By:

Sean-Jacob Harley Davidson

The Story of William Phips

I was born on February 2, 1651 near Kennebec, Maine. In Woolwich

I was the youngest of twenty-six children.My father was a gunsmith and died when I was six years old.Once my father died, my mother married our neighbor and her

business partner, John White.I was a shepherd until I turned the age of 18At an early age I set off to Boston to fulfill my dream to be a

carpenter. Got sidetracked by many different expeditions that

eventually landed me in Boston.

Birth and Childhood

I did not attend school at a young age.I then got a 4 year apprenticeship as a ships carpenter. Although I did not attend school, I learned to read and

write, but it was at a rudimentary level.Later in life, I relied a lot on my “right hand man” to write

everything down for me. I did not have him sign my name or read to me however, that much could be done on my own.

Education

In the year 1682, I went on an expedition as the captain of the Resolution to the Bahamas to seek treasure from sunken Spanish ships.My major find was the ship Señora de la Concepción

which had gold and silver doubloons, jewelry, and other precious artifacts.

I reported recovering upwards to 300,000 Euros.Other smaller ships were scattered around with treasure

only worth 10,000 Euros.This was not worth my time, so I left and sailed for

Boston.

Career as a Ship Captain and Treasure Hunter

In March of 1790, I was appointed, by the General Court, to lead an expedition against the French in Acadia. Leading a fleet of seven ships and over seven hundred men, I arrived at Port

Royal in early June. The governor and I had negotiated the terms of capitulation, but he had

violated them so I ordered my men to destroy the town and the Church.

On August 20th, I set sail for another expedition against Quebec. I had called for the governor to surrender, but he declined so we went to war.

The war ended in failure, and cost more than 50,000 Euros Upwards of 230 casualties and a field cannon were lost. Caused me to seek financial and political support for another expedition.

This did not happen.

Career as a Military Leader

I married Mary Spencer Hull in the year of 1673. She was the widow of the prosperous Boston merchant,

John HullI did not have children.

Family Life as an Adult

In May of 1692, I had arrived back in Boston to be the First Royal Governor of Massachusetts.

The Witch Trials in Salem had already started two months earlier and the people, who were not in prison for practicing witchcraft, were bantering me for trials on the accused.

I wasn’t sure what to do so I demanded that irons be put on the accused in prison.

I created the Court of Oyer and Terminer to have hearings and determine all the backlog cases.

I placed experienced men of Boston and Salem to be judges.William Stoughton was to be the man in charge.

Returning to Boston…

William Stoughton was very keen on trying the accused witches with spectral evidence and being killed based on spectral evidence.

Once I realized that the trials were all being based on spectral evidence and not cold, hard facts, I shut the whole thing down. I shut down the Oyer and Terminer courts. I pardoned eight people whom Stoughton sentenced to death. I wrote a letter to the King chastising Stoughton for his ruthless

behavior on February 21, 1693.I used this letter to defend myself from the fat that I did not realize

the dangers and the stupidity of allowing the use of spectral evidence.

My Involvement Continued…

On July 4th 1694, I was summoned to appear before the Lords of Trade in London, England.

I spent much of my summer at Pemaquid overseeing frontier defenses while Stoughton gathered evidence for the hearing.

I arrived in London January 1, 1695 and was arrested on exaggerated charges.Dudley had put a 20,000 Euro bail on my head which he

hoped would prevent me from returning to Massachusetts.This did not work, a man named Sir Henry Ashurst paid my

bail and I was free for the time being.

After the Trials…

While preparing my arguments, I had fallen greatly ill with a fever.

I was never able to present my arguments fro the hearing, because I died on February 18, 1695.

I was buried in London in the yard of Church of St. Mary Woolnoth.My original marker and my grave was moved with the

church grounds during renovations in the 18th century.

Late Life and Death

“Salem Witch Trials Governor Sir William Phips” <http://www2.iath.virginia.edu/salem/people/phi ps.html>. 2001.

“Sir William Phips” Salem Witchcraft Trials 1692. <http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/sal em/SAL_BPHI.HTM>

Bibliography