Janet Yates and all. Janet,I would defend to the death, your right to your opinion, but I greatly disagree. This is not a flame, just a discussion regarding the true importance of the Salem Witch Trials. The tragedy is not in the hanging. The tragedy is in the ignorance, misinformation, fear, and in the lies told by all the neighbors. Is the crucifixion of Jesus a tragedy? Is a tank at Tianamen square running over a student a tragedy? Our history is full of martyrs who stood up for the truth. If they didn't, we wouldn't have had a revolutionary war, nor a civil war.(And, we'd still have slavery). We would never have progress. We would all be sheep out of fear. I am a mother of three and I do understand your point, but, I think we have to stand up for justice if we ever want any. Please note that we just impeached a President of the US for a lie. Susan (not Stephen) Smith <http://www.geocities.com/Athens/8709/>

This is a multi-part message in MIME format. --part0_915545798_boundary Content-ID: <[email protected]_out.mail.aol.com.1> Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII --part0_915545798_boundary Content-ID: <[email protected]_out.mail.aol.com.2> Content-type: message/rfc822 Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Content-disposition: inline From: [email protected] Return-path: <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Subject: Susannah (North) Martin Date: Mon, 4 Jan 1999 18:42:44 EST Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Hi, I am also a descendant of Susannah, through her daughter Esther who married John Jameson. At a family reunion last summer we did a one act play on her for the others, which brought a lot of discussion in the room afterwards! I have been back to Salem twice and to the witch memorial at Danvers, MA..It is sure moving for me to see her name on the floor of the Witch Museum in Salem, and to reflect on what went on there so long ago. I too am very proud of Susannah...I just joined the Associated Daughters of Early American Witches on her name. Looking forward to reading the Salem article that Jon Lathrop will scan for us. Cheryl Dean Albuquerque, NM --part0_915545798_boundary--

Stephen, I am pretty sure that I am the quilty one who stated that I thought my ancestress Susannah Martin should have "confessed" to spare her children and grandchildren the pain of what they must have gone through. I am fairly close to the age that Susannah was when she was hanged. My children are all grown with children of their own. Frankly, I would walk through Hell itself, barefooted to spare them the pain of seeing me, their mom and nana, go through what Susannah and the others had to endure. Honestly - no lie would be too great for me to "confess" to spare them the tears and agony that my George, your Sarah their siblings and their families had to endure. I may get "flamed " for feeling this way. Guess I am as stubborn in that sense as our ancestress. Stephen - had Susannah been born in our time and present culture, she would probably be a corporation president or a senator. Like Susannah, I tend to say things I shouldn't (have gotten better with the years), I tend to shrug off doing the conventional thing (like moving to Saudi Arabia) but I honestry try to avoid things that might hurt my family (they may think otherwise in some instances). Let me put it this way, even though Susannah was very intelligent, a remarkable woman for her time (which probably lead to her doom), a little ol' lie could have save her family from a lot of tears. Has this tragedy not hung over your generation in silent ways - 300 years later? Guilty as charged Janet Letson Yates P.S. Thank you for sticking up for our Susannah.

Last November I alerted the List members via E-Mail that the History Channel was going to show a program on the Salem Witch Trials. I am unable to get the History Channel on our cable system at this time. Probably many of you on the list have this problem with your cable company if you live in an older part of your community that does not have updated cable wiring. The History Channel is part of the Arts and Entertainment Network and I was able to order a video of the program. It arrived today having just finished viewing it, I can highly recommend it. It answered a few questions I had about the trials, raised a few new ones in my mind. One thing is VERY certain, I am sure glad to not be living in Colonial America or Colonial anywhere or in anytime period but right now. I was a young wife during the "McCarthy era" whose husband upset a neighbor and............ My husband came close to losing his job even though I was a Girl Scout leader and a DAR.........Long story best not recalled. I remember the fear in our home and in the homes of most of our friends. Hopefully it will never happen again. The title of the video is: IN SEARCH OF HISTORY - THE SALEM WITCH TRIALS Item # AH42282 The price is $19.95 plus postage. I think the total is $24.95. Will know for sure when my Visa bill comes. Order at: A&E Home Video 19 Gregory Drive South Burlington, VT 05403 Tel. 800-423-1212 I would be very interested in hearing what you think about the presentation if you order it or are able to view it on the History Channel or through your library, etc. Janet Letson Yates (Descendant of Susanna North Martin - Hanged July 19, 1692)

hi! looking for flint's and lasell's. flint's were in salem and am looking for more specific information. I'll be posting a recently found geneology to treemaker, but wanted to see who's out there. lasell's have been around the northeast for a long time, also related to the sewell's and smith's. would love to hear from anyone. bb - Peter

