Salem Witch Trials: Colonial America in 1692 Project

Darlene,

I think it's so cool that three generations of your family is involved with genealogy. It's a great family project, isn't it.

I just got a second cousin I never really met involved. She's instantly addicted. :)

I am glad they are interested. They start young they just might stick with it.

For those of you who are working on the Salem Witch Project. I just caught an old History detective,year 2006, show on tv. One of the things they were checking out was an old house that the owners were hoping belonged at one time to a Sarah (Goody) Carrier,who was hung as an accused witch. If she had confessed they would not have hung her but she maintained her innocence to the end. They brought a descendant of hers to visit the house and the people who owned it, even thou after extensive testing of random samples of wood cores taken from various rooms in the house , it was not built at the time by The Abbott family. It most likely was built by a member of the Abbot family but much latter. It was very interesting. If you happen to get a chance to catch it you might enjoy it.

For those of you who are actively working on this subject there is another connection I just found in my family tree in Newcastle( Great Island ) N>H> . Lithobolia, the stone throwing devil . Cotton Mather was involved in that too. It seems the house of a man named Walton had his house stoned and Capt John Amazeen, known as the Greek or Italian , they don't know really where he came from,was accused of it. They think like one of the theories in Salem, it was over a land dispute ! There were other people in family also accused of witch craft in that area.

That's a great story. I love finding stories connected with people in my tree.

You know Tammy we should probably add a couple of the Bassetts to the Salem Witch Trials project. I think William of Lynn was involved.

Hi Ben North End is really interesting place and once you find the cemetery it's an interesting place to. Nice view of the harbor. Don't get into Boston too much these days. Use to work there for year before being laid off. Don't like the new bridge . Busing it alto direct for me and only 15 minutes in good traffic is an ordeal to get home. Getting in is the easy part. Should go in again for more research. Last year went to King's Chapel to find my two Proctor graves. Found them with the help of a map provided by church. Judy

Giles Corey, Salem Witch

Yes , I remember hearing about that. He wasn't that young either and they kept putting more and more weight on him. They never got him to say he was a witch.

Yes I'll join the project, even tho I don't know how much help I'll be. It's a fascinating subject. I wonder if I can find Dick Provenzano's article on it that he wrote for a local paper. Library might have. I know the Society will. It's all the matter of remembering to look it up. It was very good. He gave gave a great talk too. Unforunately he passed away very suddenly. He was a great teacher too I had him for 8th grade history. Judy

There were two Parker women who were hung Sept. 22, 1692. Mary (Ayer) Parker and Alice Parker. One was from Andover and other from Salem. Any info on them? I can't seem to find any . Wondering if any connection to my Parker families or Eyer Family.

In my tree these two people were accused of being witches in the newcastle NH area. Jane Walford, wife of Thomas Walford and John Amazeen

interesting topic :)
i am related to some of the ones mentioned,
but, i am not certain how James 1 of Scotland is connected to all this ?
please any comments ?
i read all 9 pages - and, maybe my eyes missed something
thank you

Ethel I don't think it's so sad. It's the way it was back then. Relion and fears played a part, maybe vodou but they are not really sure about that. They even think maybe something got into the supply of food and made people a little crazy. There are several theories out there. Also another theory was it over land. All the ones who died were from what is now Danvas ,Mass. Then it was part of Salem and the residents changed that area 's name to Danvas.They didn't want to be asociated with Salem and the witch trials. It was a horrible time. It was scarey and many of us have ancestors that were accused and some were hung or pressed to death. Do you know the only ones who died were ones who refused to admit they were witches! A mother told her child to adm. to it and because she did. She lived.No actural adm witch was killed , only accused witches died.

Mary Bliss Parsons is my 9th great aunt thru her brother Johnathan Bliss. I see someone's messed with the Bliss tree because it shows her as my cousin,which she's not. My ancestor is Experience Blis Chaffee

@Susan I found this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daemonologie (it mentions James)

and then the searches: https://www.google.com/search?q=James+1+of+Scotland+and+the+salem+w...

lots of cousins 6th and on . the closest one I have is Margaret Carey, Lady Of Cary
she is 3rd cousin 17 times removed.

I'm going to Salem in January. I am going to put some flowers on her grave even if it's buried in snow. Anyone else in the area? I'm in Vermont.
Cousin Joni