#george corwin

[historyofmassachusetts]

George Corwin was the high sheriff of Essex County during the Salem Witch Trials in 1692. He was the nephew of Judge Jonathan Corwin and Judge Wait Winthrop and the grandson of John Winthrop the Younger, the Governor of Connecticut. George Corwin's Early Life: George Corwin was born in Salem,…

[salem-witch-history]

Monday, August 22, 1692

As the executions show no signs of stopping, some of the wealthier prisoners begin to make escape plans using their connections. Hearing that their trial has been scheduled and new evidence is being collected against them, Philip and Mary English enlist more liberal ministers Joshua Moody and Samuel Willard to help them slip out in the middle of the night on Sunday. By the time anyone thinks to check on them Monday morning, the Englishes are already in New York. Sheriff George Corwin immediately goes to their farm, illegally seizes the English’s property, and uses the over one thousand pounds, some of which is squandered and some that goes to jail upkeep.

Nathaniel Cary also helps his wife Elizabeth escape from prison around this time with the help of friends.

[salem-witch-history]

Friday, June 10, 1692

The spot for Bridget Bishop’s execution had been chosen carefully. In the morning, sheriff George Corwin loads Bishop into a cart and begins the slow ride through town, finally crossing over the bridge that marked the entrance to Salem, and stopping at the base of a hill on common land overlooking the town. An enormous crowd of onlookers follows the procession. People from several surrounding towns, including John Hale, Bishop’s own minister, had flocked to Salem to witness the hanging.

At the top of the hill, Sheriff Corwin had prepared a makeshift gallows, tying a noose to a large tree within the sight line of the expected audience. After leading Bishop up the hill and up a ladder leaning against the tree, Corwin blindfolds Bishop and ties her hands and feet. As was the traditional procedure for execution, after hearing her last words (a simple denial of wrongdoing), the sheriff turns Bishop off the ladder, leaving her to swing back and forth as she slowly strangles to death.

After the body is disposed of in a nearby crevice and the crowd dispersed, Corwin writes his addendum to Bishop’s death warrant: “I have taken the body of the within named Bridget Bishop out of their Majesties gaol in Salem and safely conveyed her to the place provided for her execution and caused the said Bridget to be hanged by the neck until she was dead and buried in the place, all which was according to the time within required.”

[salem-witch-history]

Monday, May 30, 1692

Sherrif George Corwin is requested to find forty-eight jurors for the upcoming trials.

[photographingtheparanormal-blog]

Joshua Ward House History

The Joshua Ward House was built in the mid 1780’s for Joshua Ward, a retired sea captain. Interestingly enough, the grounds the mansion was built on had previously been the land where Sheriff George Corwin had lived. During the Salem Witch Trials, George Corwin was known as “The Strangler” because he interrogated the suspected witches and carried out their death sentences. Corwin executed nineteen men and women and came up with new, horrifying ways to torture each of his victims. The Sheriff died of a heart attack in 1697 and his body was left in his cellar and was later moved to the Broad Street Cemetery. In the 1800’s, the mansion was transformed into a hotel and later in the 1970’s it was turned into a series of business offices, the function it is now used for today.

Today, the Joshua Ward home is still occupied by three entities. The first is a woman who was most likely one of Corwin’s victims. There have been reports of her apparition roaming the hallways of the building and an image of an angry spirit was also caught on film. Many also believe that Giles Corey haunts the mansion as well. Corey was accused of being a warlock and was crushed to death by rocks. His spirit is known to turn over trashcans, pull books from shelves, melt candles, and leave cold spots in certain rooms. Finally, the last entity is that of Sheriff George Corwin. An older male figure has been seen sitting in a rocking chair by a fireplace and in the 1800’s there were reports of people being choked by an unseen entity. Some believe this is either Corwin trying to reclaim his power or one of his victims showing how they suffered. Corwin is also known to move items around the mansion and bend candles into an S shape.

Emily, Jason, and I will be visiting the Joshua Ward House on Monday, May 27th when we take our trip to Salem. This could also be one of the potential locations on the Paranormal Investigation Tour.