Thomas Danforth
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Thomas Danforth (1622 - November 5, 1699) was a judge for the 1692 Salem witch trials in early colonial America.
In 1622 Thomas Danforth was born in Framlingham, Suffolk, England; he died in Cambridge, Massachusetts on November 5, 1699. He was the eldest son of Nicholas Danforth. Danforth immigrated with his father, brothers Samuel and Jonathan, and sisters Anna, Elizabeth, and Lydia to New England in 1634. Soon after his arrival in the colonies he acquired great influence in the management of public affairs. Bancroft speaks of him as the probable author of the report on natural and chartered rights, made by Simon Bradstreet, Increase Mather, John Norton, and others in 1661. From 1659 to 1678 he was an assistant under the Massachusetts government, becoming Deputy Governor in 1679. In the latter year he was elected president in the Province of Maine, then independent of Massachusetts. He opened his court at York, and granted several parcels of land. He held the offices of Deputy Governor and president until the arrival of Sir Edmund Andros in 1688. Meanwhile he had also been made a judge of the superior court, and in 1681, with Daniel Gookin, Elisha Cooke and others, opposed the acts of trade and asserted the charter rights of the country. During the Salem witchcraft trial in 1692 he showed his authority of judgment by the firmness with which he condemned the accused witches.
[edit] Fictional character in The Crucible
As a character in the play The Crucible by Arthur Miller, he is portrayed as a pretentious and selfish judge, who is extremely loyal to the rules and regulations of his position. Public opinion and his reputation are most important to him. He seems to secretly know that the witch trials are all a lie yet will not release any of the prisoners because he is afraid of being viewed as weak and having his theocratic reputation undermined. When John Proctor, an accused, defies his authority at then end by refusing to lie and sign a public confession saying that he is a witch and accusing others, he is mercilessly sentenced to hang by Danforth immediately along with the other prisoners including Rebecca Nurse.
[edit] References
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| Magistrates | William Stoughton · John Hathorne · Jonathan Corwin · Samuel Sewall · Bartholomew Gendey · Thomas Danforth · Nathaniel Saltonstall |
| Clergy | Samuel Parris · Cotton Mather · Increase Mather · Nicholas Noyes · John Hale · Deodat Lawson · Samuel Willard |
| Politicians & Public Figures | William Phips · Thomas Brattle · Robert Calef |
| Accusers | Elizabeth Hubbard · Mercy Lewis · Betty Parris · Ann Putnam, Jr. · Susannah Sheldon · Mary Walcott Abigail Williams · Sarah Bibber |
| Accused | John Alden · Edward Bishop · Sarah Bishop · Mary Black · Mary Bradbury · Sarah Cloyce · Rebecca Eames · Mary English · Phillip English · Abigail Faulkner · Dorcas Good · William Hobbs · Mary Lacy · Sarah Morey · Benjamin Proctor · Elizabeth Proctor · Sarah Proctor · William Proctor |
| Confessed and Accused Others | Tituba · Abigail Hobbs · Deliverance Hobbs · Margaret Jacobs · Mary Warren · Ann Foster · Mary Lacey Jr. · Mary Lacey Sr. · Sarah Churchwell |
| Executed | Bridget Bishop · George Burroughs · Martha Carrier · Martha Corey · Mary Eastey · Sarah Good · Elizabeth Howe · George Jacobs, Sr. · Susannah Martin · Rebecca Nurse · Alice Parker · Mary Parker · John Proctor · Ann Pudeator · Wilmot Redd · Margaret Scott · Samuel Wardwell · Sarah Wildes · John Willard |
| Died in Prison | Lydia Dustin · Ann Foster · Sarah Osborn · Roger Toothaker |
| Pressed to Death | Giles Corey |
