Husband: Isaac Esty

died at age: 85

  Born: 1627 in: Freston, England
  Baptized: 17 Nov 1627 in: Freston, Suffolk Co., England
  Died: 1712 in: Topsfield, Colony of Massachusetts
  Ref: GEBangs - secondary       Occupation: Cooper, Surveyor
  Father: Jeffrey Esty
  Mother: Margaret Pote (or Pett)


Wife: Mary Towne

  Born: 1634 in: Yarmouth, Norfolk Co., England
  Baptized: 24 Aug 1634 in: St. Nicholus Church, Norfolk, England
  Died: 22 Sept 1692 in: Salem, Massachusetts Hanged as WITCH
   Info on Witch Trials
   Salem Witchcraft Trials
  Ref: GEBangs - secondary     Occupation: Housewife/Mother
  Father: William Towne
  Mother: Joannah Blessing

M Child 1 Isaac Esty died at age: 58
  Born: abt. 1656 in: Topsfield, Massachusetts
  Died: 03 May 1714 in: Topsfield, Massachusetts
  Ref: MULTIPLE     Occupation: Minister in Jan, 1677,
  Spouse: Abigail Kimball b. 22 Mar 1667 d. 12 Feb 1760
  Married: 14 Oct 1689
  Ceremony: Y

M Child 2 Joseph Esty died at age: 81
  Born: 5 Feb 1657 in: Topsfield, Massachusetts
  Died: 25 Oct 1738 in: Stoughton, Massachusetts
  Buried: in: Stoughton, Massachusetts

F Child 3 Sarah Esty
  Born: 30 Jun 1660
  Ref: GEBangs - secondary
  Spouse: 1) Moses Gill
  Spouse: 2) Mr. Ireland

M Child 4 John Esty died at age: 57
  Born: 2 Jan 1662 in: Topsfield, Massachusetts
  Died: abt. 1720 in: Middleton, MA
  Ref: MULTIPLE - secondary
  1) Spouse: Mary Dorman
   Married: 31 May 1688 in: Middleton, MA
   Ceremony: Y
  2) Spouse: Hannah _______
   Married: abt. 1693 in:
   Ceremony: Y

F Child 5 Hannah Esty died at age: 74
  Born: 1667 in:
  Died: 5 Nov 1741 in: Topsfield, Massachusetts
  Spouse: George Abbot


M Child 6 Benjamin Esty died at age: 80
  Born: 29 Apr 1669   in: Topsfield, Massachusetts
  Died: 28 Mar 1750   in: Sharon, Massachusetts
  Buried:   in: Sharon, Massachusetts
  Ref: GEBangs - secondary    Occupation: Bricklayer
  Spouse: 1) Elizabeth Goodhue d. 18 Jul 1713
   Married: 9 Apr 1702
   Ceremony: Y
 Spouse: 2) Mary Holland
   Married: 13 Dec 1716
   Ceremony: Y

M Child 7 Samuel Esty died at age: 35
  Born: 25 Mar 1672
  Died: 1708

M Child 8 Jacob Esty died at age: 58
  Born: 4 Jan 1674    in: Topsfield, Massachusetts
  Died: 3 Oct 1732     in: Topsfield, Massachusetts
  Buried: in: Topsfield, Massachusetts
  Ref: GEBangs - secondary    Occupation: Bricklayer
  Spouse: Lydia Elliot
  Married: 25 Mar 1709

M Child 9 Joshua Esty died at age: 39
  Born: 2 Jul 1678
  Died: 25 Apr 1718
  Spouse: Abigail Stanley


Isaac was a cooper by trade and lived in a part of Salem, MA called Wenham in
1643. He moved to Topsfield in 1653.

"ISAAC ESTY AND SOME OF HIS DECENDANTS" By Gay Esty Bangs (Date unknown).

"Mary Towne was born at Yarmouth, Norfolk Co., England, and baptized at St. Nicholus church, Aug. 24, 1634. We know little of her life until 1692, when that terrible witchcraft delusion spread over Salem Village and vicinity. Amoung those to fall victim was Mary Esty. Her sister Rebecca Nourse, about thirteen years older, had previously been accused, found guilty and executed July 19, 1692.

