I was wondering if there is a book available today that is accurate account of what happened in Salem during the trials and one that might include my ancestor Samuel Wardwell? I don't see him mentioned all that much. I was also wondering if where the witch trials took place is actually located in the Salem of today as well as is Andover still a separate town? Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Margo, I have never had the luxury of living up to my own expectations. Usually the editors make sure that you don't! Luck...some times that meand having the times to do the work you want with out a milion interuptions. You'll do well. I have great faith in you. Blessings. Pamela ----- Original Message ----- From: "Margo Burns" <margo@ogram.org> To: <SALEM-WITCH-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, March 05, 2003 1:48 PM Subject: Re: [SALEM-WITCH-L] CBS & Ann Pudeator? > On Wednesday, March 5, 2003, at 01:32 PM, Pamela > <halloweenqueen@cheshire.net> wrote: > > Margo, I want to be the first one to buy a copy of your book! Good > > luck. > > Luck has less to do with it than just plunking my fanny in a chair in > front of keyboard often enough! LOL! Thank you for your support! I > hope I can live up to even my own expectations on this project! :D > > --Margo > >

On Wednesday, March 5, 2003, at 01:32 PM, Pamela <halloweenqueen@cheshire.net> wrote: > Margo, I want to be the first one to buy a copy of your book! Good > luck. Luck has less to do with it than just plunking my fanny in a chair in front of keyboard often enough! LOL! Thank you for your support! I hope I can live up to even my own expectations on this project! :D --Margo

Margo, Iwant to be the first one to buy a copy of your book! Good luck. Blessings, Pamela ----- Original Message ----- From: "Margo Burns" <margo@ogram.org> To: <SALEM-WITCH-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, March 04, 2003 11:40 PM Subject: Re: [SALEM-WITCH-L] CBS & Ann Pudeator? > On Tuesday, March 4, 2003, at 10:48 PM, Lisa Small wrote: > > The real story would be fascinating, but it will never be told unless > > PBS gets the urge and the funding to tell it. > > > > <sigh> Or maybe get a law school to put it on from the transcripts > > with a voice-over narrator for Law Month (which is March) some year? > > Court TV would televise that. Gee, can we think of any good law > > schools up Massachusetts way? > > Just so you all know, the reason I started this list in the first place > was because I am working at what I call a "non-fiction novel" about the > episode, with the determination to get it right -- no action or > character except what can be distilled from the historical record. > Historically accurate, but brought to life with the tools of a > novelist. The full Parris household is present. The story of Andover > told. Rev. Burroughs' tale recounted. The correct legal procedures of > the day outlined. My personal library contains every book imaginable on > the subject. I am working hard to get all the families fleshed out > accurately, which is the biggest challenge. I started this list as a > way to find the people who were most passionate about the history of > what happened, and had it hosted at Rootsweb to make sure it would find > people who were researching their own ancestors who were involved, so > that I could have a wealth of knowledge available if I would but ask. > In the course of my research, I encountered Bernie Rosenthal, author of > Salem Story, and have been working with him and others for the past > several years to produce accurate, scholarly transcriptions of all the > original manuscripts. (Boyer & Nissenbaum's 1977 publication of the WPA > transcriptions done in the 1930s has errors, omissions, and is missing > texts which have surfaced since then.) This has delayed my work on my > novel, but the time and effort I have been investing has been priceless > to me in the long run. I expect to make a lot of headway over my summer > vacation this year. > > I have mixed feelings when I watch something like this CBS > gobbledeegoop (since *when* did Joseph Putnam and his wife ever get > arrested??? And stripping Rebecca Nurse in front of a group of men??? > Come on!) -- I'd like to hear the story told properly, but if someone > else does it first, where would that leave my work-in-progress of eight > years? LOL! For every botched telling of the tale, there is an > increased need for my accurate one! So when I periodically post a > request for genealogical info on various people, this is why: I really > want to get it right, and you are the folks who I trust to help me find > the resources I need to do so. > > Now I have to stop laughing at that drivel and try to get some sleep. > (No one told me it was "Salem Witchcraft Trials: The Comedy"!) > > Cheers to one and all, > Margo > >

