Katherine Harrison

Katherine Harrison was a landowning widow who was subject to a historically notable 17th century witch trial in Wethersfield, Connecticut. Harrison was a servant earlier in her life, but when her husband who was a farmer died, she inherited property and wealth. Accusations of witchcraft followed this. Harrison was the last convicted witch in Wethersfield, Connecticut in 1669. This case served as an important example "in the development of the legal and theological responses to witchcraft in colonial New England." Widowhood On 3 September 1666, her husband, John Harrison, died. He left behind a will dated 6 August 1666 in which a substantial amount of money and land was to be distributed to his wife and three daughters: £60 to his eldest daughter Rebeckah, £40 to his second daughter, and £40 to his youngest daughter Sarah. The estate and role of "sole Executrix" was left to his wife, Katherine Harrison. On 6 September 1666, just days after the passing of her husband, Katherine Harrison petitioned the court to settle £210 to her oldest daughter and £200 to each of the younger daughters because of "inconsiderate portions left to them by their father." This was assumed to be denied by the courts since she later signed over the estate to her daughters and appointed Jonathon and John Gilbert as her daughters' guardians. The death of Katherine Harrison's husband is prominent because before his death, Harrison was never formally accused of any witchcraft. John Harrison left his wife one of the wealthiest women in Wethersfield and she chose not to remarry.