Janet and Robert Wolfe Genealogy --- Go to Genealogy Page for Andrew Foster --- Go to Genealogy Page for Ann

Notes for Andrew Foster and Ann

Andrew Foster, original grantee of the Town of Andover, who died here May 7, 1865, at nearly 106 years, is considered to have been a Scot, as a grandson of his entered as a member of the Scots Charitable Association. Ann, the widow of Andrew(1), was taken to jail accused of witchcraft, in her feeble old age, and died in Salem Dec. 3, 1692. Under the grandstand at the track at the Richardson training stables on Elm St., is the site of what was known as the "witch's cellar", a part of Ann's home. Her son Abraham had to pay 2L 10s. to get his mother's body from the prison. [1]

Ann was married to Andrew Foster who d. 1685, "aged 106 or thereabouts. His will leaves to his 'deare and loving wife Ann Foster the use and sole liberty of living in that end of my house I now live in." [2]

After testifying four times, she charged herself of witchcraft and was dismissed to the sheriff to be "taken care of" as guilty. [3]

"In the trials, eight citizens of Andover were condemned. Three of these were hanged: Martha Carrier, Samuel Wardwell, Mary Parker; one died in prison, Ann Foster; Abigail Faulkner was reprieved, and by the delay ultimately saved; Sarah Wardwell and Elizabeth Johnson and Mary Lacey were condemned at the very latest trial, January, 1692 and set free on the general jail delivery, when the frenzy was checked." [4]

"Several women of Andover who confessed, accused Martha Carrier as the cause of their being led into witchcraft. Three of these were, Ann Foster, her daughter Mary Lacey, and her granddaughter, Mary Lacey, Jr. Ann Foster said she rode on a stick with Martha Carrier to Salem village, that the stick broke and she saved herself by clinging around Martha Carrier's neck. She said they met three hundred witches at Salem village, among them the Rev. Mr. Burroughs, and another minister with gray hair (Mr. Dane, of Andover, was supposed to be hinted at). This story was confirmed by the daughter and the granddaughter." [5]

Another who was condemned was Ann Foster. She, however, was not hanged, having died in the prison before the law could take its course. She was an aged woman, a widow, without friends of influence to give aid in her distress. She was evidently weak in mind and body, and was ready at the trial to confess almost anything, and believe everything which was suggested against herself. Indeed, some of these women had been so long used to contemplate their natural and acquired depravity, in its most aggravated forms, that some of the sensitive and self-accusing were ready, even in their ordinary religious meditations, to regard themselves as guilty of almost all sin, believing literally that "he that offendeth in one point is guilty of all." The piety of Ann Foster is especially spoken of by her sons, and there can be little doubt that she was led to charge herself with the sin of witchcraft in all sincerity and contrition. A broken-down old woman in her decrepitude and weakness, torn from her quiet home, brought on a long journey to a prison and a court-room, accused of blaspberning her God and forsaking her Saviour, what wonder if she sank and died under such a weight of miseries. She was four times examined, July 15th, 16th, 18th, 21st. It is pitiful to think of this poor, tottering, feeble creature, dragged again and again before her accusers, and finally dismissed to the sheriff to be "taken care of" as guilty.

She overdid in confession, or she would, like the others, have doubtless been saved. But the law must have victims, and here was one who proved herself to be deeply guilty. She confessed that she bewitched a hog of John Lovejoy's, caused the death of one of Andrew Allen's children, made another child sick, and "hurt" Timothy Swan. She said her manner of hurting was to make images of the persons with rags ("poppets" they are called in the records), and stick pins in these, or tye knots in the rags, or burn them in the fire. The persons whom these images were supposed to represent would suffer whenever she pinched or burned, or pricked the "poppet."

The deluded woman also described extraordinary apparitions which she had seen, birds, with great eyes, which first were white and became black when they flew away, by which she knew they were devils, also black men who were devils. She had been at the witch-meetings and seen the Rev. George Burroughs and another minister with gray hair. Again and again she repeated and owned this confession. But on one point she was obstinate. She would accuse herself to any extent, but she would not accuse her daughter. For this her examiners lost patience with her. "You have been already three times examined," they exclaim, "and yet you do not confess that is, she did not confess to making her daughter a witch; even though the daughter admitted that she was one and charged it upon her mother's influence and agency:
"Your daughter was with you and Goody Carrier when you did ride upon the stick?
"I did not know it.
"How long have you known your daughter to be engaged?
"I cannot tell nor have I any knowledge of it at all.
"Do you not acknowledge that you did so?
"No and I know no more of my daughter's being a witch than what day I shall die upon.
"You cannot expect peace of conscience without a free confession.
"If I knew anything more, I would speak of it to the utmost."
But in spite of this denial the daughter alleged that it was true that they were both witches, and she cried out O mother, we have left Christ and the devil hath got hold of us!" The distressed mother moving her lips in prayer was asked what she was doing, and replied that she was "praying to the Lord." "What Lord?" said the examiners sternly, "What God do witches pray to ?" Thus taunted and overborne, the harassed woman in confusion and distraction exclaimed I cannot tell; the Lord help me! The granddaughter confirmed her mother's statements that they were both witches, made so by the prisoner. The story of Ann Foster is graphically told in a petition presented by her son. It was written by some abler pen than his, for he only made his mark:
To The Honorable Committee Now Sitting at Salem: -
Whereas my mother Ann Foster of Andover suffered imprisonment twenty-one weeks and upon her Tryall was condemned for supposed witchcraft upon such evidence as now is Generally thought Insufficient and died in prison, I being well persuaded of my mother's innocency of the crime for which she was condemned I humbly desire that the attainder may be taken off. The charges and expenses for my mother during her imprisonment is as follows: The money which I was forced to pay the keeper before I could have the dead body of my mother to bury her was 1£ 2s. Money and provisions Expended while She was in prison ...Total expenses ..." This sum of money the petitioner received, and also for his sister Mary Lacey ..., on petition and by order of her husband Lawrence Lacey' [6]


Footnotes:

[1] Charlotte Helen Abbott, Genealogies, Andover, Massachussetts (Memorial Hall Library), Foster, [AbbottGenealogies].

[2] Sarah Loring Bailey, Historical Sketches of Andover (Boston: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1880), 99, [HathiTrust], [GoogleBooks].

[3] Sarah Loring Bailey, Historical Sketches of Andover (Boston: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1880), 214-216, [HathiTrust], [GoogleBooks].

[4] Sarah Loring Bailey, Historical Sketches of Andover (Boston: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1880), 199-200, [HathiTrust], [GoogleBooks].

[5] Sarah Loring Bailey, Historical Sketches of Andover (Boston: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1880), 207, [HathiTrust], [GoogleBooks].

[6] Sarah Loring Bailey, Historical Sketches of Andover (Boston: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1880), 213-215, [HathiTrust], [GoogleBooks].