Genealogy

Anyone watch the show Friday night with Sarah Jessica Parker discovering who her ancestors were?  I loved it!  Being an amatuer genealogist for 25 years you can't help but get excited when anyone discovers their roots!  Well anyway, her search led back to Salem, Massachusettes where she found an ancestor who was there during the time period of the witch trials.  Her tension mounted as she waited for documents to show her which side of the story her ancestor was on.  Finally she was shown a paper that indicated her ancestor was accused of the crime of witchcraft but never punished and the jury was disbanded before the trial ever started.

Knowing I had Salem ancestors also I set about to see what I could locate and sure enough I found they were in Salem at the same time period.  All of a sudden I felt the same dread that Sarah did, wondering were they accusers, the accused or a part of the town folk that stood on a side of the hysteria. . . . . . . but which side?  It didn't take long to locate them and to my relief, found they stood against the accusers and beside the accused.  In fact, my ancestors signed a petition testifying to the good character of Renecca Nurse, one of the most notable of those accused and hanged.  So finally after all the years of knowing I had ancestors in Salem, I now can feel good knowing that they were not a part of what propelled the tragedies in that place and time.  Actually I found lists of "accusers" and they were never mentioned among them.

So yes, when I'm not designing or stitching, I'm usually "digging up bones" as I've long called it.  Some of my designs reflect my love of history and family genealogy.  Mayflower Landing celebrates my Mayflower ancestors and Coming to America was designed to celebrate my Irish ancestors.  I wonder what I'll do with Salem. . . . . . . . I wonder. . . . . . . . . . 

Do any of you have a firm connection to Salem during this period in time?  Do you know who your ancestors were?  Let me know!