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.

Links

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

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