Mary Ayer Parker
12th Great Aunt
Victim of The Salem Witch Trials of 1692
The other day I found myself researching another of my family tree lines and I came upon 2 different 10th Great Grandmothers from one of my mother's family lines, Love Ayer Kingsbury and Ruth Ayer Dennison.
I found it odd that while looking into this genealogy, they had the same maiden names.
A little more research and looking at a few of my trees and I figured out that they were 1st cousins to one another...
Their fathers, Thomas and Peter respectively, were brothers, both being my 11th Great Grandfathers (born of John & Hannah Ayers) that sired two different lines, eventually leading to me and my siblings and their children
I can't tell you how many times this has happened in my mother's family tree branches.
I then found the sister of Thomas and Peter Ayers, my 12th Great Aunt, Mary Ayers Parker.
Today I would like to introduce everyone to this ancestral family member.
Her story starts in Haverhill Mass. in Colonial New England around 1637 and also ends in September of 1692 in Colonial New England, more specifically in Salem Mass......
Come along and meet my 12th Great Aunt, Mary Ayer Parker.....and a glimpse of my 10th and 11th Great Grandparents from another of my mother's family branches.
Mary Ayer Parker
12th Great Aunt
(Victim of The Salem Witchcraft Trials)
Introduction
Mary Ayer Parker
12th Great Aunt
Born about 1634 in Dorset, Wilshire, England
Daughter of John Ayer Sr. and Hannah (Evered) Ayer
Sister of John (Ayres) Ayer Jr, Robert (Ayer) Ayars, Joannah (Ayer) Barker, Rebecca (Ayer) Aslett, Thomas Ayer, Peter Ayer, John Ayer, Mary (Ayers) Neal, Susanna (Ayres) Stanhope, Obediah Ayers, Nathaniel Ayer, Alexander Ayer and Hannah (Ayer) Webster
Wife of Nathan Parker — married about 1652 in Andover, Massachusetts
Mother of John Parker; James Parker; Mary Richardson; Hannah Tyler; Elizabeth Farnum; Robert Parker; Sarah Parker; Joseph Parker and Peter Parker
Sister of Capt. John Ayers; Robert Ayer; Thomas Ayers; Rebecca Keyser; Cornet Peter Ayer; Obadiah Ayres; Hannah Webster; Nathaniel Ayer; Samuel Ayer and Elizabeth Ayer « less
Died 22 Sep 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts
My Pedigree to Mary Ayer Parker:
John is Mary's 11th great grand nephewMary (Ayers) Parker and John Repinski are both descendants of John Ayer Sr..
1. Mary is the daughter of John Ayer Sr.
This makes John the father of Mary.
1. John is the son of Marlene Grace (Dietz) Repinski
2. Marlene is the daughter of Raymond Harold Dietz
3. Raymond is the son of Grace Elizabeth (Pope) Dietz
4. Grace is the daughter of Henry Allen Pope
5. Henry is the son of Thomas Paschal Pope
6. Thomas Paschal is the son of Eliza Ann (Converse) Pope
7. Eliza is the daughter of Ephraim Converse
8. Ephraim is the son of Eunice (Hyde) Converse
9. Eunice is the daughter of Ephraim Hyde
10. Ephraim is the son of Hannah (Kingsbury) Hyde
11. Hannah is the daughter of Ruth (Denison) Kingsbury
12. Ruth is the daughter of Ruth (Ayer) Denison
*13.1. Ruth Ayer (Dennison) is the daughter of Peter Ayer
**13.2. Love Ayer (Kingsbury) is the daughter of Thomas Ayer
*14.1. Peter is the son of John Ayer Sr.
**14.2. Thomas is the son of John Ayer Sr.
This makes John the 12th great grandfather in two lines of John Ayer Sr..
When I started my research into my mother's family history a little more than two years ago I never imagined the surprises I would find. This is one of those surprises that fascinates me.
My 12th Great Aunt, Mary Ayer Parker would become one of the characters in one of the most fascinating, infamous (and sad) parts of our early American history.
A little background on Mary and her family origins and her life up to the time of her accusation and arrest is a prerequisite to understanding some of the particulars of how she came to be accused of and executed for witchcraft during the infamous 1692 Salem Trials.
