I apologize for my poor choice of words. I did not mean to be insensitive. I don't believe the atrocities were "fun" for either the accused or the accusers. As a genealogist, it is "interesting" and "provocative" (and at times even "fun") to find mention of an ancestors name in the history books. Would you like to know the information I have found about Joseph Ring included the following from: Old Families of Salisbury and Amesbury, Massachusetts," by David W. Hoyt (Reprint 1897-1919. New England History Press, Somersworth, NH, 1981) p.298,359,385,821,1002. Death: (1) Estate administered 30 May 1705. (2) A Joseph Ring taken captive by Indians, tortured and burned at the stake in revenge for their losses in the attack on Berwick, ME, 1704. This correlates with other information I have found on this ancestor. Despite the tone (intended or not) of many of your messages, I do appreciate this opportunity to grow and learn about this part of history. Since being in Salem and Danvers, I have developed a deep interest in these trials. I have been moved to tears while standing at the monuments, and have come away with wanting to learn all I can. That is the reason I joined this list. Again, please accept my apology for my poor choice of words. Darlene

My tone in responding to Darlene's comments was rather arrogant and I apologize for the attitude. When James Cameron asked for a minute of silence for the TITANIC victims at the 1998 Academy Awards ceremony, I was skeptical. Louis B. Mayer never issued similar apologies for GONE WITH THE WIND. Considering it had been 85 years after the ship sank, contemporary folk had been distanced from it long enough. I hadn't heard anyone complain about exploitation, although when Cameron pulled that stunt I surely felt they were. My feeling was that if the families of the accident victims hadn't recovered from it by 1997, they must be pathetically lacking gumption. You can say the same for those of us with ancestors caught in the Salem Witch Trial tangle. Honestly, when I first mentioned to my mother that Susannah Martin had been vindicated by the State of Massachusetts last year, she had asked what the point was. Although some families recovered what they lost, the Martins, for whatever reason, chose not to pursue this course of action. I can imagine how it would look if we did so now; however when you consider how most of the others who were executed had been posthumously declared innocent, it was fair. >From what I understand, the four girls who were the primary accusers in the trials, never lived it down. They were shunned by most of the community and only two of them married when they moved out of the area. As Darlene points out, karma caught up with Joseph Ring when he was captured by the Natives. Genealogists can be formidable historians. Learning about what happened before us is fun, but it's accumulating knowledge for its own sake. (Was it Ben Franklin who said "Those who don't learn from history are condemned to repeat it?") While we feel for the suffering of our ancestors, I don't believe anyone feels truly hostile about what happened between our ancestors 310 years ago. Some of our later ancestors even intermarried between the two "political camps." I have one friend who claims he was descended from the "illegitimate progeny" of Charles II of England. It's a fun claim to make, but that isn't what got him where he is in this world. Alas, I ramble. I apologize if I put anyone off. Adrienne