Ancestors of Margaret Stephenson

Margaret Stephenson
(Abt 1617-1692)

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Margaret Stephenson

Born: Abt 1617
Marriage: Benjamin Scott poss 28 July (not May) 1642, according to Calendars in use at the time, in prob Cambridge, MA
Died: 22 Sep 1692, Salem Village, MA about age 75
Buried: Disecrated, Gallow Hill, Salem Village, MA

bullet Cause of her death was Murdered, by hanging, never buried, left to rot, in public.

bullet General Notes:

Marriage date note: "Margaret Stephenson is judged at liberty to be married to Benjamin Scott", 28 day of the 5th month 1642. (This 5th month being July rather than May, according to the Calendar of the Time.)

Who passed such a judgement? Why? Was she very young? Was she widowed? Was she obligated as an indentured servant? I am suspecting it was the previous, that she was very young.

Or was Benjamin Scott the issue? Was he a widower? Was there a mourning period involved? I wonder about this since he died so many years ahead of her, of presumably natural causes.

(Records of the Court of Assistants, p. 125.) Benjamin Scott, with his wife Margaret, were early residents of Cambridge, Mass., wence they removed to Rowley before 1651 and were granted land in 1664, having previously purchased land in Haverhill.

Margaret and Benjamin were married for about 29 years. When he died he left his property to her, but it was undeveloped and we can only hope that his wishes, for his sons to build her a house on the property, did come to pass. Margaret survived him by 21 years and may have lived on for some time to come, had she not been the victim of hysteria and, or, greed.

At this time, I don't know if anyone has truly discovered the origins of Benjamin Scot or Margaret Stephenson. Some think Scotland or England, for Benjamin, and that Margaret was born in the states.

Yet no "father" possibility has been presented for Margaret.

At that time in history, children were being taken from England and other parts of their realm, to be indentured to the settlers, of the new colony, by the hundreds.

Records would be vague, if referenced at all, especially where girls were concerned, whose bondage period was longer, in general, then that of the boys.... who would be noted as Freedmen and land owners, once they came of legal age, where as women tended only to be mentioned, if lucky, in marriage, or within a will, if born of a family with property.

Women were a comodity of sorts... especially in these very early years.... therefore often bought out of indenture, at a profit, for the indenture holder, in exchange for right to marry.... from the frying pan to the fire, perhaps for some.

Margaret was possibly the oldest woman hung (although that honor seems to have gone to Rebecca Nurse who was 70.)

Some believe Margaret was born about 1617…making her about 75 years old, at the time of her murder. Some may baulk at my use of that term, but seriously, all those people were victims of ignorance, greed, and misplaced power, resulting in a climate that encouraged the murder of all those who died, directly and indirectly.

I think perhaps she may have been born about 1626… a date I arrived at by subtracting 16 from the "at liberty to marry year of 1642." If girls were permitted to marry even younger then that, then she may have been even younger.

This perspective would then be supported by the belief that Rebecca was the eldest woman hung. If born in 1626, our Beloved would have been about 66 years old, which for the times is still pretty old, but younger than Rebecca.

Then again, I could be entirely wrong and other speculators closer to the truth, but I do not fear seeing things in a different light.

We can reasonably speculate that Margaret did not confess to being a witch, as her refusal to do so resulted in the sentence. Most, but not all, of her descendants would probably believe she did not confess to being a witch, because she was not one. I personally would not be offended, if she actually was a witch. Either way, I commend her refusal to confess to witchery, as explained below.

Those who did confess to being witches, while spared the gallows for the most part, were not granted a reprieve from torment; they were forced, by continued torture if necessary, to provide additional names, of other witches. Which is why the number of "witches" in the area seemed to esculate!

I would like to suggest that it might be less likely for a genuine witch to confess, despite truth of persuasion, once the above consequences of confession, became known. As it is my rudimentary understanding that true witches, then, as well as now, believe in free will, as do Christians. So, as with Christians, freedom comes with an inevitable price, of consequence, and thus summed up as a warning: "Do what ye wilt and harm ye no one."

Ratting off "innocents," as fabricated witches, to satisfy the demands of the fanatical abusers, would not have been a desireable choice, for a true witch! Nor would bearing false witness against self and others, be a desireable escape for a true Christian!

