Goodwife Joan Wright (born c. 1596, date of death unknown), sometimes "Jane Wright" ^[1] and called '' Surry's Witch ," is the first person known to have been legally accused of witchcraft in any British North American colony . ^{[2] [3] [4] [5]}

Background [ edit ]

Joan (or Jane) Wright was born around 1596 in Hull, Yorkshire , England . In 1610, she married Robert Wright, and they later emigrated to the Colony of Virginia , originally living in Elizabeth City . ^[6] They had two sons, William and Robert. ^[6] She was a self-professed healer and described as a " cunning " woman, the term used for those who practiced "low-level" or "folk" magic. ^[7] She was also left-handed , which deemed her untrustworthy and suspicious by the day's standards. ^[8] Wright lived and worked as a midwife in Surry County and was referred to as " Goodwife Wright". ^[3]

Witch trial [ edit ]

In 1626, the Allington family refused to have Wright as their midwife because she was left-handed. ^[9] The mother fell ill with a breast infection and the newborn baby died shortly after it was born. Quickly, the family and neighbors began to accuse Wright of the infant's demise. ^[10]

On September 11, 1626, Wright was called before the General Court of Virginia in Jamestown, Virginia on the charge of witchcraft. ^{[11] [12]} The presiding judge of her hearing was Sir George Yeardley , the Colonial Governor of Virginia . ^[13] The formal accusation and investigatory hearing of Wright is the earliest witchcraft allegation on record against an English settler in any British North American colony. ^[14]

The court heard extensive testimony during the inquiry. Her accusers claimed that she had cursed their local livestock and crops, caused a heavy rainfall, bewitched their butter churns , accurately predicted the deaths of several of her neighbors, and cast a spell that caused the death of a newborn baby. ^[15] During the inquiry, Wright did nothing to dispute the charges of witchcraft, and, in some instances, subtly encouraged this belief. ^[3]

Outcome [ edit ]

It is believed that Wright was acquitted despite her admission that she did possess basic knowledge of witchcraft practices. ^{[16] [13]} In her response to her charges, she remarked, "God forgive them." ^[17] Available court records do not describe how the hearing ended, and there is no surviving record of a sentence. ^[18]

Legacy [ edit ]

A Virginia witch trial loosely based on the story of Joan Wright is featured in a 2017 episode of the British drama television series Jamestown . ^[19]

In 2019, an original play, "Season of the Witch" premiered at the Jamestown Settlement. The play is a dramatic retelling of the witch trials in Virginia, with a focus on the story of Wright. ^[20]

References [ edit ]