Sarah Clayes

Sarah Clayes was among the early settlers of present-day Framingham, but her journey there was one of survival and defiance. Born in 1638 in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, she was the daughter of William and Joanna Towne. She first married Edmund Bridges, and after his death, wed Peter Cloyse, settling in Salem Village.

In 1692, the Salem Witch Trials gripped the colony. Sarah’s sisters, Rebecca Nurse and Mary Easty, were among the accused, with both ultimately executed. Sarah herself was accused of witchcraft after walking out of a sermon condemning alleged witches. A witness even claimed to have seen her specter curtsy to the devil. Arrested alongside Elizabeth Proctor, Sarah was imprisoned and faced imminent execution.

In August 1692, with the help of her husband, she managed to escape from jail and went into hiding. By March 1693, Sarah and her family fled to Thomas Danforth’s land near Cowassock Brook, in what became Framingham. There, they changed their last name to Clayes. Other persecuted family members followed, forming a settlement later known as Salem End.

Five historic homes from these early settlers still stand today, including the Peter & Sarah Clayes House, which was restored in 2017. Sarah’s legacy endures as a testament to the strength and resilience of those who sought refuge from injustice and helped shape the history of Framingham.