Thomas Haines House

This house, down the road from Ingersoll’s ordinary, was built in 1681 by innkeeper Thomas Haines (alternate spellings Haynes, Hayne), who lived here with his wife Sarah until 1703. He was in his early 30s during the witchcraft delusion. Thomas was the eldest son of Sarah and WIlliam Haines. After his father William died, his mother married Joseph Houlton, and lived nearby, at 19 Centre Street.

Haines, a “leading man of the village” according to historian Charles Upham, was one of the six villagers who posted bail for Reverend George Burroughs when he was arrested for debt in 1683. Haines also testified on Burroughs’s behalf.

35 Centre Street, Danvers, MA, USA

Private residence. Not open to the public.

35 Centre Street, Danvers, MA, USA

More About Thomas Haines House

During the witchcraft trials, Haines, along with neighbor Nathaniel Ingersoll, testified that Abigail Hobbs claimed her father William left the house when the Bible was read. This testimony during the April 22^nd examination of Hobbs contributed to his being jailed.

On May 17, Haines was one of the twelve men who took part in the inquest examining 17-year-old Daniel Wilkins’s body after his death. It was believed that the specters of John Willard and Sarah Buckley had choked the life out of Wilkins.

A decade after the witchcraft delusion had passed, the Haines family emigrated to New Jersey, where records note the sale of 500 acres from Nicholas Winton to “Thomas Haines of Menneton Creek.” Today’s Mannington Township is part of Salem County, NJ.