MINOT – Dr. Joseph Hall of Bates College was the speaker at the Oct. 12 meeting of the Minot Historical Society. His topic was “The Salem Witch Trials.”
The outbreak of witch accusations began in 1692 in the Puritan Society. There were 185 people accused of being witches; 141 of them were women. Nineteen accused “witches” were executed – 14 of them were women. Men were more powerful in the Puritan Society.
Hall said since women were considered weaker, they were more apt to succumb to the power of the devil. He said all the accused women owned property and did not have men in their lives as the result of divorce or death. Hall likened the Salem witch trials to what happened in the McCarthy era.
In other business, the nominating committee reported that the officers have agreed to serve another year and the pro tem secretary cast one vote for the slate: president, Hester Gilpatric; vice president, Eleanor Thayer; treasurer, Madeline Hicks; and secretary, Eda Tripp.
Paul Lodge has been taping interviews of older residents giving memories of Minot. He will prepare edited tapes for the society. The next meting will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 9, at the Minot Town Office. The speaker will be Professor Douglas Hodgkins, retired Bates College, and his topic will be “History of the Granges.” Everyone is invited, and refreshments will follow the program.
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