The Curse of Hannah Cranna
The Tombstone of alleged witch Hannah Cranna. Photo: New England Historical Society
Hannah Cranna was a woman accused of being a witch in Connecticut in the 1800s. Legend has it that she had the ability to curse those who wronged her. Some say she even haunts the area to this day.
Who was Hannah Cranna?
If you're a fan of spooky tales from history, you might want to know about Hannah Cranna, a woman who lived in Monroe, Connecticut in the late 1700s - mid 1800s. Hannah was just like any other resident of Monroe until her husband, Capt. Joseph Hovey, died in a bizarre and tragic way. He went for a walk one night and somehow ended up falling off a cliff in an area he knew very well.
The townspeople were quick to jump to conclusions and soon rumors began to circulate that Hannah was a witch and that she had cast a spell on her husband. The townspeople believed that she had confused him enough to wander off a cliff. From then on, Hannah was known as Hannah Cranna, and the townspeople avoided her like the plague.
After her husband's death, Hannah lived alone on her property with her chickens and reportedly, even some snakes. She dressed in all-black mourning attire and got along with some of her neighbors, but not all. Her financial situation became dire after her husband's death, and she wasn't above using her reputation as a witch to extract food and firewood from her neighbors.
The Curses of Hannah Cranna
Hannah Cranna became known for the curses she allegedly put on neighbors who wronged her.
One such story involves a neighbor who was renowned for her baking skills. She had just finished baking a batch of pies when Hannah Cranna came by and asked for one. The neighbor, wary of the rumors surrounding the witch, gave her the smallest pie. However, Hannah Cranna was not satisfied and asked for a larger pie. When the neighbor refused, Hannah Cranna supposedly put a spell on her. From that day on, the neighbor's pies were never as good as they had once been.
According to another legend, two men once drove an ox-cart filled with hay past Hannah Cranna's house and decided to taunt her. Hannah did not take kindly to their disrespectful behavior and used her powers to bewitch the oxen and the cart. The oxen suddenly stopped moving, and the wheels of the cart reportedly fell off, causing the hay to spill everywhere.
Another story about Hannah Cranna tells of a young man who trespassed on her property to fish in her brook for trout. However, the witch caught him in the act and, as punishment, she supposedly cursed him so that he was never able to catch another fish again.
Hannah Cranna foretold her own death to a neighbor and instructed that her coffin should be carried to her grave by hand, rather than by cart. She also warned that she must be buried before sundown. Hannah Cranna passed away soon after and her neighbors disregarded her wishes. They attempted to transport her coffin over the snowy ground by sled. The coffin slid off twice before they decided to carry it by hand. By the time they reached the grave, the sun had already set.
After the funeral, the mourners returned to Hannah Cranna's home only to find it completely engulfed in flames. This eerie turn of events added to the legend of Hannah Cranna, cementing her reputation as a powerful witch whose warnings should have been heeded.
Sightings of the Ghost of Hanna Cranna
Four Corners Burial Ground, where Hannah Cranna is buried. Photo: Road Trippers
Hannah Cranna's final resting place is said to be beneath a gravestone located in Gregory's Four Corners Burial Ground, which can be found on Spring Hill Road in Trumbull, Connecticut, adjacent to Monroe.
Despite her death many years ago, the witch is said to still haunt the area in the form of a spectral figure. According to modern legends, the ghost of Hannah Cranna has been known to startle passing drivers and even cause car crashes in the vicinity of the graveyard.
According to one popular urban legend in the area, there is a belief that at least once a year, a motorist driving past Gregory's Four Corners Burial Ground will suddenly veer off the road in an attempt to avoid hitting a woman who appears in the middle of the street. As a result, the driver inevitably collides with the same tombstone - that of a woman named Hannah Cranna - which the Town of Monroe replaces almost every year.
Have you ever had a run in with Hannah Cranna? Tell us about it in the comments.
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