In a message dated 1/4/99 6:51:32 PM Eastern Standard Time, [email protected] writes: > looking for flint's and lasell's<<< 1. John LAZELL (abt 1620-21 Oct 1700) m. 29 November 1649 Elizabeth GATES, dau of Stephen GATES. John LAZELL d. Hingham, MA. (11 children) 2. Isaac LAZELL b. 10 July 1660, Hingham, MA m. 20 Jan 1685/6 Abial LEAVITT, dau John and Sarah (Gilman) LEAVITT. (I only show 2 children) 3. Abial LAZELL b. 25 June 1688 Hingham, MA, m. 14 November 1710 at Bridgewater, Plymouth, Massachusetts Samuel LATHROP, son of Samuel and probably Sarah (Downer) LATHROP. 4. Their son, Isaac LATHROP m. 1st Bethia HOWARD and 2nd Patience ALGER, who is a Mayflower descendant. But how does this LAZELL family connect to the Salem witch trials? Cathy [email protected]

Hi. I am also a descendant of Susannah North Martin through her daughter, Jane. I've been reading trial testimony and other info about her, and am sooo proud to be descended from this outspoken, assertive woman. One person on the list once said that she felt Susannah was wrong because she didn't put her children first and confess so she wouldn't be hanged. Well, I stood up for Susannah. If we all sacrifice the truth as we believe it for whatever reason, it is THEN that we fail. Besides, by the time she was hanged, I think all of her children were fairly well grown, not babies, and ought to have been very proud of her. Susan Smith

Kathy, I am really happy to see descendants of our Susannah on the Salem List at last. Would have loved to have seen your portrayal of Susannah. Please tell me all about it. My feeling is that Susannah was a very bright and attractive woman who was born 300 years too soon. In an E-Mail hopefully to all of the Salem-List members, I did out line my line of descendancy. If it doesn't get to all on the list, will do it again and address it to the Rootsweb site specifically. I am going to send the Salem Article to Jon Lathrop via snail mail and he has kindly offered to scan it and put it on our site. Looking forward to hearing about your portrayal of SNM and the research that lead to your portrayal. Janet Letson Yates Descendant of Susannah and George Martin through son George

George Burroughs was hanged as a witch with my 8g grandfather George Jacobs on August 19, 1692. The George Jacobs homepage is at: www.angelfire.com/ny/georgejacobs/georgejacobs.html The following information on George Burroughs is taken from Frances Hill's book on the Salem Witchcraft situation: "George Burroughs, noted for his physical strength despite his small stature, came to Salem Village as minister in 1680, at age twenty-eight. He was born into a well-to-do family in Suffolk, England, but was brought up by his mother in Roxbury, Massachusetts. Having graduated from Harvard in 1670, he preached in Falmouth Maine, until an Indian attack in August 1676 forced him to flee to Massachusetts. After a period as minister in Salisbury, he came to Salem Village, where he buried his second wife and married his third. He remained in the village for less than three years, leaving after deep disagreements with Thomas Putnam and his allies. He returned to Maine but in May 1692 was brought back to Salem Village a prisoner, having been arrested for witchcraft. His unusual strength was used against him as evidence of his complicity with the devil." Charlie King 8g grandson of George Jacobs of Salem ________________________________________________________________ Get secure free e-mail that you don't need Web access to use from Juno, the world's second largest online service. Download your free software at http://www.juno.com/getit.b.html.

Does anyone have any background information on George Burroughs? My grandmother was a Burroughs. Thanks, Debbie in Vermont -----Original Message----- From: Candy Gilliam <[email protected]> To: [email protected] <[email protected]> Date: Saturday, January 02, 1999 10:07 PM Subject: [SALEM-WITCH-L] George Burroughs >I am interested in any genealogical information on George Burroughs who was >hung as a witch in Aug 1692....who were his parents, siblings. Where was he >born and where did he live? Did he have a wife and children? Etc.... >Thanks. > >Candy >[email protected] > >

I am interested in any genealogical information on George Burroughs who was hung as a witch in Aug 1692....who were his parents, siblings. Where was he born and where did he live? Did he have a wife and children? Etc.... Thanks. Candy [email protected]

Thanks Janet, as I too am descended from Susannah Martin. I portrayed her in a school history project this last fall. I work at an Alternative High School. Kathy [email protected] wrote: > Subject: > > SALEM-WITCH-D Digest Volume 99 : Issue 1 > > Today's Topics: > #1 [SALEM-WITCH-L] The Lesson of Sale [Janet Yates <[email protected]] > > Administrivia: > To unsubscribe from SALEM-WITCH-D, send a message to > > [email protected] > > that contains in the body of the message the command > > unsubscribe > > and no other text. No subject line is necessary, but if your software > requires one, just use unsubscribe in the subject, too. > > ______________________________ > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > Subject: [SALEM-WITCH-L] The Lesson of Salem article > Date: Sat, 2 Jan 1999 02:14:35 -0500 > From: Janet Yates <[email protected]> > To: [email protected] > > While browsing through my file cabinet I came across an article I thought > you all might find interesting. > > It was written for the TriCentennial of Salem Witch Trials. You should > be able to find it at your library. It was in the August 31, 1992 issue of > NEWSWEEK. > The title of the article is: THE LESSON OF SALEM. It is in the > Arts/Culture section about page 85. > > If you cannot find the article through the library, send me your snail mail > address and I will send a photo copy to you. > > As I recall, I was disappointed that more was not done, more was not > written about this terrible period in our American History on the 300th > anniversary. > > Janet Letson Yates > (Descendant of Susannah North Martin - Executed July 19th, 1692)

