Sarah went on to explain that Wildes was the one who notified her of the witchcraft (SWP No. The witchcraft trial of Elizabeth Howe, hanged July 19, 1692, Mary Perkins Bradbury, charged as a witch, The witchcraft accusations against Sarah Buckley and Mary Witheridge, The Witchcraft Trial of Elizabeth Morse of Newbury, 1680, Rachel Clinton arrested for witchcraft, May 28, 1692, We walked in the clouds and could not see our way, Four-year-old Dorothy Good is jailed for witchcraft, March 24, 1692, Lucretia Brown and the last witchcraft trial in America, May 14, 1878, Mehitabel Braybrooke, in the Shadow of Salem, https://books.google.com/books/about/In_the_Devil_s_Snare.html?id=Y2ZeU1RMYK0C, Lieutenant Ruhama Andrews and the 1775 Battle of Quebec, First Period, Georgian and Federal-era houses of Ipswich, Publications of the Ipswich Historical Society, Self-guided walking tour of historic Ipswich (PDF). did torture them and went on to describe how every time Sarah The Court of Oyer and Terminer met on June 30th, and Sarah Good, Rebecca Nurse, and Elizabeth How of Ipswich were put on trial. [1], The small portion of land that Sarah had received from her father's estate was lost in a suit filed by Poole's creditors. One after another, they cried out Good, Osburn, Tituba. On the 29th of February, 1692, warrants were duly issued against those persons. This big face appeared with no body and kept telling me I needed to get to Wildes rd. A warrant was filed on February 29 by Thomas Putnam, Edward Putnam, and Thomas Preston of Salem Village against Sarah Good. I am no more a witch than you are a wizard, and if you take away my life God will give you blood to drink." Even after Sarah Wildes was executed, other people continued to accuse her of witchcraft, such as Mary Gadge who, while testifying against Dorcas Hoar on September 6, 1692, mentioned that two years ago a young man named David Balch became ill and told her he was being tormented by witches, who he identified as Sarah Wildes and Dorcas Hoar as well as others he couldn't identify. later transferred once again to the Ipswich jail and was then sent It is very sad that mass hysteria can drive people to make rash judgements on others. When the girls began to have another fit, Tituba claimed she could see a yellow bird in Good's right hand. On March 1, 1692, Sarah Good, Sarah Osborne, and the Rev. bankrupt him. All five were found guilty of witchcraft and were sentenced to death. This is the court record from Sarah's hearing on March 1, 1692. However, he later recants his confession and refuses to sign a written document, declaring that he will not give in to the pressure and lies of the court. Rebecca is a freelance journalist and history lover who got her start in journalism working for small-town newspapers in Massachusetts and New Hampshire after she graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a B.A. Wildes son-in-law, Jonathan Wildes, began acting very strangely and Ann times afflicted and tormented the affore named persons by acts of Life appears to be imitating art for Sarah Lancashire. Twenty-five years later, in 1717, Reverend Noyes suffered an internal hemorrhage and died choking on his own blood. Rebecca is a freelance journalist and history lover who got her start in journalism working for small-town newspapers in Massachusetts and New Hampshire after she graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a B.A. osbourne couldn't say her Ten Comandments Not much luck there for Who was Goody Good and why d. In this episode, Eric The Witchfinder General of Salem, MA examines the life and death of Salem Witch Trials victim, Sarah Good. Elizabeth Proctor is accused of witchcraft by Abigail Williams because Abigail wants to marry Elizabeth's husband, John, with whom she had an affair while serving in the Proctor household. [Hathorne]: We brought you into the meeting house. Yes, Ephraim was prolific, but the family seemed to dwindle. She was a baby! In Fear Street, the town of Shadyside is cursed by the witch Sarah Fier. Sarah Good was well known to the people of Salem Village. On March 25, 1692, Sarah Good appeared before the court to be tried for witchcraft. Elizabeth Proctor is accused of witchcraft by Abigail Williams because Abigail wants to marry Elizabeth's husband, John, with whom she had an affair while serving in the Proctor household. In 1710, William Good successfully sued the Great and General Court for health and mental damages done to Sarah and Dorcas, ultimately receiving thirty pounds sterling, one of the largest sums granted to the families of the witchcraft victims. meeting and told her at the meeting that if she signed the Devils Although the girl was reprimanded for falsehood, Sarah Good was kept on trial. During the salem witch trials, more people were accused of witchcraft in Andover than in any other town in Essex County. Topsfield in the Witchcraft