Person:Joseph Herrick (8)

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Joseph Herrick (August 6, 1645 – ca. 1710) was the principal law enforcement officer in Salem, Massachusetts during the Salem Witchcraft Trials of 1692. Joseph, it was believed, was the son of Henry Herrick, who was the fifth son of Sir William Herrick (Heyricke or Eyrick) of Beaumanor Park, in the parish of Loughborough, in the county of Leicester, England. Recent research indicates that Joseph is the son of a different Henrie Hericke, who also immigrated to America, possibly a cousin of the Henry Heyricke of Beaumanor. Henry Heyricke of Beaumanor owned land Poquosin Creek, York Co., Virginia. He is noted in various records from 1640 to 1659. His location after 1659 has not been discovered. He served in the House of Burgesses in 1644–45.

Henry Hericke, progenitor of most of the Herricks in America, migrated to Salem in 1629 as a member of Higginson's fleet. Joseph, Henry's 4th son, was married to Sarah, the daughter of Richard Leach, on February 7, 1667. He was referred to as governor, which means he had probably been in command of a military district at some point, or perhaps he had been the magistrate of a West Indies colony. His descendants were large in number, and have held many important positions.

Joseph Herrick was a soldier during King Philip's War. In 1692, at age forty-seven, he was a corporal in the village militia. He was the constable of Salem, and, as such, central to the proceedings in the witchcraft trials. At the beginning he was persuaded by the accusers; but by the end he had become a skeptic. In one of the cases, he became an advocate for an accused person, which was probably quite dangerous; and in the end he was a leader in the opposition movement. His parents are mentioned in a court record to have been fined "for aiding and comforting an excommunicated person, contrary to order."

In Upham's "Salem Witchcraft," Vol. I," pp. 153-4, we find the following account of him:

• "He was a man of great firmness and dignity of character, and, in addition to the care and management of his large farm, was engaged in foreign commerce. As he bore the title of Governor, he had probably been at some time in command of a military post or district, or perhaps of a West-India colony. His descendants are numerous, and have occupied distinguished stations, often exhibiting a transmitted military stamp. Joseph Herrick was in the Narragansett fight. It illustrates the state of things at that time, that this eminent citizen, a large landholder, engaged in prosperous merchantile affairs, and who had been abroad, was, in 1692, when forty-seven years of age, a corporal in the village company. He was the acting constable of the place, and, as such, concerned in the early proceedings connected with the witchcraft prosecutions."

"He was a Representative to the General Court from Beverly four years."\emdash Stone's History of Beverly.

"The Second Parish of Beverly was incorporated by the Gen. Court in Oct., 1713. Joseph Herrick, with two other persons, was chosen an agent to make objections against the prayer of the petition for same, which remonstrance failed. He was also appointed on the committee to take preliminary steps for the erection of a house of worship for sane."---Id., pp. 256-7

1. ↑ Joseph Herrick, in Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia.
2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1 Anderson, Robert Charles. The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-1633. (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1995)
   Henry Herrick entry.

   v JOSEPH, bp. Salem 6 August 1645 [SChR 20]

3. ↑ Salem, Essex, Massachusetts, United States. Vital Records to the End of the year 1849. (Salem, Massachusetts: Essex Institute, 1916-1925)
   vol. 1, page 426.
4. ↑ Owned and occupied Cherry Hill in 1692.
5. ↑ Mr. Joseph Herrick
   Salem/Beverly, MA
   Gentleman
   # …. Massachusetts Archives
   February 10, 1717 Will Proved
   
   In the Name of God, Amen. I Joseph Herrick of Salem in the County of Essex, in the province of Massachusetts Bay in New England, being aged and not knowing how soon my great Change may come, Doe make my Last Will and Testament in forme and manner following.
   
