Rebecca Nurse: Victim of Salem Witch Trials

Rebecca Nurse was born Rebecca Towne to William and Joanna Towne in Great Yarmouth, England in 1621. In 1640 her family moved to Salem Village. Nurse had two sisters who were also accused of witchcraft. Around or about 1645, Nurse married Francis Nurse and together they had eight children in their marriage. Francis Nurse was a "tray maker" and because of the uncommonness of the trade, they were considered esteemed. Francis served as Salem's Constable in 1672. Nurse was a frequent church goer and was well respected in the community.

With being such a pillar of the community and church, why then was Nurse accused of witchcraft? Well the answer lies in where Nurse lived. Nurse along with her family lived on a vast homestead. This made her a target for the Putnam family as; they had been in several hostile land disputes with them.

In a weird twist to this, old court records show that several of the Putnam family spoke for Rebecca Nurse.

Nathaniel Putnam SR, spoke for her and described godliness. He told that while he knew of her to differ with her neighbors, he had never knew or heard any that accused her of what she was being charged of.

John Putnam and his wife Rebecca Putnam spoke on behalf of Nurse also. They both testified that their daughter Rebecca Shepard and their son-in-law John Fuller had died a violent death. They went on to testify that they both had died of a malignant fever and that there was no suspicion of witchcraft involved. They also testified that neither one of them could accuse Nurse of witchcraft.

Many other people would also speak on behalf of Rebecca Nurse during her trail. 39 prominent members of the community had signed a petition on behalf of Nurse. But just as many would speak against her. More over many of the Putnam family would make accusations against her.