Susannah Roots
Susannah Roots (c. 1620- c. 1692) was accused of Witchcraft during the Salem witch trials during which roughly 150 were arrested, and 19 were hanged and 1 man was pressed to death, several others were convicted but never executed.
Early Life
Not much is known about Susannah's early life, born about 1620-1625 [1] in England. She married Josiah Roots about 1640 [2] and had six children during the marriage: Bethiah neé Roots Lovett (c. 1641-1714), Josiah Roots Jr. (c. 1642-1685), John Roots (c. 1646-1723), Susannah neé Roots Haskins (1648-16??), Thomas Roots (c. 1651-1684), Johnathan Roots (c. 1668-1729).
1678 Burglary Ring
In 1678 her neighbor Dorcas Hoar was arrested after being caught leading a massive Burglary Ring that consisted of Dorcas and her children [3] after a span of almost 20 years. Various neighbors testified, including John Hale (minister) whose maid Margaret Lord was involved, as well as Susannah and her husband Josiah. Josiah testified that "For nearly twenty years together we have been afflicted by having our goods stolen at sundry times And we not Able to make due profe have been forced To suffer ourselves To be wronged in estate And name: And god by his providence having lately discovered sum of These works of darkness wee Judge yt. To be owe duty To speak in vindication of Truth And Conviction of sine. I recently lost three sheets And one shirt more on weather sheep. And having lost several bushels of Apples I found Elizabeth Hoars Apron in the way hard by my door both she And her mother owned the said Apron Another time having lost haye I saw William Hoar fetch such haye owte of his dwelling house Chamber At Another time having lost english hay I found part of the haye scattered on the ground As far As horse hows And no farther further when his daughter haris laid in her Child need I found of my wood At said harises And she said her father hoore brought her the wood: sum while sins Humphrey Coombs or his Company complained of having oyle stolen I saw William Hoar And his wife put An olive barrel in to the ground in a holle And About Two month After they sold oil. Theas with manie mor Are the causes of my suspecting William Hoar And his family To haue ben the Instruments of much euell: myself can witness That After my servant had Acquaintance with their hows I could keep nothing in safety that laye in my servants waie."[4] Susannah further testified that she had indeed seen Dorcas's daughters Mary and Tabitha steal a parcel of linen[4]
Widowhood
In early June of 1683 Susannah's husband Josiah passed away, the previous month he named Susannah as his executrix and left his entire estate to his son Johnathan when he came of age, as long as he cared for his mother. "“…my loveing wife Susanna [have] the use & improvement of all my small estate, what ever untill such time, as my son Jonathan cometh to the age…” and if she did not remarry, “[Jonathan] shall pay unto her, his said mother eight pounds, [yearly] duerring the terme of her widdowhood, or her natural life, and let her have the use of the west end of my now dwellinghouse, of a bed, beding, her firewood brought to the doare [door].”[5]
Later that month on June 26th, 1683 Susannah appeared in court to renounce her position as executrix of Josiah's will stating that she had many "weaknesses and infirmities of old age" the court then appointed John Hill, Andrew Elliot, and Nehemiah Grover as the appraisers of Josiah's inventory sworn July 6th, 1683.[6] Later that year in September Susannah had to swear in court that her husband sold their son Thomas's land to Henry Kenney "Enough to satisfy him for it so asks the court that he have the land givn him upon the west side of the country way beyond her house". [7]
In June 1684 Salem's Quarterly Court ordered that Ambrose Gale should have what estate is left of Susannah's after Ambrose Gale stated he had taken care of her at his own expense. He could have her estate on the condition that Gale should maintain comfort for Susannah for the remainder of her life. This position was held by her son Johnathan, it is possible that Ambrose Gale got the position due to Johnathan appearing in court the previous summer and fined for drunkenness and swearing.[8]
Accused
