Parris, Samuel, 1653-1720

Born in 1653, Samuel Parris initially pursued a career as a merchant and planter in both London and Barbados. Perhaps anticipating his later career in the ministry, or to elevate his status in business, Parris attended Harvard for a few years in the early 1670s. But when his father died, he left Massachusetts without having graduated and returned to Barbados to resume his mercantile activities. In 1680, he again headed for Boston to improve his prospects. Although some detractors have alleged that he was a failure as a businessman, according to Parris's biographer, he enjoyed "modest success."

But commerce proved unsatisfying, and Parris decided on a new career in the ministry. Since it was unusual to enter the ministry without a college degree, particularly as an ordained minister, it is possible that Parris completed his schooling, though there is no record of this. In 1688, Parris began negotiations with Salem Village for the opening vacated by Deodat Lawson, and the following year, he accepted the post. He permanently cut his business ties in Boston, settled into Salem Village's ministry house with his family, and was ordained.

The union of Parris and Salem Village appeared to begin smoothly, but within two years of his arrival, dissatisfaction with Parris was evident. His difficulties stemmed in part from disagreements over his contract, which never seems to have been formalized. One recorded agreement with Parris (of which he denied any knowledge!) provided him with the ministry house and lands only so long as he remained minister. However, some months later, another meeting of the village, perhaps attended by different people, granted Parris outright ownership of the house and lands. Combined with Parris's plans to refurbish the meeting house, commensurate with its new status as a full church, Parris's ministry signaled a church both more intrusive and more expensive than some villagers wished.

Parris also revealed traits that a number of Salem Villagers, including a few church members, found unwelcome. A serious, dedicated minister, he combined his evangelical enthusiasm to revitalize religion in Salem Village with psychological rigidity and theological conservatism. In contrast to Salem Town's church and most Puritan churches at the time, Parris continued to uphold traditional strict standards for church membership. The Salem Town church had become more inclusive in its membership, making it relatively easy to become a full member. It also accepted the "Half-Way Covenant," which brought into partial membership adults who had been baptized but had not made a public declaration of experiencing God's free grace to become full members. The children of these half-way members were then made eligible for baptism. Parris, however, rejected the Half-Way Covenant and offered baptism only to professed believers and their children. Most village church members were happy with Parris's orthodoxy, which elevated their status by sharply distinguishing them from non-church members. But a minority dissented and found allies among non-members, who constituted a large and influential part of the Salem Village community.

Samuel Parris, son of Thomas Parris, was born in London, England to a family of modest financial success and religious nonconformity.[2] Samuel immigrated to Boston in the early 1660s, where he attended Harvard College at his father's behest. When his father died in 1673, Samuel left Harvard to take up his inheritance in Barbados, where he maintained a sugar plantation.

In 1680, after a hurricane hit Barbados, damaging much of his property, Parris sold a little of his land and returned to Boston, where he brought his slave Tituba and married Elizabeth Eldridge.[3] Eldridge was noted by many as being incredibly beautiful, and was said to be one of the most beautiful women in Salem Village.[4][5] Together they had three children, Thomas Parris, Elizabeth Parris, and Susannah Parris. Although the plantation supported his merchant ventures, Parris was dissatisfied with his lack of financial security and began to look to the ministry. In July 1689, he became minister of Salem Village (now Danvers), Massachusetts.

Salem Village was a contentious place to live and was known to be quarrelsome by neighboring towns and villages.[6] Its dispersed settlement pattern may have resulted in a lack of a sense of common purpose that may have united more orderly and arranged communities.[7] Parris was the fourth minister appointed in a series of unsuccessful attempts to keep a permanent minister. James Bayley (1673–79) and George Burroughs (1680–83) each stayed only a few years, departing after the congregation failed to pay their full rates. Deodat Lawson (1684–88) left with less contention. Further tension was caused by Parris' delay in accepting the position and his inability to resolve his parishioners' disputes. There were also disputes over Parris' compensation. In October 1691, the town decided to stop paying his wages. These issues, and others that were more personal between the villagers, continued to grow unabated.[8]

The events which led to the Salem witch trials began when Parris' daughter, Betty, and her cousin, Abigail Williams, accused Parris' slave Tituba of witchcraft. Parris beat Tituba until she confessed herself a witch,[9] and John Indian, her husband, began accusing others.[citation needed][dubious – discuss] The delusion spread, many were apprehended, most of whom were imprisoned. During the 16-month duration of the Salem witch trials phenomenon, 19 persons were hanged, and one, Giles Corey, was pressed to death.

During a 1692 sermon, Parris declared that "as in our text [John 6:10] there was one [devil] among the 12 [disciples]… so in our churches God knows how many Devils there are," encouraging antagonistic villagers to locate and destroy "witches" who, as it happened, were frequently individuals with whom Parris and his key allies, the Putnam family, had taken umbrage.[10]

As Parris had been an active prosecutor in the witchcraft cases, in 1693, his parish brought charges against Parris for his part in the trials.[4][11] Parris apologized in his essay Meditations for Peace, which he presented in November 1694.[12] Increase Mather led a church council which then vindicated him.[12]

Parris was then involved in a dispute with his congregation over parsonage land he had seized to compensate himself for salary he was owed. The dispute found its way to an Ipswich court, which, in 1697, ordered his salary to be paid and the land to be returned. By 1696, however, he had found his situation untenable. He resigned that year and left Salem. Records in the Suffolk Deeds indicate it likely he returned to business in Boston in 1697.[12]

His wife Elizabeth died in 1696. In 1699, he remarried, to Dorothy Noyes, in Sudbury.[12] He preached two or three years at Stow. He then moved to Concord (1704/05).[4][12] He also preached six months in Dunstable in 1711.[4] He died on February 27, 1720, in Sudbury.