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Alse/Alice Young

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Alse/Alice Young

Birth
England
Death
26 May 1647 (aged 47)
Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut, USA
Burial
Stratford, Fairfield County, Connecticut, USA Add to Map
Plot
She would not be buried in Stratford as she was hanged in Hartford.
Memorial ID
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Alse Young (ca. 1600 – 26 May 1647) of Windsor, Connecticut — sometimes Achsah Young or Alice Young — was the first recorded instance of execution for witchcraft in the thirteen American colonies..

Background
Very little is recorded of Alse Young; her existence is only known through her reputation as a witch. She is believed to have been the wife of John Young, who bought a small parcel of land in Windsor in 1641, sold it in 1649, and then disappeared from the town records. She had a daughter, Alice Young Beamon, who would be accused of witchcraft in nearby Springfield, Massachusetts, some 30 years later. Like many similar cases of witchcraft, Alse Young was a woman without a son when the accusation was lodged, which implied that she would be eligible to receive through inheritance her husband's estate..

There is no further record of Young's trial or the specifics of the charge, only that Alse Young was a woman. Early historical record hints at the possibility that there may have been some sort of epidemic in the town of Windsor in early 1647. Alse Young was hanged at the Meeting House Square in Hartford, Connecticut, on what is now the site of the Old State House. A journal of then Massachusetts Bay Colony Governor John Winthrop states that "One... of Windsor arraigned and executed at Hartford for a witch." The second town clerk of Windsor, Matthew Grant also confirms the execution with the May 26, 1647 diary entry, "Alse Young was hanged.".

In 1642, witchcraft became punishable by death in the Connecticut Colony. This capital offense was backed by references to the King James version of the Bible: Exodus (22:18) says, Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. And Leviticus (20:27) says, A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood (shall be) upon them. In Connecticut, witchcraft was last listed as a capital crime in 1715. The crime of witchcraft disappeared from the list of capital crimes when the laws were next issued in 1750..

Other people executed for witchcraft in New England

Historian Clarence F. Jewett included a list of other people executed in New England in The Memorial History of Boston: Including Suffolk County, Massachusetts. 1630–1880 (Ticknor and Company, 1881). He wrote,.

The following is the list of the twelve persons who were executed for witchcraft in New England before 1692, when twenty other persons were executed at Salem, whose names are well known. It is possible that the list is not complete ; but I have included all of which I have any knowledge, and with such details as to names and dates as could be ascertained : —.

1647, — "Woman of Windsor", Connecticut (name unknown) [later identified as Alse Young], at Hartford. 1648, — Margaret Jones, of Charlestown, at Boston. 1648,— Mary Johnson, at Hartford. 1650? — Henry Lake's wife [Alice], of Dorchester. 1650?—Mrs. Kendall, of Cambridge. 1651, — Mary Parsons, of Springfield, at Boston. 1651, — Goodwife Bassett, at Fairfield, Conn. 1653,—Goodwife Knap, at Hartford. 1656, — Ann Hibbins, at Boston. 1662, — Goodman Greensmith, at Hartford. 1662,— Goodwife Greensmith, at Hartford..

1688,— Goody Glover, at Boston."

Witches and Witchcraft
The First Person Executed in the Colonies

First Person Executed in the Colonies

In 1642 witchcraft was punishable by death in Connecticut. This capital offense was backed by references to the Bible, i.e., Ex: 22, 18; Lev: 20, 27; Deu: 18, 10, 11. Alse Young (sometimes also referred to as Achsah or Alice) of Windsor, Connecticut was the first person executed for witchcraft in America. Alse was hanged at Meeting House Square in Hartford on what is now the site of the Old State House. A journal of then Massachusetts Governor John Winthrop states that "One of Windsor was hanged." The second town clerk of Windsor, Matthew Grant also confirms the execution with the May 26, 1647 diary entry, "Alse Young was hanged."

Although Connecticut may not have experienced the same level of hysteria as Salem Massachusetts, Alse Young was not the last person hanged for witchcraft. Mary Johnson of Wethersfield was executed in 1648 after having confessed to entering into a compact with the devil. Joan and John Carrington also of Wethersfield were executed in 1651. Rebecca and Nathaniel Greensmith and Mary Barnes were found guilty of witchcraft and were hanged in Hartford on January 25, 1663. Ann Cole had accused Rebecca Greensmith of making her have strange fits. Witchcraft was last listed as a capital crime in 1715. The crime of witchcraft disappeared from the list of capital crimes when the laws were next printed in 1750.

