[[Category:Witch Trials]] [[Category:Accused_Witches_of_New_England]] [[Category:Connecticut Projects]] = The Connecticut Witch Trials = This page is part of the WikiTree '''[[Project:Witch_Trials|Witch Trials Project]]'''. ===Work In Progress=== "The true story of witchcraft in old Connecticut has never been told. It has been hidden in the ancient records and in manuscripts in private collections, and those most conversant with the facts have not made them known, for one reason or another. It is herein written from authoritative sources, and should prove of interest and value as a present-day interpretation of that strange delusion, which for a half century darkened the lives of the forefathers and foremothers of the colonial days."
-John M.Taylor, author of [https://www.gutenberg.org/files/12288/12288-h/12288-h.htm ''The Witchcraft Delusional in Colonial Connecticut 1647-1697''] == The Project & Goals == Much has been said about the Salem Witches but witch fever started in Connecticut about 50 years before the Salem Witch Trials. The goal of this project is to be an information resource about witchcraft in early Connecticut, including the accused, accusers, trial judges and other participants during the Witch Trials of Stamford, Connecticut and others. Right now this project just has one member, me. I am [[Treadwell-833|Tim Treadwell]]. This is the first project I've created, so don't expect me to know what I'm doing right away, but I'll figure it out. Here are some of the tasks that I think need to be done. I'll be working on them, and could use your help. *Using "THE WITCHCRAFT DELUSION IN COLONIAL CONNECTICUT, 1647-1697" by JOHN M. TAYLOR ("https://www.gutenberg.org/files/12288/12288-h/12288-h.htm") as a starting point, identify individuals associated with Connecticut Witch trials. * Find, create and/or cleanup Wikitree profiles for persons associated with Connecticut Witch Trials and add biographical information and appropriate catagorization about their involvement. *Find original source texts and documents about Connecticut Witch Trials to add additional information. *Write concise summaries of each trial. *Add formatting and supporting graphics to this page to make it attractive. Will you join me? Please post a comment here on this page, in [https://www.WikiTree.com/g2g G2G] using the project tag, or [https://www.WikiTree.com/index.php?title=Special:PrivateMessage&who=20261002 send me a private message]. Thanks! == The Trials == === Accused & Suspected=== *[[Unknown-328769 | ALSE YOUNG]] 1647 - First execution for witchcraft in New England. "May 26. 47 Alse Young was hanged." Probably of Windsor. Poss. husband or dau. of John Youngs of Windsor. *MARY JOHNSON 1648 - of Wethersfield, Confessed. Executed. She had a son out of wedlock while in prison, who was bound out to Nathaniel Rescew to be raised. Unidentified. Wikitree profile not found. *[[Carrington-184 | JOHN CARRINGTON]] 1650-51 - of Wethersfield. Executed. *[[UNKNOWN-121119 | JOAN (UNKNOWN) CARRINGTON]] 1650-51 - of Wethersfield. Executed. *[[Soody-1 | GOODY BASSETT]]1651 - of Stratford. Executed. Uncertain ID. Assumed to be Mary Soody Bassett of Stratford, CT, wife of Robert Bassett. Dates for Robert and Mary are very uncertain, except Goody Bassett death in 1651.. *[[Unknown-395075 | GOODWIFE KNAPP]] 1653 - of Fairfield. Executed. Wife of Roger Knapp (1618-1675) of Fairfield. Name unknown. *[[Unknown-137528 | LYDIA (UNKNOWN) GILBERT]] 1654 - of