Remember those who suffered at the witch trials

[Ogga]

During my research to connect to my ancestors (I put them in three categories ancestors of the blood,

ancestors of the land and ancestors of the craft) i felt that it was important to take a closer look on the

Swedish and Danish witch trails. Reading about these horrible and bizarre proceedings I felt that this was

important in a way i couldn't put my finger on. I was looking for my fore goers in the craft...i suspected

that most of the victims weren't witches but it became even more clear when you really try to study it.

 

Since I couldn't get figure it out on my own I discussed it with a friend (ceremonial magician). When I

brought it up he looked at me and said "1314" and then went to get more coffee to let me mull it over.

When he came back he explained that when he tried to contact the dead (he didn't use the name ancestors

but that was how he ment it) he always first contacted/worked through Jacques de Molay, the Grand Master

of the Knights Templar, that innocently was burned at the stake 1314. According to my friends tradition

de Molay was an magician and necromancer, and by becoming a victim burned at the stake for something

he didn't do he became an important representant (in my friends path) for all people executed for witchcraft

innocent and practitioners alike.

 

This conversation stuck to me...I couldn't let it go. And the idea of de Molay as a kind of saint (can't find a

better word for it) for all the witches, occultists and those innocently accused for such crafts...also stuck.

And the thing i couldn't put my finger on solved itself. The persons that was accused, executed, died or

survived in witch trails deserves and needs to be remembered by others that could end up in their situation

if they lived during similar circumstances. They need to be remembered by us.

 

So I thought I create this topic, where we can post the names of those witches, practitioners and innocent that

suffered in witch trails.

 

(Try to post Name, Year, Contry/location, Destiny. Example: Jacques de Molay (c. 1243-1314), Paris, France.

burned at the stake March 18th).

Edited June 21, 2015 by Ogga

[Ogga]

Here is some names from Sweden, Norway and Denmark

 

 

Ingegärd Andersdotter (”Tyskabillan") (-1594) Habo, Sweden. Confessed and pointed out Kerstin i Maden under torture. Fait unknown, probably executed

 

 

Kerstin i Maden (-1594) Habo, Sweden. Arrested but fait unknown, probably executed.

 

 

Johanne Pedersdatter (-1622) Sandviken, Norway. The great great grandmother of Carl von Linné. Burned at the stake at September 29th.

 

 

Lars Nilsson (-1693) Arjeplog, Sweden. A Sami/Sapmi schaman convicted for witchcraft and following the old sami religion. Executed (beheaded) and then burned at the stake.

 

 

Dorte Jensdatter (1672-1722), Øster Grønning, Denmark. Lynched, her neighbors tied her to a chair and torched her house. This is counted as the last burning of a witch in the Nordic countries.

Edited June 21, 2015 by Ogga

[RoseRed]

This is a beautiful memorial thread, Ogga.

[RachelLizLear]

There is an old witch grave yard close to my home (no kidding) called Witches' Tabernacle in Linden, TX. This thread makes me want to go read and photograph the headstones and post the names. Local legends say that the first occupants of the graves were killed by locals on a rampage to kill witches, but afterwards, local witches came to the graves to honor them and practice there, and the site now has open air pews and a closed-in little cabin for people to use, it's just open for anyone. I have no idea who owns it, the county, state of Texas, a private citizen...no clue.

 

This thread makes me want to learn more about those who came before. +1, Ogga.

[Kupala]

Alse Young (May 26, 1647) -- Connecticut, USA, first person executed for witchcraft in the Colonies. Her crime was reportedly nothing more serious than preparing herbal remedies for neighbors. I couldn't find much about her trial. Executed by hanging.

https://rockyhillhistory.wordpress.com/2011/05/26/convicted-witch-alse-young-of-windsor-hanged-may-26-1647/

 

Margaret Jones (June 15, 1648) -- Connecticut, USA. midwife and herbalist. Protested her innocence, never confessed. Executed by hanging. The same day and hour she was executed, there was a very great tempest at Connecticut, which blew down many trees.

