In 1656, New Hampshire locked up its first witch. She wouldn’t break for 24 years.

Goody Cole’s Two-Decade Witchcraft Persecution in Hampton

Eunice "Goody" Cole was just a poor, cranky woman in Hampton, New Hampshire until neighbors called her a witch in 1656. For over 20 years, she faced three trials and spent years locked in Boston prison.

When her husband died, he left her only clothes. The town took their land but built her a small hut where she lived alone.

After her death at nearly 90, folks drove a stake through her heart to stop her ghost. Yet in 1938, Hampton finally cleared her name.

The Tuck Museum now holds her story and even her ashes in an urn.

Indentured Servants Arrived Broke in Hampton

Eunice and William Cole landed in New England in 1637 owing £10 for their trip.

They worked as servants to Matthew Craddock, a rich London businessman who never set foot in America. He gave them 2 acres in what’s now Quincy.

The couple soon moved to Exeter, New Hampshire. By 1644, they settled in Hampton on 40 acres where William worked as a carpenter.

The childless couple quickly started fighting with neighbors over property lines and loose animals.

Trouble Followed the Coles From Day One

Between 1644 and 1656, the Coles showed up in court often. Neighbors accused them of slander and keeping other people’s pigs.

Everyone saw Eunice as mean and quick to start fights. They still owed money to Craddock’s estate, with collectors demanding payment in 1657.

By 1653, the Coles ranked at the bottom of Hampton’s social ladder. When animals died strangely or crops failed, townspeople blamed Eunice.

Whispers of Witchcraft Turned Into Formal Charges

In 1656, Hampton folks took their fears to court, officially accusing Eunice of witchcraft. They claimed she made people sick and killed animals through magic.

Witnesses said she cursed Thomas Philbrick’s calves, saying grass would "poison them or choke them. " Women talking near a sick child heard odd scraping sounds at Thomas Sleeper’s house.

Town leaders had just turned down her request for "wood and other things," after which cattle started dying strangely.

A Telltale Mark Sealed Her Fate

While getting ready to whip Eunice publicly, Constable Richard Ormsby spotted a "blue thing like unto a teat" on her left breast.

The mark hung down about three-quarters of an inch, matching what folks thought was a witch’s teat for feeding demon helpers. Court officials sent women to look at it, but Eunice scratched it off.

Blood appeared as she claimed it was just a sore, not a witch mark. This became key proof against her in her Boston trial.

Boston Jailers Kept Her Locked Away for Years

The Boston court found Eunice guilty of "familiarity with the devil" in 1656. Unlike Anne Hibbens who hanged that same year, Cole got prison instead.

She sat in Boston jail from 1656 to 1660, too poor to pay the fees for release. William struggled alone on their farm and begged the court to free her in 1659.

Hampton town leaders took over the Cole property to support William while his wife sat in jail.

Her Husband Died Leaving Her Nothing But Clothes

William Cole died on May 26, 1662, at 88 years old. His will left Eunice only clothing while the town kept his land and belongings.

She had asked to leave prison to care for her aging husband before he died.

The court freed her around 1660, but she went back to jail from 1662 until sometime between 1668 and 1671. When finally released, she returned to Hampton as a poor widow with no land, living on town charity.

Children Claimed She Tried to Lure Them With Treats

New charges came in 1673 when 10-year-old Ann Smith said Eunice tried to tempt her with plums and a baby to come live with her. Neighbors swore they saw her change into dogs, cats, and eagles.

People said their bread tasted bad after she looked at it. Local children reported seeing the devil as a black dwarf in a red cap sitting at her table.

The court cleared her of witchcraft but still strongly suspected she dealt with the devil.

Fearful Neighbors Kept Their Distance While Providing Basic Needs

Hampton officials built Eunice a small hut near town for her final years. Families took turns bringing food and firewood, though they feared her supposed powers.

Local kids dared each other to run up to her home at night to prove their bravery. She lived alone in poverty while the community stayed away.

The town kept supporting her as required by law even though residents believed she practiced dark magic.

Her Third Trial at Age 90 Still Couldn’t Convict Her

Hampton tried once more to convict Eunice of witchcraft in 1680 when she was nearly 90 years old. Again, the court found too little proof but kept their "vehement suspicion" she practiced witchcraft.

Officials jailed her despite lacking grounds for charges. This marked her third witchcraft trial across 24 years of accusations.

The court’s words showed they still thought she was guilty but couldn’t prove it.

Townspeople Buried Her With a Stake Through Her Heart

Eunice Cole died alone in October 1680, about 90 years old, in her town-provided shelter. Hampton residents quickly buried her in an unmarked grave, likely near where the Tuck Museum stands today.

Local legend says they drove a wooden stake through her heart with a horseshoe attached to prevent her ghost from causing trouble.

The community feared she might return even after death to harm them with supernatural powers. The exact location of her grave remains unknown, adding to her enduring story.

Hampton Finally Cleared Her Name After 300 Years

In 1937, Hampton formed "The Society for the Apprehension of Those Falsely Accusing Eunice Cole" to right a centuries-old wrong.

The town unanimously passed a resolution in March 1938 that restored her citizenship and cleared her name. A memorial service in August 1938 included burning soil from her home and grave site in a ceremonial cleansing.

Mrs. Harry Houdini and a descendant of Cole’s chief accuser attended the exoneration ceremony.

The town acknowledged that Cole fell victim to superstition rather than practicing actual witchcraft.

Visiting Tuck Museum, New Hampshire

The Tuck Museum at 40 Park Avenue in Hampton tells the story of Eunice "Goody" Cole, New Hampshire’s only convicted witch who faced three trials from 1656 to 1680.

You can visit the museum complex for free on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 1-4 PM.

The grounds include an unmarked memorial stone for Cole, plus the Seacoast Fire Museum, Farm Museum, and 1855 schoolhouse. Free guided tours are available with knowledgeable docents.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

Read more from this brand:

• In 1907, Congress forced Roosevelt to put God back on U.S. coins. Here’s why.
• The Shaker village that fostered orphans for 165 years in New Hampshire
• The pro-slavery bill that kickstarted Bleeding Kansas – and the Civil War