Janet McKeoner, hailing from the small parish of Penninghame in Kirkcudbright, found herself ensnared in the tumultuous social upheavals of early 18th century Scotland through her involvement in a witchcraft trial dated November 11, 1707. The historical records of her case, cataloged under C/EGD/2455, though sparse, reflect the continued shadow of witchcraft allegations that lingered in Scotland long after the most intense waves of witch hunts had ebbed. This period saw dwindling yet persistent fears of witchcraft, as communities grappled with religious and existential insecurities.
Janet's case, as enumerated, remains a part of the broader tapestry of witchcraft accusations that dotted the Scottish landscape from the mid-16th to the early 18th centuries. While specific details on the accusations or evidence against Janet are absent from this record, her situation was not uncommon for women of her era who, for myriad reasons ranging from herbal knowledge to community tensions, might find themselves accused of consorting with malevolent powers. Her fate, like many others before her, is left unspoken in these records, a testament to the often unseen personal stories in historical accounts of witchcraft prosecutions.