Everything but a witch

Everything but a witch.

I thought of this idea for a title or theme to write about while lying in bed one morning. I was pretty much avoiding the day, so let the idea twirl around in my head, which in turn churned up some other good ideas. Since I was trying to be intentional about actually writing when I get an idea, as opposed to just writing it in my head and promptly losing track it in the general busy-ness of life, I got up and headed for the computer.  That was about 7:45 on a Sunday morning.

Clearly there was something magical about the idea – prophetic even.  By 2:10 that afternoon, I had found a witch.  No kidding.

Since I’ve discovered more branches of my family tree firmly planted in colonial America, I find I have a veritable checklist of American historical stereotypes. My tree has pilgrims and Puritans, farmers and founders, lawmakers and soldiers who fought to protect their homes and ways of life, first against the native Americans they took their land from, and both for and against independence from Britain. When I finally got up, I checked a map to see where Salem is located in relation to the family settlements of Springfield and Concord, as I have no real knowledge of current or colonial Massachusetts geography. Not terribly far, but not so near either. I supposed I might very well come across a witch, but really with around 20,000 emigrants to the colonies during the witch hunt period, what were the odds?

Apparently, they were pretty good.  I was broadening a new tree branch and found multiple marriages between two families so was gathering more detail than I might normally do (yep, another rabbit hole). While using findagrave.com, I noticed someone had clipped some text from a book or article and used it as that person’s profile photo, rather than the common photo of a tombstone or cemetery sign. Skimming through it, the words “…sister’s trial for witchcraft” caught my eye. And really, caught is an understatement. It reached out and grabbed me, not unlike a cartoon character whose eyes pop out and extend 3 feet in front of it, accompanied by an Owwoooogah sound effect. What the WHAT? Ok, now this has my full attention. It took me a minute to figure out who the players were, as the article was about the accused witch’s brother, but posted on his wife’s memorial page.

While not a direct ancestor of mine, Mary Bliss Parsons, the aunt of my 10^th great-aunt’s husband was accused of witchcraft in 1674 by a neighbour in Northampton, Massachusetts. The neighbour had previously claimed Mary was the cause of their poor fortunes, and the ill health of their children and livestock. Mary was said to have a strong personality (code for a big mouth? Opinionated?), and the Parsons’ family were healthy and prosperous, so the rumours started to circulate. The Parsons successfully sued the neighbour for slander in 1656, but after the sudden death of the neighbour’s daughter in July 1674, a formal charge of witchcraft was made. From Wikipedia; “In September 1675, the local magistrates ordered a search of Parsons’ body for "Witches' marks". It is not known if any marks were found. The magistrates then decided to send her to Boston for trial at the Court of Assistants. After a trial, the court in Boston acquitted Parsons of witchcraft.”  She was very lucky to have missed the hysteria of the Salem witch trials of 1692-93. Even following her acquittal, rumours persisted so strongly that the family moved to another town in the colony. It wasn’t enough though and rumours followed her until her death at age 84 – 37 years after she was exonerated.

 

It’s not lost on me that present day Brenda would have a good chance of standing in Mary’s shoes. It has taken me a long time to learn when to shut my mouth, longer still to master the ability to do so before I say what I’m thinking. And haven’t we all fallen victim to malicious and hurtful rumour?

Just goes to show human nature hasn’t changed much in 400 years. Salacious rumours will always linger on in memory far longer than actual facts.  The social game can win. Strong women are often seen as a threat that jealous people will go to great lengths to tear down.

And sometimes, just sometimes, we can conjure up what we are looking for. So, three cheers for magical thinking, and to Wilbur Burt who took the time to attach the text on findagrave.com.

Want to know more?    Wiki for Mary Bliss Parsons,  Brief History of Salem Witch trials