Master Daniel Wicom featured since the main profile one of the accusers. Due to the fact a popular person in Rowley, one witchcraft affliction that inside it Wicom, exactly who occupied many city leadership ranks, will have led to lawsuit against Scott.12 According to depositions shown against Scott, the fresh new people away from Rowley suspected the lady to be an effective witch for possibly twenty years however, zero step is actually drawn up until his de subjected to the lady.
Several situations have contributed Frances Wicom to testify so you’re able to such a bad feel also the girl household ecosystem and its particular reference to Indian issues
The Wicoms weren’t the only well-known category of Rowley in it with the allegations facing ily including played a working role into the this new demo. Thomas and you will Phillip Nelson was brothers; Sarah are Philip’s girlfriend. Its dad, Captain Philip Nelson, died for the 1691 leaving a house away from five-hundred weight indicating you to each other Thomas and Philip were well-off themselves. Regrettably, records don’t differentiate anywhere between Philip the daddy and you will Philip the fresh son. But not, the fresh new stature of one’s title from Philip Nelson around ideas shows that your family is wealthy and strong.13
What’s famous among the many appearance away from Nelsons and you may Wicoms from the Essex Condition information is largely just what failed to can be found
Due to the fact several family members are available in of a lot belongings problems, it never arrive given that competitors. If you find yourself one cannot simply think that one another families were relatives, it’s safe to declare that they were maybe not foes. Philip Nelson provided testimony one supported Daniel Wicom when you look at the a great 1679 demonstration and in 1680 both men sided together in another legal proceeding. 14 The relationship amongst the Wicoms while the Nelsons while the Margaret Scott’s captain accusers proceeded to 
the deposition out-of Philip and you may Sarah Nelson who affirmed for the ailment off lifeless Robert Shillito, whom lived in Daniel Wicom’s tithing region. Wicom will have gathered Shillito’s taxes, held it’s place in connection with him, and possess started very always his heading ailment. The past relationship occurred in the new deposition regarding Thomas Nelson. At the conclusion of their testimony, new listing shown your since the a person in the new huge jury offering your the advantage to determine Margaret Scott’s future stretching the newest Nelson-Wicom connection to many of regions of the newest demonstration. fifteen
The fresh new depositions offered facing Margaret Scott focus on the brand new hearsay regarding the her reputation while the preferred thinking you to definitely circulated on witches during the early This new England. Of half a dozen depositions demonstrated up until the Salem Courtroom to the Sep fifteenth, five explained the new spectral picture of Margaret Scott tormenting anybody else. Specific depositions provided revealed that a lot of people suspected Scott try an effective witch long before 1692. Brand new spectral facts originated in new depositions from young women exactly who might have been determined by their paranoia nearby Indian hostilities, societal challenges, and you will religion.
With respect to the proof, Margaret Scott’s specter very first attacked Frances Wicom at the beginning of the latest examples from the Salem within the tenth out-of ination for the August 5th. The fresh seventeen-year dated Frances provided this lady deposition to your legal at Salem on September 15, 1692. Explaining afflictions that have been considered to be very common Frances stated that age in my experience and more than grievously torment me personally of the choacking and you will nearly presing us to demise”.sixteen
She certainly could have heard personal levels out-of bloody problems with Indians. This new facts means that an immediate relationship can be acquired anywhere between nervousness over Indian Wars getting battled when you look at the Maine and you may witchcraft accusations. In such a demanding environment in which This new The united kingdomt are suffering from Satan using witches and you will Indians, have been recognized as servants of your devil, young girls would-have-been prepared to accuse anybody exactly who was remotely skeptical and come up with Scott, which already got a shady profile, a straightforward address.17