Reverend Samuel Parris was the minister during the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. He had only been living in Salem for three years prior to the outbreak. His father lived and operated in Barbados. He made enough money to fund Samuel’s education. Samuel traveled to the Massachusetts colony to become an educated minister. Unfortunately, only three years into his education, his father died. After the death of his father, Samuel returned to Barbados to work as a merchant. After leaving Barbados with his servants, Tituba and John Indian, he lived in Massachusetts working as a merchant. He was unsuccessful and returned to the ministry. Since his education was incomplete, he did not get a position in a prosperous town, instead he took a position in Salem Village.

It is odd that the hysteria began in the household of the new minister of the town. It was Reverend Parris’ daughter, Elizabeth, and niece, Abigail Williams, who made some of the first complaints. The girls were afflicted with some unexplainable ailment. The mad fits that left the girls in extreme pain and convulsions were uncontrollable. Before the girls made any accusations, Reverend Parris sent for a doctor. It was the doctor who confirmed that there was no natural cause for the state of the girls’ health and that it was some form of witchcraft. The next step was the making of the witch cake, which broke the spell and allowed the girls to identify the witch or witches hurting them. When Reverend Parris found out about the witch cake, he was furious. He believed they were using magic to fight magic. Throughout the events, Reverend Parris supported and protected the accusers and even preached on the guilt of some of the villagers before they were convicted.

By: Jessica McKenzie 

Credits and Sources:

Games, Alison.Witchcraft in Early North America.New York, NY: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc., 2010.

Hansen, Chadwick. Witchcraft at Salem.New York, NY: G. Braziller, 1969.  

Rapley, Robert.Witch Hunts: From Salem to Guantanamo Bay. Canadian Electronic Library: McGill-Queen’s Press, 2007.