The Wicked Witch of Ringtown: Murder in Pennsylvania

A man murdered a woman in rural Pennsylvania after claiming she had cursed him with black magic. How did this region become known as the Hex Belt? And how could such a tragedy occur as recently as 1934?

Sources:

“A Look Back in History: Practice of witchcraft among PA Dutch rarely accurately portrayed to public.” Reading Eagle. 22 August, 2021. https://www.readingeagle.com/2018/08/01/a-look-back-in-history-practice-of-witchcraft-among-pa-dutch-rarely-accurately-portrayed-to-public/

Karlsen, Carol. The Devil in the Shape of a Woman: Witchcraft in Colonial New England (New York: W. W, Norton & Company, 1998).

Magruder, Taj. In the Day of Trouble (Mechanicsville: Milford House, 2024).

Taylor, Troy. “The ‘Hex House’ Murder: Strange Tales of Pennsylvania Folk Magic & Murder.” American Hauntings. https://www.americanhauntingsink.com/hexhouse

Undine. “The Witch of Ringtown; a Medieval 20th Century Murder.” Strange Company. 28 September, 2015. https://strangeco.blogspot.com/2015/09/the-witch-of-ringtown-medieval-20th.html

Whipple, Madison. “Who Are the Pennsylvania Dutch? A Brief History of this Rural Community.” The Collector. 22 April, 2023. https://www.thecollector.com/history-of-the-pennsylvania-dutch/

White, Thomas. Witches of Pennsylvania: Occult History & Lore (Charleston: The History Press, 2013). 

Newspapers: 

La Opinion (Los Angeles)

Republican and Herald (Pottsville)

The Evening Star (D.C.)

The Indianapolis Times

The New York Times

The Washington Times

Music: Credits to Holizna, Fesilyan Studios & Virginia Liston

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