Sharon Massachusetts

October 29, 1897

The Esteys of Old Stoughton
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By S. Talbot
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No. 5

In 1706 Ann Putnum wishing to join the church made a confession over her own signature which reads toward the close as follows: "And particularly, as I was chiefly instrumental of Goodwife Nurse and her two sisters, I desire to lie in the dust and to be humbled for it, that I was a cause with others, of so sad a calamity to them and their families." How to repair the great Mischief that had been perpetrated upon the innocent and unfortunate families of those who had been judicially murdered, was the last great act of justice. This the General Court of Massachusetts offered to pay money as will be seen by the following document.

"Topsfield, Sept. 8.1710."

"Isaac Esty of Topsfield, in the county of Essex, N. E. having been sorely exorcised through the holy and awful providence of God, depriving him of his beloved wife Mary Esty, who suffered death in the year 1692, and under the fearful odium of one of the worst crimes that can be laid to the charge of mankind, as if she had been guilty of the charge of witchcraft, a piece of wickedness which I believe she did hate with a perfect hatred; and by all that ever I could see by her, never could see anything by her that should give me any reason in the least, to think her guilty of anything of that nature, but I am firmly persuaded that she was innocent as any to such a shameful death. Upon consideration of a notification from the Honored General Court, desiring myself and others under like cercumstances to give some account of what my estate was damnified by reason of such a hellish molestation, do hereby declare which may also be seen by comparing papers and records, that Mary was near upon 5 months imprisoned, all of which time I provided maintenance for her of my own cost and charge, went constantly twice a week to provide for her what she needed; three weeks of this five months she was in prison in Boston, and I was constrained to be at the charge of transporting her to and fro, so that I cannot but think my charge in time and money might amount to 20£ besides my trouble and sorrow of heart, in being deprived of her, after such a manner of which this world can never make me any compensation for, - Isaac Esty, Sen., aged about 82 years."
"I order and appoint my son, Jacob Esty, to carry this to the Honored Committee of the General Court at Salem, Sept. 12, 1710"

In this way the General Court endeavored to atone for the evils and disgrace of witchcraft. But the memory of witchcraft will ever remain a by-word and a reproach to the fair fame of New England.

Here I might appropriately leave the history of the Estey Family to the Genealogist, but as there has been a monument erected to the memory of Rebecca Nurse, sister of Mary Esty, it would seem to be nothing more than a tribute of respect to the memory of a brave and noble woman, who so courageously and fearlessly stood up for truth, justice and righteousness beyond all others. at a time when fanaticism and darkness brooded over the Colonies of New England, to erect a monument to the name and character of Mary Estey. What could be more appropriate than at the coming 200th anniversary of her death to pay tribute to the name of "MOTHER ESTEY".



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