Historic Northampton


Historic Highlights

Mary Parsons Witchcraft Trial

Although Mary had been acquitted by the courts of witchcraft in 1674, lingering questions about her behavior led many of her neighbors to ongoing suspicions about her and the Parsons family. The Parsonses were one of the first families of Northampton and Mary Parsons was the subject witchcraft-related trials: in 1656, 1674, and possibly again in 1679. Her story is a fascinating one that sheds light on the workings of the Puritan mind and the early years of the colony. Visit the Mary (Bliss) Parsons website.