Part of our tale of woe as a country is a lot of horrendous acts. Like every other formed country in the world though, we are moving forward and learning from these everyday, as to make sure history doesn't repeat itself. One documented theme that catches people's attentions though, is our puritan era where we burned, hung, drowned, and killed in various other ways, what we deemed witches. I'm sure you've all heard of the Salem Witch Trials, and the massacre that fell on the women of this era. These tended to be women who stuck out among other women, accused by many for not fitting the social or religious standards of the time. This consisted of a wide range of independent women, women who were too unique to those in their towns, women who laughed too much or too loud, women who's beauty was too strong for the male to trust himself with, or even women who liked something as simple as herbal medicine, as Grace Sherwood did. She is the one I'll be talking about today.
I went and visited the monument dedicated to her, and the church where a gravestone was put in for her honor. Her statue is on the corner of Witchduct Rd., on the grounds of a hospital. This road was named after her, as she was the only person in this area to be subject to trial by ducking. This is also known as Trial by Ordeal, Ordeal by Water, or the most famous, Trial by Water. The point of this practice was that water is considered a sacred, holy element. If she drowned and died by it, the water was accepting her and she was pure and not a witch. If she lived, then the water was rejecting her for being impure and she was a witch. It was a lose-lose situation.
Grace White was born in 1660 in Pungo, Virginia of Princess Anne County. Pungo has now transformed to parts of Virginia Beach. Grace Sherwood's most famous name is "The Witch of Pungo" due to this. Her father, James White, was an American farmer and carpenter, and her mother, Susan White, was born in England. When Grace was 20, so in 1680, she married James Sherwood, and became herself Grace White Sherwood. He was a farmer like her father, so Grace was surrounded by farming, growth, and greenery her whole life. This inspired her to grow herbs herself, and use them as a natural medicine for all creatures alike. She was known for even helping animals out with this medicine. When Grace and James got married, her father gave them 50 acres of his land. In 1681, a year after James and Grace were wed, her father passed away, and they inherited the entire farm that consisted of 145 acres. Grace and James had three children, all were boys. Two were named after their father and grandfather, John and James, the third was named Richard. Along with healing sick creatures with her herbs, and helping out on the farm, Grace also was midwife. She was known for being a diverse character. A notable fact about her is that she not only helped out on the farm, but she also wore pants while doing so, instead of a dress. In these times, that was rare, and may have added to people being distrustful of her. Unfortunately, in 1701, her James passed away, and Grace had the entire property to herself.
Now prior to his death, Grace had been accused of withccraft a couple of times. In 1697, a man named Richard Capps said she had put a curse and murdered his bull. The court actually didn't go against her, or with her, and came to no decision with this. Grace was a strong person though, and sued Richard for defamation afterwards, in which she got an unknown settlement to close the case. A year later in 1698, her neighbor John Gisburne alleged she had "enchanted" his cotton and pigs. The same results happened as the first trial, where the courts didn't take a side. She, again, filed for defamation. Again, in 1698, a woman named Elizabeth Barnes claimed Grace had transformed into a black cat, came into her house and onto her bed, and when she drove the cat out it left through the door keyhole. This obviously was quite the stretch, but as before, the courts didn't take a side and Grace filed for defamation, only to fail and lose money from court costs and fees. All of this was painting out Grace to be a problem to the community, along with her tall figure, her herb garden, her "manly" sense of humor, and her wearing pants while farming.
After Grace's husband died, some say the townspeople wanted her land, and that's what led to the ultimate ducking trial. However, the straw the broke the camel's back was in 1705. Grace got in an physical altercation with Elizabeth Hill, her neighbor. Grace ended up suing her and her family for assaulting her, and the courts saw favor in that. She got twenty shillings from this. It seems like a win right? Well, unfortunately, it gave people an excuse to blame Grace for a miscarriage Elizabeth suffered about a year later (1706). Their thought process was that she was still upset over the ordeal and "bewitched" Mrs. Hill to cause it.
Leading up to the ultimate trial by water, the courts ordered twelve, and I quote "ancient and knowing women" to search Grace for witches marks. (On a side note, Elizabeth Barnes was one of these "knowing" women, so you can see the bias already). These were thought to come from the devil, and were more often than not something that looked like a wart, or a nipple. So we have twelve "ancient and trusted" women, in the puritan era, looking at an herbal medicine maker, animal loving, trouser wearing, woman for witch marks. They claim to have found two.
One beautiful quote I found in my research was that Grace Sherwood was taken into a church prior to the ducking trial, and given the chance ask for forgiveness of her essential sorcery. She said "I be not a witch, I be a healer."
However, she still went through the trial by water - twice. The first time she floated to the surface, and the second time they put a thirteen pound bible on her. Grace untied it and came to the surface, proving, to them, she was a witch. It's also said that right before she was thrown in the first time, she said "before this day be through you will all get a worse ducking than I." Then afterwards it rained heavily, so that also added to people's fear of her "evil doings." We don't have any way of actually knowing if she said that though. Afterwards, she was put into her local jail.