Hi all, SORRY, but I don't think a WHOLE LOT more of the 2nd half than I did the first!! EVEN I walked away with TOTAL sympathy for the Ann Putnam Sr. character! Was it just me, or was the impression given that Ann Sr. didn't actually accuse Rebecca Nurse, but rather she was crying out her name, telling her that she didn't want her prayers after Rebecca had told her at the hanging that she would pray for her?!! It appears that from her crying out TO Rebecca, that Ann Jr. began calling out Rebecca's name in accusation! This movie portrays Ann Sr. as having NO active, intentional roll in the accusations, yet I can count at least six of seven people who Ann Sr. DID accuse and testify against in the REAL trial papers!! The inaccuracies are JUST too numerous to try and mention, but I think what bothers me the MOST, is that in a movie that portrays itself as the TRUTH about the TRIALS, there was precious little mention made about the MAJORITY of those who were killed OR about the trials themselves!!! Granted, the Towne sisters are my "family", but even if they weren't, HOW can the "truth" make NO MENTION of the fact that THREE sisters were accused, and two killed? Mary and Sarah didn't get so much as a passing mention!! Isn't the fact that Sarah Averill Wildes own SON was sent out to serve warrants, while his mother stood accused, drama ENOUGH for ratings?????? NOT TO MENTION the inaccuracies portrayed, such as Rebecca standing witness to Bridget Bishop's hanging when Rebecca had in fact already been imprisoned for more than two months at the time of Bridget's hanging! Or Giles Corey being pressed to death BEFORE Rebecca was arrested, instead of six months AFTER her arrest and two months after her DEATH! The bottom line, in my opinion, is that the amount of exposure given to any of the people involved depended on the fame of the actor portraying them....what a SAD representation of "the truth"!! Joan

You never told me that Margo! Good girl....You never commented on the audio play I sent you....did you hate it? Pamela ----- Original Message ----- From: "Lisa Small" <LMS6@georgetown.edu> To: <SALEM-WITCH-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, March 05, 2003 9:16 AM Subject: Re: [SALEM-WITCH-L] CBS & Ann Pudeator? > Go, Margo, go Margo, go Margo, Go! You GO, girl! > > At 11:40 PM 3/4/03, Margo Burns wrote: > >Just so you all know, the reason I started this list in the first place > >was because I am working at what I call a "non-fiction novel" about the > >episode, with the determination to get it right -- no action or character > >except what can be distilled from the historical record. Historically > >accurate, but brought to life with the tools of a novelist. > >

Yeah, wouldn't you think so? Well, it was their pornography, I guess, legitimized and made righteous. This didn't start with the Puritans. Maybe it also was important to be able to de-humanize the accused by making them naked as animals, sort of the way the Old South was hyper-modest when it came to wealthy white women while selling black people naked on the auction block. Back to Salem: no radio, no tv, no books and little literacy... comes a time when this sort of 'entertainment' is all there is, I suppose, especially in societies that frown on singing, dancing, and music-making. And like Phil, I've wondered how body-modest people in such cramped quarters could be. He mentions basic body functions and conjugal relations -- I'd add breast-feeding to that. Was it accomplished with great modesty, or none? Hey, Phil, not only was shaming cheap and effective, as you say -- it's *enduring.* Here I am, 310 years later, and *I* am embarrassed! At 07:06 AM 3/5/03, Irene Del Bono wrote: >I recall a historic tour of Salem where we were told that individuals >were, in fact, attached by rope to the backs of wagons and paraded through >town naked. Amazing that a religious society would countenance such a thing...

Go, Margo, go Margo, go Margo, Go! You GO, girl! At 11:40 PM 3/4/03, Margo Burns wrote: >Just so you all know, the reason I started this list in the first place >was because I am working at what I call a "non-fiction novel" about the >episode, with the determination to get it right -- no action or character >except what can be distilled from the historical record. Historically >accurate, but brought to life with the tools of a novelist.

