Nearly 100 years after Salem, a German immigrant widow in Vermont faced trial by water ordeal for witchcraft. In 1785, Margaret Krieger was dropped through ice into the freezing Hoosick River—and survived.
Guests:
- Joyce Held, Pownal Vermont Historical Society – researcher who uncovered Margaret’s full story
- Jamie Franklin, Bennington Museum Curator – connected the trial to post-Revolutionary War political tensions
Key Points:
- Margaret Schumacher Krieger (1725-1790) married Johann Krieger in 1741, moved to frontier Vermont
- After Johann’s death in 1785, neighbors accused her of witchcraft to seize the family’s mill and land
- Recent research suggests the family were Loyalists, adding political motivation to the accusations
- Margaret was acquitted after surviving the water test and moved back to Massachusetts
Modern Legacy:
- Historical marker installed 2023 at Strobridge Recreation Park, North Pownal, VT
- Annual Witches Walk commemorating “extraordinary women” – next event September 13, 2025
Connect:
- Facebook: Pownal Historical Society
- Website: www.pownal.org
This case reveals how witchcraft accusations often masked land disputes, cultural tensions, and political conflicts in post-Revolutionary America.
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Links
Museum of Modern Art: Americans 1943: Realists and Magic-Realists
AP Article: Group seeks to clear names of all accused, convicted or executed for witchcraft in MA
Sign the Petition: MA Witch Hunt Justice Project
Pownal Historical Society on Facebook
Bennington Museum Special Exhibits
Watch: New England Legends: Ghosts and Witches Season 2024 Episode 2
The Thing About Salem Patreon
The Thing About Witch Hunts YouTube
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