Rev. Francis Dane (20 November 1615 – 17 February 1697) was an English minister who was active in
Andover, Massachusetts
Andover is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. It was settled in 1642 and incorporated in 1646."Andover" in ''The New Encyclopædia Britannica''. Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 15th ed., 1992, Vol. 1, p. 387. As of th ...
in the latter half of the 17th century. He was baptized in
Bishop's Stortford
Bishop's Stortford is a historic market town in Hertfordshire, England, just west of the M11 motorway on the county boundary with Essex, north-east of central London, and by rail from Liverpool Street station. Stortford had an estimated po ...
, England, where it is possible he was also born. He is notable in the history of
Colonial America
The colonial history of the United States covers the history of European colonization of North America from the early 17th century until the incorporation of the Thirteen Colonies into the United States after the Revolutionary War. In the ...
for publicly opposing and consequently entangling his family in the
Salem witch trials
The Salem witch trials were a series of hearings and prosecutions of people accused of witchcraft in colonial Massachusetts between February 1692 and May 1693. More than 200 people were accused. Thirty people were found guilty, 19 of whom w ...
that took place in Massachusetts beginning in 1692.
Education and early career
Francis Dane matriculated as a
sizar
At Trinity College, Dublin and the University of Cambridge, a sizar is an undergraduate who receives some form of assistance such as meals, lower fees or lodging during his or her period of study, in some cases in return for doing a defined jo ...
at
King's College, Cambridge
King's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Formally The King's College of Our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge, the college lies beside the River Cam and faces out onto King's Parade in the centre of the city ...
in
Easter term
Easter term is the summer term at the University of Cambridge, University of Wales, Lampeter, University of Durham, and formerly University of Newcastle upon Tyne (before 2004 and emigrated to
Massachusetts
Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...
with his parents, John and Frances (née Bowyer) Dane, in 1636. Dane became the second pastor of the North Parish
Andover, Massachusetts
Andover is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. It was settled in 1642 and incorporated in 1646."Andover" in ''The New Encyclopædia Britannica''. Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 15th ed., 1992, Vol. 1, p. 387. As of th ...
in 1649.
Family
By his first wife, Elizabeth Ingalls (1618-1676), Francis had six children, two sons and four daughters:
* Elizabeth Dane Johnson (1641-1722),
* Nathaniel Dane (1645-1725),
* Hannah Dane Goodhue (1648-1712),
* Phebe Dane Robinson (1650-1726),
* Abigail Dane Faulkner (1652-1730),
* Francis Dane (1656-1738).
He married twice more. His second wife was Mary Thomas (m. 1677-1689; her death), and his third wife was Hannah Abbot (m. 1690-1697; his death).
First Murmurings of Witchcraft
In 1658 when the subject of witchcraft first came to his attention, he came down decidedly against the concept. When John Godfrey was charged with injuring the wife of Job Tyler by "Satanic acts", Dane judged against the probability.
A New Minister
Around 1680, when Francis Dane was about sixty-five years of age, church members became concerned about his ability to fulfill his role leading the church and requested that a younger minister be sent to them. In January 1682, Rev. Thomas Barnard, a recent graduate of Harvard, arrived. Shortly following Barnard's arrival, Francis Dane's salary was stopped. Dane petitioned the General Court in Boston to have it reinstated. The town complied, but split the salary of 80 pounds a year so that Dane received thirty pounds and Barnard received fifty. Neither man was pleased with the solution.
Salem Witch Trials
Dane had lived in Andover for 44 years, and was 76 years old when the
Salem Witch Trials
The Salem witch trials were a series of hearings and prosecutions of people accused of witchcraft in colonial Massachusetts between February 1692 and May 1693. More than 200 people were accused. Thirty people were found guilty, 19 of whom w ...
began. On October 18, 1692, Dane, Thomas Barnard, and twenty-three others wrote a letter to the governor and to the General Court publicly condemning the witch trials.
Dane and his family were in danger as half a dozen family members stood accused, including Francis Dane himself. Another minister,
George Burroughs
George Burroughs ( 1650August 19, 1692) was an American religious leader who was the only minister executed for witchcraft during the course of the Salem witch trials. He is best known for reciting the Lord's Prayer during his execution, some ...
, had been hanged, and thus Dane's status did not guarantee protection. He warned that his people were guilty of blood for accepting unfounded accusations against covenanted members of the church. Two of Francis Dane's daughters, Elizabeth Dane Johnson and Abigail Dane Faulkner, and his daughter-in-law,
Deliverance Dane Deliverance (née Hazeltine) Dane (January 15, 1653 – June 15, 1735) was one of many women accused of witchcraft during the Salem Witch Trials. She was born January 15th, 1653, her parents were Robert and Anna Hazeltine. She was from Andover, Mass ...
, were all arrested. Abigail Dane Faulkner's two daughters, Abigail Faulkner (Lamson) and Dorothy Faulkner (Nurse), were also accused of witchcraft. All of these survived the trials.
Trials' influence on family
Dane's daughter, Abigail Faulkner Sr., was convicted and condemned in September 1692 but given a temporary
stay of execution
A stay of execution is a court order to temporarily suspend the execution of a court judgment or other court order. The word "execution" does not always mean the death penalty. It refers to the imposition of whatever judgment is being stayed and i ...
because she was pregnant. She was later pardoned by the governor and released. Although Dane's extended family had the most accused of any family, none of his immediate family members was executed, except Elizabeth Jackson Howe (executed July 19, 1692), wife of James Howe, Jr. (or How). Martha Carrier, Dane's niece, was also executed as a witch August 19, 1692.