(The trial of 1706. At Witchduck Point, 10 AM July 10th, 1706. Grace Sherwood, the daughter of a carpenter and the wife of a planter in the county of Princess Anne, was accused of witchcraft. Grace was tried in the second Princess Anne County Courthouse, found guilty, and consented to the traditional trial by water, Grace was tied crossbound and dropped into water above man's depth. If she were to sink and drown she was innocent and could be buried on holy ground, Grace did float, thus was guilty as the pure water was casting out her evil spirit. She was incarcerated in the local jail just beyond this statue. After her release, Grace paid back taxes on her property in 1714, returned to her farm and worked the land until her death at age 80 in the Autumn of 1740. Grace Sherwood, Virginia's only convicted witch tried by water, she lays claim to Witchduck Road. Her legend lives on as "THE INFAMOUS WITCH OF PUNGO.")
(Grace White Sherwood
Born 1660 Died 1740
Married April 1680 to James Sherwood
James died 1701
Survived by sons,
John, James, and Richard
--
Sentara Healthcare has graciously provided this sit in recognition of their community, and the history that surrounds us.
This 21st day of April 2007
--
Sculptor Robert Cunningham)
(Timothy M. Kaine. Governor. Ms. Belinda Nash.
Dear Ms. Nash:
I am pleased to join the mayor of Virginia Beach in extending best wishes as you work to promote justice in the 1706 "witch ducking" case of Grace Sherwood.
With 300 years of hindsight, we all certainly can agree that trial by water is an injustice. We can also celebrate the fact woman's equality is that a constitutionally protected today, and women have the freedom to pursue their hopes and dreams.
The historical records that survive indicate that Ms. Sherwood, a midwife and widowed mother of three, survived her "trial by water" in 1706. Those records also indicate that one of my predecessors, governor Alexander Spotswood, eventually helped her reclaim her property. The records also indicate Ms. Sherwood led an otherwise quiet and law abiding life until she died at the age of 80.
Today, July 10 2006, as 70th governor of the commonwealth of Virginia, I am pleased to officially restore the good name of Grace Sherwood.
Sincerely
Timothy M. Kaine)
So three hundred years later, Grace Sherwood's name was finally cleared. These last photos have been of her statue by the hospital on Witchduct Rd. When you walk up, there's many different names carved into the bricks. I showed a couple for Grace Sherwood, and the Pagan community here. There was also one for Belinda Nash, who the governor's letter was addressed to, and other ones for various accused witches of this area as well. Here's one example :
So Grace wasn't the only named witch in this area. Which is sad to hear about, and others actually died from the accusations.
I also went and visited her headstone that the Old Donation Episcopal Church has in honor for Grace Sherwood. It's only down the street from the statue.
It was in this white, fenced-off area.
The place was well maintained. Pathways, a bench, and decorations ran through it. The most notable, and sweet touch I saw though was that it was an herb garden, in honor of Grace and her love for herbs.
A tranquil place to sit among the herbs, in honor of Grace Sherwood.
It was a beautiful experience to see this. I'm thankful the church was so thoughtful in how they presented this site.
(In memory of Grace White Sherwood
1660-1740
Healer of sick with herbs
Convicted as a witch
She survived Virginia's only trial by ducking in the Lynnhaven River
July 10, 1706
Named cleared by governor
300 years later)
I want to end this on a good note, and I'll try. Unfortunately, people love a good scary story more than the truth of a matter. Grace's actual grave is unmarked, under some trees in between Princess Anne Rd. and Pungo Ferry Rd. (VA Beach). People circulate stories of that area being haunted. They say black cats slink around, and abnormal storms hit the area. Back when she was first buried, any cat found around the grave was killed. The legends continue to this day - that when Grace died, her body was put next to her fireplace by her sons. A gust of wind supposedly came down the chimney and stirred up dust, sparks, and embers. After the distortion of it all, her body was gone. The only sign left was a cloven footprint. They say the devil took her body. Her land was continuously burned down and vandalized. In 2002, the little bit that was left was bulldozed away, except maybe a few bricks that are too overgrown to find anymore. Now the land is part of the Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge.
How do I know her legend is known to scare people here more than it is to be a tragic tale of woe of an innocent woman getting accused of something she was not? Well, I was walking in a local mall here after I had started writing this blog. Someone was selling a book they wrote about her, Grace. They said they grew up here, and heard of all the legends of the Witch of Pungo. They began linking murders that happened to the land surrounding her, and said she had cursed the land. I told them about my blog, and they tried to persuade me to buy their book. I couldn't though.
I'm sure not every local here views her as a scary story to tell in the dark. However, researching Grace, and talking to those in this area, I've seen more view her as a frightening figure, rather than a tragic character who was almost a martyr for her time. It's wrong to use a woman who went through so much, just for being different from her society, as a scary story. The truth is, Grace Sherwood was a light soul - a friend to the animals, and a lover of herbs and plants. She suffered many devastating events in her life by constantly being accused for something she was not. She had the will to fight back, which made her stick out more in a negative manner. She was eventually named a witch, and suffered for years because she survived death by water. Grace Sherwood is not someone who curses the land, but rather, her spirit and life's history rejuvenates it. These trials that took place centuries ago targeted the women who didn't fit into the church's standards that shaped their whole society. The accused witch's legacy's will live as a sign of hope, independence, and the true purity a soul can have. Rest in peace Grace Sherwood, and to all other victims to any witch trials in our world's history.
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