Thanks Cynthia, My Caledonia ancestors migrated from Maine, Canada, Scotland, NH and MA. The names I'm searching are SMITH, CLARK, HOOPER, EMERY, WELCH, LADEAU, CUSHING, DECKER and PROPER to name a few. They were mostly from and around the Groton area. Don (If you haven't visited already, please stop by my Web Site at http://pages.cthome.net/smitty) -----Original Message----- From: Cynthia [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Monday, August 23, 1999 1:24 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [VTCALEDO] Re: Why Caledonia county ? Donald: This is being sent to Caledonia County because of migration patterns of the Connecticut River Valley.....many of the later generations from settlers of the earlier settlements on the Connecticut River in Conn and Mass...migrated to Vermont between 1750-1820. Surnames given in the town histories give genealogist/family researchers clues as to where their surnames may have come from , especially if they have gone back far enough to do so. Maybe your surnames didnt migrate from the areas mentioned but at a later date (.that is if you dont see them on any of the early town histories from 1633-1750 in Mass or Conn.) I am in Mass but I have numerous ancestors scattered in Windham co.,Windsor Co, and Caledonia county of Vermont and they all orginated in the early towns of Mass and Conn. As to SMITH and witchcraft......there are several descendants from this Smith of Hadley living in Vermont. As for BLISS and PARSON families.....there are descendants all over Mass and Vt and some NH as well......I got email from several of them. Hope this answers your question........ Cynthia listowner [email protected] Donald L Smith wrote: > Curious as to why this is being sent to the VTCALEDO list? > > -----Original Message----- > From: Cynthia [mailto:[email protected]] > Sent: Saturday, August 21, 1999 1:21 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: [VTCALEDO] Re: Witchcraft in Springfield and Hadley--another > witch...named SMITH > > Carol: > I am forwarding your email to my Conn River Valley list and the other > "sister lists" so others can see your Smith who was excuted for > witchcraft.......maybe there is another person on one of the lists that > share > your Smith name. > Cynthia > Listmanager > [email protected] > > Carol Houghton wrote: > Hello List > My 8th Grandfather was Phillip Smith of Hadley and the following is a > exerpt that I have in my files of his death "by witchcraft". > Philip SMITH - b. Apr. 30, 1632; bap. Nov. 1632, Hadleigh, Suffolk, England; > d. Jan. 10, 1684/5, Hadley, MA, being "murdered with a hideous witchcraft," > in the words of Cotton Mather. Son of Samuel SMITH and Elizabeth SMITH. > Married about 1657, Wethersfield, CT. The following extracts provide the > story > of the death of Philip SMITH. >From The Magnalia Christi > Americana, > by Cotton Mather - 1702. > Mr. Philip Smith, aged about 50 years, a son of eminently virtuous parents, > a deacon of a church in Hadley, a member of the General Court, a justice in > the County Court, a selectman for the affairs of the town, a Lieutenant of > the troop, and which crowns all, a man for devotion, sanctity, gravity, and > all that was honest, exceeding exemplary. Such a man was in the winter of > the year 1684, murdered with an hideous witchcraft, that filled all those > parts of New England, with astonishment. He was, by his office concerned > about relieving the indigences of a wretched woman in the town; who being > > > dissatisfied at some of his just cares about her, expressed herself unto > him > > in such a manner, that he declared himself thenceforth apprehensive of > > receiving mischief at her hands. Early in January, he began to be very > > valetudinarious. He shewed such weanedness from the weariness of the > world, > > etc.... While he remained yet of a sound mind, he solemnly charged his > > brother to look well after him. Be sure (said he) to have a care for > me.... > > There shall be a wonder in Hadley.... In his distress he exclaimed much > upon > > the young woman aforesaid, and others, as being seen by him in the room. > > Some of the young men in the town being out of their wits at the strange > > calamities thus upon one of their most beloved neighbors, went three or > four > > times to give disturbance unto the woman thus complained of; and all the > > while they were disturbing her, he was at ease, and slept as a weary man; > > yea, these were the only times they perceived him to take any sleep in all > > his illness. Gally pots of medicine provided for the sick man were > > unaccountably emptied: audible scratchings were made about the bed, when > his > > hands and feet lay wholly still, and were held by others. They beheld fire > > sometimes on the bed; and when the beholders began to discourse of it, it > > vanished away. Divers people actually felt something often stir in the > bed, > > at a considerable distance from the man; it seemed as big as a cat, but > they > > could never grasp it. Several trying to lean on the bed's head, tho' the > > sick man lay wholly still, the bed would shake so as to knock their heads > > uncomfortably. Mr. Smith dies; the jury that viewed his corpse found a > > swelling on one breast, his back full of bruises, and several holes that > > seemed made with awls. After the opinion of all had pronounced him dead, > his > > countenance continued as lively as if he had been alive; his eyes closed > as > > in a slumber, and his nether jaw not falling down. Thus he remained from > > Saturday morning about sunrise, till Sabbathday in the aftenoon. When > those > > who took him out of the bed, found him still warm, tho' the season was as > > cold as had almost been known in any age; and a New England winter does > not > > want for cold. But on Monday morning they found the face extremely > tumified > > and discolored. It was black and blue, and fresh blood seemed running down > > his cheek upon the hairs. Divers noises were also heard in the room where > > the corpse lay; as the clattering of chairs and stools, whereof no account > > could be given. This was the end of so good a man. > > > > >From History of Hadley, by Sylvester Judd - 1863. > > > > Mary Webster, the woman who disturbed Philip Smith, was sent to Boston, > > tried for witchcraft, and acquitted. The young men of Hadley tried an > > experiment upon her. They dragged her out of the house, hung her up until > > she was near dead, let her down, rolled her some time in the snow, and at > > last buried her in it, and there left her. But she survived, and died in > > 1696. No inhabitant of Hampshire Co. was ever executed for witchcraft. > > > > Carol Sherman Houghton > > > > Researching: Sherman, Briggs, Smith, Dexter, Carpenter, Lovejoy, > > Matthewson, Hall, Mosher in MA, RI and ME > > Houghton, Franklin, Palmer, Moore, Jewell, Rickerson in Pa, WVa, Va and NY > > > > _______________________________________________________________ > > Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com > > > > ============================== > > Search more than 274 MILLION NAMES and find your ancestors at > Ancestry.com! > > Get started today at http://www.ancestry.com/rootswebtext.asp