The Joshua Ward house is a three-story brick home in Salem, Massachusetts. It’s one of Salem’s earliest brick homes and most haunted houses. Joshua Ward, a wealthy sea captain built the home in 1784. But unknown to Ward, he shouldn’t have built it. Had he understood the evil that resided on the property, he may have chosen a different site for his new home.
You may be familiar with the Salem Witch trials. It was a time in American history when superstitions and fear gripped Salem residents. People accused one another of practicing witchcraft. Today, we scoff at the notion of hanging someone for practicing witchcraft. But in Salem’s early days, neighbors often blamed witchcraft for any strange events.
Almost a century before Ward built his new home, a cruel man named George “The Strangler” Corwin, signed warrants to arrest and execute people accused of practicing witchcraft. As the High Sheriff of Essex County, his duties included protecting innocents from witchcraft. Corwin was known to enjoy tying his victim’s ankles to her neck until she bled from her nose. He used force to make his victims admit to practicing witchcraft.
Corwin suffered a heart attack and died in 1696. However, his evil remained in the home. Family members didn’t originally bury him in a graveyard. They feared citizens hated Corwin so much that someone might dig him up and desecrate his body. To avoid this issue, they buried him in the basement.
Corwin’s final victim was a man named Giles Corey, who was accused of being a warlock (a male that practices witchcraft). On April 18, 1692, Corwin had Corey arrested after several people claimed he had hexed them with witchcraft. Although not tried by a court, Corey was sentenced to die on September 19, 1692. Corwin ordered Corey to be pressed to death. He was stripped of his clothing and a board was placed on his stomach. Several rocks were placed on the board to crush him. Corey showed no fear. He told Corwin to keep adding more weight; the heavy rocks eventually crushed Corey to death.
Corwin had killed 19 innocent men and women. He became known as a sadistic monster who enjoyed torturing and killing his victims. He also had another racket going. Except for land, Corwin could seize property from his prisoners. After convicting someone of witchcraft, he seized their livestock, crops, furniture, and jewelry.
Corwin was cruel and greedy.
According to Roadtrippers.com, at least three ghosts occupy the Joshua Ward home. It’s believed the ghosts are Corwin, Giles Corey and a murdered witch. In 1981, a realtor took a terrifying photograph from inside the house. The picture was of a witch with a large mop of dark hair and a horrifying looking face. It’s enough to give anyone nightmares.
Visitors of the home claim they have felt ghostly hands choking them. Other occurrences include knocked over trash cans, cold spots, doors opening and closing by themselves, books thrown on the floor, and blobs of candle wax from an unlit candle.
I am not surprised this house has so much paranormal activity. Corwin was so evil that his spirit will likely remain on Earth for eternity.
And then it wouldn’t be surprising that Giles Corey has also remained. He wasn’t a patron saint either. He had beaten a man to death and took part in convicting his wife Martha of being a witch. She was hanged on March 19, 1692. He never realized he would meet the same fate as Martha.
With so much evil from the Salem Witch trials, it isn’t surprising that evil remains behind to haunt the Joshua Ward house. But if you would like to explore the home for yourself, its doors are open to visitors. Perhaps you will find yourself face-to-face with the evil ghost of George Corwin.
Marc is a longtime resident of Clermont County and avid reader. He can be contacted through his website at www.themarcabe.com, through Facebook: www.facebook.com/themarcabe or his Twitter account @themarcabe. And be sure to listen to his podcast at www.spreaker.com/show/the-marcabe.