We have no idea exactly how much torture these men and women endured, prior to breaking down to "confessions," but we would not be wrong to imagine it was horrendous...crude... brutal... and saddistic.

Therefore, those who remained true to their beliefs and refused to confess, knowing the consequence, that others would be made to likewise suffer, were far sounder in their beliefs, than were the hypocrites who persecuted them!

We who descend of Margaret Stephenson should honor her memory, as a woman who did not crumble and did not waiver from her true beliefs, what ever they were, or were not.

If not a witch, then why would Margaret Stephenson Scott become a target, for the maddness? The answer may be below.

We know Margaret must have been a very tough and stoic woman, as were most of the female stock of those times. She obviously was an independent woman, having survived on her own, admittedly though, perhaps with the aid of her sons, for many years, after her husband, Benjamin died in 1671.

Chances are she did not take any guff off of young upstarts, such as the teenager who spoke against her:

(Frances Wycome v. Margaret Scott)

"The deposition of frances wycom who testifyeth and saith that quickly after the first court at (Salem) about wicthcraft margerit Scott whom I very well knew: or hir Apperance came to me and did most greviously torment me by choaking and almost presing me to death: and so she did continue affleting me by times tell the 5'th August 1692 being the day of hir examination allso during the time of hir examination margerit scott did most greviously afflect me: and also severall times sence: and I belive in my heart that margerit Scott is a wicth and that she has often affleted me by acts of wicthcraft."

frances Wycom owned: to the grand Inquest: that the above written evidence: is the truth upon oath: Sept'r 15: 1692: Jurat in Curia.
Essex County Archives, Salem - Witchcraft Vol. 2, Page 45

And, despite her age, since there was property involved, there would surely have been offers presented to her, to remarry, even late in life, which she apparently deferred. In fact, I suspect that the deceased fellow referred to below, by some of her accusers, if indeed quilty of such remarks, may have been a rejected suitor:

(Phillip Nelson and Sarah Nelson
v.
Margaret Scott)

#[also] phillip Nellson and Sarah his wife doe testifie and say that for Two or Three years be fore #[the said] Robert Shilleto dyed we have often hard him complaining of margerit Scott for hurting of him and often said that she was a wicth and so he continewed complaining of Margarit Scott saying he should never be well so long as margaret Scott lived & so he Complayned of Margret Scott: att times until he dyed

Phillip Nelson and Sarah his wife affirmed: upon their oath to the grand Inquest that the above written evidence: is the truth

Sept'r 15: 1692 Jurat in Curia

Essex County Archives, Salem - Witchcraft Vol. 2, Page 45

In those times, a married woman did not have rights of property… all went to her husband, including that which she brought into a marriage.

Remaining single, the property, in its entirety, remained within her own discretionary control. I think this may have contributed to her fate.

It may have been assumed that she would confess, rather than endure the torture and ultimate pain of being hung and the land could be recovered by the township... perhaps... at their best... or at their least.... if she refused confession, her life would be ended and the property passed onto to rightful ownership to her children, who might have been more willing to negotiate a sale of the propery, which by this time in the settlement, might have been desireable, to the growning community.

It has been suggested that those who did confess to what was considered a crime, in witchcraft, forfeited rights of not only self, to their property, but the rights of their heirs as well.

Perhaps Margaret fought the insanity, for the sakes of her sons, who had contributed to her ability to remain independant and may have actually built her a home on the land, as their father desired for them to do.

Her husband, Benjamin, must have truly cared about and respected Margaret, even though he had little to send her way or little in life to provide to her... as is openly reflected in his will:

His Will was proved 26 Sept 1671, he having died shortly before that date.