Thank You Windsor, Hartford County, Connecticut for clearing my 9th Great Grandmother Alice Young name and to all the ones that worked to make this happen.
Windsor, Connecticut cleared the names of its two witch-hanging victims Alice Young and Lydia Gilbert on Feb 6, 2017. It is fullly documented in this video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rydddpvIzM&t=219s
_______________________________________________

Sources of Information:

George Lincoln Burr, editor, "Narratives of the Witchcraft Cases 1648-1706"

Wilson H. Faude & Joan W. Friedland, "Connecticut Firsts", (1985)

David D. Hall, editor, "Witch-Hunting in Seventeenth Century New England"

R.G. Tomlinson, "Witchcraft Trials Of Connecticut", (1978)

For other accusations and mentions of witchcraft in the colonial records of Connecticut:

Mr. Willis asked to go to Saybrook to examine suspicions of witchcraft

Witchcraft listed as a crime punishable by death

Goodwife Garlick

Mercy Disborough, Elizabeth Clawson, Goody Miller, Mrs. Staples

Water Test on Mercy Disborough and Elizabeth Clawson

Mary Johnson

Doses of Connecticut Legal History

Source: http://www.jud.ct.gov/lawlib/history/witches.htm

Thank You Windsor, Hartford County, Connecticut for clearing my 9th Great Grandmother Alice Young name and to all the ones that worked to make this happen.
Delayed Justice: Windsor Atones for its Witch Trial History
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rydddpvIzM&t=219s
Added 4/12/2019 by: Our Family History 47719401The identity of Alice Young as the person executed as a witch in Windsor was not fully recorded until the note by the then Governor, John Winthrop, of the colony, and a notate in the journal of town clerk, Matthew Grant, were reconciled by the recorder's descendant to . (http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/on-this-day/May-June-08/On-this-Day--Alse-Young-Hanged-for-Witchcraft-in-Connecticut.html) . Alse's daughter, Alice Young, was later accused of witchcraft in Massachusetts, but was not executed, which allowed me to descend as her 11th great grandson. The disposition of her body after execution, is unknown.
Alse Young (ca. 1600 – 26 May 1647) of Windsor, Connecticut — sometimes Achsah Young or Alice Young — was the first recorded instance of execution for witchcraft in the thirteen American colonies..

Background
Very little is recorded of Alse Young; her existence is only known through her reputation as a witch. She is believed to have been the wife of John Young, who bought a small parcel of land in Windsor in 1641, sold it in 1649, and then disappeared from the town records. She had a daughter, Alice Young Beamon, who would be accused of witchcraft in nearby Springfield, Massachusetts, some 30 years later. Like many similar cases of witchcraft, Alse Young was a woman without a son when the accusation was lodged, which implied that she would be eligible to receive through inheritance her husband's estate..

There is no further record of Young's trial or the specifics of the charge, only that Alse Young was a woman. Early historical record hints at the possibility that there may have been some sort of epidemic in the town of Windsor in early 1647. Alse Young was hanged at the Meeting House Square in Hartford, Connecticut, on what is now the site of the Old State House. A journal of then Massachusetts Bay Colony Governor John Winthrop states that "One... of Windsor arraigned and executed at Hartford for a witch." The second town clerk of Windsor, Matthew Grant also confirms the execution with the May 26, 1647 diary entry, "Alse Young was hanged.".

In 1642, witchcraft became punishable by death in the Connecticut Colony. This capital offense was backed by references to the King James version of the Bible: Exodus (22:18) says, Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. And Leviticus (20:27) says, A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood (shall be) upon them. In Connecticut, witchcraft was last listed as a capital crime in 1715. The crime of witchcraft disappeared from the list of capital crimes when the laws were next issued in 1750..

Other people executed for witchcraft in New England

Historian Clarence F. Jewett included a list of other people executed in New England in The Memorial History of Boston: Including Suffolk County, Massachusetts. 1630–1880 (Ticknor and Company, 1881). He wrote,.

