Biography
Nathaniel Saltonstall was born circa 9 April 1639 in Ipswich, Essex County, Massachusetts, United States to Richard Saltonstall (c1610-1694) and Muriel Gurdon (c1613-c1688) and died 21 May 1707 Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts, United States of unspecified causes. He married Elizabeth Ward (1647-1741) 25 December 1663 in Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts.
Col. Nathaniel Saltonstall is most famous for his resignation from the court during the Salem witch trials, and though he left no indication of his feelings toward witchcraft, he is considered to be one of the more principled men of his time.
Early Years
Born in Ipswich, Massachusetts, in about 1639, to Richard Saltonstall (1610 – 1694), he was the grandson of Sir Richard Saltonstall. He graduated from Harvard in 1659, beginning the family tradition of higher education at this university.
He graduated from Harvard University,Cambridge, Middlesex Co.,MA.in 1659. He was admitted as a freeman of Massachusetts in 1665.Between 1666-1671 he became Deputy to the General Court. From 1668-1700, Nathaniel was the Town Recorder and the Clerk of Writs.From 1679-1686 he was the Assistant of the Colony, until the charter was taken away. From 1689-1692 he again resumed the position of an Assistant of the Governor.
Salem witch trials
1876 illustration of the courtroom; the central figure is usually identified as being Mary Walcott
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, nineteen of whom were found guilty and executed by hanging (fourteen women and five men). One other man, Giles Corey, was pressed to death for refusing to plead, and at least five people died in jail. It was the deadliest witch hunt in the history of the United States.
In 1668, Nathaniel began his career in town affairs when he was appointed town clerk. Robert Moody quotes that, according to a single surviving record book, he was "firm and effective in law enforcement, and yet, where allowed discretion by law, humane and flexible." His involvement in judicial affairs and apparent good reputation made him eligible to serve in the Salem Witch Trials, and he was appointed a judge along with six other men on May 27, 1692. There is no evidence, however, of his attendance at any of the examinations. Indeed, he resigned from the Court of Oyer and Terminer around June 8, 1692, the same time as Bridget Bishop's trial and sentence for witchcraft. Presumably, he was "displeased with the handling of the Bishop case", and for some time afterward remained "very much dissatisfied with the proceedings."
In addition to town judiciary service, he was a member of the local militia, responsible in part for frontier defense against Native Americans, and he reached the rank of Colonel.
Marriage and Family
On December 29, 1663, Nathaniel Saltonstall married Elizabeth Ward, who was 18 years old, and acquired from her father, John Ward, the estate later known as the Saltonstall Seat. Two of their children were Col. Richard Saltonstall (1672 – 1714), and Gurdon Saltonstall (1666 – 1724), later the governor of Connecticut.
Nathaniel Saltonstall died May 21, 1707, in Haverhill, Massachusetts.
Children
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Deborah Saltonstall (1664-) | |||
| Gurdon Saltonstall (1666-1724) | 27 March 1666 Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts, United States | 20 September 1724 New London, New London County, Connecticut, United States | Jerusha Richards (1665-1697) Elizabeth Rosewell (1670-1710) Mary Whittingham (1665-1728) |
| Elizabeth Saltonstall (1668-1726) | |||
| Nathaniel Saltonstall (1670-1739) | |||
| Richard Saltonstall (1672-1714) | 25 April 1672 Plymouth County, Massachusetts | 22 April 1714 Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts | Mehitable Wainwright (1683-) |
| John Saltonstall (1678-1681) | |||
Vital Records
Haverhill Memorial
Saltonstall Memorial in Pentucket Cemetery, Haverhill, Massachusetts.
- Location: Pentucket Cemetery, Essex County, Massachusetts
- Inscription:
In memory of the Hon. Nath. Saltonstall who died May 21, 1707, he was son of Richard and grandson of Sir Richard Saltonstall, one of the original patentees of Mass. Bay. of Richard Saltonstall, Est. who died April 22, 1714. And of their descendants here interred the last of whom was the Hon. Richard Saltonstall, judge of the Superior Court of _____, who died Oct. 20, 1756.
See Also
- wikipedia:en:Nathaniel Saltonstall - Wikipedia
- Nathaniel Saltonstall = disambiguation
- Saltonstall in Essex County, Massachusetts
- Saltonstall in Massachusetts
- Col Nathaniel Saltonstall - Geni.com
- Col Nathaniel Saltonstall at Find A Grave
Footnotes (including sources)
| ‡ General |