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Witchcraft in Maryland
From Colonial Trials to Current Covens
By j.s. houck

Maryland's witchcraft history is a rich tapestry of legend, lore, and fact. As a colony founded early in United States history, the Free State has seen witch trials (of the Salem, Massachusetts, variety), slave witchcraft (hoodoo), and covens. More recently there has been a gradual shift in the perception of witchcraft, from a "dark craft" to an "enlightening craft."

Today, a great number of pagan crafts are still being practiced, whose origins date back from millennia to only a few years ago: Wicca, Druidism, Draconian, voodoo, and hoodoo, some of which you may have heard of. Are you familiar with Appalachian Granny Magic, the Artemisian Faerie Faith, or the Taibhsear Tradition? Of these faiths, and many more, there are millions of practitioners throughout the world, as well as many who practice locally in Maryland.

During the mid-late 1600s, Maryland was not immune to the fear of witchcraft that swept through colonial America. In 1654, in one of the first recorded cases of witchcraft hysteria in Maryland, the Charity, a passenger vessel, was set to arrive in St. Mary's County after a lengthy voyage across the Atlantic from London, England. As the ship drew close to the shores of Maryland, it encountered a tremendous and relentless thunderstorm so severe that it was said it drove many onboard to insanity. The crew and passengers ultimately chose a scapegoat for the cause of the storm. Mary Lee was accused of sorcery. Her crime: summoning the torturous storm that many onboard saw as the "evil of witches." She was hanged at sea.

While this story sensationalizes an old tale of witchcraft at work in the waters off of Maryland, the recorded fact is that Mary Lee was accused of witchcraft and hanged at sea. Between 1654 and 1712, there were ten other witch trials in Maryland's recorded history, most of which were formally conducted in county courts of law. However, only one execution took place on land as the result of official sentencing. On October 9, 1685, in Calvert County, Rebecca Fowler was charged, convicted by jury, and executed by hanging, on counts of "certain diabolical arts called witchcraft, enchantments, charms, and sorceries."

Over the next two centuries, as Maryland, primarily Annapolis, established itself as a commerce hub new cultures and their customs took root in our very own backyards. Namely, the slave trade introduced hoodoo spiritual beliefs, practiced well into the 19th century.

Hoodoo is loosely termed as "African-American folk magic" and is witchcraft of "trickery and spells" used as a means toward either positive (health, wealth, love) or negative (harm to others) ends. Though contrary to popular belief, hoodoo features an admixture of American Indian botanical knowledge and European folklore with African traditions-it has always been practiced by both whites and blacks in America (though secretly) and was a popular theme in early pre-blues folk music.

In Annapolis, evidence of hoodoo practice abounds. Most recently, this past June, University of Maryland archeologist Mark Leone and his student team were sifting under the brick floor, near the kitchen hearth, of an old 18th century townhouse that was being renovated. In the depths of the Adams-Kilty house, located on Charles St., Leone found artifacts dated between 1790 and 1920, which included eight bent nails, a clear glass spindle, shards of glass etched with a checkerboard design, and a disc pierced in the center. In fact, such artifacts have been unearthed in many locations throughout Annapolis.

In the early 1990s, Leone found traces of hoodoo in the Charles Carroll House on Duke of Gloucester St., home to the Declaration of Independence signer. The Carroll family held more than 1,000 slaves during their time on this property (1700s-1800s). Leone found numerous crystals and polished stones, believed to be religious artifacts relating to the practices of the BaKongo people of West Africa. Similar finds have been made at the Brice House (East St.) and Slayton House (Duke of Gloucester St.).

Though evidence indicates that the practice of hoodoo endured through about 1920, a theory suggests that after the Civil War of the 1860s many abandoned hoodoo in their efforts to assimilate into mainstream American society, especially those who sought middle to upper class status. However, the next influx of witchcraft culture was about to arrive.

The peak of immigration to the United States took place in the early 1900s. The peak year for New York City's Ellis Island, alone, was 1907, with 1,004,756 immigrants received. It can be ascertained that some, mostly of European descent, among those who crossed the Atlantic carried with them religious beliefs rooted in the pagan philosophies of their homelands. Many orders or "traditions" of pagan philosophy originated in Old Europe, in the British Isles, Ireland, Italy, and the Mediterranean. Wicca holds its roots in the ancient, Northern European pagan beliefs of the British Isles. Druidry is traced to the indigenous earth-ancestor beliefs of Britain and Ireland, historically placed between 800 and 200 BCE (think Stonehenge).

Dissemination throughout the states of European immigrants over the past century could have led to the development or formation of multiple local covens, or "bands of witches"-factions of pagan beliefs that, in turn, would lead to more and more sects of philosophy, each a unique interpretation of its ancestors. The past 30 years have seen the sharpest rise in coven formation and popularity. And Maryland is not without its share.

According to the most recent count by The Witches Voice (www.witchvox.com), an online worldwide network for those who practice pagan craft, there are 95 groups or covens practicing in Maryland. Each sect is a derivative or combination of one or more parent crafts: Wicca, Druidry, and Faerie being popular choices. Many practice in and around the Baltimore area, meeting weekly or monthly for general discussions, classes, rituals, workshops, and the like. Large gatherings tend to congregate around the more meaningful events common to the many faiths; harvest festivals in September, Samhain (Halloween) in October, winter and summer solstices, fall and spring equinoxes, and astronomical events (the rising of Sirius in early summer and full moons).

In the Annapolis area, Needfire Grove celebrates eight Sabbats and thirteen Esbats (full moons). This October marks the celebration of Hallows, the Festival of the Dead: the time of the death of the year and a time when departed souls can return to the earth to be with those they have left behind.

Needfire Grove is a member coven of the New England Coven of Traditionalist Witches (NECTW, founded in 1972 by a hereditary Connecticut witch) and is composed of eight individuals akin to a family living and learning life through the Wheel of the Year. Lady Brigid and Lord Merlin are local members who head the coven's organization. Both have been involved in Craft for approximately 12 years. "We practice the Craft way of life everyday," they say, "The belief in a Goddess and a God and their relationship with each other through the wheel of the year is a basic tenet of Craft, which speaks to our everyday lives. We teach the concept of personal responsibility for one's own actions through the Three-Fold Law: that which you send out will return to you three times, be it positive or negative. We also teach the balance of the feminine and masculine aspects of deity and their interplay in our daily spiritual lives."

Novices interested in practicing a belief system alternative to the five major religions (Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, Hinduism, and Islam) can visit www.witchvox.com for insider advice and knowledge about the many pagan philosophies and crafts. Those interested in joining a coven are advised to proceed carefully, honestly, and wisely. "Know yourself, be yourself, and be patient," advise Lady Brigid and Lord Merlin, "Remember, this is a lifelong journey and not a race. There is no power in pretending." Witchcraft is serious business, but it's still oh-so-much fun to imagine as you slip into your costume this Halloween.

James Houck has been Associate Editor at What's Up? Annapolis for the past four years, covering the music beat, writing features, and replacing the water jugs at the water cooler.