Ann Putnam was one of the key figures in the infamous witch trials that took place in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. She was born on October 18, 1679, to parents Thomas and Ann Putnam. The Putnam family held a prominent position in the Salem community, and Ann was no exception to this. During the witch trials, Ann Putnam played a significant role in accusing numerous individuals of practicing witchcraft. She was known for her active involvement in the proceedings, appearing as a witness and relaying her experiences of being afflicted by the supposed witches. Ann claimed to have seen the afflicted girls being influenced by spectral figures, and she identified several people as the culprits behind these apparitions.
Putnam, Ann, Jr.
Born: 1680
Salem, Massachusetts Died: 1717
Salem, Massachusetts A main accuser in the Salem witch trials Modern historians have portrayed Ann Putnam, Jr. as a victim of the Salem witch trials. Although she was one of the primary accusers who sent twenty innocent people to their deaths as convicted witches, she had been trapped in a vicious cycle of events caused in part by her parents. Her father, Thomas Putnam, was seeking revenge on his enemies in a longstanding land feud. Her mother, Ann Putnam, Sr., had become immersed in the occult (attempts to influence events through supernatural forces) as a way to avenge the death, years earlier, of her own beloved sister. Thirteen years after the end of the Salem trials, Ann, Jr. came forward as the only accuser to issue an apology to the families of the executed witches.
Ann claimed to have seen the afflicted girls being influenced by spectral figures, and she identified several people as the culprits behind these apparitions. Her accusations were particularly influential due to her position within the community and the respect she held. As a respected member of the Putnam family, Ann's involvement in the trials carried significant weight.
Influenced by parents' obsessions
Ann Putnam, Jr. was born in Salem Village, Massachusetts, and grew up in a tense and troubled household. For over fifty years her father's family had carried on a boundary dispute with their neighbors, creating deep divisions within the community. As owners of large tracts of land, the Putnams wielded considerable political power and they were leading a campaign to keep rural Salem Village separate from the more urban Salem Town. Their main strategy was to establish a church that was independent from the Salem congregation. In 1688, after two other ministers had been forced to leave their posts, Thomas Putnam and his relatives pressured the Salem Village congregation to hire Samuel Parris (see biography entry) as the new preacher. They also took the unusual step of giving Parris a high salary and granting him the title to (legal ownership of) the parsonage (minister's home) and surrounding land. By the time Parris arrived the following year the community had broken up into two factions, those who supported the Putnams and his decision to hire Parris, and others who opposed the appointment of Parris. Soon the anti-Parris group gained enough votes on the village committee (local governing body) to withhold taxes that paid the minister's salary. This situation had a direct impact on the Salem trials of 1692–93, and on Ann, Jr., who became one of the main accusers of suspected witches (see Chapters 3 and 4). Most of the accused people belonged to or were associated with the anti-Putnam faction, and Thomas Putnam actively encouraged Ann to make accusations throughout the trials Not only was Ann, Jr. caught in the middle of the Putnams' political battles, she was also pulled into her mother's obsession with the occult. Ann Putnam, Sr. moved to Salem Village as a teenager with her older sister Mary, who had married James Bailey, the first minister of the village parish. Mary suffered several failed pregnancies, eventually dying in childbirth. Ann, Sr. and Mary were extremely close, and Ann strongly believed that Bailey and the people of Salem Village were responsible for her sister's death. She felt that, as outsiders, she and Mary had been treated with such hostility that her sister was physically and emotionally exhausted to the point of death. Apparently Bailey was an ineffective leader of the village parish and his political enemies went out of their way to torment the perpetually pregnant Mary. Ann thought many villagers were pleased when Mary died, and she would hold a grudge against these people for many years to come. Ann, Sr. was married to Thomas at age sixteen and, like Mary, she had several babies who died at birth. Finally, Ann, Jr. was born in 1680, but Ann, Sr. continued to be haunted by the feeling that townspeople had been responsible for her family's misfortunes. She became so obsessed that she tried to communicate with Mary through occult rituals and thus lived a secretive double life. She eventually involved Ann, Jr. in this secret life. A well-read and intelligent child, the younger Ann was pushed by her mother into a level of maturity well beyond her years. Together they often visited the graveyard where Mary was buried, avidly reading the Book of Revelations in the Bible in search of clues for contacting the dead. In 1691 Ann, Sr.'s obsession with the occult reportedly led Ann, Jr. to Tituba (see Chapters 3 and 4 and biography entry), the Carib slave in the Parris household.
Her accusations resulted in the arrests and subsequent executions of many individuals accused of witchcraft. However, in later years, Ann Putnam admitted that she had falsely accused innocent people of witchcraft. She publicly apologized for her part in the trials and acknowledged that her actions had caused harm to many innocent lives. Ann's confession added to the growing disillusionment surrounding the trials, and it played a role in the eventual end of the witch trials. Ann Putnam's involvement in the Salem witch trials remains a controversial and complex aspect of this dark period in American history. Her initial accusations and subsequent confession highlight the power dynamics and hysteria that fueled the trials. The impact of the trials on the accused, their families, and the community as a whole is still felt today, reminding us of the dangers of unchecked fear, prejudice, and mass hysteria..
Reviews for "Ann Putnam and Tituba: A Relationship of Deception"
1. Emily - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with "Ann Putnam Witch Trials". The plot felt disjointed and the characters were poorly developed. It was difficult to connect with any of them or understand their motivations. Additionally, the pacing was off, with important moments rushed through and other scenes dragged out unnecessarily. Overall, I found the book to be lacking depth and substance.
2. John - 1 star - I couldn't even finish "Ann Putnam Witch Trials". The writing style was dry and uninspiring, and the dialogue felt forced and unnatural. The story lacked originality and seemed to rely heavily on tired cliches. The author failed to create a sense of atmosphere or tension, leaving me feeling bored and uninvested in the outcome. I would not recommend this book to anyone.
3. Sarah - 2 stars - "Ann Putnam Witch Trials" was a major letdown for me. The characters were one-dimensional and lacked believability. Their actions and motivations were inconsistent, making it difficult for me to suspend my disbelief. The plot lacked cohesiveness, jumping from one event to the next without proper development or explanation. I found myself skimming through pages, hoping for something interesting to happen, but ultimately feeling unsatisfied. I would not recommend this book to fans of historical fiction or witch trials.