The mention of actual people in the concluding remarks can best be described as

literary embellishment

supporting evidence

thematic connections

tangential facts

supporting evidence.

Not all literature provides supporting evidence for its claims. However, when evidence is included, it can sometimes be part of the concluding remarks. When real people are mentioned in this section, it is often as a way to provide evidence for the things mentioned in the text. This action can add credibility to the work. Also, it can serve as a starting point of research for people who want to find out more about a topic.

Proctor is most likely not taken very seriously because the people of Salem were very quick to jump to conclusions based on one's reputation.
Proctor was not liked by the majority of the community. He was very intimidating. People were suspicious of him because he did not go to church on Sundays and he worked on Sundays as well.