The following is the list of the twelve persons who were executed for witchcraft in New England before 1692, when twenty other persons were executed at Salem, whose names are well known. It is possible that the list is not complete ; but I have included all of which I have any knowledge, and with such details as to names and dates as could be ascertained : —.

1647, — "Woman of Windsor", Connecticut (name unknown) [later identified as Alse Young], at Hartford. 1648, — Margaret Jones, of Charlestown, at Boston. 1648,— Mary Johnson, at Hartford. 1650? — Henry Lake's wife [Alice], of Dorchester. 1650?—Mrs. Kendall, of Cambridge. 1651, — Mary Parsons, of Springfield, at Boston. 1651, — Goodwife Bassett, at Fairfield, Conn. 1653,—Goodwife Knap, at Hartford. 1656, — Ann Hibbins, at Boston. 1662, — Goodman Greensmith, at Hartford. 1662,— Goodwife Greensmith, at Hartford..

1688,— Goody Glover, at Boston."

Witches and Witchcraft
The First Person Executed in the Colonies

First Person Executed in the Colonies

In 1642 witchcraft was punishable by death in Connecticut. This capital offense was backed by references to the Bible, i.e., Ex: 22, 18; Lev: 20, 27; Deu: 18, 10, 11. Alse Young (sometimes also referred to as Achsah or Alice) of Windsor, Connecticut was the first person executed for witchcraft in America. Alse was hanged at Meeting House Square in Hartford on what is now the site of the Old State House. A journal of then Massachusetts Governor John Winthrop states that "One of Windsor was hanged." The second town clerk of Windsor, Matthew Grant also confirms the execution with the May 26, 1647 diary entry, "Alse Young was hanged."

Although Connecticut may not have experienced the same level of hysteria as Salem Massachusetts, Alse Young was not the last person hanged for witchcraft. Mary Johnson of Wethersfield was executed in 1648 after having confessed to entering into a compact with the devil. Joan and John Carrington also of Wethersfield were executed in 1651. Rebecca and Nathaniel Greensmith and Mary Barnes were found guilty of witchcraft and were hanged in Hartford on January 25, 1663. Ann Cole had accused Rebecca Greensmith of making her have strange fits. Witchcraft was last listed as a capital crime in 1715. The crime of witchcraft disappeared from the list of capital crimes when the laws were next printed in 1750.

Thank You Windsor, Hartford County, Connecticut for clearing my 9th Great Grandmother Alice Young name and to all the ones that worked to make this happen.
Windsor, Connecticut cleared the names of its two witch-hanging victims Alice Young and Lydia Gilbert on Feb 6, 2017. It is fullly documented in this video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rydddpvIzM&t=219s
_______________________________________________

Sources of Information:

George Lincoln Burr, editor, "Narratives of the Witchcraft Cases 1648-1706"

Wilson H. Faude & Joan W. Friedland, "Connecticut Firsts", (1985)

David D. Hall, editor, "Witch-Hunting in Seventeenth Century New England"

R.G. Tomlinson, "Witchcraft Trials Of Connecticut", (1978)

For other accusations and mentions of witchcraft in the colonial records of Connecticut:

Mr. Willis asked to go to Saybrook to examine suspicions of witchcraft

Witchcraft listed as a crime punishable by death

Goodwife Garlick

Mercy Disborough, Elizabeth Clawson, Goody Miller, Mrs. Staples

Water Test on Mercy Disborough and Elizabeth Clawson

Mary Johnson

Doses of Connecticut Legal History

Source: http://www.jud.ct.gov/lawlib/history/witches.htm

Thank You Windsor, Hartford County, Connecticut for clearing my 9th Great Grandmother Alice Young name and to all the ones that worked to make this happen.
Delayed Justice: Windsor Atones for its Witch Trial History
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rydddpvIzM&t=219s
Added 4/12/2019 by: Our Family History 47719401The identity of Alice Young as the person executed as a witch in Windsor was not fully recorded until the note by the then Governor, John Winthrop, of the colony, and a notate in the journal of town clerk, Matthew Grant, were reconciled by the recorder's descendant to . (http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/on-this-day/May-June-08/On-this-Day--Alse-Young-Hanged-for-Witchcraft-in-Connecticut.html) . Alse's daughter, Alice Young, was later accused of witchcraft in Massachusetts, but was not executed, which allowed me to descend as her 11th great grandson. The disposition of her body after execution, is unknown.


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