Belinda Nash facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Belinda Nash
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Nash at the Ferry Plantation House, Halloween 2010
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| Born | October 27, 1946 Canada
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| Died | February 16, 2016 (aged 69) Virginia Beach, Virginia, U.S.
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| Organization | Ferry Plantation House |
Belinda Jacqueline Nash (born October 27, 1946 – died February 16, 2016) was an American historian, writer, and activist. She is best known for her work on Grace Sherwood. Grace Sherwood was the last person in Virginia accused of being a witch. She was "tried" by being "ducked" in water. Thanks to Belinda Nash's efforts, Grace Sherwood was officially pardoned 300 years later.
Discovering a Story
In the 1980s, Belinda Nash moved from Canada to Virginia Beach. She became curious about the name Witchduck Road, which was near her home. This curiosity led her to research Grace Sherwood.
Nash spent about 20 years studying Grace Sherwood's life. She even wrote a book about her with her daughter, Danielle Sheets. The book was called A Place in Time: The Age of the Witch of Pungo. Another author, Louisa Venable Kyle, had written about Grace Sherwood before. Kyle's book, The Witch of Pungo and Other Historical Stories of the Early Colonies, was a fiction book for children published in 1973.
Bringing Justice to the Past
Belinda Nash was a director at the Ferry Plantation House in Virginia Beach starting in 1999. She often shared information about Grace Sherwood with visitors. She would even dress in old-fashioned clothes from that time period. The "ducking" trial of Grace Sherwood was re-enacted every year at the Ferry Plantation House. Grace Sherwood was an unusual person because she survived her trial and lived to be over eighty years old.
Because of Nash's hard work, the Governor of Virginia, Tim Kaine, officially pardoned Grace Sherwood. This happened on July 10, 2006, exactly 300 years after her trial. Governor Kaine wrote that we should celebrate how women's equality is protected today. He also said that women now have the freedom to follow their dreams. During the pardon ceremony, the annual re-enactment of the trial was performed.
In 2006, Nash also worked to raise money for a bronze statue of Grace Sherwood. She found it hard to get support because "No one wanted a statue of a witch." But she succeeded! The statue was finally put up in 2007. You can find it at the Sentara Independence outpatient care center on Witchduck Road.
A Lasting Legacy
In 2014, a special memorial marker was placed for Grace Sherwood. It was put in a herb garden at the Old Donation Episcopal Church. This was Grace Sherwood's old church. Belinda Nash was very happy about this. She said her heart felt relieved that the church was welcoming this memorial.
Belinda Nash passed away on February 16, 2016, at the age of 69. She had been battling cancer for a long time. Her dedication helped correct a historical wrong and brought Grace Sherwood's story to many people.
