Elizabeth (Bassett) Proctor

Elizabeth (Bassett) Proctor belongs to the Bassett family connected to my ancestry through Sarah (Bassett) Elwell, wife of Thomas Elwell.

During the Salem witch trials, Elizabeth and her husband, John Proctor, were accused of witchcraft. At her examination on April 11, 1692, Elizabeth denied the accusations:

“I take God in heaven to be my witness, that I know nothing of it”

Both Elizabeth and John were condemned. John was executed on August 19, 1692; Elizabeth survived.

Her story continued after the trials. On May 27, 1696, she petitioned the Massachusetts General Court for the legal ability to recover property rights in her late husband’s estate. Her petition describes the lasting consequences of the accusations for her family and livelihood.

Sources

University of Virginia, Salem Witch Trials Documentary Archive and Transcription Project, case file of Elizabeth Proctor, SWP No. 106:
https://salem.lib.virginia.edu/n106.html

See especially:
• Examination of Sarah Cloyce and Elizabeth Proctor, April 11, 1692.
• Petition of Elizabeth Proctor to Recover the Estate of John Proctor, May 27, 1696.