Pro-Parris Rank and Percentile:

1681-1690

Name Petition 1681 Rank 1681 Percent 1690 Rank 1690 Percent
Chever, Ezekill Pro-P 70 23.60% 48 51.50%
Flint, ensigne Thomas Pro-P 9 91.30% 9 91.90%
Fuller, Thomas Junr Pro-P 29 68.80% 11 87.80%
Goodell, Zach: senr & son Pro-P 23 73.10% 11 87.80%
Haines, Thomas Pro-P 33 65.50% 24 76.70%
Ingersoll, Liuet Nathaniell Pro-P 13 87.00% 18 77.70%
prescott, peter Pro-P 57 38.70% 61 25.20%
Putnam, Capt John Pro-P 4 96.70% 2 96.90%
putnam, Edward Pro-P 38 60.20% 18 77.70%
putnam, John junr Pro-P 23 73.10% 18 77.70%
Pro-Parris Persister Rank and Percentile: 1681-1690 (Sample)

To isolate only members of the pro-Parris faction who paid taxes in both 1691 and 1690, attach an "Autofilter" to the "Petition" column and choose "Pro-P." (Users can further apply a "Custom Filter" to both the "1681 Rank" and "1690 Rank" columns: select "is greater than or equal to" in first field and select the lowest number (1) in second field button to yield a list of only those who paid taxes in both years.)

Twenty-one taxpayers appeared on both the 1681 and 1690 tax lists who also signed the pro-Parris petition. Comparing each persister's rank in 1681 with that of 1690 suggests whether there was upward or downward economic mobility in the decade before the witchcraft outbreak. The evidence cannot be conclusive: an older taxpayer, for example, may have lowered his tax rate by giving land to one or more of his children during the 1680s. Even though his percentile ranking might decrease, as the head of a family, his economic standing was not necessarily diminished. The reverse situation would occur for a son receiving property during the 1680s. But the analysis remains useful, especially in combination with other evidence.

How much change in percentile ranking constitutes significant change is a matter of interpretation. In order to avoid much ado about nothing, percentile changes are noted only if they measured 10% or more.  The information can be recorded in an adjacent column labeled "10% Change," and the results entered as "Up," "Down," or "No Change."  (Users can experiment with other standards; for example, 5% or 15%.).

To see the results for pro-Parris taxpayers, click Next.