Oohoohooh Witchy Woman
By David Wright
Town Historian
Oohoohooh Witchy Woman
We have written about our two town accused witches, Goody Bassett and Hugh Crotia, in the past. However, the witch stories did not end with the dawn of the 19th century. Another Stratford witch tale was told in The Stratford News, November 12, 1964, by Raymond Ross. This witch story, surprisingly, shares many characteristics with the tales of Connecticut’s Leatherman. Raymond’s story is so well formulated, and in this month of scary tales and witch stories, we thought it best to have Mr. Ross share the tale as he told it in 1964.
Ann Was Would-be Witch
All they knew about her was the name they tagged her with – “Rag Bag Ann”, a name that was well known in Stratford during the last century. What few homes there were between Stratford, Bridgeport and New Haven, were visited once a week by this wandering old lady whose very arrival sent the children of the area running to their mother’s apron strings. “Rag Bag Ann” looked like the personification of a witch from some story of horror.
Ann’s face was a mask of wrinkles. Her old body was bent so badly that many called her “the human question mark.” Her eyes were greenish and their gaze steady, as if reading one’s deepest thoughts. Many of the women of Stratford, and other nearby villages of that period, were fearful of refusing to fill the large rag bag she carried, hanging over one boney shoulder. Rumor had it that several of the menfolk had seen her on a clear moonlit evening, standing in a field and talking to Satan. Of course, in the dark times of superstition mentioned, such fables were accepted by many as the gospel truth.
Due to her evil features and the rumors concerning her, she found a grudging welcome at nearly every home she stopped at. Children were scared half to death by their parents’ threats that if they were ill-mannered, “Rag Bag Ann’s a-comin’ and I aim to have her take you away.” Little devils transformed themselves into halo-wearing cuties on the mere mention of her name.
Now, it was reported that one Stratford house turned Ann away without a rag for the bag, or a bowl of hot soup, and at that moment a peal of thunder seemed to tear the earth apart. With a quick mind, sly old Ann took full advantage of the thunder and shook her skinny fist at the woman of the house shouting:
“Ye have stirred the anger of my legions, the legions of the dark powers. Woe to thee!”
You can imagine the terror that welled within the poor housewife. She begged the old fraud for forgiveness,
Ann never paid for a meal. Hot meals were served her, and many women of the community sought her favor. The old dame would read tea leaves in such a manner it sent shivers down the spine of those watching. She would hold the cup with both boney hands. Her greenish eyes would open-as if she had seen some ill omen. Just this act would turn red blood to water. Then she would look into the cup, and in a dramatic gesture bless herself with two closed fists – a blessing said to be for the dark powers.
In the summer, “Rag Bag Ann” would hike all over the state with dirty bare feet. In the winter she wore rags tied around her feet. Clothes? Well, she was clothed in excellent style in the months of the icy blasts. Housewives even made her heavy dresses and coats in the Summer so they would be ready for her when Winter closed around the area.
This clever, would-be witch disappeared in 1860. No one ever knew what happened to her – but rumors ran wild that a farmer swore he witnessed a black horse and rider come thundering down a country road and sweep Ann off her feet.
Baseless stories swept Stratford for many years, but all were unfounded. Not one soul ever discovered what happened to “Rag Bag Ann.”