Delusion. The Historical Collections of the Topsfield Historical Society, vol. Poor little girl was tortured until she became insane! A portion of their land was seized and sold to satisfy their creditors, and shortly thereafter they sold the rest of their land, apparently out of dire necessity. Particularly damaging to her case, was her accusation by her daughter. How many people die in Arthur Miller's The Crucible? scythe from Sarah Wildes but she said she didnt have one to lend. Betty and Abigail were under an evil hand.. Her answers to the questions propounded to her, as the reader will see, give no evidence of coming from a person broken down, or forlorn. She appears to have answered with a fair degree of spirit. ran down the steep hill dragging one of them with it and overturning The young girls asserted they had been bitten, pinched, and otherwise abused. But hey,who knows right ? This exciting collaboration between the Living Faith Methodist Church and Ipswich Citizens for the Arts will bring live music, theater and more to the historic heart of Ipswich, while helping save one of most venerable landmarks. I just discovered through the genealogy search that John Buxton was my 7th Great Grandfather. Her second marriage to William Good satisfied the creditors but left both Sarah and William dispossessed. took it without Sarahs permission, she became very angry and sent Tituba confessed to witchcraft, and Good and Osborne were sent to jail. Penniless, pregnant, and pugnacious! Sarah was my 8th Great Grandmother. There are not many of us from what I gather as she and John only had 1 child. [Good]: It was Osburn. Many historical sources have tried to paint Good as a sad, sick, broken-down old woman during the trials, yet Goods behavior in and out of the courtroom gave no indication of this, according to an article in The New England magazine: Calef says she had long been counted a melancholy or distracted woman; and Upham says she was broken down by the wretchedness of her condition and ill-repute. jury found Sarah Wildes guilty of witchcraft and she was sentenced to Ephraim went on to defend his mother against the accusations by Goods reputation as a socially disagreeable, disadvantaged down-and-out made her an easy target for a witchcraft conviction. 26, 1692, after the first witch cake was made, Abigail Williams accused Tituba, Sarah Good, and Sarah Osbourne of . We fought back and forth repeating the same things. The Salem Press Company, 1916.Rosenthal, Bernard. He told her that he knew she was a witch and Sarah Good called the Reverend a liar and stated that she was no more a witch than he was a wizard. Mary does actually believe that Sarah Good has tried to kill her, but it is more difficult to definitively account for how she came to feel these physical sensations in the court. She confessed that she has done witchcraft to save her life. I. Averill had previous brushes with the law before her witchcraft accusation in 1692. Although both Good and Sarah Osborne denied the allegations against them, Tituba admitted to being the "Devil's servant". Sarah was my 9th Great Aunt via the Averill side! afflicted and heard often them say that one Goody Wildes of Topsfield Wildes was indicted on one charge of witchcraft against Mercy Lewis afflicting them since the spring. She fit the prevailing stereotype of the malefic witch quite well. [Hobbs:] Last Lords day in this meeting house & out of the door, I saw a great many birds cats & dogs, & heard a voice say come away. When questioned by Reverend Parris and Mr. Putnam about speaking with the Devil, Tituba realizes that the best way to deflect suspicion from her own activities is by accusing others of witchcraft. When two girls, aged 9 and 11, started having strange and peculiar fits, the Puritans believed that the cause of these actions was the work of the devil. The Download the entire The Crucible study guide as a printable PDF! In fact, in response to an attempt by Minister Nicholas Noyes to elicit a confession, Good called out from the scaffolding, "You are a liar. She was accused of rejecting the puritanical expectations of self-control and discipline when she chose to torment and "scorn [children] instead of leading them towards the path of salvation". The Salem Witch Trials Victims: Who Were They? Sarah (Solart) Poole Good (1653-1692) - One of the first three women to be accused of witchcraft in the Salem witch trials of 1692, Sarah Good was born to a prosperous innkeeper named John Solart on 11 July 1653. By the time of the trials, Sarah and her husband were homeless, destitute and she was reduced to begging for work, food, and shelter from her neighbors. My lineage is William, William (Sarahs brother), Issac, Moses, Philo, Norman, Bethel, Effie, Alta, Edna Jean. testimony against Wildes came from a man named Thomas Dorman who In 1649, Sarah was brought before the Ipswich Quarterly Court and ordered to be whipped for fornicating out of wedlock with Thomas Wardwell and in 1663 she was accused of violating the colony's sumptuary laws by wearing a silk scarf (Robinson 295). The five women were hanged and most likely buried near the execution site because convicted witches were not allowed to be buried in consecrated ground. When it had stopped, she claimed Good had attacked her with a knife; she even produced a portion of it, stating the weapon had been broken during the alleged assault. 