A Gaggle of Witches: Shake the Bush family tree and a surprising number of witches come flying out.

Stumped for a Halloween costume? Take a clue from our family tree; dress like an ancestor. Visit a picture of Mary (Bliss) Parsons, my 8^th ggm,

 http://ccbit.cs.umass.edu/parsons/hnmockup/home.html.

 Mary (Bliss) Parsons (1628-1712).

Mary Bliss wed Joseph Parsons in Hartford, MA in 1646. He was a prominent member of the community. Later they moved to Northampton, MA. This was years before the notorious Salem Witch Trials (1692-93). Mary parsons was involved in at least three trials; 1656 for slander, 1674 for witchcraft and again in 1679. She successfully defended herself, although family wealth and connections undoubtedly helped. An educational site for children: http://ccbit.cs.umass.edu/parsons/goodyparsons/.

Pedigree line for Mary (Bliss) Parsons: My 8th great grandmother (through my father’s maternal line):

Mary Bliss (1628 - 1712)

Joseph Parsons (1647 - 1729)  son of Mary Bliss

Daniel Parsons (1685 - 1774) son of Joseph Parsons

Daniel Parsons (1709 - 1760) son of Daniel Parsons

Gideon Parsons (1739 - 1836) son of Daniel Parsons

Gideon Parsons (1779 - 1855) son of Gideon Parsons

Jedidiah Cleveland Parsons (1805 - 1889) son of Gideon Parsons

Mary Parsons (1855 - 1916) daughter of Jedidiah Cleveland Parsons

Jennie Sadie Wheeler (1887 - 1942) daughter of Mary Parsons

Robert William Bush (1920 - 1999) son of Jennie Sadie Wheeler

Jennie Joann Bush (Lambert) daughter of Robert William Bush 

Elizabeth (Periment) Clason (1631-1714)

While searching an ancestral thread for Elizabeth Clason/Clawson, an early finding was an account of a trial in 1692 of a woman from Stamford, Connecticut who was accused of being a witch. The label on a MA site, "Elizabeth Clawson thou art a witch and thou deseruest to dye", caught my attention. See: http://www.ctgenweb.org/county/cofairfield/pages/stamford/witch_trial.htm

What followed was a wealth of information about our ancestor's life and the community of Stamford, and of course her entire trial. After a long ordeal that included dunking and imprisonment, and an extraordinary show of support from the community, charges were dismissed.  She returned home, but suspicion followed her throughout her life. More readings: Escaping Salem: The Other Witch Hunt of 1692. Richard Godbeer. New York: Oxford University Press, 2005.

Subsequently, the whole family became alive through numerous books, blogs and websites.  Circ. 2008 we visited the Stamford, CT Historical Society, just had to get close and personal to events and places. Genealogy can do that to a person.

Pedigree line from Elizabeth Periment: My 8th great grandmother (through my father’s paternal line):

Elizabeth Periment (1631 - 1714) 

Jonathan Clason (1655 - 1685) son of Elizabeth Periment

Stephen Clason (1681 - 1746) son of Jonathan Clason

Susanna Clason (1716 - 1749) daughter of Stephen Clason

James Longwell (1736 - 1814) son of Susanna Clason

Adonijah Longwell (1791 - 1852) son of James Longwell

Eliza Ann Longwell (1824 - 1900) daughter of Adonijah Longwell

Wesley Bush (1845 - 1917) son of Eliza Ann Longwell

Harvey Ray Bush (1886 - 1961) son of Wesley Bush

Robert William Bush (1920 - 1999) son of Harvey Ray Bush

Jennie Joann Bush (Lambert) the daughter of Robert William Bush 

My family also has connections to other "witches"  from the period. Some escaped death; some did not. Perhaps a story for next year.  In any event, by the end of 1693, the religious frenzy and hysteria of the early NE colonies had dissipated and “witch” trials were no longer an accepted way of dealing with one’s fellow colonials. Good thing, too. Otherwise, a lot of us would not be here.

Jennie

This edition of my genealogy blog is a tangle of history and legend. The story of Robin Hood is well known through dozens of books, movies and TV productions. Although fictional, his character is based on well-documented history occurring during the 13^th century. I've been on the “trail” of this Robin Hood character for many years, and here is what I think I know about how my genealogy relates.

One tradition of the real life person on whom the legend of “Robin Hood” was most likely based, was a 13^th century English family named Fulk FitzWarin, I, II and III, but this is primarily about Fulk III. 

"Fulk FitzWarin http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fulk FitzWarin (also called Fulke or Fouke FitzWaryn or FitzWarren, or FitzWalter) was a medieval landed gentleman (Baron) from Whittington Castle in the English county of Shropshire. As a young boy, Fulk III was sent to the court of King Henry II, where he grew up with the future King John. John became his enemy after a childhood quarrel. As an adult, Fulk was stripped of his family's holdings, and took to the woods as an outlaw. One traditional account of his life survives in a French prose manuscript "ancestral romance" containing English, French and Latin texts. A 16th century Middle English version also exists. In any event, the tale of Fulk FitzWarin III has been noted for its parallels to the Robin Hood legend. The Fulk III story has all the right ingredients. It’s a good story, and I’m claiming it.

Now here are the intriguing family connections. Baron Fulk FitzWarin, III, through my mother’s maternal line, turns out to be my 25X ggf. Fulks III’s wife, (a.k.a, Maid Marian) was Maud le Vavasour, Baroness Butler. Butler (Botiller) was a significant family in Ireland and English history. Turns out that through a branch on my father’s paternal side, Maud was my 24 ggm. Anyway, the story of Maud and Fulk is a well-documented, convoluted, involved tale of romance and intrigue through several noble families of Ireland, England and France. And, adding another twist to the story, King John, youngest son of Henry II, and Fulk’s nemeses, is my 25X ggf (through my father’s maternal side).  Other aspects of the story include the Barons’ role in forcing King John to sign the Magna Carta at Runnymede, England, in 1215, subsequent Barons’ wars including the Fitswarin family, and a French invasion of England. William’s genealogy, through his mother’s line, is involved as well, including ties to Maud (er, Maid Marian) through Irish nobility, but that needs to be another story.

So there you have it. Both William and I have genealogical ties to the history involving the legend of Robin Hood. I have included a few links if your interest in history has peaked, including the above story and remains to the Fitswarin Castle at Strobshire.

The Beginning

I have been on this never ending genealogy journey for decades. Recently, however, things have gotten considerably more interesting. Partly because of new computer tools that brings world-wide access to records and kindred journey spirits within reach, and partly because of DNA analysis now available. Still, the journey is mostly a solitary quest, involving a lot of good old gum-shoe labor, constant fact checking, some "where in the h... did that come from" surprises and "dead" ends. 

Luckily, along the way I have met close and distant kin and helpful strangers to accompany me. In the past few years my husband William's interest has grown and we try to incorporate family history into our travels. I have learned more history and geography recently than in all my academic days.

  

So far, the journey has taken me back nearly 1500 years, and there is tantalizing evidence that even deeper dives into the gene pool are possible, at least that is the view of some world-class genealogy gurus that have offered encouragement. Even more fascinating, my husband and I share several historically prominent ancestors at pivotal points during the past 1000 years. Hopefully, future blogs will tease some of these assertions out. Meanwhile, putting a tag of great grand father or great grand mother on a person adds dramatic interest to pages of history, and makes movies like The Lion in Winter "personal."

My desire in creating this blog is to pass along some "discoveries" to children and grandchildren, extended family and interested friends and let them experience this interesting family of ours.

     --Jennie