Martha Proctor

Wife of John Proctor Sr. on the 1635 ship list. A maiden name Harper appears only on WikiTree, unsourced. Mollie’s death date for her, “June 13, 1659,” comes from the Ipswich entry “Martha, w. John, June 13, 1659. ct. r.,” which most likely belongs to the first wife of John Proctor Jr.

Her husband’s will of 28 Aug 1672 names “my wife martha” and provides for her. At Ipswich court on 24 Sept 1672, Sarah Story and Mary Fellows testified that they asked Goodman Procter “what should be done with his wife’s clothing.” He answered that “it should be disposed of among his daughters and Martha Hadley, both woolen and linen, also her horse and all the wool that was in the chamber.” He also said he had given “his son James White one pair of oxen which were not entered in his will” (Probate Records of Essex County 2:316-317).

Open questions

• Her maiden name, and whether she was the “mother Prockter” living in 1673.
• Was the Martha of the 1672 will the Martha of the 1635 ship list? Historic Ipswich says a first wife Martha died 13 June 1659 and that John Proctor Sr. remarried another Martha. The Low research instead assigns that 1659 death to John Jr.’s first wife, Martha Giddings. Unresolved.