Roger Toothaker was a practicing physician and farmer of Salem around the time of the Salem Witch Trials. He was accused and imprisoned for witchcraft. He would never see his freedom again as he died in prison.
There is not much evidence that survived that speaks of Toothaker, with the exception of the testimony of Thomas Gage.
Migration and Family
Roger Toothaker was born in London, England, in 1634 to his father of the same name and mother, Margaret.
In 1635, as an infant, Toothaker traveled to the Massachusetts Bay Colony from London, sailing from 21 August to 11 September on the Hopewell, led by Captain Babb. Roger Toothaker Sr. died, possibly in Plymouth Colony, on February 5, 1638.
Later that year, his mother Margaret married Ralph Hill on December 21 and settled in Billerica.
He served as an assistant to Samuel Eldred and later became a physician, although he had no formal medical training. In or around 1662 or 1663, his stepfather died.
In 1665, he married Mary Allin, a midwife, and had eight children who survived infancy:
- Nathaniel Toothaker
- Martha Toothaker
- Allin Toothaker
- Roger Toothaker
- Sarah Toothaker
- Mary Toothaker
- Andrew Toothaker
- Margaret Toothaker
Toothaker claimed that he could detect and punish witches. He claimed to have done this for many years prior to the Salem Witch Trials, and that's had taught his daughter Martha to do the same thing. He claimed that his daughter had even killed a witch.
Salem Witch Trials and Death
By March of 1692, the witch hysteria in Salem was beginning to pick up momentum, and by April, some of the first accusations occurred.
Roger Toothaker would be accused of practicing witchcraft by Elizabeth Hubbard, Mary Walcott, and Ann Putnam Jr. Of these accusers, Elizabeth had the most motive to accuse Toothaker since she was the servant of William Griggs, who was the competitor of Roger.
10 days after being accused on May 28, he, along with his wife Mary and daughter Martha and Margaret (unconfirmed), were arrested. Martha would be released due to a lack of evidence.
The testimony of Thomas Gage is all that survives of Toothaker's trial. Gage's testimony did not rely on spectral evidence like the afflicted but was still shaky compared to today's standards:
“The Deposition of Thomas Gage aged about six thirty-six years. This deponant saith & doth testified that sometime this last spring of the year, that Doctor Toothaker was in his house in Beverly (upon some occasion) & we discoursed about John Maston's child of Salem that was then sick & having unwonted fits: & likewise, another child of Phillip Whites of Beverly who was then strangely sick. I persuaded said Toothaker to go & see said children, and said Toothaker answered he had seen them both already and that his opinion was they were under an evil hand and farther said Toothaker said that his daughter had killed a witch & I asked him how she did it, & said Toothaker answered readily that his daughter had learned something from him I asked by what means she did it, & he said that there was a certain person bewitched & said person complained of being afflicted by another person that was suspected by the afflicted person: & farther said Toothaker said that his said daughter got some of the afflicted person's urine & put it into an earthen pot & stopped said pot very close & put said pot very close into a hot oven & stopped up said oven & the next morning said witch was dead other things I have forgotten & farther saith not.”
Besides Gage, there were no other witnesses that testified against him. Due to his examination being lost, we do not know if the afflicted girls were ever involved, but it is unlikely that they only accused him and probably participated in his examination or trial.
His trial ended due to Toothaker dying in a Boston jail.
The cause of death is unknown and cited as a natural cause. However, it is possible that he endured malnourisment or even torture.
Roger Toothaker's wife, Mary, and daughter, Martha, would also stand trial, and both would be cleared of the charges. Roger's would be listed on the monument built in memory of those who died during the trials.
<- Return to List of People Involved in the Salem Witch Trials