Individual Details
Nehemiah Abbott
(Abt 1662 - Abt Dec 1736)
Nehemiah Abbott was arrested for witchcraft 21 April 1692. The following account of his trail is from Witchcraft in Salem Village by W. S. Nevins.
The case of Nehemiah Abbott is of interest, because, so far as known,
he is the only person who was released after refusing to confess. Abbott
was arrested at the same time as William Hobbs, Apr. 21. He was examined
on the following day. At first all the accusing girls said he had afflicted them, and fell into fits. Ann Putnam ' saw him on the beam.' Others identified him as one who had appeared to them. Asked to confess and find mercy, he replied : ' I speak before God that I am clear in all respects.' The girls 'were all struck dumb' again. Suddenly Mercy Lewis said: 'It is not the man.' Other accusers wavered. Ann Putnam said that the reason she had declared Abbott to be the man was because the devil put a mist before her eyes. The case completely broke down and Abbott was released Parris in his account of the trial says, when Abbott was ' Brought in again, by reason of much people, and many in the windows, so that the accusers could not have a clear view of him, he was ordered to be abroad and the accusers to go forth to him and view him in the light, which they did in the presence of the magistrates and many others, discoursed quietly with him, one and all acquitting him, but yet said he was like the man, but he had not the wen they saw in his apparition.
Note, he was a hilly-faced man, and stood shaded by reason of his own hair, so that for a lime he seemed to some bystanders and observers to be
considerably like the person the afflicted girls described.'
The case of Nehemiah Abbott is of interest, because, so far as known,
he is the only person who was released after refusing to confess. Abbott
was arrested at the same time as William Hobbs, Apr. 21. He was examined
on the following day. At first all the accusing girls said he had afflicted them, and fell into fits. Ann Putnam ' saw him on the beam.' Others identified him as one who had appeared to them. Asked to confess and find mercy, he replied : ' I speak before God that I am clear in all respects.' The girls 'were all struck dumb' again. Suddenly Mercy Lewis said: 'It is not the man.' Other accusers wavered. Ann Putnam said that the reason she had declared Abbott to be the man was because the devil put a mist before her eyes. The case completely broke down and Abbott was released Parris in his account of the trial says, when Abbott was ' Brought in again, by reason of much people, and many in the windows, so that the accusers could not have a clear view of him, he was ordered to be abroad and the accusers to go forth to him and view him in the light, which they did in the presence of the magistrates and many others, discoursed quietly with him, one and all acquitting him, but yet said he was like the man, but he had not the wen they saw in his apparition.
Note, he was a hilly-faced man, and stood shaded by reason of his own hair, so that for a lime he seemed to some bystanders and observers to be
considerably like the person the afflicted girls described.'
Events
| Birth | Abt 1662 | Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts Bay | |||
| Marriage | 21 Jan 1686 | Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts Bay - Remember Fiske | |||
| Will | 28 May 1728 | Ipswich, Essex, Province of Massachusetts |  | ||
| Death | Abt Dec 1736 | Ipswich, Essex, Province of Massachusetts |
Families
| Spouse | Remember Fiske (1664 - 1703) |
| Child | Dorothy Abbott (1689 - ) |
| Child | Nehemiah Abbott (1690 - 1692) |
| Child | John Abbott (1691 - 1764) |
| Child | Nehemiah Abbott (1692 - 1760) |
| Child | Mary Abbott (1693 - ) |
| Child | Elizabeth Abbott (1695 - ) |
| Child | Susanna Abbott (1698 - ) |
| Child | Mehetabell Abbott (1700 - ) |
| Child | Sarah Abbott (1702 - 1733) |
| Father | Nehemiah Abbott (1630 - 1707) |
| Mother | Mary Howe (1639 - 1729) |
| Sibling | Mary Abbott (1660 - ) |
| Sibling | Mary Abbott (1665 - 1668) |
| Sibling | Mehitable Abbott (1665 - ) |
Notes
Will
Mary and Mehitable, his daughters., were given one-half of all his land and meadows lying in Ipswich and Rowley, or elsewhere, and all the household effects and "moveables " not otherwise disposed of. They were also to havethe use of the house as long as they remained single. Sarah had been given her share before her father's death. In addition to one-half of the estate already deeded to his son, John, he was also to have half of what remained of the landed property after his father's decease, and certain movables. Neither Nehemiah or any other children living are mentioned in the will.