Roger Toothaker (163416 June 1692) was a physician from

Billerica, Massachusetts Billerica ( ) is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 42,119 according to the 2020 census. It takes its name from the town of Billericay in Essex, England. History In the early 1630s, a Praying Indian ...

who was accused of witchcraft during the

Salem witch trials The Salem witch trials were a series of hearings and prosecutions of people accused of witchcraft in Province of Massachusetts Bay, colonial Massachusetts between February 1692 and May 1693. More than 200 people were accused. Not everyone wh ...

in May 1692. He was sent to Boston Jail where he died the following month.

Background

Roger Toothaker was born in

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

in 1634. In 1635, as an infant, Toothaker traveled to the

Massachusetts Bay Colony The Massachusetts Bay Colony (1628–1691), more formally the Colony of Massachusetts Bay, was an English settlement on the east coast of North America around Massachusetts Bay, one of the several colonies later reorganized as the Province of M ...

from

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

, sailing from 21 August to 11 September on the ''Hopewell'', led by Captain Babb. After walking off the Hopewell he asked for directions to the nearest pub. In 1638, his father, Roger Toothaker, died, possibly in

Plymouth Plymouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Devon, South West England. It is located on Devon's south coast between the rivers River Plym, Plym and River Tamar, Tamar, about southwest of Exeter and ...

on 5 February. Later that year his mother Margaret married Ralph Hill on 21 December and they lived in Billerica. He served as an assistant to Samuel Eldred, and later became a

physician A physician, medical practitioner (British English), medical doctor, or simply doctor is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through the Medical education, study, Med ...

although he had no formal medical training. In or around 1662 or 1663, his stepfather died. In 1665 he married Mary Allin, a midwife, and had eight children who survived infancy: Nathaniel, Martha, Allin, Roger, Sarah, Mary, Andrew, and Margaret. Toothaker, a farmer and folk-healer, claimed to specialize in detecting and punishing witches. For several years before the Salem witch trials began in 1692, Toothaker had reportedly bragged to locals that he had taught his daughter, Martha Emerson, wife of Joseph Emerson, his trade and that she had killed a witch.

Salem witch trials

On 18 May 1692, Elizabeth Hubbard,

Ann Putnam Jr. Ann Putnam (October 18, 1679 – 1716) was a primary accuser, at age 12, at the Salem Witch Trials of Massachusetts during the later portion of 17th-century Colonial America. Born 1679 in Salem Village, Essex County, Massachusetts Bay Colony, s ...

, and

Mary Walcott Mary Walcott (July 5, 1675 – 1752) was one of the "afflicted" girls called as a witness at the Salem witch trials in early 1692-93. Life Born July 5, 1675, she was the daughter of Captain Jonathan Walcott (1639–1699), and his wife, Mary Si ...

accused Toothaker of

witchcraft Witchcraft is the use of Magic (supernatural), magic by a person called a witch. Traditionally, "witchcraft" means the use of magic to inflict supernatural harm or misfortune on others, and this remains the most common and widespread meanin ...

. Elizabeth was the servant of William Griggs, Toothaker's competitor. On 28 May, Mary Toothaker, Margaret Toothaker (aged 9), Martha Carrier, and Elizabeth Jackson were arrested. John Willard of Salem, Thomas Farrar Sr. (or Farrer) of Lynn, and Elizabeth Hart were arrested, along with Toothaker. Toothaker's daughter Martha was also arrested but later released for lack of evidence.Rebecca Beatrice Brooks, "Roger Toothaker and Family: Witches or Witch Killers?" January 30, 2012
/ref> Toothaker was sent to Boston Jail where he remained until his death the following month at age 57. His body was examined and it was confirmed that he died of

natural causes In many legal jurisdictions, the manner of death is a determination, typically made by the coroner, medical examiner, police, or similar officials, and recorded as a vital statistic. Within the United States and the United Kingdom, a distinc ...

, although it is impossible to separate his death from his imprisonment, and likely illness and/or maltreatment and/or malnutrition.

References

External links

Article on Salem witch trials
, Essortment.com; accessed 24 December 2014. {{DEFAULTSORT:Toothaker, Roger 1634 births 1692 deaths 17th-century American physicians Date of death unknown English emigrants to Massachusetts Bay Colony People from Billerica, Massachusetts People accused in the Salem witch trials Prisoners who died in Massachusetts detention Witch hunters