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Witchcraft Wars, Trials and Hunts in Pennsylvania

© Jill Stefko

PowWow combines the Shamanistic practices of the Germans and the Native Americans. The magickal practice of the Germans has its roots in Germanic/Nordic Shamanism. The Pennsylvania Dutch were those who immigrated in the 1600s to early 1800s. They came from the Palatinate region of Europe and were the Germans and the Swiss. PowWow was used for positive purposes - protection, healing, ensuring a bountiful harvest and other good things. Most of them were peasants in the Old Country who left it because of religious freedom.

It was in the late 1800s that the Hexenmeisters immigrated. There was a wave of occultism in Europe and it was not good. Some of it was Satanic. The new immigrants were usually from the affluent classes and much more versed in occultism than the down to earth Pennsylvania Dutch. For a price, they would throw a hex on anyone. The police feared them. What they did had nothing to do with PowWow.

During this era, there were the PowWows, Gypsies and Shamans. There were those who practice Witcherie and the Hexenmeisters. The former knew nothing about PowWow and made up their own spells and magick as they needed to.

There was fighting among each other, group against groups and individuals within the same group, against each other.

There were the trials.

In the late 1600s, there was the witchcraft trial of Yeshro Hendrickson and Margaret Mattson. They were Swedish and accused of practicing witchcraft for evil purposes. They would have followed the German/Nordic tradition.

Those present at the trial were William Penn, the attorney general and a petit and a grand jury.

Margaret lived on a farm by Ridley Creek and was called the Witch of Ridley Creek by the local people. She was charged with bewitching small animals that Yeshro owned and other misdeeds. She said she could cast spells on cattle, but not oxen. Her daughter took the stand and testified against her. Margaret denied everything.

Governor Penn charged the jury.

Margaret was found guilty of having the reputation of a witch, but not guilty for bewitching animals.

Both women were given a sentence of six months, but were released on their own recognizance. Neither was convicted of witchcraft.

Also in the late 1600s was the trial of Robert Roman and his two sons. They had been accused of practicing necromancy, clairvoyancy and astrology by the Concord Monthly Meeting of Friends in Chichester. The Quaker government tried to convince Roman away from these practices and had visited him at his home.