The Thing About Witch Hunts Trial by Water: Witch Hunt in Vermont with Joyce Held and Jamie Franklin
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
The Thing About Salem Patreon
The Thing About Witch Hunts YouTube