Sarah Wildes was one of the accused and executed during the Salem Witch Trials. She was 65 years old when she died and had had past issues with the Putnam family, who had been the main accusers during the trials. This feud she had with the was well-documented and made her an easy target to be accused of witchcraft.
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Early Life and Family
Sarah was born to William Averell and Abigail Hynton. Her parents had migrated from England to Ipswich, Massachusetts, around 1637 when she was about 10 years old. She would have been one of seven children in the family.
Sarah grew up and married John Wildes, a widower of eight children. The two went on to have a son named Ephraim
John seemed to be well-liked and held some influence. John held several positions in the town government and was affectionately called "Old Father Wildes."
One of Sarah's stepsons, Jonathan, was known for strange behavior, which local ministers theorized could be a mental distraction, possession by the devil, or fakery, a story that Rev. John Hale related during Sarah's trial, retrospectively considering it to be possible evidence of Sarah's witchcraft.
Jonathan died in King Philip's War, and no resolution was ever reached.
Problems Leading Up To The Trials for Sarah Wildes
Sarah had a reputation as a nonconformist in Puritan Massachusetts, with prior offenses that may have made her an easy target for accusations of witchcraft. She was considered glamorous and forward as a young woman. She was sentenced to be whipped for fornication with Thomas Wordell in November 1649 and later, in May 1663, charged with wearing a silk scarf.
Because she married John so soon after his first wife's death (about 7 months later), John's former in-laws held something of a grudge against her. This is particularly notable as the Goulds were related to the Putnam family, who were the principal accusers in the witchcraft hysteria.
John Wildes testified against his first wife's brother, Lieutenant John Gould, in a treason trial, which further angered the family. Shortly after, John's ex-sister-in-law, Mary Gould Reddington, began circulating rumors that Sarah was a witch. When John Wildes threatened to charge her with slander, she retracted her claims. John testified that William Averill followed up, testing Mary's sincerity by offering to round up his sister himself if she had any complaints against Sarah, and Mary again said she had nothing against her.
In 1674, the brothers John and Joseph Andrews came to the Wildes house to borrow a scythe, as theirs had broken. John Wildes, Sr., was away, and Sarah replied that she did not have one to lend, but a neighbor pointed them to John Wildes, Jr., and they took it against Sarah's protests, promising to ask the younger John's permission.
Ephraim, then a young boy, allegedly chased after them, saying that it would be a "death scythe" for them if they did not return it. After cutting their hay, they had a series of mishaps with their cart and oxen, which they attributed to Sarah's bewitching. Later, Elizabeth Simmons née Andrews, their sister, and their mother went to visit the Reddington's and crossed paths with Sarah.
Their mother confronted her with the story of her son's troubles, and Sarah said she had nothing to do with it. When their mother persisted, Sarah insisted on her proving that she had a hand in it. Elizabeth then claimed to have been immediately affected by trembling joints when Sarah looked at her and that a cat-like creature visited her that night while she was struck dumb. She further claimed to have suffered crippling back pain when Sarah passed her at church.
Ephraim testified that he had been engaged to Elizabeth Simmons' daughter, which he broke off after confronting Mrs. Simmons about rumors he had heard of her complaints about his mother (which she denied) and that she had been angry with him ever since.
Thomas Dorman reported that Sarah had purchased a beehive from him, and, subsequently, he lost much of his livestock, including geese and cattle. During the events of 1692, Ann Putnam, Jr. told his wife that their cattle had been killed by Sarah Wildes, which he found remarkable as they had frozen to death in January 1686.
Another source of contention was John's position as a surveyor for Topsfield. Border disputes between Salem and Topsfield came out in Topsfield's favor.
Arrest and Trial
On April 21, 1692. Sarah Wildes, along with many others, were ordered to be arrested on "high suspicion" of witchcraft performed on Ann Putnam Jr., Mercy Lewis, Mary Walcott, and others due to a complaint by Thomas Putnam and John Buxton.
Sarah was arrested by the Marshall, George Herrick, who then ordered Constable Ephraim Wildes to arrest Deliverance Hobbs. Hobbs, whether through coercion or not, made a jailhouse confession and implicated Sarah Wildes as a witch.
Ephraim himself testified that he believed Hobbs' accusation to be vengeance against him for arresting her.
Wildes' examination took place the following day.
Immediately when her examination began, Sarah Bibber began having a fit and claimed to see Sarah Wildes' "specter" on a beam. There was no proof of Sarah Bibber seeing this except for her fits and accusations. This is why spectral evidence was such a dangerous standard to allow court.
Soon after Bibber's accusation, Ann Putnam Jr joined the accusation and claimed that she had witnessed the torture of Mary Walcott, Mercy Lewis, and Abigail Willaims. Once again, there was no evidence of this, but the court allowed the evidence to be admissible.
