I am traveling to Amesbury, Salisbury and Newbury next weekend to research the Downer line. Most specifically, I am trying to optimize the short period of time that I will be there. One relative Robert Downer testified in the witch trials of Susannah Martin in Amesbury. Since I will be there during the holiday weekend, are there "Don't Miss" sites or museums that I should definately include? I know that Susannah was from Amesbury and Robert Downer was from Salisbury and there should be information there. Any information regarding this would be most helpful to me. Thanks Teresa Henslee-Downer

Teresa, In C.F. Jewett's 1878 "Standard History of Essex Co., Mass." which my company publishes on CD-ROM, the only mention of the surname "Downer" is this in the chapter on West Newbury: "But if Caleb Moody and his neighbors saw the beauty, and appreciated the wealth, of Pipe-stave Hill and its surroundings, no less have their descendants, the Moodys, Boyntons, Cokers, Downers, Newells, and Ridgeways, -- all justly priding themselves of the Caleb Moody blood in their veins, and holding to their ancestral acres with strong hands." However, the book includes an interesting chapter on the history of the Bay Colony and Essex Co. and a very long one about Salem that covers the witchcraft delusions. You can find out more and search the surname database at http://www.history-ebooks.com Cheers, Katherine Cochrane publisher On 10/11/02, Minnicruzer <minnicruzer@cfl.rr.com> wrote: >I am traveling to Amesbury, Salisbury and Newbury next weekend to research >the Downer line. Most specifically, I am trying to optimize the short >period of time that I will be there. One relative Robert Downer testified >in the witch trials of Susannah Martin in Amesbury. Since I will be there >during the holiday weekend, are there "Don't Miss" sites or museums that I >should definately include? I know that Susannah was from Amesbury and >Robert Downer was from Salisbury and there should be information there. Any >information regarding this would be most helpful to me. > >Thanks > >Teresa Henslee-Downer > > Katherine Watson Cochrane katherine@cd-info.com http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~kwc & http://www.history-ebooks.com