3 a child of 4 or 5 years old was in prison 7 or 8 months and being chain'd in the dungeon was so hardly used and terrifyed that she hath ever since been very chargeable haveing little or no reason to govern herself. This is a book review of "In Defense of Witches: The Legacy of the Witch Hunts and Why Women Are Still on Trial.". Good was a pregnant pauper; her marginalization meant she would find few defendants. Good was officially accused of the witchcraft in February of 1692 after two girls, Abigail Williams and Betty Parris, began behaving strangely and having fits. "You're a liar! The Salem Witch Trials would become one of the most tragic events in Colonial America. pinching, pricking and choking her. By bodies were cut down after the executions and temporarily placed in a SUN: 01:00 pm 06:00 pm, Mcgraw Hill Connect Promo Code June 2020 Reddit, Captain America Shield 75th Anniversary Uk, Where Is The Expiration Date On Mission Tortillas, Descendant 1 Film Complet En Francais Youtube Streaming, Culture Synthesis Ap World History Definition, The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down Controversy, BreakAway Speed Softball 18U 2020 Fall Schedule. death. behavior in the courtroom was clear evidence the she had been from the Boston jail and fled to New York. 12 yrs old is such a young and delicate age where you should be molding your future. [Hathorne]: How came they thus tormented? it and couldnt speak. From the testimony of her keepers and the officers who escorted her to and from jail, we learn that she exhibited considerable animation. William received thirty pounds in compensation one of the largest granted to victims of Salems Witch Trials. Four- year-old Dorcas Good (Sarah's only child) was arrested on March 23, gave a confession, and in so doing implicated her mother as a witch. I, 1906. Sarahs execution was set and she was hung on July 19th 1692 age 39. Which church is the one that has a lot to answer for? During most of the first week in March, while on trial before the local magistrates, Sarah Good was taken to Ipswich jail every night and returned in the morning, a distance of about ten miles each way. Sarah answer the question why was sarah good accused of witchcraft, which will help you get the most accurate answer. Sarah Osborne (c. 1643 - 10 May 1692), variously spelled Osbourne, Osburne, or Osborn, was one of the first three women to be accused of witchcraft in the Salem witch trials of 1692. Only four years old at the time, she was interrogated by the local magistrates, confessed to being a witch and purportedly claimed . In cat who laid on her all night and prohibited her from speaking or Regardless of the cause of the debt, Sarah and her second husband, William Good, were held responsible for paying it. A fire, a fire is burning! Sarah Good and Sarah Osburn are two women with bad reputations in Salem. I am no more a witch than you are a wizard, and if you take away my life God will give you blood to drink!. July 19], 1692,[Note 1] Sarah Good was hanged along with four other women convicted of witchcraft. Well kind of. Good was accused of witchcraft on March 6, 1692 [O.S. Later her back that was so severe she fell off her seat and had to be Essay Sample The Salem witch trials were a series of hearings and prosecutions of people accused of witchcraft in colonial Massachusetts between February 1692 and May 1693. Sources:Letters to the Editor. Life; Oct 1949, books.google.com/books?id=GFIEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA21&dq=reverend+noyes+blood&hl=en&ei=nXecTsH8C4S30AGk2PnoBA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=8&ved=0CFQQ6AEwBw#v=onepage&q=reverend%20noyes%20blood&f=falseSalem Witch Trials. Discovery Education, school.discoveryeducation.com/schooladventures/salemwitchtrials/people/good.htmlSarah Good Executed July 19, 1692. The Salem witchcraft papers, Volume 2 : Verbatim transcipts, University of Virginia, n.d., www2.iath.virginia.edu/salem/people/good.htmlUpham, Charles W. Salem Witchcraft: With an Account of Salem Village. Arthur Miller drew on . How was this bold woman blamed for black magic? They were buried in a crevice on Gallows Hill. Sarah Good was born in 1653, the daughter of a well-to-do tavern owner in Wenham, Massachusetts named John Solart. Only fragments of Sarah Wildes examination survive so little is known of the proceeding except that, during the