" I , Benjamin Scott Being very weeake of Body but of competent understanding and memory doe make this my Last Will and Testament. Imprimis. I will and begueath my Soule unto the hands of the all mighty god that give it and my body body to the Earth in hope of blessed resurection. And as for my outward estait, my will is that my littel peece of land the towne gave me at the bricke kill my wife have the benefit of it dureing her widdowhood so long as she remaine relique to me and after her I will and give unto my son Beniamin. I will also and give unto hir my bigest cow and all my household stufe I give hir to be wholly hir owne and at her will and despose. Item, as for my son Beniamin my will is that he have The oxen and the mare and the cart and plough and all the tackling belonging unto them and the land after the caring of his mother and his own armes. Item. as for my son John I will give him one cow and one heiffer, the cow is his own and I only give one heffer, he having bond from me to the obtaining of a good trade. Item. as for my daughter Mary, I will and give hir one cow that is called Spoferd. Item. my will farther is that my son Beniamin, and John according to his promise be helpfull to the getting up of a house on the land for the comforth of ther mother. And I make my well beloved wife the solle executrix of this my last will and Testament.
'Datted and signed the sixt of June (1671)
by his
"Beniamin ~ Scott "
mark X
" Signed in the p' sence of Samuel Brocklebank James Barker"

I suggest that Margaret (nee Stephenson) Scott was a target because she was an independant woman and because someone may have wanted that little piece of town land, which Margaret been selling pieces thereof, to sustain herself, but refused to sell entirely. She would not have need much, as she surely had her own vegetable garden, as did most families of the time, and she may have still had some livestock.
I have not been able to ascertain yet, what became of the property of Margaret (Stephenson) Scott, and would welcome any enlightment on this topic. I do know that some of the Scott children died in Rowley, after she was hung. I need to investigate that further.

What I do know is that her death, by murder, was not the end of the indignation against her. Along with the others, hung from Gallow Hill, she was left to rot in public view! Chances are that eventually the remains were gathered up and collectively buried in a shared grave, without ceremony or marker. And while you might think, THAT THEN is the end of it, there is more to convey.

On the 6th of May, 2008, I (Colleen Cahoon) stumbled across the following article, which lends potential credence to a supposition that Margaret had been "pegged" as a witch for several years prior to the infamous witch trials of Salem.

The following excerpt was taken from: Mary Beth Norton's Salem Witchcraft in the Classroom at www.common-place.org • vol. 6 • no. 2 • January 2006

Mark Rice chose to examine the case of Margaret Scott, a stereotypical witch accused and tried late in the crisis. Mark showed that precisely because she was a classic witch, accused of maleficium (bewitching her neighbors’ livestock and children) as well as of spectral attacks on the afflicted, her fate was essentially sealed by the fact she was tried after the Court of Oyer and Terminer had come under sharp attack from critics of the court’s seeming reliance on spectral evidence.

Two students wrote biographies of executed women who had attracted scant attention from earlier scholars: Jacqueline Kelly researched Mary Parker of Andover in an innovative way, and Mark Rice uncovered the background to the accusation of Margaret Scott of Rowley. Mark Rice carefully reconstructed the life of Margaret Scott of Rowley. Because the testimony and other documents in her case became separated from the bulk of the surviving legal records, they were not printed in Boyer and Nissenbaum’s Salem Witchcraft Papers, and thus few scholars have paid any attention to her. Brief versions of the papers follow, with links to full texts of the revised papers (essentially as presented at the Berkshire Conference) on the Salem Witch Trials Documentary Archive Website.

Mark Rice, "Specters, Maleficium, and Margaret Scott"

Until recently, the story of Margaret Scott, executed September 22, 1692, as part of the Salem witch trials, was a mystery. With the discovery of depositions related to her trial, it is now possible to use the names, places, and events mentioned in the court records to finally discover Margaret Scott’s story. The information yielded by these documents shows that Margaret Scott was a victim of bad luck and even worse timing. These two aspects, more than any supernatural forces, led to the demise of Margaret Scott. Margaret Scott fits the stereotype of the classic witch identified and feared for years by her neighbors in Rowley, Massachusetts (a small town to the north of Salem).

Margaret had difficulty raising children, something widely believed to be common for witches. Her husband died in 1671, leaving only a small estate that had to support Margaret for years. Margaret, who was thus forced to beg, exposed herself to witchcraft suspicions because of what the historian Robin Briggs has termed the "refusal guilt syndrome." This phenomenon occurred when a beggar’s requests were refused, causing feelings of guilt and aggression on the refuser’s part. The refuser projected this aggression on the beggar and grew suspicious of her.

It also appears that when Margaret Scott was formally accused, it occurred at the hands of Rowley’s most distinguished citizens. Formal charges were filed only after the daughter of Captain Daniel Wicom became afflicted. The Wicoms also worked with another prominent Rowley family, the Nelsons, to act against Margaret Scott. The Wicoms and Nelsons helped produce witnesses, and one of the Nelsons sat on the grand jury that indicted her.

