Please Read!! I am writing a paper on this for school. Write what you think of it. Thank you so much. Salem was a small town, in the northeast corner of Massachusetts. The village was a Puritan community. The inhabitants were all very social, and close-knit. Gossip was common, and word spread quickly. When strange things started happening in their peaceful town, everyone new about it. The first occurrence was that several children took sick. Many infants died, and cattle perished as a result of an unknown substance. The community, being Puritan and believing strongly in devilish lore, blamed this on witchcraft. To be a witch in a town such as Salem was a heinous crime. All were strongly against anything to do with Satan. Anyone who did consort with him was a traitor to their fellow people .Those convicted would be examined for “witch marks” then punished. Few were killed by any other means than hanging, but many died while serving prison terms. What many people don’t know is that when an accused person walked into the courthouse, they were immediately presumed guilty. Evidence was always thrown against them. There was little or no time for them to defend themselves. Not one single person accused of witchcraft wasn’t charged guilty. The people would generally complain of afflictions, missing property, deaths in the family due to unknown reasons, et cetera. Then they would pick a person and blame him/her for it under the title “witch”. The evidence was slight. In some cases there was no evidence except the testimonials of the accusers. Even these remained inconsistent, but as they were supposed victims, their word was higher than the defendants’. Many suggestions of possible sources of the afflictions have been presented over time, including encephalitis lethargica. Yet that occurrence remains highly improbable. The more prevalent explanation is ergotism. Ergotism comes from eating rye, barley, or wheat contaminated with ergot. Ergot is a mold that grows on several different types of grain; it contains lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD). LSD is best known of the hallucinogenic class of drugs. In Salem people who ingested this drug experienced all sorts of bizarre inexplicable behavior. Ergotism, and not witchcraft, or disease was the source of the pains, visions, and spasms of the villagers. Proof of this is that symptoms of LSD and afflictions of “victims of witchcraft” are the same. The weather conditions in Salem that year were perfect for growing ergot. People in the villages grew rye and the other grains as a staple food source. _________________________________________________________________ Join the world’s largest e-mail service with MSN Hotmail. http://www.hotmail.com

I'm gathering notes to write a book on the witch trials and if anyone has any personal information on the afflicted or the accused (what they looked like, other personal tidbits or information) please let me know. If it's extensive, I'll gladly pay you for it, or at least send you a self addressed envelope. Of course a lot of the personal details are going to have to be "fictionalized" but I want to keep that to a minimum. I'd LOVE anything you could tell me. Does anyone know how I could contact the descendents of the girls who started it all? Ann Putnam, etc? I'm putting this kind of notice on the genealogical family forums, but haven't heard much at this point. Thanks! I'd be thrilled with anything you could send me! Nancy Enright University of Illinois

I havepurchased a CD of "Early Vital Records of Essex County, Massachusetts to about 1850" and hope there is someone out there who has this CD and who knows how to use it. I am having trouble navigating it and would be grateful to anyone who could help me. Please reply off list. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this CD, you might be interested in knowing it is out there. I believe I puchased mine from the Mass. Historical Society. Bernard Rosenthal

--=======6959695======= Content-Type: text/plain; x-avg-checked=avg-ok-6DBF530E; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Hi people, I just updated my Witch page after three years of neglect. No actual content here but a vast list of links to other useful witch sites. Check it out at http://www.mdwsweb.com/history/witches.html David --=======6959695=======--

Hello All, I'd like to invite everyone over to http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~witchtrialancestors to have a look at the database and information stored there. I'd also like to ask those of you who are interested in doing so, to please donate your own information to this project for inclusion in the database. Your e-mail address and first name will appear as credit so others can contact you. Other files are welcome as well, please view the images and documents pages to find out more. Happy Ancestor Hunting! Lisa ----- Original Message ----- From: <SALEM-WITCH-D-request@rootsweb.com> To: <SALEM-WITCH-D@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, April 06, 2002 9:01 PM Subject: SALEM-WITCH-D Digest V02 #15

I am looking for the parents of Jonathan Nurse: b. 19 Apr 1751 Danvers, MA m. Hannah Tarbox 2 Sep 1775 Lynn, MA d. 9 Sep 1806 Danvers, MA I'm hoping that someone can show me a link between this Jonathan and Rebecca Nurse. Can anyone help me out? Thanks. :) ==================================================================== Brian C. Keith Lomita, California, USA ====================================================================