   Imprimis: I give up my Immortall Soul to God when he shall please to Call for It, and my Body to Decent burial hoping for a glorius resurrection Through the merits of Jesus Christ my Savior and Redeemer- and as for my worldly estate to hath God blessed me withall I dispose of as followeth-
   
   _ I give to my Sons Joseph & John that land I had at Birch Plains which now I now give possession of equally between them; and also land I had of Arthur Crouch at Chelmsford to be equally divided between them always provided if they take care of it and Arthur Crouch and his wife doe not suffer for want Dureing their lives.
   
   Item: I also give to my son Joseph two acres of meadow in Leach his meadow. Also a piece of land which he had fenced in which was my brother Thomas Herrick's land only he is to draw back his fence one pole at the north end and two rods at south end of it and to allow Liberty to my heirs to carte hay over it as they may have occasion - and my son Joseph is to maintain the divisionall fence between him and my heirs forever.
   
   Item: I give to my son, John one acre of meadow at Bunkers Meadow on the easterly side the whole length joining to John Hericke (?) his cozen- and my Negro Woman Hannah after my wives decease.
   
   Item: I give to my son Martin that farm where he dwells which I bought of Capt. flint. I also give him the remainder of the time in my man William Parde (Parle?)
   
   Item: I give to my son Rufus all my home Living and my land at Barnys farme and all the remainder of my meadow at Bunkers Meadow and my wood lott in Wenham pine swamp.
   
   Item: I give to Mary my beloved wife the aforesaid room in my house the eastward lower room with convenient celler room and the service of my Negro woman as long as she shall se[e] cause to dwell at my house and I give her a Cow and my son Rufus shall keep her winter and summer, and shall find my wife a horse for her use as she may have occasion and find her firewood brought to the door, and to find my wife five bushhells of corn a year, and my wife shall have Liberty to keep a swine at the Dore[?] in winter and in my pasture in summer. _ and my Son Rufus shall find my wife one barrel of Cider a year and to allow her Convenint appls for her use for winter or summer, all this to continue so long as my wife shall see Cause to dwell at my house and if she se[e] cause to remove in lieu of this my son Rufus shall pay my wife forty shillings per year during her life in or as money.
   
   Item: I give to my son Rufus all my personal estate within doors and without and my will is that my son Rufus pay to my daughter Tryphosa Leach ten pounds in or as money. Also to pay my daughter Tryfene Traske ten pounds in or as money and also pay my daughter Elizabeth Herrick fifty pounds and also to pay my daughter Edyeth Porter ten pounds. This my son Rufus shall pay to my severall daughters in household goods as far as it will goe, the rest to be paid in other pay, only my daughter Elizabeth shall have the bed and furniture which stands in the east chamber for part of her fifty pounds, those several payments to be made within three years of my death.
   
   Item: I give five pounds a piece to my two grand daughters the children of my daughter Sarah Moulton to be paid them by my son Rufus when they to the age of eighteen years.
   
   Item: I give my common rights in Beverlye to my son William Leach and to my son Benjemin Traske to be equally divided between them, and I give my common right in Salem to my son Rufus: it is to be understood that what I have given to my several children, I give to them and to their heirs and assigns forever.
   
   I Constatute and appoint my son Rufus Herrick the sole executor of this my will.
   
   In Testemony that this is my will and testament. I have hereunto sett my hand and seal this Twenty second Day of January: 1717/18.
   
   Signed, sealed and Declared Joseph Herrick Seal
   In presence of us
   Joseph Herrick
   Edward Raymond
   Jon'a Putnam
   
   Ex'sor in Ipswich, February 10, 1717.
   Before Joseph Herrick, Capt., Edward Raymond and Capt. Jon'a Putnam all personally appeared and made the oath that they were (present?) and saw Mr. Joseph xxxx (?) sign and seal and heard him publish and declare the above written instrument to be his last will and testament and when he did he was of good understanding and disposition of mind - and that they all put to said hands as witnesses in his service.
   
   Sworn and attested
   Dan Rogers, Regr.
   
   Upon which this will be proved, approved and allowed. The Executor within named approved and accepted the xxxx (trust?) and xxxxx(gave?) bond to pay all debts and xxxx(legacies?) according to will.
   Attest
   Dan Rogers, Regr.