I, too, saw Part II as acted out with more fervency and realism than in the first part. Beyond the plausible and trustworthy historical writings of that time, give or take a very few years...much still must be left to the imagination. First-hand recollection can be tainted over the years, a word here, a phrase there. By the time it is written down, personal thoughts and feelings have been added, either by inclusion or inference, and perhaps important facts deleted or forgotten. Although there are good legal records, personal day-to-day actions and conversations within a home's four walls must still be assumed. One must read between the lines to find the facts, if, indeed, that is possible. While watching this movie, I had moments of deep compassion for the victims and their families, as well as much frustration over their absolute lack of being heard. (The latter was a factual display of Puritanism, of women's obiesance to men, by rule.) Much had to be written in, to fill in those blank spaces, especially within the prison walls. The marvelous humanity of Rebecca certainly came through, as well as Tituba's suffering. But Bridget was still portrayed spectrally as a wanton woman, and nowhere did we see her husband, as even a reference point. And where was the 'bright red bodice' and the tavern? Margo, the best to you as you attempt to accurately verify and compile the real tale of this horrible time in history. I look forward to the end result of your tireless research, it will be well worth the read. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bill Tully" <WTully@carolina.net> To: <SALEM-WITCH-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, March 05, 2003 12:13 AM Subject: [SALEM-WITCH-L] movie > I realized that this was a movie and as for Hollywood, "creative > interpretation" in the norm. The 2nd part seemed to redeem some of the slow > 1st part. The "effects" were to show what the accusers really believed they > saw and how the town people watching the girl's fits were pulled into a > panic they felt was real. The movie did make me feel the real fear and > terror and appalling prison conditions that the poor victims had to endure. > I felt the anger of being falsely accused and having no way to prove your > innocence. The fact that we are still trying to understand how this could > have happened all these years later shows how complex the reasons were. The > last twist (the accusation of the Governor's wife) hinted at being done on > purpose to bring the horror to an end and gave me another view to mull over. > I never could figure a reason why she was accused. > My ancestor was the accused "witch" Winifred Benham in CT. > > Dot Tully > >

Dear Bill, I came away with the same feeling about the Governor's wife. Seemed like a sure way to stop the madness. As long as he really loved his wife. Was that a redeeming grace for my Ann Carr Putnam. Deborah Ray Piper Spencer Co., IN allpiper@swindiana.net ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bill Tully" <WTully@carolina.net> To: <SALEM-WITCH-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, March 04, 2003 11:13 PM Subject: [SALEM-WITCH-L] movie > I realized that this was a movie and as for Hollywood, "creative > interpretation" in the norm. The 2nd part seemed to redeem some of the slow > 1st part. The "effects" were to show what the accusers really believed they > saw and how the town people watching the girl's fits were pulled into a > panic they felt was real. The movie did make me feel the real fear and > terror and appalling prison conditions that the poor victims had to endure. > I felt the anger of being falsely accused and having no way to prove your > innocence. The fact that we are still trying to understand how this could > have happened all these years later shows how complex the reasons were. The > last twist (the accusation of the Governor's wife) hinted at being done on > purpose to bring the horror to an end and gave me another view to mull over. > I never could figure a reason why she was accused. > My ancestor was the accused "witch" Winifred Benham in CT. > > Dot Tully > >

I do not believe that the people in early Salem were as modest as our current use of the work "Puritan" implies. Most of these people lived in very small houses -two rooms and a loft - and had large families. How can you be that modest with bodily functions to take care of, babies being born and producing twelve children? Shaming was a cheap and effective way of punishment. You scared the hell out of everyone else who was contemplating or committing the same crime and the guilty person went back to work the next day. Phil

I recall a historic tour of Salem where we were told that individuals were, in fact, attached by rope to the backs of wagons and paraded through town naked. Amazing that a religious society would countenance such a thing... _________________________________________________________________ Help STOP SPAM with the new MSN 8 and get 2 months FREE* http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail

I realized that this was a movie and as for Hollywood, "creative interpretation" in the norm. The 2nd part seemed to redeem some of the slow 1st part. The "effects" were to show what the accusers really believed they saw and how the town people watching the girl's fits were pulled into a panic they felt was real. The movie did make me feel the real fear and terror and appalling prison conditions that the poor victims had to endure. I felt the anger of being falsely accused and having no way to prove your innocence. The fact that we are still trying to understand how this could have happened all these years later shows how complex the reasons were. The last twist (the accusation of the Governor's wife) hinted at being done on purpose to bring the horror to an end and gave me another view to mull over. I never could figure a reason why she was accused. My ancestor was the accused "witch" Winifred Benham in CT. Dot Tully

