Witchcraft in America from The Witches Brew ~ Classic Monsters/New Monsters ~ funpagez.webs.com (Mardi's Funpagez) Austin TX

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American Witchcraft and Witches
Witchcraft came to America with the first settlers. Due to laws brought in about those being found to be witches, practicing witchcraft, or entering into a pact with the devil, would be put to death, witchcraft never really became big in America.
The first ever execution and trial was in Connecticut and was that of Alice Young who was hung. As a result, other trials came about such as those of Mary Johnson, Mary Parsons. Several others, at this time, who were all found to have been witches were put to death.

Up until 1662 there were many trials for witchcraft but there were a few that would come to the attention of the public. The most notorious of all trials to take place in America was the Salem Trials as this was the most traumatic witch-hunts ever and resulted in many deaths.
The tale began when eight girls between the ages of 11-20 began to show signs of being possessed by a demon. The girls are believed to have read and heard much about witchcraft and may inadvertently been affected by these tales. Several other girls as a result of this hysteria also started to show signs of being possessed such as Mary Warren a servant in the house of Elizabeth and John Proctor.

To get out of their bad doings, the girls started naming people as witches. Several people named were obvious suspects. The suspects denied any wrong doing but the girls kept insisting that they were being pinched, beaten and abused even while the suspects were standing in front of them. All in all they had named 150 people from all backgrounds.
Not all accused were from Salem. Several hailed from adjoining villages. Several of the accused turned up to the court. When the girls found out who they were, they would throw fits. Many of the accused were later released.
Many were the girl’s allies and they helped discredit witnesses. Many respected people of the district were accused and were hung. Including devout church-goers, reverends, etc. Only because they had gotten on the wrong side of the Putnam’s. Two of the girls tried to withdraw their accusations, but were forced by the others to make up even more lies.
Those who confessed were left to their own devices by the girls and were not hung, but those who refused to confess were hung. Having believed the girls and throwing out all legalities to do with a trial, the judges readily believed everything the girls were telling them and hung many an innocent.

The courts in later years cleared all those accused of witchcraft. In 1711, the relatives of those accused were given financial compensation, albeit meager. By 1957, all who were accused and convicted were given reversed sentences.
The girls involved were never punished by the courts and never showed remorse of any kind. only one of them ventured to make a somewhat meager confession.
Ann Putnam stated in church that she was in a low point in her life and that she allowed Satan to deceive her.
A much cooler headed trial in Stamford involved a servant girl who accused 6 women of afflicting her with fits. This was never proven and those accused were given reprieves as the so-called evidence against them was flimsy and sinful and unlawful.