In 1692, Sarah Wilson, born Sarah Lord, daughter of Robert Lord, was jailed as a witch in Andover, MA. Her daughter, also named Sarah, was jailed as a witch also. Mary Osgood, the sister-in-law of her Sarah's sister Susannah (Lord) Osgood was jailed as well as well. The following are documents relating to this incident. Initially charged on September 17, 1692, she was imprisoned for 15 weeks,. Sarah was finally released on January 13, 1693. It was several years later that she and her daughter were finally and completely released from all charges.

	The Accusation
	The Confession
	Petitions
	Release

Records of Salem Witchcraft Copied From the Original Documents. Privately printed for W. Elliott Woodward, Roxbury, Mass, 1864

volume 2, page 127;

Major Brown, Thomas Ruck, Thomas Evans, Sarah Wilson, Martha Tyler & als v. Geo. Burroughs.

"Memorandm in mr George Burroughs Tryall besides ye written Evidences yt was Sworne Seull who gave yrs by word of mouth Major Browne holding out a heavy Gun wth one hand.

"Thomas Ruck of his sudden coming in after ym and yt he could tell his thoughts.

" Thomas Evans yt he carried out Barrels Molosses and meat &c out of a canoo whilst his mate went to ye fort for hands to help out wth ym Sarah Wilson Confesst yt ye night before mr Burroughs was Executed yt yr was a great meeting of ye witches Nigh Sarjt Chandlers yt mr Bur. was yr and yy had ye Sact and after yy had done he tooke leave and bid ym Stand to yr faith, and not own any thing.

Martha Tyler saith ye same wth Sarah Wilson & Severall others,"

Also, Martha Tyler, Johanna Tyler, Sarah Wilson, and Joseph Tyler, confessing themselves witches, "did all acknowledge that they were led into that dreadful sin of witchcraft by the means of the aforesd Abigail Faulkner." -- Sarah Loring Bailey, Historical Sketches of Andover, Massachusetts; Houghton, Mifflin and Co, Boston (1880)

Dorothy Faulkner, Abigail Faulkner, Martha Tyler, Johannah Tyler, Sarah Wilson, Joseph Draper v. Abigail Faulkner.

" dorritye fforkner and Abigale fforknor children to Abigall fforknor of Andover now in prison confarsed befor the honoured majastrats upon theire examination heare in Salam the 16 day of this enstant subtermber 1692 that thire mother apared and mayd them witches and also marthy Tyler Johanah Tyler and Sarih willson and Joseph draper all acknowlidge that they ware lead into that dreadfull sin of witchcraft by her meanse the foresd Abigale forknor The above named persons each and every one of them did affirm before ye Grand inquest that the above written evidences are truth: 17 Sept 1692."

(Essex County Archives, Salem --Witchcraft Vol 2 Page 20)

Rev. Increase Mather's Report of his Conversation in Prison with Sarah Wilson, Sr.

Goodwife Wilson said that she was in the dark as to some things in her confession. Yet she asserted that, knowingly, she never had familiarity with the Devil; that, knowingly, she never consented to the afflicting of any person, &c. However, she said that truly she was in the dark as to the matter of her being a witch. And being asked how she was in the dark, she replied, that the afflicted persons crying out of her as afflicting them made her fearful of herself; and that was all that made her say that she was in the dark.

(Charles W. Upham, Salem Witchcraft [Boston, 1867] II, 406.)

from The Salem Witchcraft Papers, p. 855

"To the Honoured Court now sitting in Boston this 12th of October 1692. Right Honoured Gentlemen and Fathers, We, your humble petitioners, whose names are underwritten, petition your honors as followeth: We would not trouble you with a tedious Diversion, but briefly spread open our distressed condition and beg your honour's favor and pity in affording what relief may be thought convenient, As for the matter of our Troubles it is the distressed condition of our wives and Relations in prison at Salem who are a company of poor distressed creatures as full of inward grief and trouble as they are able to bear up in life withall. And besdies the agrivation of outward troubles and hardships they undergo and want of fo;od; and the coldness of the winter season that is coming may soon despatch such out of the way that have not been used to such hardships.