Windsor. Tried and convicted for the murder of Henry Stiles by witchcraft. Assumed hanged. Wife of Thomas Gilbert. *[[Unknown-390257 | ELIZABETH GODMAN]] 1655: Acquitted, but still suspected. Of New Haven—a member of the household of Stephen Goodyear, the Deputy Governor. August 4, 1653. Family is Unidentified. "She was suffered to dwell in the family of Thomas Johnson, where she continued till her death, October 9th, 1660." (New Haven Town Records, Vol. ii, pp. 174,179.) *[[Bayley-672 | NICHOLAS BAYLY]] 1655 - Acquitted. Left the Colony. Husband of Goodwife Bayley. *[[Unknown-390260 | GOODWIFE BAYLY]] 1655 - Acquitted. Left the Colony. Wife of Nicholas Bayley. *[[Meeker-157 | WILLIAM MEAKER]] 1657 - Acquitted. of New Haven. *[[Blanchard-2571 | ELIZABETH (BLANCHARD) GARLICK]] 1658 - Acquitted, of East Hampton, New York, but tried at Hartford. Wife of Joshua Garlick. Elizabeth & Joshua Garlick were servants of the famous engineer and colonist Lion Gardiner. *[[Jennings-2633 | NICHOLAS JENNINGS]] 1661 - of Saybrook. Jury disagreed. Assumed released. Husband of Margaret Jennings *[[Poore-721 | MARGARET (POORE) JENNINGS]] 1661 - of Saybrook. Jury disagreed. Assumed released. Wife of Nicholas Jennings *[[Sanford-206 | ANDREW SANFORD]] 1662 - Suspected but not indicted. of Hartford. Husband of Mary Sanford. *[[UNKNOWN-11463 | MARY (UNKNOWN) SANFORD]] 1662 - Executed. Of Hartford. Wife of Andrew Sanford. *WILLIAM AYRES 1662 - Arrested. Fled the Colony.Left behind an 8 year old son. Of Hartford. Husband of Goody Ayres. Unidentified. *GOODY AYRES 1662 - Arrested. Fled the Colony. Left behind an 8 year old son.Of Hartford. Wife of William Ayres. Unidentified. *[[Unknown-307299 | KATHERINE (UNKNOWN) PALMER]] 1662. Fate unknown. Wife of Henry Palmer. Charged several times, first in 1648. Accused by Rebecca Greensmith in 1662. *[[Varleth-7 | JUDITH VARLETT/VARLETH]] 1662 - Arrested but released. Of Hartford. Sister-in-law of Peter Stuyvesant, Gov. of New York. *JAMES WALKLEY 1662 - Arrested. Fled to Rhode Island. Of Hartford. Unidentified. *[[Greensmith-1 | NATHANIEL GREENSMITH]] 1662 - Executed. of Hartford. Husband of Rebecca Greensmith. *[[Steele-1811 | REBECCA (STEELE) GREENSMITH]] 1662 - Executed. of Hartford. Wife of Nathaniel Greensmith. Relict of Abraham Elson, and also relict of Jarvis Mudge. *[[Unknown-411282 | MARY BARNES]] 1662- Convicted, Executed. Of Farmington. Maiden name unknown. Wife to [[Barnes-217 | Thomas Barnes]]. According to the article [https://digitalfarmington.org/digital-farmington-project/mary-barnes-last-witch-hanged-in-connecticut/ "Mary Barnes: Last Witch Hanged In Connecticut"], Mary was arrested at the same time as the Greensmiths and was executed immediately after them, making her the last person executed for witchcraft in Connecticut. *ELIZABETH (MOODY?) SEAGER/SEGER 1666 - Convicted but discharged. Of Hartford. Wife of [[Segar-131 | Richard Seger]]. No Wikitree profile. * [[Gilbert-11267|KATHERINE HARRISON]] 1669 - Convicted but discharged. Of Wethersfield. Wife of John Harrison,Town Crier of Wethersfield who died in 1666. Forced to move to Westchester, New York. *[[Disborough-3 | NICHOLAS DISBOROUGH]] 1683 - Suspicioned by Cotton Mather. Of Hartford. *[[UNKNOWN-219652 | MARY (UNKNOWN) STAPLES]] 1692 - jury found no cause. Of Fairfield. *[[Holbridge-2 | MERCY (HOLBRIDGE) DISBOROUGH]] 1692: Mercy Disbrow, wife of Thomas Disborough (Disbrow) of Compo in Fairfield - guilty, sentenced to death. Later