This is a story I tell my students in my history class. As I recall, she actually admitted to being a witch, even admitting to flying around on her broom. From my research, the big issue was the language barrier between the accused and the accusers. Like you said, William Penn was the voice of reason and prevented a tragic ending to this event.

Next adventure find Margaret Mattson grave in Pennsylvania. Beautiful scenery thx for sharing.

Thanks for this, I live in Australia and have Margaret Matson in my family tree, she is my 10th Great Grandmother. It's great to see the area she and her family lived in

If the people back then could see our society today they would be utterly horrified and disgusted

Nice little video. Beautiful spot. I just love these old tales. Especially when there are witches involved. Perfect for this time of year!

Very interesting, I've lived in south eastern PA near Eddystone my entire life. Thank You for this story,I love finding out the local history.

Hi Cliff, thank you for another interesting video, it was a pretty grim era for practitioners of herbal medicine back then, she was very lucky that she was given a fair trial as so many weren't. Thank you for sharing, much love. xx💖

Poor Margaret! Un-neighbors! So sad. I like the format, Cliff! Adding an interesting story, very cool.

man, ur videos simply calm me. thx.. and hi from Prague. look forward to more...

Interesting story and beautiful a beautiful walk along the creek . I love history so I greatly enjoyed this story about this poor lady and some in information about Pennsylvania s history. 😊

I grew up not far from there and never heard this story until now - thank you.

“Witches of Pennsylvania” by Thomas White includes this story, among others. That trial apparently set a precedent for the state.

When I was young there was an old women who lived down the grove from us She was strange islated and reclusive we used to call her a witch but we were influenced by our elders She was from a different country and maybe very lonely Thanks Cliff enjoyed your video xx🐱🐱

I love hearing these stories about Witches and trials etc. Thanks for sharing this history!

That makes for a good bedtime or a Halloween story lol there Cliff. Thanks for sharing the story behind the Ridley Creek.

Hi from down the way in Chester County, Cliff. Wm. Penn did many 500+ acre land grants in PA back in those days too. My fieldstone farmhouse sits on part of an Old Quaker Assemblymans' dairy farm that Penn afforded him back in those days. Good vid 👍

Thanks for taking us with you on your journey

Gosh Cliff that was just great. So many innocent women died back in the day it was pretty awful. I’m pleased she wasn’t hung. The area is just beautiful thanks so much for taking me along and please stay safe

My ol stompin" or wadin" creek or as we pronounce it "crick" Thx. W.W.

Sounds like modern politics. Guilty but not guilty

Thanks Cliff enjoyed the interesting story, the creek, & our walk!!

Glad I came across your channel

Enjoy hearing all these legends but it is very sad what people had to deal with back then!!!

Swedesboro, NJ right across from Ridley Creek via Commodore Barry Bridge. Chester, PA major Quaker area. Swarthmore College part of Univ of Penn has a large genealogical collection dedicated to Quakers. The Park took a big hit from a storm and lots of trees fell making a lot of the trails just recently opening due to the storm. Brandywine Pa and Delaware not far at all from this area. Brandywine Battlefield might also be an area of interest. A beautiful Wyeth Art Museum not far either. Underground Railroad is documented all through this area especially Mendehall family. This is one of my favorite area to go into on weekends.

New subscriber. Just found u by accident. Exactly what I have been researching. Great great channel

I love old American history and you’ve educated me on so much so thank you 😁

Hay Man ! I know Ridley Creek ! Thank you for this Video ! That's my Home town.

Thank you, interesting story. I’ve been enjoying your videos, very homesick for Pennsylvania!

I researched witch trials a few years ago and one of the ways I read about "testing" a person for witchcraft was tossing them in water. If the victim swam and saved themselves, they were guilty of witchcraft and hung. If they drowned, they were innocent, so it was basically a damned if you do and damned if you don't. As another commenter stated, it was often women who had wealth and property. Sometimes jealousy played a part- "get rid of the competition" or a man who felt rejected "got even" with the object of his desire by accusing her of witchcraft and sealing her fate- if he can't have her, nobody can.

Had never heard this. Live only a couple of miles from the park and have been there many times. Have you done a video of the family graveyard in the park? thats a cool little bit of history as well. And speaking of nearby settlements on the Delaware, how about the Lazaretto Quarantine Station down in Essington? We just found out about that within the last year or so. Wonderful building and land to visit, can even do some ghost hunting there if you are into that type of thing. Thanks for the always informative and interesting videos!

Thank you for this video, love these stories and their history especially this time of year! 🍂🍁🎃👻

There is a lot of historical information in your presentation as well as in the viewers comments. This channel is a joy in many ways. Please keep up the great work!

