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 colonial Massachusetts between February 1692 and May 1693. More than 200 people were accused. Thirty people were found guilty, 19 of whom w ...

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 country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...

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

Massachusetts Bay Colony The Massachusetts Bay Colony (1630–1691), more formally the Colony of Massachusetts Bay, was an English settlement on the east coast of North America around the Massachusetts Bay, the northernmost of the several colonies later reorganized as the ...

from

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

, sailing from 21 August to 11 September on the ''Hopewell'', led by Captain Babb. In 1638, his father, Roger Toothaker, died, possibly in

Plymouth Plymouth () is a port city and unitary authority in South West England. It is located on the south coast of Devon, approximately south-west of Exeter and south-west of London. It is bordered by Cornwall to the west and south-west. Plymout ...

on 5 February. Later that year his mother Margaret married Ralph Hill on 21 December and they lived in

Billerica 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 ...

. He served as an assistant to Samuel Eldred, and later became a

physician A physician (American English), medical practitioner (Commonwealth English), medical doctor, or simply doctor, is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through th ...

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., 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 Sibl ...

accused Toothaker of

witchcraft Witchcraft traditionally means the use of magic or supernatural powers to harm others. A practitioner is a witch. In medieval and early modern Europe, where the term originated, accused witches were usually women who were believed to have u ...

. 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 disti ...

, 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 Date of death unknown Kingdom of England emigrants to Massachusetts Bay Colony People convicted of witchcraft People from Billerica, Massachusetts People of the Salem witch trials Prisoners who died in Massachusetts detention Witch hunters