reprieved. Living 1707. *[[Periment-1 | ELIZABETH (PERIMENT) CLAWSON]] 1692. (aka Elizabeth Clawson) Acquitted. Of Stamford. *[[Staples-256 | MARY (STAPLES) HARVEY]] 1692 - (aka Mary Harvey) jury found no cause. Of Fairfield. Dau. of MARY STAPLES. *HANNAH HARVEY 1692 - jury found no cause. Of Fairfield. Dau. of Mary (Staples) Harvey and gr dau of Mary (Unknown) Staples. No wikitree profile. *GOODY MILLER 1692 - Acquitted. Of Fairfield. Fled to New York. Not identified. *HUGH CROTIA 1693 - Accussed, Jury found no bill. Released. Not identified. *[[King-405 | WINIFRED (KING) BENHAM]], SENR. 1697. Acquitted. Of Wallingford. Mother of Winifred jr. *[[Benham-289 | WINIFRED BENHAM]], JUNR. 1697. Acquitted. Of Wallingford. Daughter of Winifred Sr. (abt 13) *SARAH SPENCER 1724 - Accused. No trial(?). Moved from East Haddam to Colchester, where she was accused by Elizabeth & James Ackley. Not identified. *---- NORTON 1768 - Suspicioned. No record. Of Bristol. Female. Not identified. === Accusers & Witnesses === Partial List *Accusers of Goodwife Knapp, Fairfield, CT 1653: Mistress Thomas Sherwood, Goodwife Odell, Mistress Pell, and her two daughters, Goody Lockwood, and Goodwife Purdy - tried to get Goody Knapp to name others. Goody Knapp accused Mary Staples. (Mistress Pell is Lucy Pell, wife of Thomas Pell of Pelham Manor and previous wife of Francis Brewster. Her two daughters are Elizabeth & Mary Brewster. Goody Lockwood is Susannah, wife of Robert Lockwood.) *Accusers of Katherine Harrison: THOMAS BRACY, aged about 31, mentioned his father Marten, or "Mr. Marten". [Mr Marten was Thomas' stepfather. Thomas Bracy Jr was the son of Thomas Bressey Sr and Phebe Bisby. After Thomas Sr died, in 1646 his mother married Samuel Martin.] Also implicated John Wakely; Joseph Dickenson of Northampton, aged about 32 years; Richard Mountague, aged 52 years; John Graves aged about 39 years; Joane Francis, wife of Robert Francis; wife of Jacob Johnson; Mary Hale; Elizabeth the wife of Simon Smith of Thirty Mile Island. *Accusers of Mercy Disborough, of Compo, Fairfield, CT, 1692: Edward Jesop aged about 29 years (in 1692); John Barlow eaged 24 years (in 1692); Catren (Katherine) Branch servant to Daniell Wescoat; Benje Duning aged aboue sixteen years (in 1692); Thomas Halliberch ye jayle keeper aged 41 and wife; Thos. Benit aged aboute 50 yrs, Elizabeth Benit aged about 20 yrs; Henry Gray, mentions brother Jacob Gray; John Grummon senr and nephew Thomas Benit junr aged 27; Ann Godfree aged 27 years (sister of Henry Gray's deceased wife?). *Accusers of Elizabeth Seager/Seger: Daniell Garrett senior and Margarett Garrett.; Ann Coale; Robert Sterne, Stephen Hart, Josiah Willard and Daniel Pratt; Mrs. Migat. *Accusers of Elizabeth Godman, New Haven, 1655: Goodwife Larremore; Mr. Goodyeare (mentioned his daughter Sellevant,), Mris. Goodyeare, Mr. Hooke, Mris. Hooke, Mris. Bishop, Mris. Atwater, Hanah & Elizabeth Lamberton, goodwife Larremore, goodwife Thorpe; Mary Miles, Mris. Atwaters maide; Allen Ball. *Accusers of Nathaniel & Rebecca Greensmith: Ann Cole—a next door neighbor; Rebecca accused her husband, Nathaniel; Rebecca also implicated Goody Seager Goodwife Sanford & Goodwife Ayres, James Walkely, Peter Grants wife, Goodwife Aires & Henry Palmers wife of Wethersfield. *Accusers of Elizabeth Clauson/Clawson: Joseph Garney; Katherine Branch; Daniel Wescott (mentioned his daughter Johanna); Abigal Wescot; Abraham Finch jun aged about 26 