John Proctor, III

John Proctor III

• Son of John Proctor II and Elizabeth Bassett born in Salem prison.
• See: Sidney Perley, The history of Salem, Massachusetts (Salem, Mass., S. Perley, 1924-28) 2:23 link

Sidney Perley write the following regarding John3 Proctor (John2, John1):

John PROCTOR3; yeoman; lived in the Peabody part of Salem; married Mary; died in 1745; she married. secondly, Daniel Marble (published July 2, 1748); children:

1. Abigai14; married Samuel Goldthwait;
2. Rachet4; married, first, Jonathan Mackmallon; second, Nathaniel Massey;
3. Mary4: married Abraham Pierce Aug. 22, 1744;
4. Hannah4; married John Balcam of Mansfield, Conn. (published April 20, 1745);
5. Elizabeth4; unmarried in 175O, in Salem;
6. John4; Yeoman; married Mary Collier of Marblehead (published Nov. 6, 1736); died in the summer of 1747; she survived him.

Supporting Perley his son John Proctor died in the summer of 1747 leaving a will dated 1 Jun 1747, proved 3 Aug 1747; naming his wife Mary, and leaves to Abraham & Samuel Pears son of my sister Mary Peers [no doubt wife of Abraham Pierce]; to Eunice Macmillian dua of my sister Rachel Marcy [no doubt the widow of Jonathan Mackmallon and current wife of Nathanial Massey].

Based on marriage dates I would posit the birth order would be something like this:

1. Rachel b c1712 Salem m/1 20 Jul 1732 Salem Jonathan Mackmallon m/2 23 Nov 1740 Salem Nathaniel Massey
2. John b c 1715 Salem m 6 Nov 1736 Marblehead Mary Collier d Jun 1747 testate
3. Abigail b c1717 Salem m 22 Aug 1738 Salem Samuel Goldthwait
4. Mary b c1723 Salem m 22 Aug 1744 Salem Abraham Pierce d 25 Jan 1792 New Salem aged 70
5. Hannah b c1724 Salem m 20 Apr 1745 Salem John Balcom d. 8 Sep 1753 Mansfield
6. Elizabeth b c1728 Salem unmarried in 1750 according to Perley

Mary widow of John Proctor’s married second 2 Jul 1748 Salem to Daniel Marble. I don’t know yet when either of them died but it would be useful to find their deeds and probate records on FamilySearch. She is not the Mary Proctor who died 9 AUG 1781 in Westford (she was widow of John son of Robert Proctor). As Mary Proctor alias Marble she administrated the division of her son John Proctor’s estate.

Incidentally, Hannah Proctor was not the last wife of John Balcom. John Balcom married first 27 Jul 1719 Lynn Sarah Jacobs and moved to Mansfield in 1724.. On 28 Jul 1744 he purchased land located at Salem from Thomas Lesbird (Essex Co. (MA) Deed 87:20 Essex > Deeds 1744-1747 vol 87-88 > image 25). I have a copy of the deed written in French. On 20 Apr 1745 in Salem he married second to Hannah Proctor. On 2 Sep 1769, John Balcam of Mansfield, Windham Co., Connecticut conveyed land in Mansfield to "my son in Law" Nathan Simonds of Windham, Windham Co. for £180. The same day, Nathan Simonds of Windham mortgaged the same lands to "my Honrd Father in Law" John Balcam of Mansfield for £180 with provisos that Nathan was to use the lands "for the support and maintenance of him the sd John & my Honrd mother Rachel wife to the said John" (see Mansfield land records, vol. 7, pages 447-450; FHL Film 4869). So he clearly had a third wife Rachel before his died. Nathan Simonds was wife to his eldest daughter Sarah Balcom.

Best regards,

Roland Baker

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Proctor_(Salem_witch_trials)