Very little is known today about Samuel Wardwell. The records from his trial are still relatively intact, but no information remains about his past. It is known that he was married and had several small children, as after his arrest, Andover officials petitioned Salem for advice because "Samuel Wardwell and his wife of Andover were lately apprehended and committed to prison for witchcraft, and have left several small children who are uncapable of providing for themselves and are now in a suffering condition. We have thought it necessary and convenient that they should be disposed of in some families whether there may be due care taken of them. We therfore humbly pray your honours to inform us what is our duty in this case."

Wardwell was from Andover, and tried for witchcraft in Salem Village on September 17, as were Margaret Scott, Wilmot Redd, and Mary Parker. Of these four, Wardwell is the only accused to have confessed, recanted his confession, and not to go back on the recantation. It seems that Wardwell had a reputation for fortune telling in Andover, and when originally examined on September 1 by John Higginson, he said he "was in a snare of the devil." When urged to continue on this line he told an elaborate tale of agreeing to serve Satan until he was sixty and being baptized by him in a river. On September 13, however, when he appeared before a grand jury, he declared his entire confession to be a lie and said, "he knew he should die for it whether he owned it or no," meaning he would hang for his confession whether he recanted it or not.

Samuel Wardwell was hanged on Gallows Hill, September 22, 1692.