Philadelphia's Forgotten Witch Trial

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The Salem witch trials are one of the most infamous events in colonial American history. The hysteria surrounding it caused many women to lose their lives. However, Philadelphia, too, has its own lesser-known history of witch hunt and trial that played out in the shadow of its founding. While not as extensive or deadly as those in Salem, the witch trial in Philadelphia gave us a glimpse into the fears and beliefs of the early settlers in the region.

Early Philadelphia and the fear of witchcraft
In the late 17th century, Philadelphia was a growing town in the new colony of Pennsylvania, founded by William Penn. Penn founded his colony on religious tolerance and progressive ideals. Despite this, the early settlers brought with them their old-world fears and superstitions, including the belief in witches and witchcraft.

The Puritans and Quakers, who settled America were deeply religious groups. They often viewed unexplained phenomena or misfortunes as the work of the devil or his minions. As such, accusations of witchcraft could arise easily.

The case of Margaret Mattson
One of the most famous witch trial in Philadelphia involved a woman named Margaret Mattson. In 1683, just two years after the founding of Philadelphia and a decade before the Salem trials, Mattson and another woman, Gertude Hendrickson, were accused of practicing witchcraft. The accusations against Mattson were brought by her neighbors, who claimed she had bewitched cattle and caused other misfortunes.

William Penn himself presided over the trial, which took place in the newly established court. The trial was quite different from the trials in Salem. Penn, a Quaker, approached the case with a level of skepticism and a desire for fairness.

During the trial, witnesses testified about various strange occurrences and Mattson's supposed involvement in them. However, Penn's rational approach led to questioning the evidence more thoroughly. In the end, Margaret Mattson was found guilty of having the "common fame of a witch" but not guilty of practicing witchcraft. Essentially, she was recognized as having a bad reputation, but there was no solid evidence of her practicing witchcraft.

Mattson was released with a warning, and the trial ended without the harsh punishments seen in Salem. The trial of Margaret Mattson marked the beginning and, essentially, the end of Philadelphia’s witch trials; unlike Salem, where it escalated and caused the death of many innocent women.

The trial of Margaret Mattson is often overlooked in the history of American witch hunts. If it were not for Penn’s skepticism and his belief in the importance of due process, perhaps the same hysteria that took over Salem would have happened in Philadelphia.

Even though the witch trials in Philadelphia did not reach the fever pitch of Salem, there was still a struggle between old-world superstition and reason that was, fortunately, quelled by a rational person.