Colonial America: A Family's New Beginnings & Mary's Early Years
The James
Mary wasn't born yet when her parents, my 12th Great Grandparents, John and Hannah Ayer and her siblings Robert, Thomas, Rebekah and Peter boarded a ship called "The James" and sailed to America from England in 1635.
On June 3, 1635, the James joined four other ships, and set sail for the New World with just over 100 passengers as part of a fleet of five ships, including the families of Richard Mather, Captain John Evered and John Ayer.
As they approached New England, a great hurricane struck and they were forced to ride it out just off the coast of modern-day Hampton, New Hampshire.
According to the ship's log and the journal of Increase Mather, whose father Richard Mather and family were passengers, the following was recorded;
"At this moment,... their lives were given up for lost; but then, in an instant of time, God turned the wind about, which carried them from the rocks of death before their eyes. ...her sails rent in sunder, and split in pieces, as if they had been rotten ragges..."
They tried to stand down during the storm just outside the Isles of Shoals, but lost all three anchors, as no canvas or rope would hold, but on Aug 13, 1635, torn to pieces, and not one death, all one hundred plus passengers the James manages to make it to Boston Harbor two days later.
The Angel Gabriel was wrecked off the coast of Maine, but the smaller, faster ships, the Mary, the Bess, and the Diligence outran the storm, and landed in Newfoundland on August 15, 1635.
a first hand account of the voyage of these ships in 1635
A history of the hurricane of 1635
a first hand account of the voyage of these ships in 1635
A history of the hurricane of 1635
Settlement in America
John and Hannah first moved to Ipswich before being part of the new settlement of the "plantation at Merrimack" on September 6, 1638.
A year later the plantation was named "Colchester", then finally Salisbury in 1640.
The idea was to establish a plantation-style settlement with the following criteria, as reported to the General Court in March 1638:
"At a meeting at merrimack of Mr Simone Bradstreet, Mr Samuell Dudly, Mr Danniell Dennisonn, Christopher Batt, Samuell Winsley, John Sanders:
"It was ordered that there shall be 2 divisions of Meadow, the one nerrer, the other farther, the nerrest shall haue fower Acres to Each 100h(£), the other left to farther Consideration. "It was further ordered that vpland for planting lotts shall be divided so as he that hath vnder 50h shall haue 4 Acres, and he that hath aboue 50h to 150h shall haue 6 Acres, and all aboue shall haue 4 Acres to Euerie 100h.
"Allso, it was ordered that all lotts granted to singlemen are on Condition that they shall inhabit here before the 6 of may next, and such as haue families that they shall inhabitt here before the last of october next."
"The names of those yt have lotts & proportions granted pr the Toune of Colchester in the first division;
Mr. Sam: Dudley, Mr. Willj Hooke, Mr Willj Worcester, Mr. Christopher Batt, Mr Sam: Winsley, Mr. Henry Biley, John Sanders, Mr Francis Doue, Jno Rolfe, Mr. Tho: Dummer, Mr Henry Monday, George Carr, Mr Tho. Bradbury, Jno Harrison, Mr John Hodges, Abra: Morrell, Jno Fullar, Phili.Challis, Luke Heard, Josiah Cobbet, Jarret Haddon, Anthony Colby, John Bayly Sen, John Stephens, John Seuerans, Robert Pike, Robt Ring, Richard Singleterry, Tho Macy, Tho. Hauxwell, Jno Clifford, John Eyres, Roger Eastman, Anthony Sadler, Fittz, Rowell, Widdow Browne. "This is A true copie of the originall list taken out of the old book of Reccords for Salisbury as Attests.2 "Vera copia Atest THO. BRADBURY rec.
EDWARD RAWSON Secrety"
In the year's end report, dated December 25, 1650, it states that "John Ayres Sen:" was assigned land grant No. 52 of the original 71 plots of the plantations, but by this time was reporting no crops.
Around 1646, Ayer and his family moved one settlement over, to the newly formed Puritan settlement of Haverhill.
