Vol. 21, No. 15 - February 21, 2016
Site of Salem Witch Trial Hangings Discovered: Why It’s Important to Genealogists |
|
Nineteen people were executed by hanging during the 1692 Salem witch trials, with a 20th being pressed to death to try to force a confession from him (to his credit, he never plead one way or the other, knowing the city could take his property from his heirs if he said anything). The tradition has long been that the victims of the witch trials were hanged on the summit of Gallows Hill, and their bodies were buried together in
a shallow pit at the site, since, as convicted witches, they would not be allowed burial in consecrated ground in the city cemetery.
Yet, the story of the place of the hangings and what happened to the bodies is only that… tradition. While there is usually a truth behind historical and genealogical traditions, the real story can often get lost in the retelling. This is what happened with the Salem witch trial executions. Fortunately,
new research has revealed the actual location of the hangings and the likely fate of the bodies of those who were hanged there. This is important to genealogists with Salem roots in several ways...
|
This Week’s Free Genealogy Lookups |
|
- 1900 Census Index: New England, CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, and VT
- 1900 Census Index: DE, DC, MD, PA, OH, VA, and
WV
- 1910 Census, Idaho
Index
- Roll of Honor: Civil War Union Soldiers Military Records
- Immigrants to America, 1600’s-1800’s
|
Techniques for Finding Your Ancestor’s Home or Land |
Locating the home of an ancestor, or the land on which they lived is an exciting part of genealogy. Being able to locate these places and visit the in person gives you a much closer connection to your ancestors and a deeper understanding of what their lives were like. There is nothing quite like standing on the steps of your ancestor’s old home, or on the land where their home once stood, to give you the impression of
traveling back in time to when your ancestor lived there.
Even though the landscape may have changed, you know you are standing where they once stood, and seeing at least some of the things they saw when they lived there. Those things alone can help you imagine your ancestors’ lives in much more vivid detail. This is especially true in historic areas that haven’t changed much over the centuries, though it is true to some degree anywhere. Here’s
how to find the location of your ancestor’s home or land...
|
|
|
|
Latest Genealogy Gold Podcast
|
Are you having difficulty figuring out the best way to organize your family photos? Here are some suggestions that work…
|
|
|
|
Click here to submit your Hard to Find Surname. © 1995-2015 Ancestral Findings. All Rights Reserved |
|
|
|
