Grace Sherwood’s witchcraft case became one of the best known in Virginia. She was accused of bewitching a neighbor’s crop in 1698, and allegations grew over time until the Princess Anne County government and her accusers decided to test her by ducking, since water was considered pure and would not permit a witch to sink into its depths. On 10 July 1706, her accusers tied her hands to her feet and dropped her into the Western Branch of the Lynnhaven River near what is now known as Witch Duck Point. Sherwood floated, a sign of guilt. She was imprisoned, but was eventually released. She lived the rest of her life quietly and died by 1740.
