Notizen zu dieser Person
The first record of him is in Hartford in 1651. His residence was on what is now lot 74 on Burr St. On May 21, 1657, he was made Freeman and was Chimney Viewer in Jun, 1662. It is very likely that he was in Hartford and married as early as 1638 and the first two children born soon thereafter. The records state that Mary, his second child, was of marriageable age in 1667. He and wife certainly got into serious trouble in Hartford. They were both indicted for witchcraft and for holding public meetings other than those prescribed by the elders or for dealings with "Sathan". The records show that he was "accused" Jun 6, 1662, and very soon after tried in courtby a jury; that the verdict of the jury was, "some thought guilty, some strongly suspected," result, a disagreement. It further appears that the wife Mary was indicted Jun 13, 1662, and soon tried, whether with her husband has not been learned. The verdict in her case, it is certain, was "Guilty," which of course, meant execution.The actual record of the execution has not been found, but it is morally certain that she was executed. John M. Taylor in his "Witchcraft Delusion in Colonial Connecticut" states that she was executed. In the preparation of that work, as he states, in a letter to Mr. F. A. Sanford, No. 303 in this family, of Nov 14, 1910, (to whom the author is indebted for assistance in this matter), he (Taylor) had access to the notes of the late Dr. Charles J. Hoadley who made an exhaustive research some years since on the subject of witchcraft. His volume of memoranda is now held by Mr. George E. Hoadley of New Haven. For trial of Mrs. Sanford see pg.151. Andrew's trial will be found in the same volume. See also records of "Particular Court" vol. 2, pg. 174-5, on file in office of Secretary of State and State Librarian, Hartford CT. The fact, too, that Mr. Sanford not long after these trials, married again goes to show that his first wife had died. A recent article (1910) in the New England Historical Magazine refers to the Sanfords of Hartford CT as being "All Quakers." In and under Hartford Colonial law Quakers were classed as and with heretics. Quite a good many Quakers and Heretics were executed in New England in Colonial times.So we need not look upon the case of Mary Sanford as a strange one. Ongoing to Milford in 1667 he and his second wife accepted the situation and joined the Church, Mar 4, 1671. Mr. Sanford left a will dated Sep 6, 1684. The inventory of his estate is dated Oct 16, 1684. The will mentions eldest son Andrew, son Ezekiel, eldest daughter Mary,daughter Hannah, and "the three younger ones." "If any of these die their portions to go to the remaining daughters." (New Haven Pro. Rec. Book 1, p.130). The book "The Devil in the Shape of a Woman" by Carol F Karlsen, it says that Andrew was indicted with Mary but the charges against Andrew were dismissed, despite some misgivings on the part of the local court. This book gives an account of what happened and it sounds like they executed Mary quickly. It also sounded to me like the townspeople were in a panic. Joined Milford Church Jun 27, 1669 and became a freeman the same year. His estate was inventoried Dec 10, 1705. His son Andrew was named administrator of his will.
Michael
Grimes