 

ETA before the thread gets locked... "According to Winthrop’s journal, Jones was accused in 1648 by some of her patients who stated that she told them they would never heal if they refused to take her medicine."

Source: http://historyofmassachusetts.org/margaret-jones-first-person-executed-for-witchcraft-in-massachusetts/

 

Great idea, Ogga. +1.

Edited June 24, 2015 by westofthemoon

[Ogga]

Thank you RoseRed I have thought about it for some time :)

 

----

 

Thank you RachelleLiz. What an interesting place! I would love to visit there.

The victims of the great and famous witch trails tend to be remembered through

books, TV and Hollywood. But in the solitaire cases where the burnt the lokal

wise woman or the teenage maid that the neighboring girls didn't like the risk

for it to be forgotten are bigger, so whoever keeps the cabin open does a great

thing.

 

----

 

westofthemoon, thank you. I...on the other side of the pond...would probably never

hear of Alse Young or Margaret without your post. The more people that knows the

names the lesser risk is it for them to be forgotten.

 

----

[Crow59]

Most of us in the U.S. know of the Salem witch trials, but not many are aware of the all the victims of witch hunts that have gone on around the world. It is important to remember people such as these. I'm a big believer in "those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it". Thank you for starting this thread, Ogga.

 

Unfortunately, there are similar atrocities are still being committed in some parts of the world today. I just saw this story this morning about a young mother in Papua New Guinea:

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2275517/Mother-20-accused-witch-killing-boy-6-sorcery-tortured-burned-alive-pile-tyres.html#axzz2KKp5dSxD

 

Be it fear, ignorance or religious fanaticism, there are people in this world for whom the word "witch" triggers despicably awful behavior.

Edited June 22, 2015 by Crow59

[Ogga]

Thats also one of the reasons I started this thread. The witch trails are not over.

 

So...

 

Kepari Leniata (1993-2013), Paiala, Papua New Guinea. Lynched, confessed after torture with white-hot iron rods by her neighbors, then burned alive at the local garbage dump. The local Lutheran church and the prime minister condemned the act.

Edited June 22, 2015 by Ogga

[Hariasa]

That's really intersting RachelLiz, have you been to the graveyard yourself?

 

There is an old witch grave yard close to my home (no kidding) called Witches' Tabernacle in Linden, TX. This thread makes me want to go read and photograph the headstones and post the names. Local legends say that the first occupants of the graves were killed by locals on a rampage to kill witches, but afterwards, local witches came to the graves to honor them and practice there, and the site now has open air pews and a closed-in little cabin for people to use, it's just open for anyone. I have no idea who owns it, the county, state of Texas, a private citizen...no clue.

 

This thread makes me want to learn more about those who came before. +1, Ogga.

[Michele]

I think it's a nice thing to do, Ogga, and I also believe that there is merit in remembering the dead.

 

M

[Izzie]

Saudi woman beheaded for witchcraft: Amina bint Abdulhalim Nassar. (2011)

 

Officials found a book of witchcraft at her residence and several vials of unknown liquid. Nassar claimed to be a healer. She was the first to be executed for witchcraft in Saudi during 2011.

 

This reminds me of how lucky we really are to be able to practice without the fear of death and torture.

 

+1 Ogga, beautiful memorial post.

[ruby]

+1 Ogga

[Capsicum]

Giles Corey-- Salem, Massachussetts September 19, 1692. Innocent: Pressed to death and refused to confess to witchcraft. An American hero, one of the foundation stones of religious freedom in my country.

 

Edited June 23, 2015 by Caps

[Capsicum]

:applause:

[Izzie]

If anyone is interested, the podcast New World Witchery has a special episode called Learning Witchcraft, and in the beginning there is a reading of Tituba's trial .

 

www.newworldwitchery.com

[bewitchingredhead]

If anyone is interested, the podcast New World Witchery has a special episode called Learning Witchcraft, and in the beginning there is a reading of Tituba's trial .

 

www.newworldwitchery.com

 

I also have several links to many of the archived documents regarding the Salem Witch trials (which included more than Salem Village), including many of judges' and preachers' personal diaries (like Mather and Sewall) as well as their historical documentation of the trials if anyone is interested.