Great story and nice creek! Thank you for taking us along!👻👀

you never fail us, always a great story ! Thanks

Well, that's a mighty fine legal point. Guilty for having a reputation that others just made up. Anyway, thanks for this. I never knew about Martha or that PA (my home state) belonged once to Sweden, then to the Dutch and then to England!?!?!? But I'm relieved Penn made the best of a bad situation.

Great job! Our crazy history! Almost hard to believe lol.

I’m not trying to be a know it all, but William Penn was a devout Quaker, never wanting anyone hurt or treated unjustly, so I’m extremely surprised. Btw, I’ve been enjoying your videos, which are new to me. Keep up the awesome work!

You can go on a camping expedition and call it the "Ridley Witch Project". I always enjoy these local stories as we get closer to "All Hallows Eve".

Thank you for this video and story. Have you heard of the Lost Children of the Alleghenies? From Bedford. County? They brought in a witch from Somerset County to help find the children.

Love your videos! Great back story with this one. We hike lots of the same places.

As a Swedish descendant who grows and gathers herbs to use as medicine- this is crazy! Thanks for sharing. Heard about you on the Lebtown website, I'm from Annville and I am often exploring the woods... !

Thank you Cliff! That was fun.

Oh I love this video and I am a new subscriber. I’m also a Pennsylvanian lol lived here my entire life …Norristown Montco area. And I am Wiccan, this is interesting for me thank you. I also have an English background which is even crazier. Now you’ve got me researching lol

She's one of my great grandma's

I did not realize Sweden was in PA first.Good stuff.

That was very interesting..I enjoyed it very much.. you should do more like this. Thanks.

Great story, great history of Pennsylvania.

love the videos, thanks for posting this one pre-halloween! also nice seeing you in my neck of the woods

I used to live in Boothwyn and I'd go there a lot during my childhood..we also frequently visited Ridley Manor too

Love these kinds of stories

In Norway, calling someone "Finnish" used to be tantamount to saying there were a sorcerer or a witch.

They need to open some of the hiking trails to mountain biking

Thanks for the history! I could only wish for some of her herbal medicine records . Could save trips to the Dr for minor things.

Isn't it funny, that even today, people get spooked at the blink of an eye. We like to think that we have it all figured out, but just underneath the surface, we are mostly scared little wabbits. Tell anyone something long enough, and they will begin to believe it, even if we know better.

Happy Halloween, Sir. Thanks for all the vids. I never knew there was a pa witch trial.

Interesting spooky story and thank you for sharing.

Hmmmm. What do witches look like! Love your hat. Thanks for video✌👻🎃👍

I went Trout fishing there in the 70's

I grew up in Ridley park Never heard this before

Thanks

I live in ridley park I'm but , where I used to live in Philadelphia /fdr park there's a Swedish museum also , a guy I know every halloween does a party with toast to margret.

The Schuylkill County Historical Society covers the Susan Mummey incident on their annual ghost tour.

Hey been watching for a while now and right now I am watching and you mentioned eddy stone I live in Upland and it's historic you mentioned William Penn you should visit the pusey house I live around the corner wooooo

That’s crazy yeah I live like 10 minutes from William penn highway lol

Do you explore around here often? I live so close to Ridley creek state park. I was just there today. Just got back about an hour or so maybe. Well if you explore around delaware county often and would like to link up I'd be interested in doing so. I love documenting abandoned places as well.

There are so many invasive species in the park it most likely looked nothing like that.

So interesting! Sure didn't learn about this in HS Pa. History class. Do they even teach such a course now? History is being rewritten so much now, it's hard to know whats up anymore.

cool video

first i ever heard and i am from Ridley

Sounds familiar...collusion delusion. HAPPY HALLOWEEN 🧡👻💛🍁💀🍂☻🌾🎃

My family was the victim of being a witch in Salem. She did not die thank God. She was an old lady who could not sleep at night. because she suffer from arthritis. She barely survived prison.

What precisely do you think a witch looks like?

So cool are you a creator from Ridly Park? I am also. Live in glenolden area. Have any tips for me

Just in time for Halloween

I’m from Pennsylvania sw actually where is this at ?

A popular legend tells of William Penn dismissing the charges against Mattson by affirming her legal right to fly on a broomstick, saying "Well, I know of no law against it.

The Finnish people have an interesting cultural history. The Finns have a lot of Asian DNA.

In my family tree

I dated a girl for 2 months. She then told me she was a witch. Gave her the broom

It would really help if you stated the date, each time you film, for people who watch your videos at a later date.

Forgot to mention that William Penn stayed there

Wow, nothing has changed, now Pharmaceutical Companies murder Naturopathic Doctors to keep their glutenous profits, and back in the day they called people witch's to get their land etc.

My ancestors

Yes witch trials around the world were awful had these women truly been practice's of magic they would cast spells and escaped LOL ppl are always wary of anyone who doesn't fit the general mould but we all walk to a different drum great tale

50 pound fine let off

woman killed for 👎no reason