Frances Wicom testified that Margaret Scott’s specter tormented her on many occasions. Several factors may have led Frances to testify to such a terrible experience, including her home environment and its relationship with Indian conflicts. She undoubtedly would have heard first-hand accounts of bloody conflicts with Indians from her father, a captain in the militia. New evidence shows that a direct correlation can be found between anxiety over Indian wars being fought in Maine and witchcraft accusations.

Another girl tormented by Margaret Scott’s specter was Mary Daniel. Records show that Mary Daniel probably was a servant in the household of the minister of Rowley, Rev. Edward Payson. If Mary Daniel, who received baptism in 1691, worked for Mr. Payson, her religious surroundings could well have had an effect on her actions. Recent converts to Puritanism felt inadequate and unworthy and at times displaced their worries through possession and other violent experiences.

The third girl to be tormented spectrally was Sarah Coleman. Sarah was born in Rowley but lived most of her life in the neighboring town of Newbury. Her testimony shows the widespread belief surrounding Margaret Scott’s reputation.

Both the Nelsons and Wicoms also provided maleficium evidence—a witch’s harming of one’s property, health, or family—against Margaret Scott. Both testimonies show evidence of the refusal guilt syndrome. However, what sealed Margaret Scott’s fate was the timing of her trial and its relation to the witchcraft crisis. Evidence from the girls in Rowley coincided chronologically with important events in the Salem trials. Frances Wicom initially experienced spectral torment in 1692, "quickly after the first Court at Salem." Frances also testified that Scott’s afflictions of her stopped on the day of Scott’s examination, August 5. Mary Daniel deposed on August 4 that Margaret Scott afflicted her on the day of Scott’s arrest. The third afflicted girl, Sarah Coleman, testified that the specter of Margaret Scott started to afflict her on August 15, which fell ten days after the trial of George Burroughs and Scott’s own examination. Additionally, the fifteenth was only four days before the executions of Burroughs and other accused witches who were not "usual suspects" and thus brought considerable attention to the Salem proceedings.

By the time that Margaret Scott appeared in front of the court, critics of the proceedings had become more vocal, expressing concern over the wide use of spectral evidence in the Salem trials. The court probably took the opportunity to prosecute Margaret Scott to help its own reputation. Margaret Scott’s case involved not only spectral evidence but also a fair amount of testimony about maleficium. Scott exhibited many characteristics that were believed common among witches in New England. The spectral testimony given by the afflicted girls further bolstered the accusers’ case.

To the judges at Salem, Margaret Scott was a perfect candidate to highlight the court’s effectiveness. By executing Scott, the magistrates at Salem could silence critics of the trials by executing a "real witch" suspected of being associated with the devil for many years. She was accused, tried and convicted unjustly of witchcraft in Salem (which ajoins Rowley), hanged on Gallows Hill on Sept 22,1692.

Margaret was possibly the oldest woman hung (although that honor seems to have gone to Rebecca Nurse who was 70). Margaret would have been 75. A broadside from the period stated: "For the forth and last time, the procession left Salem jail for the place of execution of those persons condemned for witchcraft, on Thursday, September 22d. There were eight victims this time. Samuel Wardwell of Andover was the only man to thus suffer, the women were Mrs. Martha Cory, wife of Giles Cory, Alice Parker, wife of John Parker, and Ann Pudeator, widow of Jacob Pudeator, all of Salem, Mary (Towne) Easty, sister of Rebecca Nurse and wife of Isaac Easty of Topsfield, Margaret Scott, widow of Benjamin Scott of Rowley, aged about seventy-five, Wilmot Reed ("Mammy Red"), wife of Samuel Reed, of Marblehead, and widow Mary Parker of Andover. Upon the ladder, Mrs. Cory, protesting her innocence, concluded her life with an earnest prayer.

After the sheriff had done his part in the affair, Rev. Nicholas Noyes, of Salem, turned toward the suspended bodies of the victims, and said: "What a sad thing it is to see eight firebrands of hell hanging there."

