The Mount Holly Witch Trials took place in the town of Mount Holly, New Jersey, in 1730. This event is considered one of the last recorded witch trials in colonial America. The trials were part of a larger wave of witch hysteria that swept through New England and other parts of the American colonies during the 17th and 18th centuries. The trials in Mount Holly began when Elizabeth Smith, a local woman, accused two other women, mother and daughter, of witchcraft. The accused women, named Jane and Mary, were brought before the local magistrates and interrogated. They were accused of practicing witchcraft and causing various misfortunes and illnesses in the town.

A Witch Trial at Mount Holly

Printed in The Pennsylvania Gazette , October 22, 1730.

This hoax is included here on the authority of John Bach McMaster,3 though no external evidence that Franklin wrote it has been found; all that can be said is that he could have done so. Smyth printed it without questioning ( Writings , ii, 170–2), as have subsequent editors and biographers. Records of the Court of Quarter Sessions of Burlington County, N.J., for 1730, which might indicate how much fact there was in the Gazette account, no longer exist.

Burlington , Oct. 12. Saturday last at Mount-Holly, about 8 Miles from this Place, near 300 People were gathered together to see an Experiment or two tried on some Persons accused of Witchcraft. It seems the Accused had been charged with making their Neighbours Sheep dance in an uncommon Manner, and with causing Hogs to speak, and sing Psalms, &c. to the great Terror and Amazement of the King’s good and peaceable Subjects in this Province; and the Accusers being very positive that if the Accused were weighed in Scales against a Bible, the Bible would prove too heavy for them; or that, if they were bound and put into the River, they would swim; the said Accused desirous to make their Innocence appear, voluntarily offered to undergo the said Trials, if 2 of the most violent of their Accusers would be tried with them. Accordingly the Time and Place was agreed on, and advertised about the Country; The Accusers were 1 Man and 1 Woman; and the Accused the same. The Parties being met, and the People got together, a grand Consultation was held, before they proceeded to Trial; in which it was agreed to use the Scales first; and a Committee of Men were appointed to search the Men, and a Committee of Women to search the Women, to see if they had any Thing of Weight about them, particularly Pins. After the Scrutiny was over, a huge great Bible belonging to the Justice of the Place was provided, and a Lane through the Populace was made from the Justices House to the Scales, which were fixed on a Gallows erected for that Purpose opposite to the House, that the Justice’s Wife and the rest of the Ladies might see the Trial, without coming amongst the Mob; and after the Manner of Moorfields, a large Ring was also made. Then came out of the House a grave tall Man carrying the Holy Writ before the supposed Wizard, &c. (as solemnly as the Sword-bearer of London before the Lord Mayor) the Wizard was first put in the Scale, and over him was read a Chapter out of the Books of Moses, and then the Bible was put in the other Scale, (which being kept down before) was immediately let go; but to the great Surprize of the Spectators, Flesh and Bones came down plump, and outweighed that great good Book by abundance. After the same Manner, the others were served, and their Lumps of Mortality severally were too heavy for Moses and all the Prophets and Apostles. This being over, the Accusers and the rest of the Mob, not satisfied with this Experiment, would have the Trial by Water; accordingly a most solemn Procession was made to the Mill-pond; where both Accused and Accusers being stripp’d (saving only to the Women their Shifts) were bound Hand and Foot, and severally placed in the Water, lengthways, from the Side of a Barge or Flat, having for Security only a Rope about the Middle of each, which was held by some in the Flat. The Accuser Man being thin and spare, with some Difficulty began to sink at last; but the rest every one of them swam very light upon the Water. A Sailor in the Flat jump’d out upon the Back of the Man accused, thinking to drive him down to the Bottom, but the Person bound, without any Help, came up some time before the other. The Woman Accuser, being told that she did not sink, would be duck’d a second Time; when she swam again as light as before. Upon which she declared, That she believed the Accused had bewitched her to make her so light, and that she would be duck’d again a Hundred Times, but she would duck the Devil out of her. The accused Man, being surpriz’d at his own Swimming, was not so confident of his Innocence as before, but said, If I am a Witch, it is more than I know . The more thinking Part of the Spectators were of Opinion, that any Person so bound and plac’d in the Water (unless they were mere Skin and Bones) would swim till their Breath was gone, and their Lungs fill’d with Water. But it being the general Belief of the Populace, that the Womens Shifts, and the Garters with which they were bound help’d to support them; it is said they are to be tried again the next warm Weather, naked.