Hi, As host for the Danvers USGenWeb pages I am inviting everyone researching their families in Danvers to submit your information/queries for inclusion on the pages. It seems that many people with relations to the condemned, accused, accusers, and judiciary may still have been around later on. I'm not trying to make the site witch centered, but am looking for info that may help others connect. Also, am searching for look-up volunteers. Thank you, D Putnam http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Arbor/8406/DANVERS_MA = Danvers, MA or <a href="http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Arbor/8406/DANVERS_MA">Danvers, MA</a> Current Topics: vital records, area churches, first settlers, pre 1700 ancestral narratives, families, other record resources, (location of libraries, museums and historic sites, genealogical and historical societies, book sources, e-mail connections, etc.), maps, books, cemeteries, census, local links, genealogy links, queries, look-up volunteers, and surnames under investigation. Posted with listowners permission. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Tax Center - online filing with TurboTax http://taxes.yahoo.com/

Hi Fellow Researchers, I just wanted to let you know there is a board on Rootsweb for the research of those involved in the Salem Witch Trials. The URL is: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec?htx=board&r=rw&p=topics.salem-20witch-20-trials I hope link works. Today we will be focusing on John Proctor. Thank you, Ramona

In a message dated 3/4/2002 7:06:57 PM Eastern Standard Time, pioneerson@yahoo.com writes: << viewing the My Family web site you mentioned. Who would I need to contact to visit the site? >> Hi Martin, Think Margo the lady that runs the SALEM-WITCH-List is also the Adminstrator of the MY FAMILY SALEM WITCH Site and she would have to invite you to join. Just send her an E-mail and I'm sure she'll forward insturctions. Have a great day. Cheers, Bob

I am glad that the list did not feel threatened by the establishment of a new list. Hopefully, those searching for Salem info on the other list will be directed here, since this is a wonderful major source of info for the Salem witch trials. I can also see why others might feel excluded - just the name implies that the focus is on Salem (and indeed it is!). I would be disappointed if a large amount of the postings regarded other areas, because I am more interested in, as someone said, the geneologies and shared history that the Salem descendants feel. I also enjoy reading posts regarding others who were accused, from other areas...it keeps things in perspective; our ancestors weren't the first, and they weren't the only ones, to be wrongly accused and persecuted. In short, I really like this list, and I don't intend to change, because I have little interest in the others - just as the folks who join that list are less interested in Salem and more interested in their own historical and genealogical information. I will likely scan their archives once or twice a year to ensure that I haven't missed an important piece of information, or a "cousin" I might want to know about (or I might want to refer them to this list if that is where the information they are seeking is located). But I am glad that others from other parts will have their own place, and be able to develop their own shared history, just as this list has done. It is a precious and important feeling to me, and I can understand why others might seek out a similar experience for themselves. Cheers, everyone. _________________________________________________________________ Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: http://messenger.msn.com

I like the rootsweb list, and would be glad to hear any information about Mary LOVETT, wife of Hopestill TYLER, of Andover, MA. She was accused, along with several members of her family, but was acquitted. She is my 7-greats grandmother. Thanks everyone - Edie in Maine

I agree with those who do not see the need for another site. Everyone at SALEM-WITCH-L@rootsweb.com is very nice and helpful and I have seen many interesting items posted here. Now that information will be scattered over more sites. Many thanks to Margo. Lois Granddaughter of Mary Osgood, tried for witchcraft and jailed - ultimately released in ANDOVER, MA.

Hello, everyone. I've been unable to participate on the list for the past several months because of computer problems that are taking me a long time to resolve, but thanks to Mail2Web.com I am able to access my PacBell account again. I won't bore you with the details, but both my mother and I have missed what everyone has had to say. I hope we didn't miss anything juicy! Since the subject of Salem's ghost folklore has arisen in the past, I thought people might be interested in knowing that a book was released on the subject last year. Following is the link with more info. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0970071833/ref=cm_mp_etc/104-6938698-7735916 As I mentioned in my review, this book is slim and introductory. This author does little of her own research. The only reason I gave it four stars is because she included the list of ghost tour companies in the locale. Since my mother and I are planning on visiting the area sometime this year, I personally found that very helpful. Adrienne Foster -------------------------------------------------------------------- mail2web - Check your email from the web at http://mail2web.com/ .