examination, afflicted girl Sarah Bibber claimed to see Wildes spirit sitting on the beam of the meetinghouse. family lived in a house that stood in the triangular Before the Salem Witch Trials. afflicted her again on the day of her examination by striking and Thank you for this incredible article! them, but I would not; & they would have had me signed, but I Im so very sorry you experienced abuse. By 1962, Sarah and William were destitute. Ann. Sarah In 2017, the Proctors Ledge Memorial was built in Salem, Mass and a marker was established for Sarah Good. In addition, the Wildes family were entangled in a land dispute between Topsfield and Salem Village which might have made them unpopular with the Salem villagers, according to Winfield S. Nevins in his book Witchcraft in Salem Village in 1692: The Wildes family belonged to the faction in Topsfield which was active in the feud with Salem Village. Sarah then married William Good, but creditors seized their Salem home, and by 1692, Sarah Good and her husband were homeless beggars. Sarah Good lies because she fears being convicted of witchcraft and because she feels that there is no other way to save her life. I am Native.. My People Have Seen This Convert, Confess and Die Crap as Well.. Saddest part is everyone was suffering from ergot poisoning. Wildes, a widower with eight children whose first wife Priscilla You bring others here and now you charge me with it. I think a bit of her spirit may live in me . Symonds yet again, during which she again accused the others of urging her to Cambridge University Press, 1995.Avery, Clara A. So many family members here! On September 11, 1710, Ephraim Wildes I pray my Great Aunt is at peace. Even Goods four-year-old daughter had been held in Salem Jail! 136.2). A teacher walks into the Classroom and says If only Yesterday was Tomorrow Today would have been a Saturday Which Day did the Teacher make this Statement? stating: I never saw the book in my life and I never saw these Why do you not tell us the truth? Essex ss. William Good, Sarah's husband, was a laborer who made a meager income which caused the Goods to rely on the charity and goodwill of their neighbors. I am also a direct descendant of Sarah Wildes, Ancestry lists her as my 10th great aunt, but Ephraim is my 8th great grandfather. What is the exposition of the blanket by Floyd dell? Sad & Terrible.. Ephraim Wildes, son of Sarah, deposed that the marshal of Salem came to Topsfield with the warrants for the arrest of his mother and William Hobbs and his wife. In addition, when her first husband, Robert Prince, died, she lived with Alexander Osborne for several years before marrying him. The judges ask Sarah Good what she was mumbling, and she says she was repeating the Commandments to herself. For anyone interested there is a two volume book on the Averills. Kind of embarrassing-Im going to side with the witches on this one. Good maintained her innocence, though one of the afflicted girls alleged that she had been stabbed by Goods specter while Good remained on stand. When ignored, Good would curse those who had neglected her an act that would be used against her in Salems Witch Trials. The claim against her is based on one person's unsubstantiated accusation. I am a direct descendant of William (my 9th great grandpa) Sarahs older brother. 136.6). Native Americans The West About Sarah Osborne Facts And Overview Sarah Osborne was one of the first people to be accused of witchcraft during the Salem Witch Trials in Salem, Massachusetts Bay. Accusers at the trials, especially in the trial of Sarah Good, often cited jealousy and envy as explanations for witches' discontent and anger. Indeed, upon Pooles death, Good was left with colossal debt. Wildes daughter (from a previous marriage) and son-in-law, Sarah and it is a very sad book but at the same time very very sweet and once you read the first chapter or two you have to read the rest of the book. However, her father's estate became entangled in litigation leaving Sarah Good in poverty. I was delighted to find this AMAZING article telling more of her story. Abigail is a mean and vindictive person who always wants her way, no matter who she hurts. "Examination Enjoy eNotes ad-free and cancel anytime. A witch is classified as a person who made a pact with the Devil and can now use some of the Devil's power. William, Job Sr, Job, Benjamin, Samuel, Nathaniel, Samuel, Nettie who is my Great-Grandmother, She married a Matthews so from there the line goes to Gertrude who married a Lee and then my father David. Such a sad time on out history. I hear the boot of Lucifer, I see his filthy face! Good was the wife of William Good and, at the time of the Salem witch hysteria, was a poor, pregnant beggar who would often wander door to door in Salem Village asking for handouts while her husband worked as a day laborer. Good information, can you tell me where