  |
|||
|
|
Page 2
In 1938, as the 300th anniversary celebration of Hampton approached, some Hampton residents decided it was time to exonerate Goody Cole. They formed a group to achieve that goal and called themselves “The Society in Hampton Beach for the Apprehension of Those Falsely Accusing Eunice (Goody) Cole of Having Familiarity With the Devil.” Despite the lofty and long moniker, they had no intention of actually capturing Goody’s accusers. Rather they intended to burn and bury copies of the written records of Goody’s trials and to have the town officially restore Eunice (Goody) Cole's good name. On March 8, 1938 at 300th town meeting, a resolution was passed unanimously to restore Goody’s name:
Copies of the records were burned but never buried. An urn containing the ashes is on display at the Tuck Museum in Hampton. There is also an unmarked stone, which was placed on the Tuck Museum lawn in 1963 as a memorial to Goody. During the 1960’s sightings of a ghost in the form of an old woman were reported. The rumor was, that it was a kinder, gentler Goody Cole haunting the Hampton area. As the decade came to a close, so faded the sightings. Today, another controversy is brewing. Many historians, including John Putnam Demos, who wrote Entertaining Satan Witchcraft and the Culture of Early New England, question whether Goody was actually convicted of witchcraft. According to Demos, the fact that Goody wasn’t executed and served a short sentence for what was considered a very serious crime would indicate that she might have been convicted of something other than witchcraft. According to Demos, the records pertaining to Goody’s “conviction” are open to interpretation. Whether Goody Cole was actually convicted of witchcraft or not, the records clearly prove that she paid a dear price for being a disagreeable old woman. Bibliography Lane Memorial Library Seacoast NH -- Eunice Goody Cole The Wreck of Rivermouth by John Greenleaf Whittier The 17th-century New England Witch Index Click the lovely graphic below to find more articles 
The copyright of the article A Witch Hunt in NH - Part III - Page 2 in New Hampshire is owned by . Permission to republish A Witch Hunt in NH - Part III - Page 2 in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
For a complete listing of article comments, questions, and other discussions related to Christina Coruth's New Hampshire topic, please visit the Discussions page. |
||
|
|
|||
