Bridget Bishop (ca. 1632, England – 10 June 1692, Salem, Massachusetts Bay Colony) was the first person executed for witchcraft during the Salem witch trials in 1692. All together about 72 people were accused and tried. 20 were executed.
Recent historical interpretation: "A resident of Salem Town"
Bridget Bishop may have been a resident of Salem Town, not Salem Village, where the allegations started. Perhaps she was previously confused with another alleged witch, Sarah Bishop of Salem Village. However she may have been accused because she owned one or more taverns, played shuffleboard, dressed in very provocative clothing, and was outspoken. One interpretation of the historical record suggests that she was a resident of Salem Town and thus not the tavern owner. Perhaps she did not know her accusers. This would be supported in her deposition in Salem Village before the authorities stating, "I never saw these persons before, nor I never was in this place before." The indictments against her clearly note that she was from "Salem" which meant Salem Town, as other indictments against residents of Salem Village specified their locations as such.
Thomas Oliver (c. 1601 England—June 1679 Salem, Essex Co, MA) was the second husband of Bridget Bishop, who on 10 June 1692 became the first victim of the Salem witch trials.
Oliver is a major link in the old and well-known theory that his widow, Bridget Bishop, was executed on trumped up charges because her in-laws were jealous of what she had inherited from him. Upham's History of the Salem Witchcraft Trials makes clear that her marriage to Thomas Oliver is a determining factor in the witchcraft prosecution of Bridget Oliver Bishop.
First marriage: Mary Leman
Oliver married Mary Leman 29 Jan 1626 in Norwich Norfolk England. They originally immigrated to Boston, with 2 children and 2 servants, on the "Mary Anne" in 1637. At that time Thomas Oliver's profession was calender. They moved to Salem where he accumulated property which he left there when they returned to England.
Mary's constant and unpleasant public comments (especially her support of Roger Williams) caused her to be punished as early as 1638. Thomas Oliver's inability or perhaps unwillingness to control her caused them to be exiled from the Colony and return to England c. 1649.
Thomas Oliver may refer to:
Thomas Oliver (March 1821 – November 8, 1880) was an Ontario businessman and political figure. He represented Oxford North in the Canadian House of Commons as a Liberal member from 1867 to 1880.
He was born in Kildonan, Sutherland, Scotland. He taught school there for two years and came to Zorra Township in Oxford County, Upper Canada, where he taught school for several years. Oliver then moved to Woodstock, where he became a dry goods merchant. He served on the town council, becoming reeve for Woodstock and was county warden in 1866. He was elected in the North riding of Oxford in an 1866 by-election held following the death of Hope Fleming Mackenzie and served until Confederation; in 1867, he was elected to the House of Commons and served until his death in Woodstock in 1880.
References
Thomas Oliver was a Tyneside poet/songwriter from the late eighteenth/early nineteenth century.
Details
P. France & Co. in their 1850 book “Songs of the Bards of the Tyne gives three works “Canny Newcastle Again””, “Stream of a Thousand Fallen Adieu”, (both attributed to T. Oliver), and “Yon Orb is Sinking” (attributed to Thomas Oliver).
None of these three songs are written in the Geordie dialect, although they are written about Newcastle, Northumberland and North East England.
Nothing more appears to be known of this person, or his life or work.