While browsing through my file cabinet I came across an article I thought you all might find interesting. It was written for the TriCentennial of Salem Witch Trials. You should be able to find it at your library. It was in the August 31, 1992 issue of NEWSWEEK. The title of the article is: THE LESSON OF SALEM. It is in the Arts/Culture section about page 85. If you cannot find the article through the library, send me your snail mail address and I will send a photo copy to you. As I recall, I was disappointed that more was not done, more was not written about this terrible period in our American History on the 300th anniversary. Janet Letson Yates (Descendant of Susannah North Martin - Executed July 19th, 1692)

Please add me to your mailing list. Surnames I am researching: BEANE MILLER BONER PRATT GARRISON SIMPSON KERWOOD STONE KING STROTHER LEWIS MEADOR

Sorry, everyone, I left out the word History. http://www.msstate.edu/Archives/History/USA/colonial/witch.html

At 08:25 PM 12/21/98 -0500, someone wrote: >There are a lot of links at > >http://www.msstate.edu/Archives/USA/colonial/witch.html > >Hope these help. still can't find info about the rye grain. > >Sandy Schroeder > I believe the "rye grain" item you are looking for is ERGOT: "Ergot, name used interchangeably for a disease of rye, for the fungus causing the disease, for the sclerotium (compact hardened mycelium, or fruiting surface) of the fungus, and for the dried sclerotium, which contains certain valuable drugs. Ergot fungi are molds (see Fungi: Classification) that infect rye and other cereals and wild grasses. . . ." "Ergotism, a disease of humans and animals, is caused by excessive intake of ergot: in humans, either by the overuse of the drug or by eating breadstuffs made with infected flour, and in cattle, by the eating of ergot-infected grain and grass. Acute and chronic ergotism are characterized by mental disorientation, muscle cramps, convulsions, and dry gangrene of the extremities. One of the psychoactive drugs, LSD (see Lysergic Acid Diethylamide) is chemically related to the ergot alkaloids." "Ergot," Microsoft® Encarta® Encyclopedia 99. © 1993-1998 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Personally, I have subscribed more to a theory that the witchcraft mess was the result of people taking advantage of a few impressionable girls to further their vendettas against neighbors, than the idea that the madness was caused by an external agent. But I hope this helps anyway. Darrell Darrell A. Martin Formerly of Springfield, Vermont Currently in Exile in Addison, Illinois [email protected]

On 12/21/98, Sandy Schroeder <[email protected]> wrote: >Although we are not descendants of the Salem witches, (at least not so far) >My granddaughter is doing a social studies on the Salem Witch Trials. We >have been trying to find info about the rye mold/fungus that supposedly >caused a lot of the problems. > >Can someone help her? Linda Caporael's 1976 theory (published in SCIENCE, Vol. 192, when she was a graduate student in biology at the UCSB) claimed that ergot -- a poisonous, hallucinegenic mold which can develop on rye grain -- could have been responsible for the symptoms of the afflicted in Salem in 1692. Her theory was discounted almost immediately by Spanos and Gottlieb, psychologists from Carleton University, in "Ergotism and the Salem Village Witch Trials", SCIENCE, Vol. 194, (24 Dec 1976) pp. 1390-1394. You can find reprints of both of these articles in Witches & Historians: Interpretations of Salem, edited by Marc Mappen, Marc (Keiger: Malabar, Florida. 1996), which is available from Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0882756532/ograms17thcenturA/ One of the arguments against the ergotism theory which I find most compelling is that other people living in the same households, and who we should surmise were eating the same food, were not afflicted. Additionally, ergot victims suffer from severe intestinal pain and diahhrea, and there is no record of these symptoms documented. In fact, when not in the throes of their fits, the afflicted were acknowledged to be hale and hearty -- which would not be the case if ergotism were the cause. There are still many people who find it an appealing folk theory to attribute this incomprehensible behavior to drugs, but most serious historians have discounted it because the actual symptoms of ergotism simply do not fit the facts as we know them, and the symptoms had a suspicious habit of turning on and off too conveniently, and often in group unison, which is more indicative of fits that are psychological rather than biological. Cheers, --Margo Margo Burns, Webweaver [email protected] http://www.ogram.org Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana. "Colorless green ideas sleep furiously." -- Chomsky

There are a lot of links at http://www.msstate.edu/Archives/USA/colonial/witch.html Hope these help. still can't find info about the rye grain. Sandy Schroeder

Although we are not descendants of the Salem witches, (at least not so far) My granddaughter is doing a social studies on the Salem Witch Trials. We have been trying to find info about the rye mold/fungus that supposedly caused a lot of the problems. Can someone help her? Also, we have visited some fantastic URLs in our search. Great info out there on the trials and the people involved. Angela is very excited. Thanks in advance for any help. Sandy Schroeder [email protected]

Hi, I am looking for any information on the trial of Mary Bradbury. Two of my ancestors, Zerubbabel and Samuel Endecott testified against her. Any good websites?? Thanks!! Rebecca Shulmire