In a message dated 2/28/2002 2:22:06 PM Eastern Standard Time, margo@ogram.org writes: << Past postings have indeed discussed them, so in practice, subscribers appear to me to have felt that cases outside of 1692 Salem were appropriate subject matter within this forum. The Salem Witch List >> Hi All, With all due respect to Lisa, think the intent to reduplicate the wheel of witchcraft will tend to confuse those interested in subject, The SALEM-WITCH List is and will remain the authoritative source on subject and, although I'm not sure, believe many of the Listers are also contributors to a companion site on MY FAMILY, That site contains lineages, pictures, histoy of subject;etc.I know it branches out beyond SALEM because I personally contibuted various Witch-associated Pages to the History Section when I first joined and believe MARGO may administer both already. Guess what I'm trying to say is that I believe we would all fare much better on subject if we all signed up to that already in existence and admired World-wide. Many receive advise,but only the wise profit from it. Warm regards to all, Bob Fenech (An 8th Great Grandson of Rebecca Towne Nurse)

Regarding the new mailing list: no one has ever voiced any pressing desire to expand the stated scope of the Salem Witch List to include other witchcraft accusations and trials outside of Salem. Past postings have indeed discussed them, so in practice, subscribers appear to me to have felt that cases outside of 1692 Salem were appropriate subject matter within this forum. The Salem Witch List has always been open to anyone with an interest in such trials, whether or not they are descendants of the participants, although there is a high level of genealogical content posted here and the list is hosted by Rootsweb.com, the oldest and largest free genealogy site. I wish Lisa and the new list all the best! --Margo -- Margo Burns, List Owner of the SALEM-WITCH List at Rootsweb.com margo@ogram.org

Hi All, I got a huge response to my query for creating a mailing list/newsletter and web site for those involved in Witch Trials. Please note, this project is not limited to those involved in the Salem Witch Trials alone. It is open to all descendants of *anyone* involved in a Witch Trial *no matter where it took place*. We're starting to receive a lot of CT and NH information on these ancestors and the trials they were involved in. The mailing list is up and running. For those of you who would like to join, please go to http://groups.yahoo.com/witchtrialfamilies to sign up. We hope to have a searchable database for members of the list up and running by Monday. I will begin work on the website over the weekend. Thank you to all who responded! Lisa

Greetings All! A friend and myself are considering putting together a website, mailing list and newsletter for *all* people involved in *any* witch trial. We're trying to get a feel for what kind of response we would get. This is what we would like to have happen; We want to run a mailing list with newsletter which would be open to members free of charge. Perspective members would first have to submit a .ged .paf or WORD file containing their lines, sources definitely preferred. Along with any complimentary (image, vr's and others) files. The information would be collected and put into a database which would only be open to members of the list, unless a majority of members preferr to have it on the web. The mailing list would be (largely) unmoderated and may cover anything regarding the aspect of Witch Trials and not limited to genealogy alone. The newsletter would contain information on different family organizations up coming events, news on new and old books, along with submissions made by members. The site would contain information on different individuals involved in witch trials. If anyone would like to submit a biography on their ancestor, the authors name and e-mail link will appear with the information. This is would be open to all ancestors, accused, accusor, judge, witness, reverand, juror....anyone who was involved in a case. It would also contain trial transcripts, pages from old books, select images and genealogy reports. It would also contain a Query/Message board which would be open to the public outside of the mailing list. If this sounds like something that would be interesting that you'd like to be part of please let me know. You can post here or e-mail me darlingfamilytree@yahoo.com You can also e-mail with suggestions and ideas for a project such as this. Thank you! Lisa ----- Original Message ----- From: <SALEM-WITCH-D-request@rootsweb.com> To: <SALEM-WITCH-D@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, January 23, 2002 12:01 AM Subject: SALEM-WITCH-D Digest V02 #6

This was an interesting site: http://www.seacoastnh.com/women/cole.html#see Not Salem, but none the less tragic

how do I unsubscribe? I am done with my report. Brooke :-) www.webzine4kids.com ----- Original Message ----- From: <SALEM-WITCH-D-request@rootsweb.com> To: <SALEM-WITCH-D@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, February 21, 2002 1:01 AM Subject: SALEM-WITCH-D Digest V02 #7

The Midwife you mentioned in your post on this site is Margaret Jones executed 1648, her and another woman, Mary Johnson was executed as well that year.  However, they were not the first.... "The first trial and execution for witchcraft was recorded almost simultaneously in two private journals, that of John Winthrop and Matthew Grant, the town clerk of Windsor, CT.  Both entries were brief. 'One------of Windsor arraigned and excuted at Hartford for a witch,' Winthrop noted in late May of 1647.  Grant's entry was both more and less specific:' May 26.47 Alse Young was hanged' p.19-20  The Devil In The Shape of a Woman    by Carol F. Karlsen The Towne that married Lucy Ballard is Ephraim Towne who is descended from (gg grandfather if I figure this right) Jacob Towne brother of the three accused Towne sisters. Hope this helps some, Christine Matha in Erie, PA Towne>Cummings>Ball