Colonial Virginia’s most notorious witch trial

Witchy Wisdom
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Hi everyone I’m super excited to share with you this interesting article I discovered about Va. So you’ve heard about the Salem witch trials but did you know about the dark history of colonial Virginia’s most notorious witch trials that took place right in my hometown in Chesapeake and Princess Ann county in 1706? In va beach we have a rd called Witchduck and I was intrigued to read all about the history of how that road came to be and the dark history of Va that you can read about right here! Grace Sherwood (ca. 1660–1740) - Encyclopedia Virginia :crystal_ball::sparkles: Powers of the Witches Rise: The Chesapeake Witches | Leigh Goff

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Ooo yes! I found this when we did the Ancestor Work challenge! I’m related to her & it sprouted a whole dive into my family tree :laughing: I found all kinds of things!

Its a great piece of history & there’s more than just them too!

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Oh wow that is so fascinating to know your related to her! I also discovered this one it was truly a mind blowing find for me to discover this stuff today I had no idea. Lol :sparkles::sparkles:Powers of the Witches Rise: The Chesapeake Witches | Leigh Goff What

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Oh! I read about them too on the Geni World site projects. I didn’t realize there is a published book about them! Ah! I’m going to have to look into them! I’ll see if I can find the others too. They are from Colonial America in that area but I can’t remember the state.

I’m going on a hunt now & adding a book to my wishlist! :revolving_hearts:

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Sweet, thanks for sharing this, everytime I venture to the other side of the water I always say that road outloud and never knew why, I even look for it when passing on the highway, LOL. I have heard about the history here and no wonder I feel at home here even though I am from Massachusetts.

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So I go on a hunt for names in the 2nd one you posted & I’m related to the Earl Wizard Gerald Fitzgerald of Kildare Ireland & his father who was also known to practice the “black arts” & shapeshift :rofl: & I’m related to a couple others involved in the Maryland ones too. Now I’m all engrossed in the Maryland Witch Trials & Virgina Witch trials. :laughing:

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Did you use a specific place to look up the info? You know how I was talking about roots.

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I had started my family tree on Ancestry in the early 2000s then moved it to MyHeritage in the 2010s & from there uploaded it to GeniWorld around 2021. Which is like a World Family Tree. Then I had my DNA profile done through there & uploaded that so it connects you to others with the same groupings in your DNA.

As more people add to it, it goes back past the medieval times & you can find relatives from long before now. It will run a blood relative path & an in law path for you if you ask it to. So I just searched the names & then my relative path.

When you are on the their profiles it will give you their history & any associated information with them.

I think there is another site that will do it too… familysearch.org? I’m not sure if thats right though.

It’s in the challenge I linked, another member had used it to find her relatives from earlier.

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Thank you so much @Susurrus I did sign up for Ancestry and then deleted it long ago. I have heard of the others you have mentioned and will have to check them out. I think it is about time to not be scared, LOL.

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I had my DNA done for Ancestry & then for MyHeritage did myself, father, & daughter. MyHeritage partners with GeniWorld, but they have a different DNA system. However you can search from 1 & it will bring you results from the other.

The more prominent profiles will have MP (Master Profiles) & curators. So you can merge into them but the curators are the only ones that can change any information because they are like the professionals of those family lines.

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Sweet, thanks for the heads up on that information.

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You’re very welcome! :blush:

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Witch history sure is interesting- it’s amazing how it influenced and shaped many places and societies around the world! It does tend to be pretty dark though.

I guess on a happier note, seeing witch history makes me appreciate the freedoms and protections many witches have today. It opens the door for us to be able to make positive witchy memories to go into the history books! :books: :blush:

Thank you so much for sharing, @crystal59! :heart:

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