In 1711, all the accused were exonerated and their relatives offered retribution; none of Margaret's family turned up, whether out of fear or shame or disgust, not all the families came forward to accept the apology. Margaret’s name was not cleared until Oct 31, 2001, 309 yrs after her death (see the article below). Margaret must have suffered extremely from the time of her arrest on Aug 06, 1692 until her death on Sep 22, 1692.

Massachusetts Clears Five Witches in Salem Trials
New York Times/November 2, 2001
Boston -- More than three centuries after they were accused, tried and hanged as unrepentant witches, on Gallows Hill in Salem, Mass., five women have been officially exonerated by the state.

The act, approved by the Legislature, was signed on Halloween by the acting governor, cheering the descendants of Bridget Bishop, Susannah Martin, Alice Parker, Wilmot Redd and Margaret Scott.

The five were among 20 men and women put to death during the witchcraft hysteria of 1692. ( And over 100 accused, imprisoned, and tortured!)

"We've had an awful lot of descendants that have been out there working for it," said Shari Kelley Worrell of Barrington, Ill., an eighth great-granddaughter of Susannah Martin. The Puritan leader Cotton Mather called her one of the most "impudent, scurrilous, wicked creatures in the world."

Ms. Worrell said: "I want to make sure that people know she was not a witch. History will now record her as being what she really was."

Ms. Worrell said she felt pity for her distant ancestor, who could have lived had she admitted to being a witch. "How would I feel dying as a Christian martyr, having people think I worshiped the devil?" she asked.

The state has tried to make amends before. In 1711, more than two decades after the trials, all the accused were exonerated and their relatives offered retribution. But, whether out of fear or shame, not all the families came forward to accept the apology. (Not all were listed for exoneration.)

A 1957 state resolution cleared the name of one more victim, Ann Pudeator, and "certain other persons" who were unlisted. (Again, not mentioned specifically by name.)

State Representative Paul E. Tirone, who helped shuttle this year's act through the Legislature, said the "other persons" should be cleared by name. (Finally someone else saw the distinction.

"These people were victims of hysteria, and they paid deeply with their lives," said Mr. Tirone, whose wife, Sharon, is a descendant of Sarah Wildes, who was exonerated in 1711.

The history lesson, he said, is one that modern Americans should keep in mind in the wake of Sept. 11, if they are tempted to eye their neighbors with suspicion.

"Sometimes when things like this happen we need to take a breath, and look at it," Mr. Tirone said. "We just can't paint blame with a wide brush."~

(From the Descendant of Margaret Scott, Colleen Cahoon: If I am understanding that last quote above, then Mr. Tirone infers that the victims of that horrid and fatal injustice, can not hold the entire state of Massachusetts liable, or even the county, or even the city, or even the court, or even the jury, or even THE COLONY, or the CROWN, for the 'brush of blame' would be a much much smaller, more precise one, which drips with the paint of truth, from a very fine point.

Individuals, in both high and low places, were entirely responsible for the murder of twenty men and women, who refused to confess to what had been made criminal... Witchcraft. So they were not even hung, really, for being Witches, but for REFUSING TO CONFESS TO SUCH!

Those individuals who brought false witness against these people, tortured these people, convicted these people, sentenced these people, hung these people, and left their remains to rot in public.... THEY... are responsible and there is no whitewashing, that will paint over that truth. Though the Truth is shrouded in ignorance and or greed. There is, therefore, much yet to be explained, supported and documented.

My Ascent to Margaret Stephenson, is as follows:
1. Elizabeth Arlene Clements, my Mother.
2. Beulah Madelon McLain(e), my Grandmother.
3. William Ernest McLain(e), my Great-Grandfather.
4. Chester B. McLain(e), my Great-Great-Grandfather.
5. William M. McLain(e), my Great-Great-Great-Grandfather.
6. Elizabeth Meserve(y), my Great-Great-Great-Great-Grandmother.
7. Nathanial Meserve(y), my Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Grandfather.
8. Sarah Decker, my Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Grandmother.
9. John Decker Jr., my Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Grandfather.
10. Mary Scott, my Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Grandmother.
11. Margaret Stephenson, my Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Grandmother.

Margaret married Benjamin Scott poss 28 July (not May) 1642, according to Calendars in use at the time, in prob Cambridge, MA. (Benjamin Scott died in Sep 1671 in Rowley, Essex, MA.)