"And besides this, the exceeding great charges and expences that we are at upon many accounts which will be Tedious to give a particular account of, which will fall heavy upon us, especially in a time of so great charge and expence upon a general account in the country, which is expected of us to bear a part as well as others, which if all put together our families and estates will be brought to Ruin, if it cannot in time be prevented. Having spread open our condition, we humbly make address to your Honors, to Grant that our Wives and Relations (being such that have been approved as penitent Confessors), might be returned home to us upon what bond your Honors may see good. We do not petition to take them out of the hand of justice, but to remove them as Prisoners under bonds in their own families where they may be more tenderly cared for and be ready to appear to answer further when the Honored Court shall call for them. We humbly crave your Honors favor and pitty for us and ours. Having set down our Troubled State before you, we hereby pray your honors:

John Osgood in behalf of his wife.

John Ffray in behalf of his wife.

John Marston in behalf of his wife Mary Marston.

Christopher Osgood in behalf of his daughter Mary Marston.

Joseph Wilson in behalf of his wife & children.

John Bridges in behalf of his wife & children.

Hope Tyler in behalf of his wife & daughter.

Ebenezer Barker for his wife

Nathaniel Dane for his wife."

-- Sarah Loring Bailey, Historical Sketches of Andover, Massachusetts; Houghton, Mifflin and Co, Boston (1880) p 225-6

Petition for Mary Osgood, Eunice Fry, Deliverance Dane, Sarah Wilson, Sr., and Abigail Barker

To the honoured court of Assize held at Salem,

The humble address of several of the inhabitants of Andover.

May it please this honoured court, We being very sensible of the great sufferings our neighbours have been long under in prison, and charitably judging that many of them are clear of that great transgression which hath been laid to their charge, have thought it our duty to endeavor their vindication so far as our testimony for them will avail. The persons in whose behalf we are desired and concerned to speak something at present are Mrs. Mary Osgood, Eunice Frye, Deliverance Dane, Sarah Wilson and Abigail Barker, who are women of whom we can truly give this character and commendation, that they have not only lived among us so inoffensively as not to give the least occasion to any that know them to suspect them of witchcraft, but by their sober godly and exemplary conversation have obtained a good report in the place, where they have been well esteemed and approved in the church of which they are members.We were surprized to hear that persons of known integrity and piety were accused of so horrid a crime, not considering, then, that the most innocent were liable to be so misinterpreted and abused. When these women were accused by some afflicted persons of the neighbourhood, their relations and others, tho' they had so good grounds of charity that they should not have thought any evil of them, yet, through a misrepresentation of the truth of that evidence that was so much credited and improved against people, took great pains to persuade them to own what they were, by the afflicted, charged with, and, indeed, did unreasonably urge them to confess themselves guilty, as some of us who were then present can testify. But these good women did very much assert their innocency, yet some of them said they were not without fear least Satan had some way ensnared them, because there was that evidence against them which then was by many thought to be a certain indication and discovery of withccraft, yet they seriously professed they knew nothing by themselves of that nature: Nevertheless, by the unwearied sollicitations of those that privately discoursed them both at home and at Salem, they were at length persuaded publickly to own what they were charged with , and so submit to that guilt which we still hope and believe they are clear of. And, it is probable, the fear of what the event might be, and the encouragement that it is said was suggested to them, that confessing was the only way to obtain favour, might be too powerful a temptation for timorous women to withstand in the hurry and distraction that we have heard they were then in. Had what they said against themselves proceeded from conviction of the fact, we should have had nothing to have said for them, but we are induced to think that it did not, because they did soon privately retract what they had said, as we are informed, and, while they were in prison, they declared to such as they had confidence to speak freely and plainly to, that they were not guilty of what they had owned, and that what they had said against themselves was the greatest grief and burden they laboured under; Now, though we cannot but judge it a thing very sinful for innocent persons to own a crime they are not guilty of, yet, considering the well ordered conversation of those women while they lived among us, and what they now seriously and constantly affirm in a more composed frame, we cannot but in charity judge them innocent of the great transgression that hath been imputed to them. As for the rest of our neighbours, who are under the like circumstances with these that have been named, we can truly say of them that while they lived among us, we have had no cause to judge them such persons as, of late, they have been represented and reported to be, nor do we know that any of their neighbours had any just grounds to suspect them of that evil that they are now charged with.

