Virginia was the location of the first and the last witch trials in the colonies

Virginia hosted the first and final witchcraft trials

Virginia is the home of many firsts and one of them has to do with witches. In 1603, the British Parliament created the Witchcraft Act, which sanctioned witchcraft trials for British American Colonists. Documented records validate that Virginia Witch Trials, hearings, and prosecutions of males and females happened during a 104-year.

From 1626 to 1730, in Colonial Virginia. [more than two dozen people, including two men, are documented as having been accused of witchcraft. In 1626, Virginia became the first colony to have a formal accusation of witchcraft. Joan Wright was a midwife accused of causing the death of a baby. She was tried and found not guilty.

Virginia was also the location of the last witchcraft trial in the mainland colonies in 1730, soon after the Parliament of Great Britain repealed the 1603 Witchcraft Act. The final trial was a woman named Mary who was found guilty and whipped 39 times.

This story was originally published here.

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