BEWITCHED BY FEAR

When Connecticut was a colony, perhaps as many as 45 women and men were accused of witchcraft. It is believed that 11 of them were executed for that dubious offense, most by hanging. Over the years, historians concluded New England's witch hunts amounted to societal hysteria motivated by fear of the unknown, jealousy, and greed.

Today's legislature cannot undo the executions or the false accusations of witchcraft levelled more than 300 years ago, but it is considering a resolution to bring some solace to the descendents of the victims. The measure declares the witch trials stemmed from "community-wide hysteria" and concludes that descendents of the accused and executed should not have to suffer "disgrace or distress" because of the now questionable acts.

State Rep. Michael Lawlor (D-East Haven) said the resolution is not an official pardon or an attempt to exonerate those accused or executed for witchcraft, because to do so would, in essence, be admitting that they committed a crime. Lawlor said historians have advised him "it's very important that we not ridicule our ancestors" because in their time witchcraft was viewed "as a reality and something they were very concerned about."

In hindsight, the executions amount to "an outrage," said Lawlor, and an enlightened society should try to rectify the situation—even if it occurred centuries ago. For one thing, there are many living descendents of those falsely tied to sorcery.

Laurie Cayer of Mansfield told lawmakers her ancestor, Lydia Gilbert of Windsor, probably was hanged for the killing of a man even though someone else confessed to the offense.

In 1651, during militia training exercises, Thomas Allyn accidentally shot and killed Henry Stiles. Allyn admitted the deed and was found guilty of "homicide by misadventure." He was fined 20 pounds sterling. Cayer believes the fine irked Allyn and eventually doomed Lydia Gilbert, though her only link to the dead man was that Stiles had been a boarder.

"She was accused of causing Thomas Allyn's gun to fire by witchcraft and it makes absolutely no sense," said Cayer.

The colonial inhabitants of Connecticut were challenged, isolated, and fearful of many things. The influence of Satan in their roughly-hewn environment seemed an easy excuse whenever something went wrong—an illness, the loss of livestock, a spouse who strayed. Accusing someone of being a witch was a gambit too often used—and used with deadly consequences.

It should be noted that some of the individuals charged with witchcraft were acquitted or had sentences reversed by colonial justice officials. Others were not so fortunate. Prior to 1662, just a single witness was enough to support a conviction for witchcraft in Connecticut.

Lawrence Goodheart, a professor of history at the University of Connecticut, said the witch hysteria was one of the earliest examples of misogyny in America. "In the constricted world of the Puritan village, the witch, a wicked woman, was a scapegoat for neighborly complaints, communal stress, and larger patterns of discontent," he said.

In Connecticut, of the eleven people believed hanged for witchcraft, nine were women.

Lawlor said the resolution aimed at absolving those charged with witchcraft is not the most important bill facing lawmakers this year, but is worthy of consideration. Lawlor noted that the mob mentality can still rear up in society. Lawmakers themselves have accused others in government of conducting a baseless political "witch hunt" when emotions run high on issues, he noted.

Another lawmaker supporting the resolution, State Sen. Andrew Roraback (R-Goshen) agreed. "It is my hope we will do justice to those who were wrongly executed so many years ago," said Roraback. "It is never too late to right a wrong."
 

Posted 3/24/08

Update: On March 24, 2008, the legislature's Judiciary Committee, on its deadline day, failed to take action on the bill that would have cleared the names of those accused or executed for witchcraft in colonial Connecticut. This was due to the large number of bills under consideration. Commenting on the situation, committee leader Rep. Michael Lawlor concluded: "It's been 350 years (waiting for this bill), another year won't hurt anybody."

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