years; Ebenezer Bishop aged about 26 years; Hannah Knapp; Samuel Holly senour aged aboute fifty years. Witnesses for Elizabeth Clauson/Clawson: Lidia Penoir (Lydia Pennoyer); Elezer Slawson, Clement Buxton. *Accuser of Hugh Crosia/Crosher/Crohsaw: a girl at Stratford (Eben Booths (servant) girl). *Accusers of Elizabeth Garlick: Goodwife Howell, Goody Birdsall, Goody Edwards (apparently all of East Hampton, Long Island, NY, then in jurisdiction of Connecticut). *Accuser of William Meaker: Thomas Mullener *Accusers of Sarah Spencer: Elizabeth & James Ackley *Katherine Branch - a French Girl who was a servant to Sgt. Daniel Wescott accused Goody Clawson, Mercy Disbrow, Goody Miller, Sarah Staples/Mary Huray (Mary Staples Harvey) mother of Hanah Huray (Harvey). === Judge & Jurors === Partial List *Governor John Haynes and Edward Hopkins - presided over the case of the Caringtons in 1651. *Governor, Mr. Cullick, and Mr. Clarke - presided at the trial of Goody Bassett at Stratford, CT, 1651. *Rev. John Davenport, one of the founders of New Haven, and Roger Ludlow, Deputy Governor of Massachusetts and Connecticut - trial of Goody Knapp, 1654. *Robert Treat, Governor - presiding over a special court that was held at Fairfield by order of the General Court, to try the witch cases *John Allyn, Secry *Hartford JOSEPH ELIOT "October 1692 (Rev.) TIMOTHY WOODBRIDGE *SAMUELL WILLIS. WM PITKIN NATH STANLY *John Talcott *WALT. FYLER. *Governor Theophilus Eaton and Deputy Governor Stephen Goodyear present (or witnesses against(?) Elizabeth Goodman 1652-53) *Edward Stebbing, Thomas Bull, John Allyn, Thomas Ford, John Moore, John Denison, Stephan Hart, Samuel Boreman, Anthony Hawkins, and Jonathan Gillet (Jurors at the trial of Nicholas and Margaret Jennings of Saybrook in 1659.) *At the 1662 Trial of Nathaniel & Rebecca Greensmith and Mary Barnes - The magistrates involved were Matthew Allen, Daniel Clark, Richard Treat, Henry Wolcott, Samuel Wyllys and Lt. John Allyn. The jury was Samuel Boreman, John Coles, Lt. Walter Fyler, John Gilbert, Samuel Hale. Captain Samuel Marshal, Ensign John Olmstead, William Wadsworth, Robert Webster, Gregory Winterton and Nathaniel Willett. == References == === Primary Sources === *Connecticut Archives: Crimes and Misdemeanors, Series I, 1662/63-1789 [CSL call number HistRef F 91 .C56 Crimes Misdemeanors Ser. 1, mfms 22-24]. Includes documents relating to the cases of Hugh Crosia, Sarah Dibble, Sarah Spencer, and others. Index online; the microfilm is available for use at CSL or through Interlibrary Loan *Grant, Matthew. Matthew Grant Diary (CSL call number Main Vault 974.62 W76gra; [https://cslib.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p15019coll14/id/414/ also available online]). See inside cover for " a list of persons who were hanged." This is the only known original source providing the name of Alse Young, the first person in Connecticut hung as a witch [1647]. The “diary” also has sermons by Thomas Hooker and others, Grant family records, the Windsor church covenant, rules for measuring land, extracts from various religious books, and other miscellaneous material. *Public Records of the Colony of Connecticut. Hartford: Brown & Parsons, 1850. Reprint: LaCrosse, WI: Northern Micrographics, 2001 [CSL call number HistRef ConnDoc G25 v. 1, 1636-1665]. Also online as [http://www.colonialct.uconn.edu/ Colonial Connecticut Records]. See p. 77 for “Capitall Lawes Established By the Generall Court, the