthorne, Major Samuel Appleton, James Russell, Captain Samuel Sewall, and Jonathan Corwin. The last five were Assistants to the Governor and were members of the upper legislative chamber. She refused to confess. In response to testimony by John Indian, she said: "Oh! You are a grievous liar." She was imprisoned at Salem and was later moved to Boston.

Sarah's sister, Rebecca (Towne) Nurse, was executed for witchcraft by the government on July 19, 1692 at Salem. [9] Sarah's sister Mary (Towne) Esty (or Eastey) was hanged on September 22, 1692, with seven others accused of witchcraft. [10] Sarah defended her sisters, and was accused herself of witchcraft primarly because of her courageous protest against blackening of her sister's name by the Salem Village Clergyman, Mr. Parris. [4] On January 3, 1693, the Superior Court of Judicature at Salem dismissed the charges against her. Her husband paid the prison fees. They left Salem and moved to Marlborough, Massachusetts. The later moved to Sudbury, Massachusetts. Years later, after the mania had passed, the preachers involved asked forgiveness, and the government made restitution to the families.

“. eighteen pounds of iron for fetters, for making four pair of iron fetters and two pair of handcuffs, and putting them on the legs and hands of Goodwife Cloyse, Easty, Bromidg, and Green. (bill of expense) [11]

Massachusetts Remediation

17 October 1710, Convictions Reversed, The General Court of Massachusetts Bay, An act, the several convictions, judgments, and attainders be, and hereby are, reversed, and declared to be null and void.[12]
17 Dec 1711, Compensation to Survivors, Governor Dudley, GOVERNOR OF MASSACHUSETTS BAY, approved compensation to such persons as are living, and to those that legally represent them that are dead
28 Aug 1957, No Disgrace to Descendants, General Court of Massachusetts, . such proceedings, were and are shocking, and the result of a wave of popular hysterical fear of the Devil in the community, and further declares that, as all the laws under which said proceedings. have been long since abandoned and superseded by our more civilized laws, no disgrace or cause for distress attaches to the said descendants or any of them by reason of said proceedings.[13]
31 Oct 2001, Additional Victims Included, Massachusetts Senate and House of Representatives in General Court, AN ACT RELATIVE TO THE WITCHCRAFT TRIAL OF 1692, chapter 145 is hereby further amended by adding Bridget Bishop, Susannah Martin, Alice Parker, Margaret Scott and Wilmot Redd.[14]

Sarah Cloyce's trial took place in 1693, after the hysteria of the witch trials had started to wane. She was acquitted of all charges and was released from prison. After her release, Sarah Cloyce fought tirelessly to clear her sisters' names and to seek justice for the victims of the trials. In 1710, Sarah Cloyce and other family members successfully petitioned the Massachusetts government to clear the names of Rebecca Nurse, Mary Easty, and several other victims of the witch trials. This act was a significant step towards acknowledging the injustice of the trials and restoring the reputations of those who had been falsely accused. Sarah Cloyce's experience during the Salem witch trials had a profound impact on her life. She became an advocate for justice and spoke out against the atrocities of the trials. Her legacy serves as a reminder of the dangers of mass hysteria and the importance of standing up for truth in the face of unfounded accusations. In conclusion, Sarah Cloyce was a key figure in the Salem witch trials who was falsely accused of witchcraft alongside her sisters. Despite her wrongful imprisonment, she fought tirelessly to clear her sisters' names and sought justice for the victims of the trials. Her advocacy played a crucial role in bringing about the eventual acknowledgment of the injustice of the witch trials..

Reviews for "The Psychological Toll of the Salem Witch Trials on Sarah Cloyce and Other Accused Women"

1. Bob - 2 stars - I found "Sarah Cloyce Salem Witch Trials" to be incredibly dull and uninteresting. The writing style was dry and lacked any excitement or suspense. The characters were poorly developed and lacked depth, making it difficult to connect with or care about their plights. Overall, I was disappointed with this book and could not find any redeeming qualities in it.

2. Jenny - 1 star - I couldn't even finish reading "Sarah Cloyce Salem Witch Trials" because it was so poorly written. The dialogue felt forced and unnatural, and the plot dragged on without any clear direction. The author missed a great opportunity to explore the fascinating history of the Salem witch trials in a compelling way. Unfortunately, this book fell flat and was a major disappointment for me.

3. Mike - 2 stars - "Sarah Cloyce Salem Witch Trials" had potential but failed to deliver. The pacing was slow, and the story lacked the necessary tension and intrigue to keep me engaged. The historical background was interesting, but the execution was lackluster. I was hoping for a gripping tale of the Salem witch trials, but instead, I got a mediocre and forgettable read.

4. Lisa - 1 star - I regretted picking up "Sarah Cloyce Salem Witch Trials" as it turned out to be a tedious and tedious read. The writing was uninspiring, and the characters felt one-dimensional. The plot lacked depth and failed to captivate my interest. Overall, this book was a letdown, and I cannot recommend it to anyone looking for an engaging historical fiction read.

The Long-Awaited Justice: Sarah Cloyce's Legacy in the Salem Witch Trials