Sarah argued her innocence, going as far as to say she had never even seen the accusers before, which may have been true, but the accusers did not care as this was nothing more than a power grab for them.
The old accusations by John's ex-sister-in-law, Mary Reddington, resurfaced. This also seemed to be advantageous.
During her own examination, Deliverance Hobbs claimed that Sarah's apparition, along with that of Mercy Lewis, had previously "tore [her] almost to pieces [sic]" as she lay in her bed. She continued that Sarah recruited her to attend a black mass and offered to cease tormenting her and reward her with clothing in return for her signing of the devil's book.
On 13 May 1692, Sarah was transferred to the Boston Gaol. She was transferred back to Salem on 18 June, along with George Burroughs, George Jacobs, Giles and Martha Corey, Ann Pudeator, Sarah Cloyse, Sarah Root, and Dorcas Hoar.
In his later request for restitution, Ephraim said that he or his father made trips to visit her once or twice a week at great personal expense.
The Trial of Sarah Wildes
Along with Sarah Good, Rebecca Nurse, Susannah Martin, and Elizabeth Howe, Sarah Wildes was tried on 30 June 1692. The prosecution relied heavily on spectral evidence that was provided by the same young ladies who seemed to have other motives.
Mary Gould Reddington had died by the time of the trial, but her brother John and Rev. John Hale related her claims of witchcraft against herself and Sarah's own stepsons. Elizabeth Simmons, along with her brothers, John and Joseph Andrews, attested that they had been victimized. Humphrey Clark claimed that Sarah had once appeared in his bedroom at midnight. Thomas Dorman relayed the story about his geese and cattle.
Ann Putnam testified:
I have been afflected ever sence the begi[n]ing of march with a woman that tould me hir name was willds and that she came from Topsfeild but on the 22 April 1692 Sarah willd did most greviously torment me dureing the time of hir Examination and then I saw that Sarah willds was that very woman that tould me hir name was willds and also on the day of hir Examination I saw Sarah willds or hir Apperince most greviously tortor and afflect mary walcott, Mircy lewes and Abigail willia [ms] and severall times sence Sarah wilds or hirs Apperance has most greviously tortored and afflected me with variety of torturees as by pricking and pinching me and almost choaking me to death.
Mary Walcott similarly claimed:
in the begining of Appril 1692 there came to me a woman which I did not know and she did most greviously torment me by pricking and pinching me and she tould me that hir name was wilds and that she lived at Topsfeil and hurting me most greviously by times tell the day of hir Examination which was the 22 day of Appril 1692: and then I saw that Sarah wildes was that very same woman that tould me hir name was wildes and sarah wilds did most greviously torment me dureing the time of hir Examination for when ever she did but look upon me she would strick me down or almost Choak me to death: also on the day or hir Examination I saw sarah Wilds or hir Apperance most greviously torment and afflect mercy lewes [s] Abigaill Williams and Ann putnam Jun'r by stricking them down and [almst] Choaking them to death. also severall times sence Sarah willds has most greviously tormented me with variety of tortor and I verily beleve she is a most dreadful wicth
Nathaniel Ingersoll and Thomas Putnam backed these claims by stating that they witnessed attacks on all of the afflicted girls.
In Sarah's defense, John and Ephraim testified to the ulterior motives of the Hobbs, Gould, and Simmons families. Ephraim said he had never seen his mother harm anyone in word nor action, and that she had always instructed him well in the Christian religion.
as for my mother, I never saw aniey harm by har upon aniey sutch a cout naither in word nor action as she is now a cused for she hath awlwais in structed me well in the cristian religion and the wais of god ever sence I was abell to take in structions: and so I leve it allto this honred cort to consider of it
Sarah Wildes was condemned by the Court of Essex County for practicing witchcraft. William Stoughton signed the warrant for execution on 12 July 1692.
Sarah Wildes was executed on July 19, 1692, by hanging at Gallows Hill in Salem, Massachusetts, along with Elizabeth Howe, Susannah Martin, Sarah Good, and Rebecca Nurse.
Conclusion
When studying those who were accused during the Salem Witch Trials, it is easy to see the ulterior motives that existed in those who accused the other women.
Each of the accused seemed vulnerable to slander; most were of advanced age and had feuds with those who seemed to hold influence during the trials.
The spectral evidence that was allowed to be admitted into the courtroom was easily manipulated to include anyone in the room. The stories did not even seem to have to make any logical sense but relied on ignorance of what demon possession or being a witch really was.
John Proctor would be the first of the condemned to push back on spectral evidence being used in a courtroom. Unfortunately, it would take months for people to look at it seriously.
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