First of December, 1642,” stating witchcraft is a capital crime. *Records of the Particular Court of Connecticut. The originals are in State Archives Record Group 1, Early General Records, Vol. 55 (1650-1663) and Vol. 56 (1663-1665). Records to April 1663 were published in Records of the Particular Court of Connecticut, 1639-1663, Connecticut Historical Society Collections, Vol. 22, Hartford, 1928 [CSL call number HistRef F 91.C7 Vol. 22]. Bracketed page numbers in this latter source cite pages in original manuscript volume of Particular Court Records. *Samuel Wyllys Papers: Depositions on Cases of Witchcraft, Assault, Theft, Drunkennness, and Other Crimes Tried in Connecticut, 1663-1728 [CSL call number Main Vault 974.6 fW97]. The most important primary source for information on Connecticut witchcraft cases. This volume, in the State Archives, consists of 88 original Wyllys documents. Available online in the State Library's Digital Collections. Microfilmed by Genealogical Society of Utah (film 0003645, item 2) and available through LDS Family History Centers, but the readability of the film is not good. "http://cslib.cdmhost.com/custom/wyllys.php" *Samuel Wyllys Papers, Supplement. Depositions on Cases of Witchcraft Tried in Connecticut, 1662-1693 [CSL call number Main Vault 974.5 fW97 supp.]. This second volume of a two-volume set of manuscripts (see above) consists of bound negative Photostats of the Samuel Wyllys Papers, 1638-1757 at the John Hay Library at Brown University. Microfilmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah (film 0003645, item 1) and available through LDS Family History Centers, but the readability of the film is not good. As an alternative, you may wish to contact the John Hay Library, which holds the originals. *Ullmann, Helen Schatvet. Hartford County, Connecticut, County Court Minutes, Volumes 3 and 4 1663-1687, 1697. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2005 [CSL call number HistRef F 102 .H3 U46 2005]. Includes several references to witchcraft, including the indictment of Elizabeth Seager (p. 48). === Secondary Sources === * Boynton, Cynthia Wolfe. ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=BGxhBAAAQBAJ Connecticut Witch Trials: The First Panic in the New World]''. The History Press. 2014. * Demos, John Putnam. ''Entertaining Satan: Witchcraft and the Culture of Early New England.'' Oxford University Press, 2004. *Drake, Frederick C. “Witchcraft in the American Colonies, 1647-62.” American Quarterly, vol. 20, no. 4, 1968, pp. 694–725. JSTOR "http://www.jstor.org/stable/2711403". *Hall, David D., Editor, ''Witch-Hunting in Seventeenth-Century New England: A Documentary History 1638–1693'', Second Edition, e-Duke books scholarly collection Publisher: Duke University Press, 2005. ISBN: 0822336138, 9780822336136 "https://books.google.com/books?id=EMDabpjdotYC" *Taylor, John M. ''[https://www.gutenberg.org/files/12288/12288-h/12288-h.htm The Witchcraft Delusion in Colonial Connecticut, 1647-1697]'' *Tomlinson, R G., ''Witchcraft Trials of Connecticut: The First Comprehensive, Documented History of Witchcraft Trials in Colonial Connecticut'', Publisher -Richard Tomlinson, 1978: ISBN 0967874017, 9780967874012 *Whitney, Sandra, "Mary Barnes: Last Witch Hanged In Connecticut", Digital Farmington ("https://digitalfarmington.org/digital-farmington-project/mary-barnes-last-witch-hanged-in-connecticut/")

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