The 1724 Courthouse in Chester the oldest Courthouse in Penna. No witch trials were held here.
Note: One usually thinks of Salem, Mass. when it comes to witches in the United States. But Delaware County had it's own major witch trial way back in 1683. The trial was held in Phila. under William Penn.
WITCHES AND THEIR ART IN THIS COUNTY
A Noted Trial That Took Place Long Ago
The Witch of Ridley Creek
Mention
is often made of a trial for witchcraft in Pennsylvania, but, except the mere
mention of the matter, no further information is given. The record of the trial is found in Volume 1
of the Colonial Records of Pennsylvania, in which all the proceedings of the
Provincial council are recorded.
The two
accused persons, old women, were Swedes, Margaret Mattson, wife of Noel
Mattson, and Yeshro Hendrickson, wife of Hendrick Jacobson. While both persons were called before the
Council, the first only seems to have stood a regular trial. Margaret Mattson lived on a plantation owned
by her husband on the Delaware River, on the west side of Crum Creek, in Ridley
Township, now Delaware County. She was
long known in local legends as “The Witch of Ridley Creek.”
She was
first brought before the Council on December 7, 1683, no provincial court
having yet been organized in the colony, when her trial was set for December
27. On that day the accused appeared in
the city of Philadelphia before William Penn, his Attorney General, a grand
jury of twenty-one persons, all English apparently, and a petit jury of twelve
persons, one of whom Albertus Hendrickson, was a Swede. One of the Council Lassse Cock was a
Swede. The grand jury brought in a true
bill, reporting in the afternoon. The
indictment was then read to the accused.
She pleaded not guilty, the petit jury was empaneled, the trial held,
the Governor charged the jury, which retired, brought in a verdict, the
prisoner was discharged, and THE WHILE BUSINESS WAS CONCLUDED THAT SAME
AFTERNOON SO FAR AS PENNSYLVANIA WAS CONCERNED, THE VERDICT was as
follows: “GUILTY OF HAVING THE COMMON
FAME OF A WITCH, BUT NOT GUILTY IN MANNER AND FORM AS SHE STANDS ENDICTED.”
Nine
years later, 1692, Massachusetts was for a whole year shaken with most horrible
trains for this imaginary offense, until no person in that colony was safe from
accusation, NINETEEN PERSONS WERE HUNG and one pressed to death under heavy
weights, while a great number suffered intolerable imprisonment. The whole population became infected with a
craze concerning “witchcraft,” the shame of which endures there to this
day. In this matter the sober Quaker
reached a righteous conclusion much quicker than the hasty Puritan.
SOME OF
THE TESTIMONY – Henry Drystreet, attested, said he was told 20 years ago that
the prisoner at the bar was a Witch and that several cows were bewitched by
her; also, that James Saunderling’s mother told him that she bewitched her cow,
but afterwards said it was a mistake, and that her cow should do well again,
fir it was not her cow but another person’s that should die.
Charles
Ashcom attested, said that Anthony’s wife being asked why she sold her cattle,
was because her mother had bewitched them having taken the witchcraft of
Hendrick’s cattle, and put on their oxen; she might keep but no other cattle,
and also that one night the daughter of the prisoner called him up hastily, and
when he came she said there was a great light but just before, and an old woman
with a knife in her hand at the bad’s feet, and therefore she cried out and
desired Jno Symock to take away his calves or else she would send them to hell.
The
accused flatly denied all the allegations.
ASTROLOGERS
AND NECROMANCERS – In 1695 John Roman and his two sons, residing in Chichester,
were reported to be students of astrology and other forbidden mysteries. The public tongue had so discussed the matter
that on the tenth of the tenth month, 1695, Concord Monthly Meeting of Friends
gravely announced that “the study of these sciences bring a vail over the understanding
and that upon the life.” John Kingsman
and William Hughes were ordered to speak to the parties, and have them to
attend at the next monthly meeting. The
offenders were seen and stated that if it could be shown wherein it was wrong,
they would desist from further investigation in these arts. For several months the matter was before the
Concord Monthly Meeting without resulting in suppressing the evil.
Extracts
from the records of Concord Monthly Meeting commencing September 11, 1695, are
interesting: “Some friends having a
concern upon them concerning some young men who came amongst friends to their
meetings and following some arts which friends thought not fit for such as
profess truth to follow, viz., astrology and other sciences, as Geomancy and
Cliorvmancy and Necromancy, etc. It was
debated and the sense of this meeting is that the study of these sciences
brings a vail over the understanding and a death upon the life.
