Rev Samuel Parris site excavation and sermons transcribed Danvers MA

From the Archives Parris excavation article, on Witch Craft Trials, Danvers Historical Society and historian Richard Trask and Rev Howard Oliver Stearns, former pastor at First Congregational Church of Danvers who helped to transcribe the sermons of Rev Samuel Parris. The article below can be sent by Richard Trask. If you would like a pdf please send a request.

Danvers Ma 4th graders field trip Richard Trask, archivist giving a talk from inside foundation 1971 Science Digest Magazine

                         Photo From Blog  Witch Caves, Salem End Road 

Howard Oliver Stearns, JR (1925-1999) Clergyman and social activist. He married Barbara Dorcas Holmes, June 19, 1952.

Reverend Samuel Parris (1653-1720) - Samuel Parris was the Puritan minister in Salem Village, Massachusetts during the Salem witch trials, as well as the father of one of the afflicted girls, Elizabeth Parris, and the uncle of another -- Abigail Williams. 

Stearns Danvers House.  This saltbox originally was three stories and was located in another part of Danvers.  At some point it was moved to 139 Centre, 1800’s, by 20 pair of oxen on log rollers.   Cut back down to two stories.   Eventually it was owned by the Jasper Marsh family and the addition built on the back.  We lived here 1961 to 1966. It was torn down in the late 1960’s to build I-95.  

 Rev Stearns and his family around Easter time in Danvers home 1966

Ruth and Anne Stearns, daughters od Howard Stearns  at the Endicott Pear Tree

The dedication of the St. Luke’s Chapel at the Danvers State Hospital.   This group worked for a long time to pull together building a chapel for the patients, and daughter, Ruth Stearns remembers going up there a lot as it was being built, and going to this ceremony, dated 1964.  Rev Stearns is on the far right.  The clergyman on the far left is Don Zimmerman, Episcopal minister in Danvers.   The minister in the center is Harold Beede, Chaplain at the State Hospital.  Next to him is Margaret Crofts, a member of Stearns church.  Her daughter was Stearns babysitter and the church organist.  The Beede's  lived near the common on Centre Street.