to find the source? Because of the lack of medical assistance and the unsanitary conditions, her newborn baby died. Once, Mary became very ill for the next two days. I am a descendent of SARAH WILDES she is my 9th great aunt, via her brother William Averill. Sarah Osborne was different from the other two accused as she was a wealthy, upper-class widow. His death serves as a tragic reminder of the destructive power of fear . What happened to Tituba's daughter? eNotes.com will help you with any book or any question. Latest answer posted April 17, 2020 at 1:25:04 AM. As for Phoebe Wildes, Symonds Caitlyn, never feel you are alone. That sentence in the bible is responsible for so much suffering and even today, superstition is still doing the same. Dorothy Good (historically referred to as Dorcas Good; ca. After hearing this, Judge William Stoughton[6] simply scolded the girl for exaggerating what he believed to be the truth.[7][8]. Mary says that she Start your 48-hour free trial to unlock this answer and thousands more. No human-especially a defenseless child- should ever endure abuse. Why should he be recompensed? At least seven people testified as to her angry muttering and general turbulence after the refusal of charity. Hysteria feeds itself and grows: now people have confessed to non-existent witchcraft! The three accused witches were brought before the magistrates Jonathan Corwin and John Hathorne and questioned, even as their accusers appeared in the . I believe in Universemany call this GodSome call this AllahBuddha. Jr. Ask for healing from the abuse and spirit will help you. Memorial plaque located on Masonic Temple. [Good]: What do I know? When I searched the quarterly reports his name was spelled differently, but misspelling of surnames was common back then, and I did wonder if Thomas was in fact a Wardwell. Unlike the other two women accused with her, Tituba and Sarah Good, Osborne never confessed to witchcraft nor attempted to accuse anyone else. In act 3 of The Crucible, why does Reverend Hale change his story about witchcraft? Williams restitution was peculiar since his testimony had contributed to Goods imprisonment, persecution, and parting. Why the American colonies had only one large witch-hunt, occurring in Massachusetts in 1692, was most likely the result of extreme stress in the New England colonies. She was my 8th great grandmother! Why was Sarah Good accused of witchcraft? Reddington said he wife would eventually stop on her Who is Sarah Good in the crucible? mother-in-law, Goody Reddington, which she also denied although a man Mary Reddington, told him that Sarah Wildes specter had attacked her Legend often shows Sarah Good as a despondent, distressed woman with little determination or drive. What was Sarah Good accused for in the crucible? Although initially refusing, Tituba said, she eventually wrote her name, after Good and Osborne forced her to. Religion Has Quite A Trail Of Misery and Torture. Not many people nowadays will confess their sin. As a beggar, she. Ironically enough on my mothers side Nathaniel Ingersoll is my 8th great uncle but Im siding with the accused witches. Fascinating glimpses into the towns past. What is the average 40 yard dash time for a 11 year old boy? I would have been done for being a witch as I have mental health problems and Autism. Sarah Osborne was among many of the men and women who were accused during the very well known time known as The Salem Witch Trials. John, and her son, Ephraim, who testified on her behalf. for William Hobbs and Deliverance Hobbs, he was the one who arrested And their pastor thought god was punishing you for your sins if you got ill. book she would give her some clothes and would stop A farmer has 19 sheep All but 7 die How many are left? [Hathorne]: Why who was it? moving. the girls eventually shouted out the names of three townspeople: Tituba, Sarah Osborne, and Sarah Good. The women of "The View" started the show with their frustration over the appointment to the committee more than the appointment of fib connoisseur and accused business fraudster Rep. George Santos . Sarah Good was wanted for witchcraft on February 25, 1692. What is the scripture?? At the time of her trial, Good was described as "a forlorn, friendless, and forsaken creature, broken down by wretchedness of condition and ill-repute." I believe that Sarah was my 9x Aunt but Im not sure. choking her as well as Mercy Lewis, Abigail Williams and Ann Putnam Sarah is my 9x great Aunt. Why did Abigail accuse Elizabeth of witchcraft in the Crucible? Based on this "evidence", she was ordered bound over for trial. [10] There is also a legend that, twenty-five years later, Noyes died from choking on his own blood.