“And in
the sense of the same, friends order Philip Roman be spoken too to know whether
he have dealt orderly with his two sons concerning the same art; and that his
two sons bespoke to come to the next monthly meeting; “friends orders John
Kingsman and William Hughes to speak to Philip Roman and his two sons to appear
at the next monthly.”
CONVICTED
IN COURT – The ease finally reached a stage through the report of the committee
that Robert Roman was arrested, tried at Chester for practicing the black art,
was fined five pounds and the following books were seized and burned; Hidon’s
Temple of Wisdom, which teaches Geomanycy, and Scott’s Discovery of Witchcraft
and Cornelios Agrippos teach Necromancy.”
Happy National Volunteer Month!
Happy Easter, Passover and Earth Day as well!
Thank you to all of our volunteers at all of our organizations, without whom we could not make everything possible.
Read the announcements below for important information
Sheep Shearing
Apr 01, 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Colonial PA Plantation
3900 N Sandy Flash Dr, Newtown Square, PA 19073
Come see our sheep get their annual haircuts and learn and participate in many of the steps used to turn that wool into cold weather clothing including washing, carding, spinning, and dyeing! $6-10
Plowing Day
Apr 02, 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Colonial PA Plantation
3900 N Sandy Flash Dr, Newtown Square, PA 19073
We will be plowing our fields for spring crops with the help from our friends at Stockton Village Farm. $6-10
*Saving Monticello: The Levy Family’s Stewardship of Thomas Jefferson’s ‘Essay in Architecture’
Apr 02, 2:30 PM
Beth Am Israel,
1301 Hagys Ford Rd, Penn Valley, PA 19072
Join us for a lively talk by journalist and historian Marc Leepson, including many historic images of this little-known story of Jewish-American history. Bagels and book signing immediately following.
*African American Museum in Philadelphia: Storytelling & Folktales
Apr 03, 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Swarthmore Public Library,
121 Park Ave, Swarthmore, PA 19081
Swarthmore Public Library is pleased to welcome the African American Museum in Philadelphia for an evening of storytelling and folktales. Learn about the art of traditional African and African American storytelling from a modern griot (storyteller).
The Problem with Periodization: Civil Rights in Philadelphia- Building Philadelphia Spring Speaker Series
Apr 04, 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
Zoom- registration required
The Problem with Periodization: Civil Rights in Philadelphia – presented by Amber Wiley Ph.D., Matt and Erika Nord Director of the Center for the Preservation of Civil Rights Sites (CPCRS). $10/15 single event, $90/110 full series
*William Penn's Treaties in Context
Apr 04, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Online- registration required
Professor Daniel K. Richter will explore the interactions and agreements between William Penn and the Native people of Pennsylvania. This talk explores the broader historical contexts and motivations of Penn and Native people as they negotiated with each other in the late seventeenth century.
*A World Cultural Heritage: The Synthesis of the Arts at Ciudad Universitaria de Caracas
Apr 05, 12:00 PM – Apr 06, 12:00 PM
Virtual- registration required
In the 1950s Carlos Raúl Villanueva, Venezuela's most important modern architect, projected and directed the construction of the campus of Universidad Central de Venezuela. Presented by José Luis Chacón.
*The Frankford Elevated and Its Predecessors, Part II
Apr 05, 7:00 PM
Pennepack Baptist Church and online
8732 Krewstown Rd, Philadelphia, PA 19115
Former SEPTA and Amtrak employee and railroad historian and author Harry Garforth will continue his presentation, covering the subsequent 100 years. Books available for purchase. Hybrid, no reg. required.
CFHS Spring Lecture Series- Robin Ashby: "The Brandywine & Its Historical Significance to Chester County"
Apr 06, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Chadds Ford Historical Society
1736 Creek Rd, Chadds Ford, PA 19317
For our popular lecture series this year, three experienced lecturers will delve into the history of three diverse topics, using photographs and words, to explain the rarely explored but powerful influences of the Brandywine Valley. $0-10
*Past Times: History Discussion Group
Apr 07, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Swarthmore Public Library,
121 Park Ave, Swarthmore, PA 19081
Listen, contribute and reflect on historical events and people. On the first Friday of every month, history buffs are welcome to this forum where we will focus on a different topic each session.
April: Watergate
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