The Witch of the Monongahela: Folk Magic in Early Western Pennsylvania

A look at the folklore surrounding the legendary Pennsylvanian witch, and the facts behind them.

In the ancient hills and misty hollows of Fayette County, Pennsylvania, generations of locals have passed down stories of a woman with mysterious magical powers. People came from near and far to seek healing and protection through her strange rituals. Some even believed she could fly. Named Moll Derry and nicknamed the Witch of the Monongahela, her legend has been documented by writers and folklorists for more than two hundred years. She is intertwined in many regional tales, such as the Lost Children of the Alleghenies and Polly Williams and the White Rocks. Author Thomas White separates fact from fiction in the many versions of Moll Derry and recounts Western Pennsylvania's folk magic history along the way.

© 2020 The History Press (E-bog): 9781439671290

Release date

E-bog: 21. september 2020