Savannah Carter

Dark History Savannah Carter

The documented history of the weird and extraordinary in southeast Pennsylvania began with the entry of the first white European-commanded ships into the Delaware Bay in 1609. Seven authentic "dark histories" from Chester and Delaware counties are covered in this book, including tales of murder, cannibalism, witchcraft, terrible accidents, and other gruesome events that actually occurred in the Greater Philadelphia area. Each tale is thoroughly investigated and set within the broader framework of Pennsylvanian and global history. For instance, the kidnapping of children into service in England in order to sell them to the Americas is considered in the context of an indentured servant's murder of three children.

Against the backdrop of early American women's rights and how the legal system failed them, a woman is tried and executed for killing her children. Witchcraft is discussed in the broader framework of Pennsylvanian Quakers' experiences with the supernatural. Instead than being a compilation of ghost stories, this book examines the actual events that led to people's beliefs in ghosts. It aims to strike a compromise between an academically solid work and one that is understandable to a broad audience of readers.
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