Mary Webster

Mary Webster (fl. 1684) was a resident of colonial New England who was accused of witchcraft and was the target of an attempted lynching by friends of the accuser. Biography Early life Mary Webster, born Reeve, was born in England. The exact year of her birth is unknown, but accounts of her birthdate ranged from 1617 to 1624. Both her father and her brother were named Thomas Reeve. Her father lived in Springfield, Massachusetts. According to the New England Historical Society, her mother's name was Hannah Rowe Reeve. In 1670, Mary Reeve married William Webster and they settled in the small Puritan town of Hadley, Massachusetts. No records exist of Webster having had any children. He was 53, she was 46. William and Mary Webster had little money, lived in a small house and sometimes needed help from the town to survive.