Know quick facts about the Joshua Ward House – Haunted House: Set back from Washington Street is Joshua Ward’s beautiful Federal-style home, which he built for himself in 1784. There are ties to the witchcraft cases that go back to the land. The only thing left of George Corwin’s house from 1692 are a few broken stones along the building’s base.
During the witch trials of 1692, George Corwin, who was 25 years old at the time, was the High Sheriff. He was the nephew of both Judge Jonathan Corwin and Judge Wait Winthrop and the son-in-law of Judge Bartholomew Gedney.
He may have gotten this important job because of this. Sheriff Corwin was in charge of getting the people who were going to be killed from jail to Proctor’s Ledge on Gallows Hill. Corwin would also take the doomed prisoners’ property, which was required by law.
This did not include land, but things like animals, hay, apples, corn, and home items like kettles, pewter, furniture, and jewelry. People often think that witchcraft claims were part of a plan to take over the land of neighbors or other people in the community. At this time, English law let police seize a criminal’s belongings, but not their real estate.
Know quick facts about the Joshua Ward House – Haunted House
The things that the married women who were found guilty owned were thought to belong to their husbands. So, there was nothing to take from the married women who were sentenced to death, but the men and widows could have their things taken.
These household items were supposed to be listed and put away so that the convicted criminal could pay for his time in jail and provide for his family. But it is known that Sheriff Corwin sold some of John Proctor’s animals and killed and stored the rest so that they could be sent to the West Indies.
Set back from Washington Street is Joshua Ward’s beautiful Federal-style home, which he built for himself in 1784. There are ties to the witchcraft cases that go back to the land. The only thing left of George Corwin’s house from 1692 are a few broken stones along the building’s base.
During the witch trials of 1692, George Corwin, who was 25 years old at the time, was the High Sheriff. He was the nephew of both Judge Jonathan Corwin and Judge Wait Winthrop and the son-in-law of Judge Bartholomew Gedney. He may have gotten this important job because of this.
Sheriff Corwin was in charge of getting the people who were going to be killed from jail to Proctor’s Ledge on Gallows Hill. Corwin would also take the doomed prisoners’ property, which was required by law. This did not include land, but things like animals, hay, apples, corn, and home items like kettles, pewter, furniture, and jewelry.
People often think that witchcraft claims were part of a plan to take over the land of neighbors or other people in the community. At this time, English law let police seize a criminal’s belongings, but not their real estate. The things that the married women who were found guilty owned were thought to belong to their husbands.
So, there was nothing to take from the married women who were sentenced to death, but the men and widows could have their things taken. These household items were supposed to be listed and put away so that the convicted criminal could pay for his time in jail and provide for his family.
But it is known that Sheriff Corwin sold some of John Proctor’s animals and killed and stored the rest so that they could be sent to the West Indies.
Joshua Ward House Quick Facts
As High Sheriff, George Corwin was also in charge of Giles Corey’s horrible death. Giles Corey was given a harsh sentence because he didn’t follow the rules of the court. For this extreme test, Corey, who was 73 years old, had to lie on his back while weights were added to a board across his body.
Some stories say that when Corey’s tongue hung out of his mouth because of the weight on his chest, Corwin used his walking stick to poke it back in. This is a disturbing picture. Given how shocking his death was, Corey’s death has become the subject of a tale over time.
This story says that Giles Corey cursed Sheriff Corwin and the town of Salem with his last breath. Even though there is no proof that Corey ever said these words, they have become a famous myth about the Sheriff.
Philip English was the richest trader in Salem, and he and his wife Mary were both accused of witchcraft. This is another myth about George Corwin. Because English had a lot of money, he was able to run away to New York City, where he stayed until the witchcraft claims were dropped.
When he got back to Salem, he found that George Corwin and some of English’s neighbors had taken his stuff from his house, stores, wharves, and shop. English sued Corwin over and over again for years to get back his property because he was angry that Corwin had ruined his life’s work. In the end, Corwin died before English’s legal attempts brought him any pleasure.
English went so far as to say he would steal Corwin’s body and hold it for ransom. This was a crazy and desperate move. Even though most experts think this theft did not happen, stories about it grew. People often tell this story again, saying that English really did steal the body or that Corwin was buried for years in his own basement because he was afraid he would be stolen from his grave. Corwin was actually laid to rest in the Broad Street Cemetery.
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