Wrong Side of History. (Part 1)

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The ability to rationalize our deepest held beliefs and preconceived notions have been persistent throughout history and throughout different cultures. Slavery, economic injustice, misogyny, religious persecution, war and even genocide have been a constant blight on humanity. Countless atrocities fill our history books, committed by people who no doubt considered themselves to be in the right. Whether their reasons for doing so were because of unexamined dogmas of the time and place, fear, or rationalizations to hold ones’ economic position, or a combination of all those reasons, people have had an incredible ability to absolve themselves of the worst crimes against others, while making themselves sound justified, and in some cases, even victimized. Cicero once said “Men decide far more problems by hate, love, lust, rage, sorrow, joy, hope, fear, illusion, or some other inward emotion, than by reality, authority, any legal standard, judicial precedent, or statute.” It seems the process by which we arrive at our exculpation, has not changed.
But there has also been an overall gradual progression toward civilization. What earlier generations considered to be unassailable truths, are in some cases now looked upon as superstition, what was once considered acceptable punishments for crimes, are now considered by most to be barbaric. The trials and burnings of witches, are just one of the many examples of how humankind has moved forward. The trials of witches, ending just over two hundred years ago, (the last witch to be burned at the stake was Anna Maria Schwiigel on April 11, 1775, in Germany) would not be tolerated in today’s society.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. To its credit, Massachusetts realized their folly

and paid restitution to the families of the persecuted around ten years after the end of the Salem witch hysteria. (My family received the funds in 1706.) I think that one reason this happened was that secular government took hold again, restoring sanity and taking away the power of the ministers.

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2. Wow, That's one hell of a history your family has.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

3. My 9-great grandmother died in Salem jail

after being convicted of witchcraft. Why? She was an old widow who had stopped going to church. Her husband had died, and then her beloved daughter was murdered by a drunken husband, who was, in turn, executed for his crime. He grandchildren were scattered. When they came for her, they tortured her into confessing all sorts of things--but she balked at accusing her remaining daughter of witchcraft, and for that was condemned. She died in December before the sentence could be carried out. The family had to provide food and bedding for the prisoners, and that was why they were compensated for their costs. By the time this had happened, her oldest son had died (well before his time; I'm thinking it was the stress of the trial), and his son soon left the area, never to return.

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4. This is the first two paragraphs of a book I'm writing.

Is there any way I could use your family history in the chapter, (yet to be written), on religion? Sounds very interesting.

[madokie]

5. I would sure love to read more

I'll bookmark this thread so as to be able to come back to it later tonight just in case you add any more to this.

Have a great day

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6. Self deleted.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

7. Not much more to tell

Her husband, Andrew, lived to be 106, and was known as The Ancient One in town records. He lived until 1686. Her daughter was murdered in 1689. In the Essex Country records there is the account of her trial. She denied being a witch until the ministers said that her daughter and granddaughter, both named Mary Lacy, were accused; in order to try and save them, Anne agreed that the most outlandish things they accused her of were true. On only one point would she not agree; this was that her daughter and granddaughter were witches. Mary Lacy was able to save herself and her daughter by confessing; Anne was condemned for refusing to betray her daughter and granddaughter.

I did a little research and found Anne's confession online at

http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=stolp&id=I19112

Here it is(as it is public record, I believe I can quote it in its entirety):

"The Devil appeared to her in the shape of a bird at several times, such a bird as she never saw the like before; and she had had this gift (viz., of striking the afflicted down with her eye) ever since. Being asked why she thought that bird
was the Devil, she answered, because he came white and vanished away black; and that the Devil told her she should have this gift, and that she must believe him, and told her she should have prosperity: and she said that he had appeared to her
three times, and always as a bird,and the last time about half a year since, and sat upon a table, had two legs and great eyes, and that it was the second time of his appearance that he promised her prosperity. She further stated, that it was
Goody Carrier that made her a witch. She told her, that, if she would not be a witch, the Devil would tear her to pieces, and carry her away, at which time she promised to serve the Devil; that she was at the meeting of the witches at Salem
Village; that Goody Carrier came, and told her of the meeting, and would have her go: so they got upon sticks, and went said journey, and, being there, did see Mr. Burroughs, the minister, who spake to them all; that there were then twentyfive
persons met together; that she tied a knot in a rag, and threw it into the fire to hurt Timothy Swan and that she did hurt the rest that complained of her by squeezing puppets like them, and so almost choked them;that she and Martha Carrier did
both ride on a stick or pole when they went to the witch meeting at Salem Village, and that the stick broke as they were carried in the air above the tops of the trees, and they fell: but she did hang fast about the neck of Goody Carrier, and
they were presently at the village; that she had heard some of the witches say that there were three hundred and five in the whole country, and that they would ruin that place, the village; that there were also present at that meeting two men
besides Mr. Burroughs, the minister, and one of them had gray hair; and that the discourse among the witches at the meeting in Salem Village was,that they would afflict there to set up the Devil's kingdom".

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8. Wow, How could anyone have ever doubted that account?