On Tuesday, March 4, 2003, at 10:48 PM, Lisa Small wrote: > The real story would be fascinating, but it will never be told unless > PBS gets the urge and the funding to tell it. > > <sigh> Or maybe get a law school to put it on from the transcripts > with a voice-over narrator for Law Month (which is March) some year? > Court TV would televise that. Gee, can we think of any good law > schools up Massachusetts way? Just so you all know, the reason I started this list in the first place was because I am working at what I call a "non-fiction novel" about the episode, with the determination to get it right -- no action or character except what can be distilled from the historical record. Historically accurate, but brought to life with the tools of a novelist. The full Parris household is present. The story of Andover told. Rev. Burroughs' tale recounted. The correct legal procedures of the day outlined. My personal library contains every book imaginable on the subject. I am working hard to get all the families fleshed out accurately, which is the biggest challenge. I started this list as a way to find the people who were most passionate about the history of what happened, and had it hosted at Rootsweb to make sure it would find people who were researching their own ancestors who were involved, so that I could have a wealth of knowledge available if I would but ask. In the course of my research, I encountered Bernie Rosenthal, author of Salem Story, and have been working with him and others for the past several years to produce accurate, scholarly transcriptions of all the original manuscripts. (Boyer & Nissenbaum's 1977 publication of the WPA transcriptions done in the 1930s has errors, omissions, and is missing texts which have surfaced since then.) This has delayed my work on my novel, but the time and effort I have been investing has been priceless to me in the long run. I expect to make a lot of headway over my summer vacation this year. I have mixed feelings when I watch something like this CBS gobbledeegoop (since *when* did Joseph Putnam and his wife ever get arrested??? And stripping Rebecca Nurse in front of a group of men??? Come on!) -- I'd like to hear the story told properly, but if someone else does it first, where would that leave my work-in-progress of eight years? LOL! For every botched telling of the tale, there is an increased need for my accurate one! So when I periodically post a request for genealogical info on various people, this is why: I really want to get it right, and you are the folks who I trust to help me find the resources I need to do so. Now I have to stop laughing at that drivel and try to get some sleep. (No one told me it was "Salem Witchcraft Trials: The Comedy"!) Cheers to one and all, Margo

Me too!! Helen, I was glad to see you posting again. Wish it were for a happier occasion. I taped, not watched, tonight so I don't know if our Ann was in it. I agree with you completely about the cloaks. Too many, too fine, too bright. Ladies & gents, I think we have to just grind our teeth and remind ourselves of the age-old truth: Hollywood will do anything for money. Hollywood will betray consultants, invent affairs, libel the dead (which is not actionable under law), slander entire sects and generations, pervert history, and so on, and so forth, and OF COURSE any media outlet will lie in its advertising! "The Truth," indeed, ha! The real story would be fascinating, but it will never be told unless PBS gets the urge and the funding to tell it. <sigh> Or maybe get a law school to put it on from the transcripts with a voice-over narrator for Law Month (which is March) some year? Court TV would televise that. Gee, can we think of any good law schools up Massachusetts way? <Just Kidding!> At 07:27 PM 3/4/03, Helen Graves wrote: >Picky, picky, >Helen Greenslit Graves >(I wonder if my Ann Pudeator is going to get a mention tonight. Wonder >what she will look like... )

