Coffee & Conversation: Dorcas Hoar & the Beverly Witch Trials

In 1692, the witchcraft crisis swept across Essex County, and Beverly was anything but a bystander. Five people from Beverly were accused of witchcraft, while many more found themselves tangled in the accusations, investigations, and trials.

Grab a cup of coffee and join us as we uncover Beverly’s role in the witchcraft crisis. Meet Dorcas Hoar, the convicted witch sometimes described as the “mob boss of Beverly,” and follow Reverend John Hale from his early involvement in the trials to his later criticism of what had happened. Along the way, we’ll encounter Beverly’s accused and accusers, strange accounts of attempts to fight witchcraft with witchcraft, and the fear, suspicion, and neighborly conflicts that helped the crisis spread.

Accusations, counter-magic, confessions, narrow escapes, and second thoughts. Come discover Beverly’s place in the witchcraft crisis of 1692 and the people who lived through it.