3 . Benjamin Franklin as a Man of Letters (Boston, 1887), p. 71. The Gentleman’s Magazine , I (1731), 29, printed a brief account of the trial, based on the Gazette publication, which it accepted as fact.

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Source Project Franklin Papers Title A Witch Trial at Mount Holly, 22 October 1730 Author Franklin, Benjamin Date 22 October 1730

Reference

Cite as “A Witch Trial at Mount Holly, 22 October 1730,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Franklin/01-01-02-0056. [Original source: The Papers of Benjamin Franklin, vol. 1, January 6, 1706 through December 31, 1734, ed. Leonard W. Labaree. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1959, pp. 182–183.]

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Benjamin Franklin’s Satire of Witch Hunting

Advisor: Robert A. Ferguson, George Edward Woodberry Professor of Law, Literature and Criticism, Columbia University Law School, National Humanities Center Fellow.
Copyright National Humanities Center, 2014

Lesson Contents

• Teacher’s Note
• Background
• Text Analysis & Close Reading Questions
• Student Version PDF

They were accused of practicing witchcraft and causing various misfortunes and illnesses in the town. The evidence against the accused women was largely based on testimonies from neighbors and locals who claimed to have seen them engaging in black magic rituals or exhibiting supernatural abilities. The women were also said to have made a pact with the devil and used their powers to harm others.

How does Benjamin Franklin’s satire of a witch trial argue that human affairs should be guided, above all, by reason?

During the trials, both the accused women maintained their innocence and denied any involvement in witchcraft. However, their pleas fell on deaf ears, as the prevailing belief at the time was that witchcraft was a real and dangerous threat. The trials in Mount Holly were marked by high levels of hysteria and fear. Many people in the town began to suspect their neighbors and friends of being witches, and accusations were made left and right. The trials quickly turned into a frenzy of accusations, with more and more people being accused and put on trial. Ultimately, the Mount Holly Witch Trials resulted in the execution of three individuals. Jane and Mary, the initial accused women, were both found guilty and hanged. Another man named Jonathan, who was accused of being a male witch, was also executed. These tragic events marked the end of the witch trials in Mount Holly. The Mount Holly Witch Trials, like other witch trials of the time, demonstrated the deep-rooted fear and superstition of the colonial society. Innocent people were accused and killed based on rumors and hearsay, without any real evidence. The trials serve as a reminder of the dangers of mass hysteria and the importance of reason and skepticism in the pursuit of justice. Today, the Mount Holly Witch Trials are a somber reminder of a dark chapter in American history..

Reviews for "The Mount Holly Witch Trials: Examining the Accusers and Accused"

1. Jessica - 1 star

I found "Mount Holly Witch Trials" to be incredibly boring and difficult to follow. The storyline was disjointed, and the characters lacked depth and development. The pacing was slow, and I often found myself losing interest in the plot. Additionally, the writing style was dry and lacked any sort of charm or intrigue. Overall, I was highly disappointed with this book and would not recommend it to others.

2. Mark - 2 stars

While "Mount Holly Witch Trials" had an intriguing premise, I feel that it fell short of its potential. The plot had potential, but it lacked direction and clarity. I found myself confused at various points throughout the book, and the resolution left me feeling unsatisfied. Moreover, the characters were one-dimensional and lacked realistic motivations. I was hoping for an engaging and gripping read, but unfortunately, this book didn't deliver.

3. Sarah - 2 stars

I had high hopes for "Mount Holly Witch Trials," but it failed to live up to my expectations. The story felt predictable, and there were no real surprises or twists to keep my attention. The writing style was average, and the descriptive language lacked creativity. I also found the dialogue to be stilted and unnatural. Overall, the book didn't leave a lasting impression, and I wouldn't recommend it to others looking for a gripping witch trial story.

4. Michael - 3 stars

While "Mount Holly Witch Trials" had an interesting historical backdrop, I found the execution to be lackluster. The pacing was inconsistent, with some parts dragging on while others felt rushed. The characters were underdeveloped, and their actions often felt contrived. Furthermore, the dialogue lacked authenticity and failed to bring the story to life. While the book had its moments, it ultimately fell short of being a captivating read for me.

5. Michelle - 2 stars

I struggled to get through "Mount Holly Witch Trials" as I found the story to be slow-paced and unengaging. The plot lacked depth and substance, and I was disappointed by the lack of suspense or intrigue. The characters were forgettable and lacked any real personality or development. Additionally, the writing style was dry and lacked the descriptive imagery I was hoping for. Overall, I wouldn't recommend this book to fans of historical fiction or witch trial stories.

The Mount Holly Witch Trials: Lessons from America's Dark Witch Hunt