Nathaniel Saltonstall

Col. Nathaniel Saltonstall (also spelled Nathanial Saltonstall; c. 1639 – May 21, 1707) was a judge for the Court of Oyer and Terminer, a special court established in 1692 for the trial and sentence of people, mostly women, for the crime of witchcraft in the Province of Massachusetts Bay during the Salem Witch Trials. He is most famous for his resignation from the court, 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.[1]

For the American Revolutionary War soldier, see Nathaniel Saltonstall (American Revolution).
Nathaniel Saltonstall
Bornc. 1639
Ipswich, Massachusetts
DiedMay 21, 1707(1707-05-21) (aged 67–68)
Haverhill, Massachusetts
Alma materHarvard College
OccupationJudge, public official
Spouse(s)
Elizabeth Ward
​
​
(m. after 1663)​
RelativesSaltonstall family

Early life

Saltonstall was born in Ipswich, Massachusetts, in about 1639,[2] to Richard Saltonstall (1610–1694) and Murial (née Gurdon) Saltonstall (1613–1688), a daughter of Brampton Gurdon. He was the grandson of Sir Richard Saltonstall who led a group of English settlers up the Charles River to settle in what is now Watertown, Massachusetts in 1630.[3] His grandfather was a nephew of Richard Saltonstall, the Lord Mayor of London.[4]

He graduated from Harvard College in 1659, beginning the family tradition of higher education at this university.[3]

Career

In 1668, Saltonstall 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".[1] 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.[5] 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",[6] and for some time afterward remained "very much dissatisfied with the proceedings".[6]

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.[7]

Personal life

On December 29, 1663, he wed Elizabeth Ward (1647–1714), who was 18 years old, and acquired from her father, John Ward, the estate later known as the Saltonstall Seat. Among their children were:[8]

Saltonstall died on May 21, 1707 in Haverhill, Massachusetts at around 68 years of age.[10]

References
  1. Moody, Robert. The Saltonstall Papers, Vol. I: 1607-1789, pp. 48-50.
  2. Moody, Robert E. (1967). "Records of the Magistrates' Court at Haverhill, Massachusetts, Kept by Nathaniel Saltonstall, 1682-1685". Proceedings of the Massachusetts Historical Society. 79: 151–186. ISSN 0076-4981. JSTOR 25080641.
  3. Browning, Charles Henry (1969). Magna Charta Barons and Their Descendants: With the Story of the Great Charter of King John. Genealogical Publishing Com. p. 284. ISBN 978-0-8063-0056-6. Retrieved 9 December 2019.
  4. "Saltonstall, Richard (SLTL603R)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
  5. Vennocki, Joan (October 2, 2019). "A judge who hunted for truth, not witches". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 9 December 2019.
  6. Roach, Marilynne K. The Salem Witch Trials. 166.
  7. Date, Terry (October 25, 2018). "Standing up for the truth: Haverhill judge's untold story of the Salem Witch Trials bound for the stage". Salem News. Retrieved 9 December 2019.
  8. Browning, Charles Henry (1969). Americans of Royal Descent: Collection of Genealogies Showing the Lineal Descent from Kings of Some American Families ... Genealogical Publishing Com. p. 361. ISBN 978-0-8063-0054-2. Retrieved 9 December 2019.
  9. Mackenzie, George Norbury (1917). Colonial Families of the United States of America: In which is Given the History, Genealogy and Armorial Bearings of Colonial Families who Settled in the American Colonies from the Time of the Settlement of Jamestown, 13th May, 1607, to the Battle of Lexington, 19th April, 1775. Grafton Press. p. 412. Retrieved 9 December 2019.
  10. "Nathaniel Saltonstall (1639-1707)". Haverhill Citizens Hall of Fame. 16 October 2018. Retrieved 9 December 2019.
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