{"id":95589,"date":"2023-10-31T10:40:29","date_gmt":"2023-10-31T14:40:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.genealogybank.com\/?p=95589"},"modified":"2023-10-31T10:40:58","modified_gmt":"2023-10-31T14:40:58","slug":"halloween-love-divination-and-magic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/halloween-love-divination-and-magic.html","title":{"rendered":"Halloween Love: Divination and Magic"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction:<\/em><\/strong> In this article \u2013 to help celebrate Halloween tonight \u2013 Melissa Davenport Berry writes about ways our female ancestors told their fortunes on Halloween, especially trying to discover their future husband. Melissa is a genealogist who has a blog, AnceStory Archives<\/a>, and a Facebook group, New England Family Genealogy and History<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

On Halloween there is magic in the air! And fortunes can be sought by the simplest means, including the use of apples, chestnuts, or yarn.<\/p>\n

Apple Lore<\/strong><\/p>\n

This 1955 newspaper article described several Halloween games using apples.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Omaha World-Herald (Omaha, Nebraska), 30 October 1955, page 103<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One of the games used apples to predict the future.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Omaha World-Herald (Omaha, Nebraska), 30 October 1955, page 103<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Apples are just one way to tell your future, especially in all matters of romance. So \u2013 all singletons sit back and sip your cider, because there is a little witch in all of us and I found a few tricks to get the charm on! If you are serious then heed these tips.<\/p>\n

\u201cBy this paring let me discover
\nThe initial letter of my true lover.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Photo:<\/a>
Photo: Halloween card. Credit: Halloween Greetings Vintage Postcard Collection. Courtesy of Craig Kringle.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Philadelphia Inquirer<\/em> and other newspapers served up some interesting techniques borrowed from the old ways.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), 31 October 1898, page 14<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Here\u2019s one of the methods reported by this article:<\/p>\n

The most popular means of learning the all-important fact about the future is to peel an apple and throw the skin over your left shoulder. It will form the initial of your future husband.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The San Francisco Call<\/em> elaborated on the apple-peel technique for telling the future.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
San Francisco Call (San Francisco, California), 26 October 1902. Chronicling America, Image 10, Library of Congress.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In 1928 the H. G. Hill Company even ran an ad using the fortune-telling method as the best way to utilize their big red apples, 2 for 5\u00a2 or a box for $2.99!<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Times-Picayune (New Orleans, Louisiana), 31 October 1928, page 34<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Remember the popular TV series Charmed<\/em>? Well, in one episode Pheobe did a little apple magic<\/a>, but I am not sure if the powers that be saw the warlock nature in her love.<\/p>\n

Chestnuts Reveal Who Is the Best Choice for a Mate<\/strong><\/p>\n

Apples aren\u2019t the only means of predicting the future or learning about a potential husband at Halloween time. The above Philadelphia Inquirer<\/em> newspaper article also reported on another method, using chestnuts:<\/p>\n

A number of chestnuts may be placed on the top of a hot stove. The girl who is unable to decide which of several men will be the best to accept may name each of the chestnuts for one of her admirers. She must scratch his name on the shell with a pin she has worn since rising in the morning.<\/p>\n

Absolute silence must be maintained while the chestnuts are on the stove, until one of them sputters and moves away from the others. The man represented by this chestnut is the right one to encourage.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"Photo:<\/a>
Photo: Halloween card. Credit: Werner von Boltenstern Postcard Collection, Department of Archives and Special Collections, William H. Hannon Library, Loyola Marymount University.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Divination from Yarn<\/strong><\/p>\n

Another Halloween method of telling the future or finding a mate involves yarn.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:<\/a>
Photo: vintage postcard showing colonials practicing yarn divination Credit: \u201cThe Halloween Encyclopedia,\u201d Library of Congress.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cOn Halloween your ball of yarn
\nFrom out the window fling,
\nAnd he who is to be your fate
\nWill come to wind the string!\u201d<\/p>\n

During colonial times, the lasses would throw blue yarn out of a window on Halloween; while holding one end of the thread, she then rewound it while saying the Pater Noster backwards, and, upon looking outside, she would see her future husband. The yarn must be blue wool which has been teased and spun by the fortune-seeker from the fleece of a male lamb.<\/p>\n

According to John Metcalf Taylor in The Witchcraft Delusion in Colonial Connecticut, 1647-1697<\/a>, it seems yarn magic was being used by Katherine Harrison, who was accused of witchcraft in 1683.<\/p>\n

Elizabeth, the wife of Simon Smith, testified that Katherine was a \u201csabbath breaker, and one that told fortunes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Elizabeth told the court that Katherine predicted her husband\u2019s name would be Simon before she married. She also noted that:<\/p>\n

\u201cKatherine did often spin so great a quantity of fine linen yarn\/did never know nor hear of any other woman that could spin so much.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

May your magic help you find your special one tonight! Happy Halloween!!!<\/p>\n

Explore over 330 years of newspapers and historical records in GenealogyBank. Discover your family story! Start a 7-Day Free Trial<\/a><\/p>\n

Note on the header image:<\/em><\/strong> \u201cSnap-Apple Night,\u201d painted by Irish artist Daniel Maclise in 1833. Credit: Wikimedia Commons.<\/p>\n

This painting was inspired by a Halloween party he attended in Blarney, Ireland, in 1832. The caption in the first exhibit catalogue:<\/p>\n

There Peggy was dancing with Dan
\nWhile Maureen the lead was melting,
\nTo prove how their fortunes ran
\nWith the cards could Nancy dealt in;
\nThere was Kate, and her sweet-heart Will,
\nIn nuts their true-love burning,
\nAnd poor Norah, though smiling still
\nShe\u2019d missed the snap-apple turning.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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