Nathaniel and Rebecca Greensmith:
The Hartford, Connecticut Witches
In the mid-17th century, Hartford, Connecticut, was the site of a series of tragic events now referred to as the Hartford Witch Panic of 1662-1663. Among the most notable figures in this dark chapter were Nathaniel and Rebecca Greensmith, a couple accused and executed for witchcraft. Their story intertwines with the lives of early settlers like George Steele, a prominent Hartford proprietor, and sheds light on the turbulent and superstitious atmosphere of colonial New England.

The Hartford Witch Panic: A Prelude
The Hartford Witch Panic began in the spring of 1662, following the mysterious illness and subsequent death of eight-year-old Elizabeth Kelly. During her illness, Elizabeth accused a neighbor, Goodwife Ayres, of bewitching her. This accusation ignited a series of events that led to widespread hysteria and numerous witchcraft trials in the region. The community, deeply rooted in Puritan beliefs, was quick to attribute unexplained misfortunes to the work of the devil and his supposed earthly agents (Demos, John. Entertaining Satan: Witchcraft and the Culture of Early New England, 1982).

Nathaniel and Rebecca Greensmith: Lives and Accusations
Nathaniel and Rebecca Greensmith were residents of Hartford during this tumultuous period. Nathaniel owned a house and barn on approximately twenty acres of land south of the Little River, with additional holdings near Podunk and along the highway leading to Farmington. Despite his substantial property, Nathaniel’s reputation was marred by accusations of theft and dishonesty, including stealing wheat and a hoe, as well as lying to the court and committing battery (Taylor, John M. The Witchcraft Delusion in Colonial Connecticut (1647-1697), 1908).

Rebecca’s past was equally complex. She had been previously married twice before her union with Nathaniel. Her first husband was Abraham Elsen of Wethersfield, who died in 1648, leaving her with three daughters. She then married Jarvis Mudge, an original proprietor of Hartford, with whom she had two sons, Micah and Moses. Jarvis Mudge passed away before Rebecca married Nathaniel Greensmith. At the time of her execution, her two sons with Mudge, Micah (age 13) and Moses (age 11), were still children, left orphaned by the tragedy (Weisman, Richard. Witchcraft, Magic, and Religion in 17th-Century Massachusetts, 1984).

The Greensmiths’ troubles escalated when a neighbor, Ann Cole, began experiencing fits and claimed that specters, including those of the Greensmiths, tormented her. Under pressure and likely influenced by the prevailing hysteria, Rebecca confessed to practicing witchcraft, implicating her husband and several others in the process. Her confession, possibly coerced or given under duress, became a pivotal piece of evidence against them (Karlsen, Carol F. The Devil in the Shape of a Woman: Witchcraft in Colonial New England, 1987).

Trial and Execution
In January 1663, the Particular Court of Connecticut convened in Hartford to address the growing number of witchcraft cases. Nathaniel and Rebecca Greensmith, along with Mary Barnes of Farmington, were tried and found guilty of “familiarity with Satan.” On January 25, 1663, they were executed by hanging on Gallows Hill in Hartford. Their deaths marked a grim culmination of the witch panic that had gripped the community. The loss was particularly devastating for Rebecca’s young sons, who were left without a mother in a deeply unforgiving society (Godbeer, Richard. The Devil’s Dominion: Magic and Religion in Early New England, 1992).

George Steele: A Hartford Proprietor
Amidst these events, George Steele was a notable figure in Hartford’s early history. Born around 1583 in Fairstead, Essex, England, George emigrated to New England in 1633, possibly alongside his brother, John Steele. Initially settling in Cambridge, Massachusetts, George became a freeman on May 14, 1634, and owned six parcels of land there. By 1636, he had relocated to Hartford, becoming one of its original proprietors. His home lot in 1639 was situated on the west side of what is now Washington Street, extending from the present Capitol Avenue to Park Street (Stiles, Henry R. The History of Ancient Wethersfield, Connecticut, 1904).

George Steele was an active member of the Hartford community, serving as a juror in 1643 and participating in various legal proceedings. He married Margery Sorrell on October 12, 1608, in Fairstead, and they had several children together. Margery passed away before May 24, 1663, as she was not mentioned in George’s will, which he drafted on that date. George himself died before December 21, 1664, when his estate inventory was recorded (Anderson, Robert Charles. The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-1633, 1995).

Intersections and Reflections
While there is no direct evidence to suggest that George Steele was involved in the witch trials or personally acquainted with the Greensmiths, their lives were undoubtedly influenced by the same social and religious dynamics of early Hartford. The witch trials exemplify the dangers of mass hysteria and the consequences of a legal system heavily influenced by superstition and fear. In contrast, George Steele’s life reflects the experiences of early settlers striving to establish a new community in an unfamiliar land.

The tragic fate of Nathaniel and Rebecca Greensmith serves as a somber reminder of the perils of scapegoating and the importance of due process. Their story, alongside the contributions of settlers like George Steele, offers a nuanced perspective on the complexities of colonial life in 17th-century New England.