[Mountain Witch]

Note: this thread has been severely edited to bring it back on topic.

[Belwenda]

I was going to write- I wonder if we might ever return to those times? But then I read Izzie's note and was reminded that in some places we're still "there".

[Guest SorcererSupreme]

This reminds me of how lucky we really are to be able to practice without the fear of death and torture.

 

+1 Ogga, beautiful memorial post.

Lucky? The fear of death and torture may be over, but society still has ways of ostracizing witches by using deviant methods to make our lives harder.

 

I read in another post about a witch who was kicked out of an apartment because of what maintenance men found in her apartment, and she had hell trying to find another place to live.

 

Witch Hunting is not over.

I've always believed that with correct understanding we can alleviate many problems associated with the Craft.

 

I like to take the Witch Hunter's religion, mainly Christianity and show how much a Witch that Jesus was. Then maybe they will stop their attacks. I'm really good at this.

[Onyx]

In Memorandum for Janet Cornfoot, killed by a mob, 30th January, 1705, in Pittenweem, Scotland.

Janet was dragged to the seafront, hands and feet bound, repeatedly dunked into the freezing waters of the harbour.

Then she was crushed under a door, which was piled high with boulders, until she was dead.

Her body was flung into a communal grave called "Witches Corner".

Rest in Peace Janet.

[FrozenThunderbolt]

@Mountain Witch - Can you please change the title to 'trials' not 'trails' it's giving me a toothache in my brain everytime I see this thread, sorry. ;)

[Mountain Witch]

@Mountain Witch - Can you please change the title to 'trials' not 'trails' it's giving me a toothache in my brain everytime I see this thread, sorry. ;)

LOL. No need for a dentist!

[Bamfiz]

I understand that it's generally a very American way of thinking but I genuinely forget that witch trials happened outside of the United States in Salem and that it is still happening now in certain places. This was a bit of a splash of cold water to my face but I feel it was a very much needed dose of facts for myself to face. I spent a bit of time looking through some articles just now and just learning about a few random cases that I found. 

 

Johannes Junius (c. 1573-1628) Germany. Burned to death after being tortured to point of confession

 

Agnes Waterhouse (c. 1503-1566) England. Hung. Her daughter was also accused but was found to be not guilty.

 

Mima Renard (d. 1692) Brazil. Burned to death. Was a prostitute, when two of her clients fought eachother and one died their wives accused her of witchcraft and she was found guilty

 

Soulmother of Küssnacht (d. 1577) Switzerland. Burned to death. Was a well known medium in her community

 

Marketta Punasuomalainen (d. 1658) Finland. Burned to death. Was a cunning woman who made a living off nature medicine and being known as a magician

 

Though the very few that I listed her are all older I was genuinely surprised to come across so many different articles on various cases. Reading about a lot of these trials has definitely been what I would consider unsettling but I do feel like it is important to fully understand our history and face it more head on. 

[Bronach]

I found this post when I decided to take a look into the history of witchcraft section. I practice what I call Ancestral witchcraft. Not only because it has passed down to me through my family line, but because I am a Genealogist and I study History at University. My most recent essay is on Scottish witch hunts, specifically The Great Scottish Witch Hunts of 1597. There are so many who died during the witch hunts. This thread may go on forever.  Some of the women who were accused and/or executed no longer have records of their trials. Records which have been lost or destroyed over time as wars have raged and churches changed hands. 
 

I would like to silently remember the women whose stories and names have been lost. 
 

*Sarah Proctor Dodge b. about 1639, d. about 1705 in Essex County, MA. Accused of witchcraft in Salem, 1692. Confessed and was released from prison. 
* Kate McNiven d. 1715 Monzie, Crieff, Scotland. (Though some historians question the story of her death). 
*Ursula Kemp, England 1582. 
 

[Onyx]

Yes, too many innocent women have died at the hands of ignorant religious fervour.  How could any of them survived the tests they were put through.  I have one relative that was pressed under a door and had a horse cart driven over it.  This was in Pittenweem Scotland.  May their souls rest in peace.