The night of May 20th, 1692 Mercy Lewis lay ill in her bed tormented once again by various specters, some of the afflicted were in the room and saw the re-arrested specter of Mary Eastey as well as three new specters: Sarah Proctor, daughter of John Proctor (Salem witch trials) , Sarah Bassett, aunt of said Sarah Proctor and sister in law of Elizabeth Proctor , and Susannah Roots.[9] The next day on May 21st, 1692 Thomas and John Putnam filed a complaint against Sarah Bassett, Sarah Proctor, and Susannah Roots. By May 23rd Constable George Herrick confirmed he had apprehended "said Roots" [10] she was then carted off to Boston Jail. Her neighbor Andrew Elliot spoke out against her after examination which possibly took place on May 23rd, 1692 though no transcript of her examination survives.[11] Her neighbor refers to an encounter that he and Laurence Dennis both had. He referred to her as a "bad woman" and other events such as "when he went to prayer at any time with his wife & thought said Roots would accompany them in said Duty but did not at any time but would withdraw & absent her self" He also spoke of how at night from the "room above the chamber" he would hear her rise from the bed and talk as if there were five or six others in the room. [12]
After her examination she was moved to the Boston Jail alongside Mary Eastey, Abigail Soames, Sarah Bassett, Mary DeRich sister of Elizabeth Proctor, Benjamin Proctor, and Mrs. Elizabeth Cary.[11] Sometime during this her grandson John Lovett III would visit her during which her neighbor Dorcas Hoar would inquire of possible enemies that would speak out against her [13] she would remain in the jails until June 18th, 1692 when she was transferred back to Salem Jail alongside George Burroughs, George Jacobs (Salem witch trials), Giles Corey, Martha Corey, Ann Pudeator, Sarah Cloyce, Sarah Wildes, and Dorcas Hoar. [13] After her transfer and after a payment of 3 Shillings 6 Pence (£0.18, Error when using {{Inflation}}: |index=GBP (parameter 1) not a recognized index.) for her fees was received she was presumably released due to lack of evidence against her. [14]
Death
Shortly after her release it is said that she passed away between the age of 67-72 years old, but it is unknown exactly when she passed as no record of her death survives.
Reason for Accusations
While Susannah was arguably one of the luckier ones, it is mentioned in the book "Pulling Up Roots" by Christopher Elben that she likely suffered from dementia and mentions that she was erratic and combative. Which also likely fits with Andrew Elliots accusation of hearing her talk as if 5 or 6 others were in the room. It is also known that the Putnam and Roots families had issues going back decades as John Putnam oversaw the lawsuit between her son and Henry Kenney.[15]
References
- ↑ Dow. George Francis. Essex Institue. p. 51. Search this book on
- ↑ Torry, Clarence A. (2004). U.S., New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Provo, UT, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co. p. 636. Search this book on
- ↑ Dow, George Francis (1919). Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts. Vol. 7. Essex Institue. pp. 42–55. Search this book on
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Dow, George Francis (1919). Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts. Vol. 7. Essex Institue. pp. 50, 51. Search this book on
- ↑ Court of Insolvency, Massachusetts. Essex County, Massachusetts, Probate Records and Indexes 1638-1916. Essex, Massachusetts. p. 186. Search this book on
- ↑ Dow, George Francis (1975). Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County Volume IX. Essex Institue. pp. 66, 67. Search this book on
- ↑ Dow, George Francis (1975). Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County Volume IX. Essex Institue. p. 88. Search this book on
- ↑ Dow, George Francis (1975). Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County Volume IX. Essex Institue. p. 266. Search this book on
- ↑ Roach, Marilynne K. (2004). The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community under Siege. Taylor Pub. p. 137. Search this book on
- ↑ "Warrant for the Apprehension of Susannah Roots, and Officer's Return". Salem Witchcraft Papers.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Roach, Marilynne K. (2004). The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community under Siege. Taylor Pub. p. 139. Search this book on
- ↑ "Statement of Andrew Elliott v. Susannah Roots". Salem Witchcraft Papers.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Roach, Marilynne K. (2004). The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community under Siege. Taylor Pub. p. 173. Search this book on
- ↑ Rosenthal, Bernard (2013). Records of the Salem Witch Hunt. Cambridge University Press. p. 816. ISBN 9781107689619. Search this book on
- ↑ Elben, Christopher (2018). Pulling Up Roots: A Family Odyssey / Book One: 1635-1790. Christopher J Eiben. pp. 70, 71, 73. Search this book on
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