Elizabeth Johnson convicted of witchcraft and sentenced to death more than three centuries ago just may be formally pardoned if a class of eighth-graders get their way.
State Senator Diana DiZoglio, from Methuen, has introduced legislation to clear the name of Elizabeth Johnson Jr., who was condemned in 1693 at the height of the Salem Witch Trials but never executed.
DiZoglio's action was inspired by a group of eigth-graders at North Andover Middle School in Massachusetts.
The work of the 13 and 14-year-olds was so meticulous that it warranted the introduction of legislation to pardon the woman.
'It is important that we work to correct history,' said DiZoglio.
'We will never be able to change what happened to these victims, but at the very least, we can set the record straight.'
Civics teacher Carrie LaPierre's students researched Johnson and the steps that would need to be taken to make sure she was formally pardoned.
'They spent most of the year working on getting this set for the Legislature — actually writing a bill, writing letters to legislators, creating presentations, doing all the research,' said LaPierre.
DiZoglio is sponsoring Senate Bill 1016, which would see Johnson added to the list of peopled formally exonerated 328 years after she was condemned.
If lawmakers approve the measure, Johnson will be the last accused witch to be cleared, according to Witches of Massachusetts Bay, a group devoted to the history and lore of the 17th-century witch hunts.
Johnson, then aged 22, was one of dozens sentenced to death in the Salem Witch Trials of 1692, during which 19 were hanged and hundreds of others accused.
But while dozens of suspects had their convictions thrown out and were officially cleared, including Johnson's own mother, Johnson's name wasn't included in various legislative attempts to set the record straight.
'Why Elizabeth was not exonerated is unclear but no action was ever taken on her behalf by the General Assembly or the courts,' DiZoglio said.
'Possibly because she was neither a wife nor a mother, she was not considered worthy of having her name cleared. And because she never had children, there is no group of descendants acting on her behalf.'
Dozens of suspects officially were cleared, including Johnson's own mother, the daughter of a minister whose conviction eventually was reversed.
But for some reason, Johnson's name wasn't included in various legislative attempts to set the record straight.
We think what the students are doing is honorable, but if she was a witch, we salute Elizabeth Johnson.
