Just a little more than two years before the outbreak of the events we now call the Salem witch trials, the Salem Village church organized formally. Here is the list of members -- some of whom went on to play important parts in the Salem witch trials.
Members of Salem Village Church
On November 19, 1689, the Salem Village church charter was finally signed. According to the record book of the church, the following were the founding members. In the original list the men are listed separately from the women and the women's names all appear to have been written by one person. In the list below, the men's names are listed in alphabetical order and their wives are listed with them with spelling regularized and modernized:
- Mary, wife to Sam Abbie
- Ezekiel Cheever
- Peter Cloyse
- Nathaniel Ingersoll
- Samuel Parris, Pastor
- Elizabeth, wife to Samuel Parris
- Peter Prescott
- Benjamin Putnam
- Sarah, wife to Benjamin Putnam
- Edward Putnam
- John Putnam
- Rebecca, wife to John Putnam
- John Putnam Jr.
- Hannah, wife to John Putnam Jr.
- Jonathan Putnam
- Nathaniel Putnam
- Sarah Putnam
- Thomas Putnam
- Joshua Rea
- Sarah, wife to Joshua Rea
- Deliverance Walcott
- William Way
- Piercy or Persis, wife to William Way
- Bray Wilkins
- Anna, wife to Bray Wilkins
- Benja Wilkins (Benjamin?)
