Elizabeth married William RUSSELL on 25 Oct 1678 in Salem, Essex, Massachusetts. William was born on 28 Apr 1655 in Cambridge, Suffolk, Massachusetts; died on 17 May 1744 in Salem, Essex, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Francis Nurse moved from England to Salem Village, now Danvers,Massachusetts, which was later known as Danvers, Mass, as early as 1640.

Francis Nurse was a settler before 1639 and a proprietor of the town ofSalem in 1647. He lived for forty years near Sperry's on River Street,between the main village of Salem and the ferry to Beverly.

He was a wood worker, called a tray maker, a skilled workman and arespectable man of more than ordinary ability and strength of character.He was called frequently as an arbitrator in cases of dispute over landboundaries, served on local committees to lay out grants and highways andon juries.

He bought the Bishop farm at Salem village, April 29, 1678 and settledthere. It contained some 300 acres and his children all built their homesand lived on it. The family was prosperous and it is believed that theirvery prosperity was the cause of the malicious charge of witchcraftagainst the wife and mother, Rebecca Nurse. The story of Rebecca Nurse isso well known that I feel I must make it a part of this attempt todocument our ancestors' lives.

She was arrested on the charge of witchcraft and protested her innocence.With steadfast dignity and unwavering patience she bore the ordeal of hertrial, where crazy fanatics even threw their muffs and shoes at her, hadfits and exhibitions of that sort in court. Thirty-nine of her friends,among the highest and most respectable in town, signed a statementtestifying to her blameless character and faithfulness to the church.These names have been inscribed on a tablet on the memorial recentlyerected over her grave at Danvers. The jury found her not guilty, but thecourt reversed the verdict and condemned her to death. She was hanged onJuly 19, 1692 and buried in the little cemetery at Danvers. Her twosisters, Mary Esty and Sarah Clyce suffered the same fate a month later.

Rebecca was survived by 8 children. They all worked desperately until theactual hanging to try and save their mother's life but to no avail. Theysuffered greatly at the sight of her terrifying trip through the town andup Gallow's Hill in a cart with several other of the hapless victims. Shewas 71 years old and very ill and barely able to stand as the noose wasslipped around her neck, and as she was put to death amid the pleas andcries of her husband and children.

Their son Samuel was an attorney. He worked tirelessly on the case andafter her death tried to clear his mother's good name but died before hewas able to vindicate her. (SOURCE: About Town Publication Vol. VIII No.4 December 1988).

The Nurse homestead still stands in Danvers and is preserved by theRebecca Nurse Association.

Francis married Rebecca TOWNE on 24 Aug 1644 in Salem, Essex, Massachusetts. Rebecca (daughter of William TOWNE and Joanna BLESSING) was born on 21 Feb 1621 in St Nicholas, Great Yarmouth, Norfolkshire, England; died on 19 Jul 1692 in Salem Village, Essex, Massachusetts; was buried in Executed For Witchcraft After Salem Witch Trials. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

William and Joanna Towne came to Salem Massachusetts from Great Yarmouth,Norfolk, England about or after 1635. William and his father, John, wereboth gardeners, despite the fact that William was apprenticed on 5 Nov1608 "for 14 years from 2nd Feb. next" to a basketmaker, AbrahamRobbertes (Roberts) of Yarmouth.

At some point, he was cited by the archdeacon of Norwich Consistory forfailing to appear for communion and noted as a Separatist with his wife.

Three of William and Joanna's daughters, Rebecca Towne Nurse, Mary TowneEstey, and Sarah Bridges Cloyse, were victims of the 1692 Salemwitchcraft hysteria. Sarah was imprisoned but later released; Rebecca andMary were hanged.

He died on June 24, 1673 and is buried in Topsfield, Essex County,Massachusetts. His estate was probated on April 10, 1683 in Essex County,Massachusetts.

Many of William and Joanna's descendants have distinguished themselves invarious fields of endeavor through the years. Architect Ithiel Town, whodesigned the covered truss bridge, was a descendant, as were ClaraBarton, founder of the American Red Cross, and Elizabeth Nourse, the19th-century artist. Laura Towne, who established the first school forAfrican-American children after the Civil War, and Maine author KennethRoberts were both descendants. The home of General Salem Towne is nowpart of the Sturbridge Village, Massachusetts Living Museum.

William married Joanna BLESSING on 25 Apr 1620 in St. Nicholas Church, Yarmouth, Norfolk, England. Joanna (daughter of John BLESSING and Joan PREASTE) was born in 1599 in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England, England; died on 22 Jun 1675 in Topsfield, Essex, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Richard married Ann DENTON on 18 Feb 1589 in Haydor, Lincolnshire, England. Ann was born in 1569 in Haydor, Lincolnshire, England; died on 10 May 1630. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

John married Joan PREASTE. Joan was born in 1572 in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England, England; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]