Massachusetts Witch Trial Victims Seek Justice and Clear Names
A group in Massachusetts is working to clear the names of individuals accused of witchcraft during the state’s infamous witch trials in the 17th century. The Massachusetts Witch-Hunt Justice Project aims to bring attention to those who were accused, arrested, or indicted for witchcraft between 1638 and 1693. While much focus has been placed on the Salem witch trials, in which many were executed, the group seeks to shed light on the broader witch trial legacy in the state.
Led by Josh Hutchinson, the Massachusetts Witch-Hunt Justice Project is made up of history enthusiasts and descendants of those involved in the trials. Their goal is to persuade the state to acknowledge and reckon with the injustices of its early history. Hundreds of individuals were accused of witchcraft during this period, with most escaping execution. The group believes that all those accused or indicted deserve an apology for the harm done to their reputations and lives.
While Salem has become synonymous with witch trials, the project aims to highlight the cases of those who were persecuted in Boston as well. Five women were hanged for witchcraft in Boston between 1648 and 1688, yet their stories have largely been overlooked. Among them was Ann Hibbins, the sister-in-law of Massachusetts Governor Richard Bellingham, who was executed in 1656. Another well-known case is that of Goodwife Ann Glover or Goody Glover, who was hanged in 1688 and is recognized as the city’s first Catholic martyr.
The Massachusetts Witch-Hunt Justice Project draws inspiration from a similar effort in Connecticut, where the state absolved twelve women and men convicted of witchcraft more than 370 years ago. In May, Connecticut state senators voted overwhelmingly to apologize for the miscarriage of justice that occurred during the state’s colonial history. The resolution passed by a significant margin and did not require the governor’s signature.
Massachusetts has already taken some steps to reconcile its history of witch trials. In 1957, the state legislature issued an apology for those executed in Salem and declared the trials to be a result of popular hysterical fear. In 2001, Salem exonerated five women who were executed during the witch trials, and in 2017, a memorial was unveiled to commemorate the victims.
Other states, such as Vermont, have also begun to confront their witch trial histories. A historical marker was recently dedicated in Pownal, Vermont, recognizing the survivor of the state’s only recorded witch trial.
For many, these efforts to clear the names of the accused are both fascinating and deeply personal. Genealogist David Allen Lambert, for example, has discovered that his ancestor Mary Perkins Bradbury narrowly escaped execution during the Salem witch trials.
The Massachusetts Witch-Hunt Justice Project hopes to gather support through a petition and ultimately present their case to the Statehouse. By shedding light on the broader scope of witch trials in the state and acknowledging the suffering endured by those accused, the group seeks to bring closure and justice to the victims and their descendants.