For sheer entertaining FICTION I prefer the movie I Married a Witch starring Veronica Lake to the travesty I am half watching on CBS right now. At least it had no pretentions to historical accuracy. Leslie Hope -----Original Message----- From: Jma8763@aol.com [mailto:Jma8763@aol.com] Sent: Tuesday, March 04, 2003 7:57 AM To: SALEM-WITCH-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [SALEM-WITCH-L] CBS-Movie Hi Dave and all, Personally, I have NO PROBLEM with works of FICTION, even if they are BASED on true stories....in such cases, I don't expect historical accuracy. One of my daughter's all time favorite movies is Hocus Pocus, which, while it doesn't plug itself as such, is indeed based on the Salem Witch Hunt! The three main characters are sisters, one named Sarah and another named Mary....it's set in 1693 Salem, and the characters ARE in fact witches. I have NO doubt that this movie is based on my family, the Towne sisters, and THAT doesn't bother me in the least!! BUT.... the CBS lead in to THIS movie was in part....AND I QUOTE, "...THE ONLY THING MORE TERRIFYING THAN THE LEGEND, IS THE TRUTH!"....and then the title of the movie, "Salem Witch Trials", comes across the screen. Doesn't that imply that you should not only expect to be entertained, but also given FACTUAL information on the TRIALS? So far, halfway through the movie, I'm not only still waiting for the TRUTH, but the TRIALS as well....and as for the entertainment value, well, forget THAT!!! As for the "background" historical accuracy, I guess I wouldn't expect them to have that straight, if they didn't care to portray their main subject with accuracy! And YES, I for one WILL watch the second half, but NOT because I think it's worth watching!! The ONLY reason that I WILL watch it, is so that I have some idea where people are getting their MISINFORMATION from in the future!! Just my opinion! Joan In a message dated 3/4/2003 9:14:58 AM Eastern Standard Time, dredden@brockmcvey.com writes: > > People should understand that this is a film/movie. It is made to be > entertaining, not historical. If you want history watch the Discovery > channel, History Channel, etc. > > From the way everyone is writing I guess no-one will be watching tonight's > episodes. > > The only thing that frustrates me is the obvious disregard for simple things > historical. For instance, Salem Village is supposed to be the "poor sister" > of Salem Town, yet almost everyone lives in a large two storey well kept > home. I bet even Sarah Good's home would look like a virtual palace if they > were to show it. I don't believe that this would be the case. The northern > half of the Village, at least, would have been closer to being single room > or single storey dwellings like many of those shown in the film "Sleepy > Hollow" which is set in upstate New York almost a hundred years later. > > Just my twopennorth. > > DAVE

Er...but part 2 airs tonight 9-11 p.m.... Adrienne Original Message: ----------------- From: Csmariposa@aol.com Date: Tue, 4 Mar 2003 20:57:55 EST To: SALEM-WITCH-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [SALEM-WITCH-L] Re: SALEM-WITCH-D Digest V03 #20 I watched the first half of the movie on Sunday and was dismayed at it's quality. Our local tv station may have agreed with me, for the next evening they broadcast a basketball game in it's place. I never saw the second half, and from the comments I've read, that was a blessing. What books are reliable ones for me to use to teach my children about their ancestors? Thanks in advance, Cathy Burchard Descendant of Sarah Cloyes -------------------------------------------------------------------- mail2web - Check your email from the web at http://mail2web.com/ .

It could have been just a commercial that came on. For some ridiculous reason, commercial producers like to amp up the sound. I heard a story a while back when YENTL was broadcast for the first time, Barbra Streisand personally called the network and told it to turn them down. I only saw a few snippets of the movie myself, but I recorded it. I hope to find the time to see it soon. Adrienne Original Message: ----------------- From: Jma8763@aol.com Date: Mon, 3 Mar 2003 19:31:49 EST To: SALEM-WITCH-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [SALEM-WITCH-L] CBS Movie ...Okay, and one last complaint....SO FAR....did anyone else have a problem with the volume, or is my one year old SONY dying on me??? I had the volume CRANKED through half the movie, and STILL had a hard time hearing them, and then all of the sudden, something REALLY LOUD would happen that scared me half to death before I could get the volume turned back down!! Was this just my TV, or was this their way of making a tragedy into a thriller??? ANY other thoughts??? Joan -------------------------------------------------------------------- mail2web - Check your email from the web at http://mail2web.com/ .

I watched the first half of the movie on Sunday and was dismayed at it's quality. Our local tv station may have agreed with me, for the next evening they broadcast a basketball game in it's place. I never saw the second half, and from the comments I've read, that was a blessing. What books are reliable ones for me to use to teach my children about their ancestors? Thanks in advance, Cathy Burchard Descendant of Sarah Cloyes

Did you know that President Chester A. Arthur was a descendant of Susannah North? If you are also descended from Susannah, you have the right lineage to apply for membership in Presidential Families of America. For more information, see the website at http://presidentialfamilies.org/ Marlene Wilkinson