Editorially speaking...
If someone were to challenge me today with that old canard, “History is dull,” I’d whip out this recent article from the Times Colonist.
Headlined, “329 years later, last Salem ‘witch’ who wasn’t is pardoned,” it’s the fascinating story of the belated—more than three centuries!—exoneration of one of the victims of the infamous Salem witch trials.
One of the many trials for witchcraft that led to over 100 convictions and 19 executions.—William A. Crafts (1876) by Samuel Walker and Company, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org
Elizabeth Johnson Jr., 22, was convicted of witchcraft in 1693 and sentenced to death during the frenzy of trials that condemned 19 innocent women (and men) to death by hanging. In total, 150 men, women and children were accused and tried.
It began the previous year when a group of young girls in Salem Village, Mass. claimed to be possessed by devils and accused several local women of witchcraft. All preposterous, of course, but for the victims a nightmare of being accused, ostrasized, tried, convicted and condemned, among them Elizabeth Johnson.
Once commonsense began to prevail, the trials were discontinued and, over time, those who’d been accused were formally pardoned. But, somehow, Elizabeth Johnson was overlooked then forgotten.
Last year, an unnamed eighth-grader took up Elizabeth’s cause and researched the legislative steps necessary to clear her name. Sen. Diana Dizoglio was inspired to have it tacked onto a budget bill and approved.
“We will never be able to change happened to victims like Elizabeth but at the very least we can set the record straight,” she said.
What a shame that the Associated Press story didn’t mention this incredible student by name. Teacher Carrie LaPierre praised her student for taking on “The long overlooked issue of justice for this wrongly convicted woman”.
Elizabeth Johnson is the last of the Salem “witches” to be pardoned.
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As I’ve informed you in previous Chronicles, the last surviving concrete headframe/tipple at Morden Colliery Provincial Heritage Park has been partially restored and is again open to the public.
I say partially restored because, by the time repairs were affected, much of this amazing memorial to the Island’s coal mining history had fallen away and can’t be replaced. At least, now, it won’t collapse altogether as was inevitably the case before its rehabilitation.
Morden Colliery during repairs (left) when it was supported by shipping containers and (right) as it looks today. —Author’s Collection
Heritage B.C. has awarded Sandra and Mike Larocque of the Friends of the Morden Mine (FOMM) its Conservation Award. One of the weaknesses of many awards that name only the principals is that it overlooks the many who gave heart and soul to the cause.
In the case of Morden, I could name scores of people who laboured for 10 years on behalf of a Morden that was doomed to catastrophic failure because of total neglect by various provincial governments. To name them would take a full page but I can’t not single out Judy Burgess who started the movement to save Morden, South Wellington historian Helen Tilley whose idea it was to approach Heritage BC in the first place, Eric Ricker, John Hoffman...
They’re just the tip of the proverbial iceberg but this isn’t the time and place to try to do them due justice. Suffice to say, I regard my own participation in this great cause and the friends I made to be among the highlights of my years of championing history.
I just wish that all those who contributed to Morden Colliery’s being saved would receive their just due. At least they have the satisfaction of seeing their dream finally fulfilled.
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One of the ways we of the FOMM generated public awareness of Morden’s plight was a series, probably 25 in all, of Black Track Tours. These were my cavalcades (no bus!) of up to 30 at a time to Morden and neighbouring South Wellington coal mining sites.
They were a labour of love for me and fellow FOMM members. The attached video of one of the Black Track Tours was taken by friend and Chronicles subscriber Bill Irvine.
Ah, memories..