Haverhill, originally called Pentucket by the native Indians, was granted by the General Court on May 13, 1640, but not made official until the representatives of Passaconaway signed the purchase agreement on November 15, 1642 for 3 pounds, 10 shillings.
After moving to Haverhill, John & Hannah had three more surviving children. Their issue is as follows:
John Ayer
Robert Ayer, b. England (1625-)
Rebecca Ayer
Thomas Ayer (-1686) (my 11th Great Grandfather)
Peter Cornet Ayer, b. England (1633-1699) (My 11th Great Grandfather)
Mary Ayer [3] (1637-1692)
Obadiah Ayer
Hannah Ayer, b. Haverhill (1644 - 1692)
Nathaniel Ayer
Marriage & Children & A Good Life
Mary's father John died in 1657 at age 74 leaving an estate valued at more than 258 Pounds which for that time in history was a substantial amount of money and Mary shared in the inheritance of her father's estate
Mary Ayer grew up and would marry Nathan Parker, a recent widower of Andover, Mass in 1651
Their first child, John, was born in 1653.
Their first child, John, was born in 1653.
Mary and Nathan continued to have children for over twenty years after the birth of John Parker in 1653. Mary bore four more sons: James in 1655, Robert in 1665, Peter in 1676, and a son Joseph.
She and Nathan also had four daughters: Mary, born in 1660 (or 1657), Hannah in 1659, Elizabeth in 1663, and Sara in 1670.
James died on June 29, 1677, killed in an Indian skirmish at Black Point.
Robert died in 1688 at the age of 23.
Hannah married John Tyler in 1682.
Nathan and Mary's daughter Elizabeth married John Farnum in 1684.
Nathan started life in Haverhill with just a few acres of land but eventually would end up owning more than 400 acres, which was quite a bit of land, and when he died he left a relatively large estate for Mary and their children.
Salem Witchcraft Trials
A good read on the Salem Witchcraft Trials
The Accusation
She was referring to her sister-in-law, Mary Parker, the aged and senile widow of Joseph Parker, who had a documented history of mental instability.
Essex County Court records from the period show that both Joseph’s wife and his son Thomas were perceived to be mentally ill. And at the time, insanity was sometimes associated with other deviant behavior, including witchcraft.
In fact, there were not one but three other Mary Parkers in Andover.
The reputation of “Mary Parker” was further tarnished by the lengthy criminal history of a fourth Mary Parker from Salem Town:
Throughout the 1670s, that Mary appeared in Essex County Court a number of times for fornication offenses, child support charges, and extended indenture for having a child out of wedlock. She was a scandalous figure and undoubtedly contributed greatly to negative associations with the name Mary Parker.
A disreputable name could have been enough to kill the wrong woman, in a society where the literate were the minority, and the spoken word was the most damaging. Gossip, passed from household to household and from town to town was the most prevalent source of information. The damaged reputation of one woman could be confused with another as tales of “Goody so-and-so” filtered through the community.
William Barker Jr., who testified against Mary Ayer Parker, may have been confused as well. In his own confession, William accused a Goody Parker, but he didn’t specify which Goody Parker he meant. There was a good possibility that Barker heard gossip about one Goody Parker or the other, and the magistrates of the court issued a warrant for the arrest of Mary Ayer Parker without making sure they had the right woman.
The Trial
The formal trial followed 17th-century English precedents, in which the accused were not represented by lawyers but could question accusers and witnesses. Most, however, were not emotionally or intellectually equipped to defend themselves against a hanging court and hysterical witnesses – more than forty persons confessed to being witches. The historical irony is that only those who did not confess to being witches were actually tried and convicted.
Mary Ayer Parker was convicted on little evidence, and even that seems tainted and misconstrued. The Salem trials did her no justice, and her treatment was indicative of the chaos and ineffectualness that had overtaken the Salem trials by the fall of 1692.
In less than one month, she was arrested, examined, found guilty, and executed. Historians have paid little attention to her case, one in which it is nevertheless possible to discern where confusion and conspiracy could have arisen, leading to her untimely death.
A Conspiracy for Land?
