New Britain herald., 1922-12-30

[
 cases of people in this vicinity
 who were accused of witchcraft
 has been compiled by James
 Shepard. of Lake street and is
 herewith published for the infor-
 mation and ediication of New
 Britain folks of today:
 tBY JAMES sHEPARD.)
 "If any man or woman be witcl
 Chat is) hath or consulteth with familiar spirit, they shall be put {,
 death. Ex. 22:1S Len: 2O:27. Den
 1s:10:11."
 Thus reads the Connecticut law O
 Dec. l, 1642 which was enacted a
 Hartford and published in the Rec
 ords of the Colony of Connecticut
 Vol. 1. Page IT. This law was in con formity with the Mosaic Code "Thol shalt not suffer a witch to live" ant was directly borrowed from the Eng. fish Common Law. In the half cen. ] tury. from 1647 to 1697, twenty-eight persons were before the courts oi Connecticut for the crime of witch craft Eight. or possibly nine of these were executed while three oth- CTS were convicted but not executed
 In 164S Mary Johnson was "by her own confession" found guilty of fla miliarity with the devil and after wards executed. She Is supposed to have been the Mary Johnson who was whipped for theft in WethersfieId in 1646.
 On February 20, 1651. there was a
 'Tryall of John Darlington and his wife" before "A Particular Courte in I Hartford" Five or more of the jury men. viz. MT. Tailcoate (Talcott.) Will Lewis, John Moore. Stephen Hart and Tho. Judd. were the progenitors of New Britain families. Following the names of the jury is the indictment, Nfz, John Darlington, thou art in- dighted by the name of John Car rington of Wethersfield. Carpenter, that not having the Fear of God be- fore thine eyes, thou hast entertained familiarity with Satin. the Enemy of God and Mankind. and by his help has done works above the Course of Ma ture, for which, both according to the Laws of God and the established Laws of this Common Wealth, thou deserveth to Dye.
 The jury finds this Indictment against John Darlington the 9th of March, i650-1. At the same Court Time and Place, was found an Indictment also against Joane Darlington, wife of John Darlington, with the same Verdict" "A Digest of the Early Connecticut Probate Records, by c. W. Manwar ing, Vol. 1, P. 1o3). Darlington and his wife were hanged on March 19, 1853.
 Andrew Sanford and his wife Mary were indicted for the crime of witch craft in the usual form on June 6. 1862. The oath which was admin istered to the Grand Jury was as fol- lows: You doe swear by the Great and dreadful name of the Everlasting God that you will duly and truly try the Case given you in Charge, twixt the Common Wealth and the Prison CT at ye Bar according to ye Evidence given in open Court to prove the Charge laid in against you. and when you are agreed on Verdict you shall, keep it secret until you deliver in open Court. Soc help you God" (Manwaring's Digest, Vol. 1, P. 149) Nothing more is known as to the fate of these Sanfords.
 On Page 122 Vol. of Manwaring's digest is the court indictment against Nathaniel Greensmith and Rebecca, his wife, for witchcraft, dated Dec. 30. TSL te 1n o q I Q Darlington case with the following as to Saan's hen by his help hast acted things in preter- natural way beyond human abilities in natural course"
 The jury found "ye prisoner at ye Barr Nathaniel Greensmith guilty of ye indictment.
 Respecting Rebecca Greensmith, Prisoner at ye Barr the jury find her guilty of ye indictment. The said Rebecca Confesseth in open Court that she is guilty of ye charge laid 1 ngaynst her. Greensmith was exc cuted on January 25. 1863. Rebecca was also hanged but the exact date is not known. The inventory of the estate of Nathaniel Greensmith was filed Il Feb, 1868. The total value was 1S1f. 1S3 and sd, fairly good estate for that time.
 Two days before the confession of Goody Greensmith, Mary Barns of was tried for witchcraft and found guilty. The only record of her we have is that she was in prison with the Greensmiths and for