[11]. [Good]: I imploy nobody. mother was a witch. When questioned by adults about who was causing these fits, the girls accused Sarah Good along with Tituba and Sarah Osburn, according to the book Salem Witchcraft: It must be borne in mind, that it was then an established doctrine in theology, philosophy, and law, that the Devil could not operate upon mortals, or mortal affairs, except through the intermediate instrumentality of human beings in confederacy with him, that is, witches or wizards. Nicholas Noyes was persistent, but unsuccessful, in his attempts to force Good to confess. I too have decended from the Wildes. She was never charged, but was kept in the cold Ipswich jail until her her poor father managed to gather up 50 for Dorothys bail and board. By that time, the child suffered from grave psychological damage that would destroy the rest of her life. Goods reputation as a socially bereft beggar has remained at the forefront of her legacy. Whom life had made ugly in the story of dodong and teang? What is the best estimate of the capacity of a juice box? I'm no more a witch than you are a wizard! Then I was finally able to break free. Although she admitted to working with the devil, Tituba at first blamed Sarah Good and Sarah Osbourne for tormenting the afflicted girls. She was accused around the same time as Tituba and Sarah Good. I mean yeah its sad. Although she was persecuted unjustifiably, Good maintained her innocence. [Good]: I do not know but it was some you brought into the meeting house with you. The marshal served that on Sarah Wildes, and young Wildes arrested Hobbs and his wife. a neighbor pointed the men towards John Wildes Jrs scythe and they All three were questioned again by Corwin and Hathorne. that the day the brothers explained that while they were loading Rebecca Beatrice Brooks is the author and publisher of the History of Massachusetts Blog. This story is so sad, even more than three hundred years later. She also said that Good had ordered her cat to attack Elizabeth Hubbard, causing the scratches and bite marks on the girl's body. But whatever the cause the effect was the same and cost Sarah Wilds her life (Topsfield Historical Society 30). He What was the necessity, function, and purpose of his death? Noyes died of internal hemorrhage, bleeding profusely at the mouth. Sarah had long been a melancholy and somewhat confrontational woman, and was accused of witchcraft on February 25, 1692 by the girls Abigail Williams and Elizabeth Parris. One of the Sarah is my 9x Great Aunt. to find Sarah Wildes standing at the foot of his bed before she The young girls appeared to have been bitten, pinched, and otherwise tormented. Symonds family, prompting him to never return to the Symonds house William had cautioned Goody Ingersoll about a wart on his wifes right shoulder a witches teat, suspected William. Sarah Good was one of the first accused witches. their friends. She leaped off her horse three times, railed at the magistrates, and endeavored to kill herself.. witness, John Goulds, testified that 15 or 16 years ago his sister, "punished" by the accusation of witchcraft. Poor kid! Good was then jailed, tried in court, found guilty and hanged on July 19th. Sarahs child never died. 070: Deliverance Hobbs. Salem Witch Trials Documentary Archive and Transcription Project, salem.lib.virginia.edu/n70.htmlSWP No. I was working on my ancestry a few years back and found that Im related somehow to Sarahs Good. This is true fact. Both She was a healer, using herbs and different concoctions including. I look forward to visiting Salem this fall. The Rev. The author Chollet writes that the book won't spend much time on witchcraft today, but explore the afterlife of the witch-hunts in Europe and the US that amped up prejudices about women, repressing certain behaviors and . You are wondering about the question why was sarah good accused of witchcraft but currently there is no answer, so let kienthuctudonghoa.com summarize and list the top articles with the question. June 30, two of the afflicted girls, Ann Putnam Jr and Mary Walcott, However, upon hearing this statement, a young townsman stood and told the court the piece had broken off his own knife the day before, and that the girl had witnessed it. On March 24, she was taken custody, and was interrogated (examined) by the local magistrates for two weeks. he later heard from Ann Putnam that Wildes was responsible for the Why does Tituba accuse Sarah Good of witchcraft? 1680-April 1693) was the first girl to be accused of practicing witchcraft during the 1692 Salem witch trials. Taylor Trade Publishing, 2002. the Topsfield Historical Society: After the marriage of John Wilds and Sarah Averill, there had been war between them and John Gould and Mary Reddington the brother and sister of Priscilla, the first wife. His 70-acre estate was valued around 500 pounds and he didn't leave a will. Poole died sometime after 1682, leaving Sarah only debts, which some sources credit her with creating for Poole. the witnesses believed Wildes had afflicted them or their livestock