Leeds in the 1870s

Si · Post by Si » Mon 14 Jun, 2010 12:07 pm

As mentioned earlier, the US version of "Who Do You Think You Are" is being shown on British telly at the moment. The first one (with Sarah Jessica Parker) was on last night. It turns out that her 10X great grandmother was one of the "Salem Witches," but was reprieved.

Dakota · Post by **Dakota** » Mon 14 Jun, 2010 3:38 pm

Salem and the New England area are on my bucket list. The best book I have ever read about the Salem witch trials and kind of how and why the whole event could have taken place is the Physik Book of Deliverance Dane. It's written as a mystery by a woman who had just gotten her PhD in basically the Salem Witch Trials and its main character is a woman who is going for her PhD in the same topic and is trying to figure out what her thesis is going to be when she stumbles across a clue to Deliverance Dane.

Steve Jones · Post by **Steve Jones** » Mon 14 Jun, 2010 9:46 pm

regarding the Salem witch trials Dakota.The best book I have come across about them is actually called "THESE HAUNTED ISLANDS" by Chris Lake, published in 1986 by Redberry press of Jersey.It is about Witchcraft in the Channel Islands.However, it has a large section in it pointing out that Salem and the surrounding area had been settled by people from the Channel Islands who were fishermen that had decided to settle there after fishing the New England coast for decades.They brought with them the superstitions of the Channel islands where there had been a witch craze similiar to that in Salem but in the end of the Sixteenth Century to around 1620.The Mather family came from the islands and had actually been preachers there!I was amazed when I came across this book as I had never heard of the connections before, and it explains a lot of stuff in relation to French and Breton superstition and folklore.Well worth reading if you can find a copy.

Dakota · Post by **Dakota** » Mon 14 Jun, 2010 10:34 pm

Tried downloading on my Kindle but no luck so went to Amazon and they had it so it's supposed to be here in the next couple of weeks. Will make interesting reading.My mom's ancestors were pitched out of the Massachusetts Bay Colony as they didn't ascribe to the strict religious attitudes of the Mather family and other puritans. So they bought land and started what is now Rhode Island. Only, one of the females just couldn't abide by the fact that the people in the Massachusetts Bay Colony were missing the real religious enlightment, so she basically walked back to Boston 3 times to preach to them. She was cast out 2 times and the third time they hung her. And my sister says I'm stubborn.......

dogduke · Post by **dogduke** » Tue 15 Jun, 2010 12:59 am

Hung her ! poor soul,we would probably just stoppedtalking to her or criticised her cleaning methods.Veryharsh some people !

Dakota · Post by **Dakota** » Tue 15 Jun, 2010 1:12 am

well, they did sentence her the first two times to be hung, but ended up just escorting her to the edge of their civilization and pointing her in the direction of Rhode Island, so I guess they figured that she was testing their authority so they pulled out the rope and the stool and the deed was done.

dogduke · Post by **dogduke** » Tue 15 Jun, 2010 1:34 am

Tough times Dakota !Any news of Jane in the family tree yet or or you stillshaking it,seems to be too much of a coincidence not to be included.If Lilysmum is out there I have not forgotten you,just have some pressing family probs to sort out(and the wife is back at work this week so normal service is about to be resumed)Going forth with map and camera at the ready !May have to call at 'The Fountain'to prepare myself though !

Dakota · Post by **Dakota** » Tue 15 Jun, 2010 1:38 am

I believe that Jane was married to a Thomas Wells and I have found a Thomas Wells and am tracking him back to the family gene pool. I'm sure he's swimming around there somewhere, just have to find what lane he's in.

Lilysmum · Post by **Lilysmum** » Tue 15 Jun, 2010 12:05 pm

dogduke wrote: Tough times Dakota !Any news of Jane in the family tree yet or or you stillshaking it,seems to be too much of a coincidence not to be included.If Lilysmum is out there I have not forgotten you,just have some pressing family probs to sort out(and the wife is back at work this week so normal service is about to be resumed)Going forth with map and camera at the ready !May have to call at 'The Fountain'to prepare myself though ! Hi Dogduke,was away on holiday last week and going again next week!!! Just whenever you have the time is fine and thank you for your help. My family tree looks very dull compared to Dakota's, I'd love to unearth a bit of intrigue

Dakota · Post by **Dakota** » Tue 15 Jun, 2010 3:36 pm

and we haven't even talked about great Aunt Clara yet.