When Nathan died on June 25, 1685, he left an ample estate to his wife and children. Mary Ayer Parker brought an inventory of the estate to court in September of the same year, totaling 463 pounds and 4 shillings. The court awarded her one-third of the house and lands, equal shares to Robert, Joseph, Peter, Hannah, Elizabeth, and Sarah, and a double share to John. Mary Parker widow obtained an estate of over 154 pounds-a good amount of money in the late seventeenth century.
Mary Parker did not appear in Essex County records after September 29, 1685 when she brought the inventory to court. We know little about her interaction with her neighbors and the community after her husband's death. The Parkers were a respectable family that continued to root itself in the community.
The Salem crisis had spread to Andover when William Barker Jr. named her in his confession on September 1, 1692. He testified that "goode Parker went w'th him last Night to Afflict Martha Sprague." He elaborated that Goody Parker "rod upon a pole & was baptized at 5 Mile pond," a common reference to a union made with the devil. The examination of Mary Parker occurred the next day. At the examination, afflicted girls from both Salem and Andover fell into fits when her name was spoken. The girls included Mary Warren, Sarah Churchill, Hannah Post, Sara Bridges, and Mercy Wardwell. The records state that when Mary came before the justices, the girls were cured of their fits by her touch-the satisfactory result of the commonly used "touch test," signifying a witch's guilt.
When Mary denied being the witch they were after Martha Sprague, one of her accusers, quickly responded that is was for certain this Mary Parker, who had afflicted her. Sprague and Mary Lacy effectively fell into fits. Historian Mary Beth Norton discovered that Mary Parker was related to Sprague; she was Sprague's step-great-aunt. Mary Parker's son-in-law John Tyler's father Moses Tyler had married Martha's mother. Martha also lived in Andover, and the Tylers and the Parkers were friendly for sometime before their families were joined in marriage. Still, it was a distant relation and Martha was only sixteen years old at the time of the trial, so it is doubtful she knew Mary Parker personally.
Nevertheless, Mary Parker's defense was ignored, both by the courtroom, and most historians until now. However, Mary Ayer Parker told the truth: there was another Mary Parker living in Andover. In fact there were not one, but three other Mary Parkers in Andover. One was Mary Ayer's sister-in-law, Mary Stevens Parker, wife of Nathan's brother Joseph. The second was Joseph and Mary's daughter Mary. The third was the wife of Mary and Joseph's son, Stephen. To complicate things even further, there was yet another Mary Parker living nearby in Salem Towne.
Mary Ayer Parker told the truth about the other Marys, but the court ignored her. William Barker Jr. came in to speak against her. He testified "looking upon Mary Parker said to her face that she was one of his company, And that the last night she afflicted Martha Sprague in company with him." Barker Jr. pointed Mary out in court but he may have been confused himself. In his own confession, William accused a "goode Parker," but of course, he did not specify which Goody Parker he meant. There was a good possibility that William Barker Jr. heard gossip about one Goody Parker or another and the magistrates of the court took it upon themselves to issue a warrant for the arrest of Mary Ayer Parker without making sure they had the right woman in custody.
When Mary Parker was arrested, they found the ideal candidate to take advantage of her husband and her brother-in-law were no longer around to defend her and her young sons could not counter the power of the Chandlers.
Nothing else remains of Mary Parker case. It appeared that Mary's trial was over on September 16, 1692. She was executed only six days later. Evidence seems lacking. In essence, Mary was convicted almost solely from the testimony from two teenage confessors. Her examination, indictment, and grand inquest all took place expediently, and within one month, Mary was accused, convicted and executed.
Her death seems irresponsible at the least, and even almost outrageous. She was convicted with such little evidence, and even that seems tainted and misconstrued. The Salem trials did her no justice, and her treatment was indicative of the chaos and ineffectualness that had over taken the Salem trials by the fall of 1692. However, her treatment by historians is even less excusable. The records of her case are disorganized and erroneous, but what has been written about the case is even more misinformed. Today it is impossible to exonerate the reputation of Mary Ayer Parker. The records that survive are too incomplete and confused. But perhaps we can acknowledge the possibility that amidst the fracas of 1692, a truly innocent woman died as the result of sharing the unfortunate name "Mary Parker."
