Person:Marguerite Unknown (47)

Margaret Mattson of Chester Co, Pennsylvania was tried in the year 1683. She was found guilty of having the common fame of a witch but was acquitted of actually being one. Her husband, Nils, arrived in New Sweden in 1654 and took up land along the Delaware and Schuykill Rivers. After his wife's trial, he moved into New Jersey.

The only witchcraft trial in the province of Pennsylvania occurred before the Council, previous to the organization of the Provincial Court, on December 27, 1683. Only one of two old women, both of them Swedes, seems to have been tried. Yeshro Hendrickson's name disappears. Margaret Mattson lived upon her husband's plantation on the Delaware, near Crum Creek, in Ridley township, now Delaware County. She remained for long in local legend, the "Witch of Ridley Creek." At her trial she appeared before William Penn, his Attorney General, a Grand Jury of twenty-one persons, all apparently English, and a Petit Jury of twelve persons, one of whom was a Swede. One Councilman, Lasse Cock, was also a prominent Swede. The case was heard, all the formalities gone through with, and the verdict rendered the same afternoon, as follows: "Guilty of having the Comon Fame of a Witch, but not Guilty in manner and Forme as Shee stands Endicted." There were various accusations of a vague sort against the poor woman, as that she had bewitched calves, geese, cattle and a few persons.

Her own daughter testified that she was in league with the Devil, But the sober sanity of the Quaker Jury brought in an eminently safe verdict. Tradition has it that William Penn said to her: "Art thou a witch? Hast thou ridden through the air on a broomstick?" When the poor, confused creature answered, "Yes," he said that she had a perfect right to ride upon a broomstick, that he knew no law whatever against it, and promptly ordered her discharge. This was the only witchcraft trial ever before the Pennsylvania Courts.