House of Ann Putnam, Jr. Danvers circa 1891

Ann Putnam, Jr. (October 18, 1679 – 1716). Along with Elizabeth "Betty" Parris, Mary Walcott and Abigail Williams, Ann Putnam Jr. was an important witness at the Salem Witch Trials of Massachusetts during the later portion of 17th Century Colonial America. Born 1679 in Salem Village, Essex County, Massachusetts, she was the eldest child of Thomas Putnam (1652–1699) and Ann Carr (1661–1699). An intelligent and well-educated young lady, she was friends with some of the afflicted girls and, in March 1692, became afflicted herself. Image File history File links House_of_Ann_Putman. ... Image File history File links House_of_Ann_Putman. ... Seal of Danvers, MA Danvers, a town located in Essex County, Massachusetts was formerly named Salem Village. ... Year 1891 (MDCCCXCI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... is the 291st day of the year (292nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events January 24 - King Charles II of England disbands Parliament August 7 - The brigantine Le Griffon, which was commissioned by René Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, is towed to the southern end of the Niagara River, to become the first ship to sail the upper Great Lakes. ... // Events August 5 - In the Battle of Peterwardein 40. ... After shuving up her anusElizabeth Betty Parris (November 28, 1682 – March 21, 1760) was the nine-year-old daughter of the Salem villages reverend Samuel Parris (1653–1720) and was the first to become ill after being bewitched as most people thought. ... Mary Walcott (July 5, 1675 – after 1719) was one of the witnesses at the Salem Witch Trials of Salem, Massachusetts in the years 1692 and 1693. ... Abigail Williams testimony against George Jacobs, Jr. ... 1876 illustration of the courtroom; the central figure is usually identified as Mary Walcott The Salem witch trials were a series of hearings by local magistrates and county court trials to prosecute people alleged to have committed acts of witchcraft in Essex, Suffolk and Middlesex Counties of Massachusetts in 1692... This article is about the U.S. state. ... (16th century - 17th century - 18th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 17th century was that century which lasted from 1601-1700. ... This article is about the colonial history of the United States. ... Danvers is a town located in Essex County, Massachusetts. ... Essex County is a county located in the northeastern part of the state of Massachusetts. ... Thomas Putnam (January 12, 1651/2 - May 24, 1699) was a real person ([1]) in the Salem witch trials, and is a character in the play, The Crucible by Arthur Miller. ...

Putnam was one of the most active accusers during the trials. She claimed to have been afflicted by 62 different people, and testified in many trials. Some believe the continuance of the trials was due to the attention given to the accusers, which was unheard of in Puritan times.

In 1706, Ann Putnam Jr. was the only girl to offer an apology for her part in the witch trials. She stood before her church as her apology was read:

I desire to be humbled before God for that sad and humbling providence that befell my father's family in the year about ninety-two; that I, then being in my childhood, should, by such a providence of God, be made an instrument for the accusing of several persons of a grievous crime, whereby their lives were taken away from them, whom, now I have just grounds and good reason to believe they were innocent persons; and that it was a great delusion of Satan that deceived me in that sad time, whereby I justly fear I have been instrumental, with others, though ignorantly and unwittingly, to bring upon myself and this land the guilt of innocent blood; though, what was said or done by me against any person, I can truly and uprightly say, before God and man, I did it not out of any anger, malice, or ill will to any person, for I had no such thing against one of them; but what I did was ignorantly, being deluded by Satan.

And particularly, as I was a chief instrument of accusing Goodwife Nurse and her two sisters, I desire to lie in the dust, and to be humble for it, in that I was a cause, with others, of so sad a calamity to them and their families; for which cause I desire to lie in the dust, and earnestly beg forgiveness of God, and from all those unto whom I have given just cause of sorrow and offense, whose relations were taken away or accused.

Some historians have speculated that her parents, Thomas and Ann (Carr), Sr., coerced Putnam to accuse those they were feuding with or sought revenge on. Many of the accused had some sort of relationship with the powerful Putnam family.

When her parents died in 1699, Putnam was left to raise her nine siblings aged 7 months to 16 years. She never married, and died in 1716.

She was a first cousin once removed of Generals Israel Putnam and Rufus Putnam. Maj. ... Rufus Putnam // Early Life Rufus Putnam (1738 - 1824) was born on April 9, 1738 in Sutton, Massachusetts. ...

Sources

• Biography of Ann Putnam, Jr.[1]