Bridget Bishop was the first victim tried and hanged during the Salem Witch Trials. The Salem Witch Trials took place in Salem, Massachusetts, during early Colonial America.
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Family
Bridget's maiden name appears to have been Mangus or Player. She was married three or an undocumented four times. She married her first husband, Captain Samuel Wesselby, on 13 April 1660 at St. Mary-in-the-Marsh, Norwich, Norfolk, England.
She had only one son and one daughter from her first marriage, Benjamin and Mary. She had another daughter from her marriage to Thomas Oliver, Christian Oliver, born 8 May 1667.
Her second marriage, on 26 July 1666, was to Thomas Oliver, a widower and prominent businessman. She was earlier accused of bewitching Thomas Oliver to death but was acquitted for lack of evidence. Her last marriage, c. 1687, was to Edward Bishop, a prosperous sawyer whose family lived in Beverly.
Salem Witch Trials
Bishop was accused of bewitching five young women, Abigail Williams, Ann Putnam, Jr., Mercy Lewis, Mary Walcott, and Elizabeth Hubbard, on the date of her examination by the authorities, 19 April 1692.
A record was given of her trial by Cotton Mather in "The Wonders of the Invisible World." In his book, Mather recorded that several people testified against Bishop, stating that the shape of Bishop would pinch, choke, or bite them. The shape also threatened to drown one victim if she did not write her name in a certain book.
During the trial, anytime Bishop would look upon one of those supposed to be tortured by her, they would be immediately struck down, and only her touch would revive them.
More allegations were made during the trial, including that of a woman saying that the apparition of Bishop tore her coat. Upon further examination, her coat was found to be torn in the exact spot. Mather mentions that the truth of these many accusations carried too much suspicion, however.
William Stacy, a middle-aged man in Salem Town, testified that Bishop had previously made statements to him that other people in the town considered her to be a witch. He confronted her with the allegation that she was using witchcraft to torment him, which she denied.
Another local man, Samuel Shattuck, accused Bishop of bewitching his child and also of striking his son with a spade. He also testified that Bishop asked him to dye lace, which apparently was too small to be used on anything but a poppet (doll used in spell-casting).
John and William Bly, father and son, testified about finding poppets in Bishop's house and also about their cat that appeared to be bewitched or poisoned after a dispute with Bishop. Other victims of Bishop, as recorded by Mather, include Deliverance Hobbs, John Cook, Samuel Gray, Richard Coman, and John Louder.
During her sentencing, a jury of women found a third nipple upon Bishop (then considered a sure sign of witchcraft), yet upon a second examination, the nipple was not found. In the end, Mather states that the biggest thing that condemned Bishop was the gross amount of lying she committed in court.
According to Mather, "There was little occasion to prove the witchcraft, it being evident and notorious to all beholders."
Bishop was sentenced to death and hanged.
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