Despite its significance in the witch hunt of 1692, Andover has always labored “in the shadow of Salem.” The reality is that 45 residents of Andover were accused of witchcraft in that fateful year, more than from any other town. No fewer than twenty-three inhabitants of Andover involved themselves in accusations in one way or another and that spilled over into neighboring towns – including Billerica, Boxford, Haverhill, Reading, and Rowley. Numerous books have been written about the events of 1692, but this one is the first to illuminate the major role that Andover played in the process.

Richard Hite is State Records Coordinator at the Rhode Island State Archives and Public Records Administration. He has a B.A. in history and political science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, an M.A. in Archival Management from North Carolina State University, and an M.A. in history from Kent State University.