Rebecca Town

Notes:

Rebecca was in the eyes of those who knew her well the very essence of what a Puritan mother should be. Deeply pious, she was so steeped in Scripture that the country roughness of her speech - she had a Chaucerian fondness for triple negatives - was often shot through with a poetical Scriptural quality. It was not merely a matter of lugging in texts, but a deep, instinctive poetry of
feeling that overflowed into her simple, pregnant speech. When Rebecca spoke it was as if one of the grand women of the Old Testament were speaking Naomi or Ruth amid alien corn (Rebecca herself remembered her birthplace, Yarmouth, England), or the beloved Rachel, or indeed her own namesake.

In her home life she had resembled the wise woman of Proverbs, and her children she had reared with loving devotion to both their spiritual and temporal welfare. Now in her old age they rose up and called her blessed, not only her four sons and four daughters, but what perhaps the super most tribute, her three sons-in-law and four daughters-in-law.

This is not to say that she was altogether a saint. Even the Bible women, as anyone can discover by examining Scripture closely, had their off days. The years had made Rebecca hard of hearing and infirm; when she was ill and did not clearly understand what was said to her, she could sometimes lose her temper.

Rebecca was one of 19 hanged as witches in the infamous Salem Witch Trials. Her trial is most often cited for the injustice of this trying period. Recent evidence indicates the accusers were suffering from ergot poisoning.

The night of the hanging, her family secretly removed her body from a mass grave to their family farm.
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Reference:
"The Devil in Massachusetts", 1989, Marion L. Starkey, p 78-84, 159-165, 175-176, 189.
"Salem Possessed, The Social Origins of Witchcraft", 1974, Paul Boyer & Stephen Nissenbaum.

Rebecca married Francis Nurse 24 Aug 1644, , Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England. Francis (son of Allen Nurse) was born 18 Jan 1618, Yarmouth, Bristol, England; died 22 Nov 1695, Salem Village, Essex County, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet]

1. John Nurse was born Abt 1645, Salem, Essex County, Massachusetts; died 1 Dec 1719.
2. Rebecca Nurse was born Abt 1647, Salem, Essex County, Massachusetts; died 1719.
3. Sarah Nourse was born 1648, Marblehead, Essex, Massachusetts.
4. Samuel Nurse was born 3 Feb 1649, Salem, Essex County, Massachusetts; died 15 Jul 1715.
5. Michael Nurse was born Abt 1651, Salem, Essex County, Massachusetts.
6. Elizabeth Nourse(Nurse) was born 9 Jan 1656, Salem, Essex County, Massachusetts; died 1734/1735.
7. Mary Nurse was born Abt 1657, Salem, Essex County, Massachusetts.
8. Francis Nurse was born 3 Feb 1660, Salem, Essex County, Massachusetts; died 8 Oct 1716.
9. Benjamin Nurse was born 26 Jan 1666, Salem, Essex County, Massachusetts; died 1747/1748.
10. Nurse was born Abt 1667, Salem, Essex County, Massachusetts.

Notes:

Married in St. Nicholas church in Yarmouth, England, one of the finest
buildings in that city, founded in 1101.

Came to Salem in 1632 and moved to Topsfield, Massachusetts in 1652.

Death place not certain.

Died intestate in 1672 leaving a "small estate."

Estate of William Towne of Topsfield
Essex Probate Docket # 27923

Administratation granted 24:4:1673 to Johana Towne on the estate of Wm Towne, her late husband, and she was to bring in an inventory to the next Ipswich court.

Salem Quarterly Court Records 5:66
Petition for settlement of a small estate left the undersigned by their father, who died ten years ago leaving no will, but left his estate in the hands of their mother who was appointed admininistratrix and the estate remained unsettled until her death, and now they desire that the following division may be allowed: the land to be divided equally to his three sons, Edmund, Jacob, and Joseph and the moveables equally to the three daughters, Rebecka, Mary and Sarah; also the three brothers to pay all debts now due and what charges shall after arise in settlement of the estate to be equally borne by all six. Adted Jan 17, 1682.
Signed by Mary (her mark) Towne relict of Edmond
Jacob Towne
Josep (his mark) Towne
Francis (his mark) Nurs with the consent of Rebeka
Mary (her mark) Esty, formerly Mary Towne
Sarah (her mark) Bridges.

Witness:
John How
John Pritchet
Allowed by the court at Ipswich April 10, 1683

Source: Ipswich Deeds, vol4, page 515
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Reference:
"Salem Possessed, The Social Origins of Witchcraft", 1974, Paul Boyer & Stephen Nissenbaum, p 199.
"A Brief Sketch of Thomas Fuller", Jesse Franklin Fuller, 1896, p 33.
"The Descendants of William Towne...", Edwin Eugene Towne, 1901, p 11

William married Joanna (Jone) Blessing 25 Mar 1620, St. Nicholas, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England. Joanna (daughter of William Blyssynge) was born 1599, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England; died 1682, Topsfield, Essex, Massachusetts; was buried Topsfield, Salem, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• AFN: 2P4M-0J

Notes:

Accused of witchcraft though never arrested or brought to trial.
----------
Reference:
"Salem Possessed, The Social Origins of Witchcraft", 1974, Paul Boyer & Stephen
Nissenbaum, p 149.

John — Elizabeth. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• AFN: NJJ7-RC

Other Events:

• AFN: NJJ7-NT

John — Joane Preaste. Joane was born Abt 1552. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• AFN: NJJ7-P1