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Henry of Massachusetts
Keany- Keeny - Keine - Kene - Keney - Kenne - Kening - Kennee - Kenney - Kenninge - Kenny - Kennye - Keny - Keyney - Kine - Kiney - Kinne - Kinney
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NOT ALL LINKS WORK AT THIS TIME
Project began 15 March 2006
Georgia Kinney Bopp
This page last revised 5 March 2007 (fixed a link, no test revisions)

TIMELINE ¬ This is the key page for information about Henry with sources.

Witch Trials  - Henry Sr. or Henry Jr. ?    
Work in progress

According to known records, in March 1691/2, "Henery Keney Yeoman" made a complaint against Martha Cory and “[Hen] Kenny” spoke against Rebecca Nurse. See  transcripts  below.

It is not known for certain if this was Henry Sr. or Henry Jr. At the time of the 1691/92 trials, Henry, Sr., was about age 68, and Henry, Jr., was about age 22. Both were members of the Salem Village church (the first mention of "Henry Keney sen" and "Henery Keney Ju" occurs in the SALEM VILLAGE RECORD BOOK in 1689).

Henry, Sr.?  (Jeff Green)

Henry, Jr.? (Bruce Butler)\

Misc.

Henry Sr.?  (Jeff Green)

From Jeff Green [minor edits] (Apr 9 2006 email to GKBopp):

Based on the use of prefixes Goodm [Goodman] and Yoeman in the documents reporting Henry Keney testimony in the witch trials, I think it's safe to say that it was Henry Senior, not Junior, who testified during the 1691/2 trials. Some information about the usage of prefixes in Puritan New England:

Goodman [Goodm]
The name of a young man had no prefix till he became a master workman. Then, if he were an artisan or a husbandman, he might be addressed by the honorary title of Goodman, and his wife might be called Good-wife or Goody. A person who employed laborers but did not labor with them was distinguished from one' whose prefix was Goodman, by the prefix Mr. This term of respect was accorded to elders, magistrates, teachers, merchants, and men of wealth, whether engaged in merchandise, or living in retirement from trade. Social inequality was also strikingly manifest in the "seating of the meeting-house," the governor and deputy-governor being seated on the front form, and allowed its whole length for the accommodation of themselves and their guests, while others were disposed behind them and in the end seats, according to social position; but a back seat of the same length as those in front was considered sufficiently long for seven men. The women on the other side of the house were arranged with the same consideration of rank. No seats were assigned to persons inferior to a goodman and a goodwife.
http://www.quinnipiac.edu/other/abl/etext/colony/chapter16.html

Yeoman
This is a confusing term that has had lots of meanings over time. In the 17th century, a yeoman was a prosperous, hard-working farmer. A less prosperous farmer would be called a "husbandman". Don't get confused with the earlier meaning of an attendant to a knight or noble--or the later meaning of a petty officer in the navy.
http://www.axtellfamily.org/axgenea/PuritanVillageGlossary.html

 Jeff Green

 

Henry Jr.?  (Bruce Butler)
From Bruce Butler [minor edits] (Oct. 5, 2006 email to GKBopp):

I believe that it is probable that the Henry Kinney who testified is Henry Jr.  By 1692 Henry Sr. would have been an old man.  More importantly, Henry Jr.'s wife, Priscilla Lewis, was the older sister of one of the main protagonists in the trials, Mercy Lewis. 

Four ancestors of Roger Mowry Mann were living in Salem, Massachusetts during the 1692 witch trials, Henry Kenny Sr. and his wife Ann ----- Kenny, their son, Henry Kenny Jr. and his wife, Priscilla Lewis Kenny. The Salem witch trials were a six month period of hysteria in which nineteen people were hung after being convicted of witchcraft, one was tortured to death and at least five died in prison. [etext] Several members of the Putnam family were among the prime instigators of the trials. [Karson] Thomas Putnam, his wife Ann and especially twelve year old daughter Ann were among the primary accusers during this tragic farce. [Cory web site] Ann Putnam Jr. is mentioned 414 times in the records of all of the cases. [etext] Henry Kenny Sr.'s wife, Ann may have been a Putnam and thus a relative of the Thomas Putnam family. [18b] Another of the principal accusers was Mercy Lewis, whose sister was the wife of Henry Kenny Jr. Mercy Lewis is mentioned 295 times in the case records. In the twenty cases where executions were carried out, Ann Putnam and Mercy Lewis gave depositions or testimony of their affliction by the accused men and women or one or more Putnams testified as to observing these girls' affliction in virtually every case. [etext] In the trial of two women convicted and hung as witches, Henry Kenny Jr. testified against the women:

Internet sites
Cory web site, Salem Witch Craft Trials, coryfamsoc.com, keywords "Edward Putnam"
etext.virginia.edu, The Salem Witchcraft Papers
Karson, Anastasia, Revenge in the Salem Witchcraft Hysteria: The Putnam Family and George Burroughs

Bruce Butler

 

MISC. NOTES

According to Jeff Green, the report that Henry and the trials are mentioned in the Diary of Rev. Joseph Green is erroneous.
See Diary of Rev. Joseph Green.

