Jacob Henry Hager

“ She was entirely without education, but founded a sect and inspired perfect faith in her divine mission, although it was sought to invalidate her claims by plausible charges that her life was shamefully impure. ”

“ The new sect soon aroused the hostility of the authorities, Ann being accused by some of witchcraft and by others of secret correspondence with the British, probably because she was opposed to war. She was arrested on a charge of high treason and imprisoned in Albany during the summer of 1776, but was subsequently removed to the jail at Poughkeepsie, N. Y., where she remained until pardoned by Gov. George Clinton in 1777. It was not, however, until 1780 that the society increased materially in numbers. ”