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This Day in Boston History
February 2nd, 1651
William Phips - Treasure Hunter, Governor
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On this day
- William Phips was born near Kennebec, Maine. The youngest of twenty-six
children, he was never formally educated. He learned the ship-carpentry
trade from his father. He came to Boston where he would eventually captain
a supply ship, and make a fortune leading an expedition to recover treasure
from sixteen ships lost near Haiti.
As captain he kept sixteen percent of the take, with the English Crown
receiving ten percent. Phips was knighted and appointed the first governor
of the Province of Massachusetts. During his brief term (1692-4) Phips
would convene the Salem Witch Trails. In just six months accusations of
witchcraft would spiral to even Phips' own wife. Phips ultimately pardoned
those convicted, prohibited further arrests of witches, and closed the
court.
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From the writers of iBoston.org |
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