Dudley Bradstreet John Abbot, sen.

Elizabeth Rite Francis Dane, sen.

Samuel Blanchard Wm. Peters

Thomas Barnard Wm. Ballard

Sam. Peters Tho. Chandler, sen.

Thomas Hooper Walter Wright

John Barker John Hooper

Hooker Osgood Henry Ingolls, sen.

Wm. Abbot Benj. Stevens

Wm. Chandler, sen. James Russell

Ann Bradstreet Samuel Martin

Oliver Holt Joanna Dane

Stephen Parker John Presson

Eliza. Stevens Samuel Ingolls

Francis Dane, jun. Eliza. Barnard

Ephraim Stevens George Abbot

Phebe Robinson Daniel Poore

Wm. Chandler, jun. Hannah Chandler

John Ingolls John Chandler

Hannah Dane Henry Ingolls, jun.

Joseph Robinson Bridget Chandler

John Frie, sen. Thomas Johnson

Mary Johnson James Frie

Tho. Johnson, jun. Robert Russel

John Aslebee Andrew Peters

Mary Russel. Samuel Holt

Mary Peters

(Thomas Hutchinson, History of Massachusetts Bay, II, 32-33) from The Salem Witchcraft Papers, pp. 619-620

The Salem Witchcraft Papers: Verbatim Transcripts of the Legal Documents of the Salem Witchcraft Outbreak of 1692. 3 volumes. DaCapo, New York. 1977

"Recognizance for Sarah Wilson, Sr. and Sarah Wilson, Jr."

Memorandum

That on the Thirteenth day of January 1692 [probably mistake, should be 1693] In the fourth year of the Reigne of our Sovereigne Lord & Lady Willam & Mary by the Grace of God of England &c: King & Queen defenders of the faith &c: Personally appeared before W'm Stoughton Esq'r cheife Justice of their Maj'ies Province of the Massachusets bay in New England John Osgood of the Town of Andiver in the County of Essex husbandman & Joseph Wilson of the Same Towne and acknowledged themselves to be Joyntly and Severally Indebted unto our s'd Sovereigne Lord & Lady and the Surviver of them their Heires & Successors in the sum of One Hundred Pounds to be levied on their or either of their Lands and Tennements, goods and chattles for the use of our said Sovereigne Lord & Lady the King and Queen or Survivor of them On Condition that Sarah Wilson the wife of Joseph and Sarah her daughter haveing stood committed for suspition of Witchcraft shall make their Personall appearance before the Justices of our s'd Lord & Lady the

King & Queen at the next Court of Assizes & Generall Goale Delivery to beholden for the County of Essex then and there to answer to all such matters & things as shall in their Maj'ies behalfe be alledged against them and to doe & receive that which by the s'd Court shall be then & there injoyned them & thence not to depart w'th out license.

Attest

*Jona Elatson Cler --

(Reverse)

Recognizance of John Osgood

Joseph Willson, Sarah Willson the wife of Joseph Willson and Sarah her daughter

May the 10'th Appeared

(Mass. Archives Vol. 135 No. 145)

from The Salem Witchcraft Papers, pp. 855-6; The Salem Witchcraft Papers: Verbatim Transcripts of the Legal Documents of

the Salem Witchcraft Outbreak of 1692. 3 volumes. DaCapo, New York. 1977.