Lydia Dustin was one of the accused during the Salem Witch Trials that took place in the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
There is not much known about Lydia before or even during the trials. She was accused and then found not guilty. However, she died in prison before her release.
Life and Salem Witch Trials
Lydia seemed to be the typical target and had many similarities to others who were accused.
Her husband Josiah had died in 1671 and was one of the leading landowners of Reading. She was not destitute but never remarried.
A complaint was filed by Captain Jonathan Walcott and Thomas Putnam that Lydia had been afflicting Mary Walcott, Ann Putnam Jr, Mercy Lewis, and Abigail Williams. After the complaint was filed, she was arrested in Reading on April 30, 1892.
Two days later, Lydia would be put before the two magistrates, Jonathan Corwin and John Hathorne. Hathorne had already developed a harsh reputation. After her examination, she was sent to Boston to be put in jail. Shortly after she was in jail, warrants were issued for her daughters, Sarah Dustin and Mary Colson, and also for a granddaughter, Elizabeth Colson, who they were unable to find due to her fleeing the area.
Lydia was not immediately tried and would stay in jail until her death. It is unknown as to why her trial was delayed, and when she did go to trial, it was in January of 1693. At this point in the Salem Witch Trials, Governor William Phips had banned the use of spectral evidence and replaced the court.
Both Lydia and her daughter were found not guilty.
Despite being found not guilty, they were required to pay jail fees to be released, and Lydia did not have the money.
Being falsely accused, given a verdict of not guilty, but stuck in jail due to not having money to pay the fees to get out, she died March 10, 1693.
While Lydia Dustin was not executed, she may as well be. She had her life taken away from her probably due to some interest in the land her late husband owned, and despite waiting almost a year for trial and given a not guilty verdict was unable to leave jail.
Holding a prisoner despite their innocence is absurd, and the treatment she endured is a tragedy.