Mary Parker did not appear in Essex County records after September 29, 1685 when she brought the inventory to court. We know little about her interaction with her neighbors and the community after her husband's death. The Parkers were a respectable family that continued to root itself in the community.
The Salem crisis had spread to Andover when William Barker Jr. named her in his confession on September 1, 1692. He testified that "goode Parker went w'th him last Night to Afflict Martha Sprague." He elaborated that Goody Parker "rod upon a pole & was baptized at 5 Mile pond," a common reference to a union made with the devil. The examination of Mary Parker occurred the next day. At the examination, afflicted girls from both Salem and Andover fell into fits when her name was spoken. The girls included Mary Warren, Sarah Churchill, Hannah Post, Sara Bridges, and Mercy Wardwell. The records state that when Mary came before the justices, the girls were cured of their fits by her touch-the satisfactory result of the commonly used "touch test," signifying a witch's guilt.
When Mary denied being the witch they were after Martha Sprague, one of her accusers, quickly responded that is was for certain this Mary Parker, who had afflicted her. Sprague and Mary Lacy effectively fell into fits. Historian Mary Beth Norton discovered that Mary Parker was related to Sprague; she was Sprague's step-great-aunt. Mary Parker's son-in-law John Tyler's father Moses Tyler had married Martha's mother. Martha also lived in Andover, and the Tylers and the Parkers were friendly for sometime before their families were joined in marriage. Still, it was a distant relation and Martha was only sixteen years old at the time of the trial, so it is doubtful she knew Mary Parker personally.
Nevertheless, Mary Parker's defense was ignored, both by the courtroom, and most historians until now. However, Mary Ayer Parker told the truth: there was another Mary Parker living in Andover. In fact there were not one, but three other Mary Parkers in Andover. One was Mary Ayer's sister-in-law, Mary Stevens Parker, wife of Nathan's brother Joseph. The second was Joseph and Mary's daughter Mary. The third was the wife of Mary and Joseph's son, Stephen. To complicate things even further, there was yet another Mary Parker living nearby in Salem Towne.
Mary Ayer Parker told the truth about the other Marys, but the court ignored her. William Barker Jr. came in to speak against her. He testified "looking upon Mary Parker said to her face that she was one of his company, And that the last night she afflicted Martha Sprague in company with him." Barker Jr. pointed Mary out in court but he may have been confused himself. In his own confession, William accused a "goode Parker," but of course, he did not specify which Goody Parker he meant. There was a good possibility that William Barker Jr. heard gossip about one Goody Parker or another and the magistrates of the court took it upon themselves to issue a warrant for the arrest of Mary Ayer Parker without making sure they had the right woman in custody.
When Mary Parker was arrested, they found the ideal candidate to take advantage of her husband and her brother-in-law were no longer around to defend her and her young sons could not counter the power of the Chandlers.
Nothing else remains of Mary Parker case. It appeared that Mary's trial was over on September 16, 1692. She was executed only six days later. Evidence seems lacking. In essence, Mary was convicted almost solely from the testimony from two teenage confessors. Her examination, indictment, and grand inquest all took place expediently, and within one month, Mary was accused, convicted and executed.
Her death seems irresponsible at the least, and even almost outrageous. She was convicted with such little evidence, and even that seems tainted and misconstrued. The Salem trials did her no justice, and her treatment was indicative of the chaos and ineffectualness that had over taken the Salem trials by the fall of 1692. However, her treatment by historians is even less excusable. The records of her case are disorganized and erroneous, but what has been written about the case is even more misinformed. Today it is impossible to exonerate the reputation of Mary Ayer Parker. The records that survive are too incomplete and confused. But perhaps we can acknowledge the possibility that amidst the fracas of 1692, a truly innocent woman died as the result of sharing the unfortunate name "Mary Parker."
Read more about the conspiracy for Mary's lands
Condemned to Death
Descendents
Mary's children:
John Parker; James Parker; Mary Richardson; Hannah Tyler; Elizabeth Farnum; Robert Parker; Sarah Parker; Joseph Parker and Peter Parker
I have traced a few of Mary's children and it seems that most of her descendants stayed on the east coast in and around Mass. including the towns of Beverly and Essex and also in New Hampshire.
