"Tradition says that John Hull placed his daughter in one of the scales and heaped in the other with silver, filling it with Pine-Tree shillings until the scales balanced." Truth is "instead of being paid in shillings, was paid by being passed in a balance to a new account. £500 was very clearly the amount of the dowry." (Hull's family 275 - Diary of John Hull). If there was any truth to the story, Hannah weighed about 125 pounds. Hannah's marriage, through John Hull's wealth, gave Samuel an established merchant business and a career in public office. Later, after Hull's death, Sewell accused a life long family friend (John Alden Jr) to the family of witchcraft in the Salem Witch Trials.

The "Sewell Tomb" in the Granary Burying Ground, Boston was really built by John Hull , Esq . , who was buried therein , October 5 , 1683 making it the "Hull - Quincy -Sewell Tomb". According to a list prepared by Samuel Sewall, eldest son of the Chief Justice , there had been deposited in that tomb the bodies of 33 persons : John Hull , Esq . , and Mrs . Judith Hull his wife , a sister of Col . Edmund Quincy , of Braintree , Mr . Daniel Quincy of Boston , a son of Col . Quincy by his first wife , and father of Hon . John Quincy , Esq . , of Braintree , Speaker of the House for many years , who was great grandfather of the late John Quincy Adams , President of the United States ; Rev . Joshua Moodey , first Pastor of the Church at Portsmouth , N . H . , and sometime assistant minister of first Church , Boston ; Chief Justice Samuel Sewall and his first two wives , twenty - five of his children and grandchildren ( including Mrs . Elizabeth Hirst his eldest daughter , Grove Hirst , Esq . , Merchant , her husband , and their daughter Mrs . Elizabeth , first wife of Rev . Charles Chauncey , D . D . , ) and Miss Ann Pierce , probably a cousin from Newbury , who had died in Boston . To these were doubtless added between then and the Revolution , Rev . William Cooper of Brattlestreet Church "

John Hull and John Alden started the South Church. Hull employed Captain John Alden Jr for decades. Hannah and Alden Jr were almost family. When Phips founded the Court of Oyer and Terminer May 27, 1692. It was designed for one sole purpose: to try and convict accused witches and John Alden Jr was accused. Meanwhile Hannah's husband, Samuel Sewall, was one of executioners. From a editors note of the Sewall's Diary "Captain John Alden, "the tall man in Boston" had been accused by some of the " afflicted " in Salem as their tormentor . We do not know the grounds of the accusation , as those who brought it against him do not appear to have known him personally . He was a son of the memorable pilgrim of the same name , of Plymouth . For thirty years he had been a leading and respected citizen of Boston , was a member of the South Church , and , as a brave and efficient seaman , in command of the armed vessel of the Colony , he had done noble service in the French and Indian wars . He was now seventy years of age ."  "He was sent to Boston jail , from which , after a confinement of fifteen weeks , with the aid of friends he made his escape to Duxbury , where he was secreted till the delusion was spent . He told those whom he startled by his appearance at midnight in Duxbury , that " he was flying from the Devil , and the Devil was after him . "