Witchcraft History

Bridget Bishop was the first person ever executed for allegedly practicing witchcraft in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692.  There are some discrepancies in the historical interpretation records.  One of those is that she was a resident of Salem Town and not the tavern owner as was believed.  She had stated at her deposition that she never saw the people s\she was being associated with nor was she ever where they said she had been.  She was a housewife accused of Witchcraft and Conspiracy with the Devil.  She was executed by hanging.  After her hanging her criminal status was vacated.  She had been confused numerous times with Sarah Bishop who was also accused during the Salem trial.  A;though men were also being accused of witchcraft, those being indicted were mostly women during that time.  There was very little time between being accused and within days they were sentenced to death.  The sad part is that Bridget Bishop had already been deemed innocent a decade following up to the whole witchcraft saga.  
She had been married three possibly four times.  During her first marriage she had two sons and a daughter. She married a second time after her first husband died shortly after their marriage.  She married a widower who was a prominent businessman which produced another daughter.  After this marriage she was accused of causing her husband's death via bewitching.  She was, however, acquitted due to lack of evidence.  Her third husband was a prosperous sawyer and founder of the First Church of Beverly.  
Bridget and her third husband ran two taverns together.  Due to her exotic attire and bright colors she didn’t meet the standards of someone who associated with the devil.  
She was accused of bewitching five young women in April of 1692.  People who testified at her trial alleged that there was a shape that looked like her that would do things to them.  This shape would also threaten them if they didn’t write her name in a specific book.  It’s alleged that during her trial she would look at those accusing her and they would immediately go down and only her touch would bring them back.  There were other accusations of her being able to harm people with just her look.  Her own husband said she worshipped the devil.  Her trial lasted eight days and she became the first woman to die from hanging which was the official start of the Salem Witchcraft Trials.