One descendent of hers and thus a distant cousin of mine I traced to the year 2010 where he died in Albuquerque New Mexico.
Another descendent was born in Haverhill Mass and died in 1964 in Santa Clara.
Hopefully some of her living descendants that do not know of their ancestral great grandmother will one day find her. Who knows......maybe they will come upon this post and actually take the time to read it.
Epilogue
Although the last trial was held in May 1693, public response to the events continued. In the decades following the trials, survivors and family members (and their supporters) sought to establish the innocence of the individuals who were convicted and to gain compensation.
In the following centuries, the descendants of those unjustly accused and condemned have sought to honor their memories. Events in Salem and Danvers in 1992 were used to commemorate the trials.
In November 2001, years after the celebration of the 300th anniversary of the trials, the Massachusetts legislature passed an act exonerating all who had been convicted and naming each of the innocent.
The trials have figured in American culture and been explored in numerous works of art, literature and film.
Rest in Peace Aunt Mary.
I wish I could have been there in Salem in 1692 to try and save you from this awful injustice that you endured. You are not forgotten....
With love and adoration,
Your 11th great nephew John
Sources:
https://www.geni.com/people/Mary-Parker-Salem-Witch-Trials/6000000012685662338
https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Ayer-1317
https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Ayer-31
http://salem.lib.virginia.edu/people?group.num=all&mbio.num=mb42
https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Parker-591
https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Lewis-11990
https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Ayers-988
https://www.wikitree.com/index.php?title=Special:Relationship&action=calculate&person1_name=Ayers-988&person2_name=Repinski-22
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ayer
https://www.wikitree.com/index.php?title=Special:Relationship&action=calculate&person1_name=Ayer-42&person2_name=Repinski-22
https://www.wikitree.com/index.php?title=Special:Relationship&action=calculate&person1_name=Ayer-43&person2_name=Repinski-22
John Ayers of new england
http://www.rocksvillage.org/families/ayer-family/
https://www.familysearch.org/photos/artifacts/7270710?p=19610138&returnLabel=John%20Ayer%20(M2MY-GF7)&returnUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.familysearch.org%2Ftree%2Fperson%2Fmemories%2FM2MY-GF7
11 comments:
I took the time to read your Blog. Peter Ayers is my 8th great grandfather and Mary is 9th great aunt. We are related! This is an interesting but tragic story for sure.
Tammy
I to am mary parkers family with the name of jon, my family has much of the family records and predating message me for more info
Hello I am not sure that we are related but I wanted to message you and let you know that This Mary Parker is my 11st Great Aunt via my Dad of last name of Torrey to a ____great grandma Martha Mosher to her mom of Elizabeth Mosher (story) to her mom Mary Story to Her mom Elizabeth Eillis to her father Zachariah Ayers to his dad Capt. John Ayers to his Sister. Would happen to have any information on the Story or Mosher lines?
I read your post and loved it. Mary and Nathan were my 8th great grandparents. I am through their son John. My grandmother on my fathers side was also Mary Parker. I never met her as she died in 1940 at home in Portland Oregon. My dads middle name was Parker.
I read your post and loved it. Mary and Nathan were my 8th great grandparents. I am through their son John. My grandmother on my fathers side was also Mary Parker. I never met her as she died in 1940 at home in Portland Oregon. My dads middle name was Parker.
My husband's 8th great grandparents were Nathan and Mary Parker, and he is through their son John. Thank you so much for the sad, informative story of Mary. I will pass it on to my daughters.
As far as I know, Mary Ayer and Nathan Parker are my 9th great grandparents through their son John. This was a well written page. Thank you.
I found out today that Mary is my 10th cousin. I am from Newport News,Virginia. Pretty interesting to learn. I am on the Ayers side. Can't wait to dig into this some more.
I’m related as well. Family from WV & VA. & I’m black lol
I read your post. I'm her niece, a descendant of her brother Nathaniel. Thank you so much for your research. I can't wait to share this with my family.
Mary Ayers Parker is my eighth great grand aunt through her brother Robert which precedes through my great grandmother Almeda Moore
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