Roger TOOTHAKER

1634 - 1692  (57 years)

• Name	Roger TOOTHAKER
  Born	27 Nov 1634	England
  Gender	Male
  Migration	1635	“Hopewell”
  Occupation	Natural healer
  Immigrant?	Y
  Witchcraft connection?	Y
  Witch Description	Accused of witchcraft during the Salem craziness, and died in prison.
  Cause of Death	Died in prison during Salem Witch Trials
  Died	16 Jun 1692	Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts
  Buried	Salem Village Witchcraft Victims’ Memorial   [1]
  Person ID	I47259	Main
  Last Modified	17 Dec 2023

  
  

  Father	Roger TOOTHAKER,   b. Abt 1612, Middlesex, England ,   d. Bef 5 Jan 1638, Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts  (Age ~ 26 years)
  Mother	Margaret FRENCH,   b. Abt 1615, Halstead, Essex, England ,   d. 22 Nov 1683, Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts  (Age ~ 68 years)
  Married	Abt 1634	England
  Family ID	F32703	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Mary ALLEN,   b. 29 Jul 1644, Salisbury, Essex, Massachusetts ,   d. 5 Aug 1695, Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts  (Age 51 years)
  Married	9 Jun 1665	Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts
  Children	1. Martha TOOTHAKER,   b. 23 Jul 1668, Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts ,   d. 14 Jan 1725, Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts  (Age 56 years)   2. Allen TOOTHAKER,   b. 17 Sep 1670, Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts ,   d. Jul 1692, Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts  (Age 21 years)   3. Roger TOOTHAKER,   b. 27 Nov 1672, Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts ,   d. 19 Mar 1745, Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts  (Age 72 years)   4. Mercy TOOTHAKER,   b. 7 Jun 1675, Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts ,   d. 14 Oct 1675, Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts  (Age 0 years)   5. Mary TOOTHAKER,   b. 28 Sep 1676, Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts ,   d. 5 Dec 1683, Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts  (Age 7 years)   6. Andrew TOOTHAKER,   b. 4 Oct 1679, Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts ,   d. 1760, Harpswell, Cumberland, Maine  (Age 80 years)   7. Margaret TOOTHAKER,   b. 31 Jan 1682, Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts ,   d. 5 Aug 1695, Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts  (Age 13 years)
  Last Modified	18 Oct 2023
  Family ID	F32702	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Event Map		Born - 27 Nov 1634 - England Married - 9 Jun 1665 - Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts Died - 16 Jun 1692 - Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts  = Link to Google Earth
  Pin Legend	: Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  
  

• Documents

  Roger Toothaker Coroner’s report Roger died in prison awaiting trial. The coroner determined he died of natural causes.

  
  

• Notes

  When Roger was about a year old, he came to the New World from England in 1635 with his parents, Roger and Margaret, and settled in Plymouth. Tragically, Roger Sr. passed away a few years later. The widowed Margaret Toothaker married Ralph Hill, and the family subsequently relocated to Woburn before finally reaching Billerica by 1653, establishing themselves as some of the earliest settlers in the area. Hill was even granted a sizable tract of land. Roger received land from his stepfather, situated "on the east side of the Concord River, below the great bridge." His dwelling stood as one of the northernmost homes in Billerica, quite distant from the town's center. On June 9, 1665, Roger married Mary Allen of Andover, and over the next 18 years, the couple welcomed eight children into the world, although three did not survive to adulthood. Roger’s occupation is unknown, but records related to the Salem witch trials refer to him as a Doctor, and Roger was known to discuss his knowledge of natural healing arts. During the precarious and dangerous late 17th century, Roger was arrested on May 18, just ten days before his sister-in-law, Martha Carrier. His wife Mary (Martha's sister) and nine-year-old daughter Margaret were also included in the same complaint as Martha. Although accused and jailed, Roger never faced a trial; he passed away in Boston jail on June 16. The subsequent coroner's inquest determined that he died of natural causes. The jails were cold, damp, and full of disease. He could have died from anything. —— Roger & Mary had nine children born between 1666 and 1683, but he apparently had trouble supporting them. In 1682-83, he was brought before the selectmen and "spoken unto concerning many things amiss in his family." In 1684, he was living in Salem, Massachusetts, although his wife and children remained in Billerica. On December 15, 1684, the selectmen sent him a letter asking him to come for his family. Apparently he did not respond so the town aided his wife and "bound out" two of his children. This meant that the children went to live with another family for a time, as servants, to pay off debts through their labor. Roger practiced as a doctor, although he must have been self-taught. He was living in Salem without his wife and family in 1692 during the witch scare. He was brought before the court on May 20, 1692: "The Deposition of Thomas Gage Aged aboute thirty six years This deponent saith & doth testifie that sometime this Last spring of ye year, that Doctor Toothaker was in his house in Beuerly (upon some occasion) & was discoursed about John Marstons Childe of Salem that was then sick and having unwonted fits and Likewise another Childe of Philip Whites of Beverly who was then strangely sick. I persuaded said Toothaker to goe and see said Children and said Toothaker answered he had seen them both already and his opinion was that they were under an Evill hand And farther said Toothaker said that his Daughter had killed a witch and I asked him how she did it and said Toothaker answered readily that his daughter had learned something from him..."

  
  

• Sources

  [S96] Find a Grave, database and images, 212169202.