Before Mary was executed she wrote a letter to the magistrate to plead mercy for those who might follow her. The contents of that letter follows:"

"The Humble Petition of Mary Easty unto his Excellency Sir William
Phips, and to the Honored judge and Bench now sitting in Judicature in
Salem, and the Reverend Ministers, humbly showeth, That, whereas, your
poor humble petitioner, being condemned to die, do humbly beg of you
to take it in your judicious and pious consideration that your poor
and humble petitioner, knowing my own innocency, blessed be the Lord
for it! and seeing plainly the wiles and subtility of my accusers by
myself, cannot but judge charitably of others that are going the same
way of myself, if the Lord steps not mightily in. I was confined a
whole month upon the same account that I am condemned now for, and
then cleared by the afflicted persons, as some of Your Honors know.
And in two days' time I was cried out upon them, and have been
confined, and now am condemned to die. The Lord knows my innocency
then, and likewise does now, as at the great day will be known to men
and angels. I petition to Your Honors not for my own life, for I know
I must die, and my appointed time is set; but the Lord he knows it is
that, if it be possible, no more innocent blood may be shed, which
undoubtedly cannot be avoided in the way and course you go in.
question not but Your Honors do to the utmost of your powers in the
discovery and detecting of witchcraft and witches, and would not be
guilty of innocent blood for the world. But, by my own innocency, I
know you are in the wrong way. the Lord in his infinite mercy direct
you in this great work, if it be his blessed will that no more
innocent blood be shed! I would humbly beg you, that Your Honors
would be pleased to examine these afflicted persons strictly, and keep
them apart some time, and likewise to try some of these confessing
witches; I being confident there is several of them has belied
themselves and others, as will appear, if not in this world, I am sure
in the world to come, Whither I am now agoing. I question not but you
will see an alteration of these things. They say myself and others
having made a league with the Devil, we cannot confess. I know, and
the Lord knows, as will ... appear, they belie me, and so I question
not but they do to others. The Lord above, who is the Searcher of all
hearts, knows, as I shall answer it at the tribunal seat, that I know
not the least thing of witchcraft; Therefore I cannot, I dare not,
belie my own soul. I beg your Honors not to deny this my humble
petition from a poor, dying, innocent person. And I question not but
the Lord will give a blessing to your endeavors."

Isaac worked twenty long years to clear his wife of the charge and was to some measure successful when the court annulled the verdict and awarded the sum of twenty pounds in acknowledgement to the injustice.

The persons executed are listed in Karl Gelpke's book "Esteys of England and America" on page 18. (below) ________________________________________________________________________________________________


      By His Excellency the Governor

      Whereas ye General Assembly in their last session accepted ye Report
      of their Committee appointed to consider of ye Damages sustained by
      Sundry persons, prosecution for Witch-craft ye Year 1692.

      Vis.


      To

      Elizabeth How,              12-0-0         Rebecca Nurse,      25-0-0
      George Jacobs,             70-0-0         John Willard,          20-0-0
      Mary Easty,                  20-0-0         Sarah Good,            30-0-0
      Mary Parker,                8-0-0           Martha Carrier,       7-6-0
      George Burroughs,       50-0-0         Samuel Wardwell
      Giles Corey & wife       21-0-0          and wife,                 36-15-0
      Sarah Wild,                   14-0-0         John Proctor and
      Abigail Faulkin,             20-0-0           wife,                       150-0-0
      Abigail Hobbs               10-0-0          Mary Bradbury       20-0-0
      Anne Foster                  6-0-0            Rebecca Eames      10-0-0
      Mary Lacey                  8-10-9          Dorcas Hoar           21-14-0
                                           Mary Post 8-14-0

                               578-12-0

      The whole amounting to Five Hundred and Seventy-eight pounds and 12 shillings.

      (Ordered paid to Stephen Sewell, Esq., who was to distribute legally to heirs, etc.)
      17 December 1711 J. Dudley ___________________________________________________________________________________________________

HOME | TOP