 

1692 (1691/2)

The Salem witchcraft trials began in Salem Village (now known as Danvers) in 1692 and spread elsewhere with about 150 persons being accused. Of the 19 people executed, 12 came from the Salem Village area.
http://etext.virginia.edu/salem/witchcraft/Witch.html
Henry [Sr.? Jr.?] spoke against two of the women who were hanged.

March 19, 1691/2
Henry, Sr., was abt age 68, and Henry, Jr., abt 22

Henery Keney compliant against Martha Cory for witchcraft
Warrent for Arrest of Martha Corey:
There being Complaint this day made before us, By Edward put-
nam and Henery Keney Yeoman both of Salem Village, Against
Martha Cory the wife of Giles Cory of Salem farmes for suspition
of haveing Comitted sundry acts of Witchcraft and thereby donne
much hurt and injury unto the Bodys of Ann Putnam the wife of
Thomas Putnam of Salem Village Yeoman And Anna Puttnam the
daugtter of s'd Thomas putnam and Marcy Lewis Single woman Live-
ing in s'd Putnams famyly; also abigail Williams one of mr parris
his family and Elizabeth Hubert Doctor Grigs his maid.
You are therefore in theire Majest's names hereby required to
apprehend and bring; before us. Martha Cory the wife of Giles Cory
abovesaid on Munday next being the 21't day of this Instant month,
at the house of Lt Nathaniell Ingersalls of Salem Village aboute
twelve of the Clock in the day in order to her Examination Relateing
to the premises and hereof you are not to faile
Dated Salem. March. the 19'th. 1691/2
http://etext.virginia.edu/etcbin/ot2www-salemname?name=Henry+Keney&query=kenhen
Note: Martha Cory was hanged September 22, 1692
http://etext.virginia.edu/salem/witchcraft/Commemoration.html

Verbatim Transcripts of the Legal Documents of the Salem Witchcraft Outbreak of 1692. Edited by Paul Boyer and Stephen Nissenbaum
(online version)

The Salem Witchcraft Papers Verbatim Transcriptions of the Court Records
In three volumes
Edited by Paul Boyer and Stephen Nissenbaum
Da Capo Press: New York, 1977.

(From Cook, Bopp, et al)

March 24, 1691/2

Henry, Sr., who was abt age 68, and Henry, Jr., abt 22

Hen. Kenny speaks against Rebecca Nurse in the Salem Witchcraft Trials.
The examination of Rebekah Nurse at Salem Village
24. mar. 1691/2
Mr. Harthorn. What do you say (speaking to one afflicted) have you seen this
Woman hurt you?
Yes, she beat me this morning
Abigial . Have you been hurt by this Woman?
Yes
Ann Putman in a grievous fit cryed out that she hurt her.
Goody Nurse , here are two An: Putman the child & Abigail Williams
complains of your hurting them What do you say to it
N. I can say before my Eternal father I am innocent, & God will clear
my innocency
Here is never a one in the Assembly but desires it, but if you be
guilty Pray God discover you.
Then Hen: Kenny rose up to speak
Goodm: Kenny what do you say
Then he entered his complaint & farther said that since this Nurse came
into the house he was seizd twise with an amaz'd condition
Here are not only these but, here is the wife of Mr Tho: Putman who
accuseth you by credible information & that both of tempting her to
iniquity, & of greatly hurting her.
N. I am innocent & clear & have not been able to get out of doors these
8. or 9. dayes.
Mr Putman: give in what you have to say
Then Mr Edward Putman gave in his relate
Is this true Goody Nurse
I never afflicted no child never in my life
http://etext.virginia.edu/etcbin/ot2www-salemname?name=Henry+Keney&query=kenhen
Note: Rebecca Nurse, age 71, was hanged July 19, 1692
http://etext.virginia.edu/salem/witchcraft/Commemoration.html

(From Cook, Bopp, et al)

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