Which former minister of Salem Village was executed as a witch?

The former minister of Salem Village who was executed as a witch was George Burroughs.

Burroughs was a Puritan preacher who became minister of Salem Village in 1680. He left the position in 1683 after disputes over unpaid wages and moved to Maine, but former congregational conflicts and personal debts later influenced accusations against him. In 1692, he was arrested in Wells and brought back to Salem for trial.

The evidence against Burroughs included claims that he possessed extraordinary physical strength, had harmed his wives through witchcraft, and had failed to attend communion. These accusations reflected the period’s religious fears and local disputes rather than reliable proof. Burroughs was convicted and hanged on August 19, 1692.

He was the only minister executed for witchcraft during the Salem trials. According to later accounts, he recited the Lord’s Prayer flawlessly before his hanging, which caused some spectators to doubt the verdict. Massachusetts eventually recognized the injustice of the conviction, and his heirs received compensation in 1711.