Thursday, September 6, 2012

Be ye a witch?

We never know who will tumble out when we shake our family tree.
 A whopping 35% of respondents to a survey by the New England Historic Genealogical Society said that they had an ancestor tried as a witch either in Salem or somewhere else.   The NEHGS  newsletter also provided some good links to the trials, including original documents:
A Note from the Editor: Salem Witchcraft Trial Resources
by Lynn Betlock, Editor

Last week’s survey question on ancestors accused of witchcraft prompted many reader emails on the Salem witchcraft trials and the genealogical connections of those who were affected. Given the interest in the topic, this week we present some resources for further study.
Salem Witch Trials Documentary Archive and Transcription Project
A collaborative effort undertaken by the University of Virginia and various partners, this website contains seventeenth-century documents, historical maps, biographical sketches, full-text volumes, and more.

Salem Witchcraft Trials 1692
The Salem witchcraft trials are among those profiled in the Famous Trials series by Douglas O. Linder of the University of Missouri – Kansas City School of Law.

Salem Witchcraft Hysteria
Presented by National Geographic, this interactive site allows users to “experience the trials.”

The Salem Witch Museum’s 1692 Sites Tour
Users can click on a modern map of Essex County to find out more about witchcraft-related sites in Salem and ten other area towns.

The Comprehensive Salem Guide
A guide to today’s Salem.

"A Genealogical Perspective on the Salem Witchcraft Trials" by Marilynne K. Roach
This spring 2008 New England Ancestors cover story “presents four cases that illustrate how genealogical analysis proved useful in adding detail and identifying key people.” The article includes over a page of suggested resources that cites genealogical articles for specific individuals and families, including Bishop, English, Bridges, Burroughs, Corey, How, Jacobs, Martin, Proctor, Putnam, Tyler, and Wilkins.

"Hunting for Salem 'Witches” in Your Family Tree" by Maureen A. Taylor
This article on AmericanAncestors.org describes a number of Salem witchcraft trial resources.


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