Saturday, October 31, 2026

MAINE’S CONNECTION TO THE SALEM WITCH TRIALS

 






There is no direct connection between a migration from Salem, Massachusetts, to Maine immediately after the witch hysteria.  However, a number of names of people persecuted during the trials are commonplace here in western Maine.

 

Franklin County in western Maine is sparsely populated, with a population density of roughly four people per square mile.  In Franklin County alone, the names Bishop, Good, Nurse, Proctor, Parker, Foster, and Toothaker date back generations.

 

The unorganized township of Salem in Franklin County was formed 125 years after the witch trials and has no historic connection to Salem, Massachusetts.




Though Massachusetts is recognized for witch trials, witchcraft has a shared history throughout New England.  Women healers, midwives, and herbalists were the earliest doctors in frontier New England and were an easy target for the fanatical Christian sects.


Witches today celebrate in Bangor Maine







The Ol’Buzzard

 

 

 

 

 

 













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1 comment:

  1. Debra She Who SeeksOctober 31, 2026 at 12:26 PM

    Fanatical Christians ALWAYS ruin everything. Are there any who object to or protest the Witches Walk?

    ReplyDelete

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