Whelp it looks like Iāll be digging into my past. LOL! I donāt usually do ancestor work, so this will be different.
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I have an idea for this challenge!
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Oh my perfect! 
Really good timing with the last few challenges & where I am right now! 
Iām excited for this one! 
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image from Wikipedia
Oh, what a fun challenge! In Virginia, of course, family history is practically a religion and I grew up hearing all kinds of colorful stories about my ancestors, hopefully some of them true, such as some famous duels on my fatherās side.
And howās that for fun coincidences!
Oh, what a fun challenge! In Virginia, of course, family history is practically a religion and I grew up hearing all kinds of colorful stories about my ancestors, hopefully some of them true, such as some famous duels on my fatherās side.
On both sides, weāve lived in Virginia since the 1600s, so the first thing I did was check to see if I was related to anyone accused of witchcraft in the colonial area.
Using the free FamilySearch.org, I was able to plug in names of Grace White Sherwood, the so-called āWitch of Pungo,ā and some other names from witchcraft trials but none of these seemed to be related to me.
I also checked the Salem accused, and there, too, I have no direct relatives.My folks came from England and Wales so I always check out famous people from the U.K.
I put in Pamela Colman Smith (who is the illustrator of the Rider-Waite Tarot), and it turns out I am her 9th cousin, so that is kind of cool. Her birthday happens to be February 16 so happy birthday, dear cousin And howās that for fun coincidences! Big fan of her and her work so Iām delighted to erect an altar to memory at midnight on her birthday.
Thank you, Bry, for another fun challenge! (PS I found out I am also distantly related to Elvis and QEII - try FamilySearch.org, itās a gas!)
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I am glad you have an idea Megan thatās great!
Recently my cousins son was murdered and I would like to remember him! He always had a smile and he was crazy in a way like me. He had a tattoo The Eye of Ra on his face! He was funny and so non judgmental and I loved that about him! Any way I think I will honor him!
So I will make a alter for him!
Jeannie
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Okay, so I was inspired by @mary25 entry & decided to go a different route with my entry. I know itās long, but I got excited. So believe it or not, I only included the most interesting relationships I have to everything under the āwitchcraftā umbrella. 
Challenge Entry
I have my family tree up on Geni - World Family Tree & there are āprojectsā that you can look into & people related to them. So I started searching through them & when I got to the pages with the list of names - I went through & checked ones that have been known throughout history & some that were just interesting names honestly. Some of these relationships to me are:
- blood relatives
- in-law relationships
- a mouthful to say & actually figure out even though they are in writingā¦
The witchcraft case of Grace Sherwood is one of the best-known in Virginia. She was accused of bewitching a neighborās crop in 1698. Allegations grew over time until the Princess Anne County government and her accusers decided she would be tested by ducking since the water was considered pure and would not permit a witch to sink into its depths. On July 10th, 1706 at ten of the clock, Sherwoodās accusers tied her thumbs to big toes cross-bound and dropped her into the western branch of the Lynnhaven River near what is now known as Witchduck Point. Sherwood floated, a sign of guilt. She was imprisoned but was eventually released. Sherwood lived the rest of her life quietly and died in 1740. Was she really a witch or was Grace a woman before her time? She was a healer, a midwife, and a friend to the children and animals. Grace Sherwood history courtesy of Belinda Nash
In the Trial of 1706 at Witchduck Point, 10 AM July 10th, 1706, Grace Sherwood, the daughter of a carpenter and the wife of a planter in the county of Princess Anne, was accused by neighbors of witchcraft. Grace was tried in the second Princess Anne County Courthouse, found guilty, and consented to the traditional trial by water. She was incarcerated in the local jail. After her release, Grace paid the back taxes on her property in 1714, returned to her farm, and worked the land until her death at age 80 in the autumn of 1740. Grace Sherwood, Virginiaās only convicted witch tried by water, lays claim to Witchduck Road. Her legend lives on as āThe Infamous Witch of Pungoā.
Virginia Governor Pardons Grace Sherwood
āI am pleased to join the Mayor of Virginia Beach in extending best wishes as you work to promote justice in the 1706 āWitch Duckingā case of Grace Sherwood. With 300 years of hindsight, we can all agree that trial by water is an injustice. We also can celebrate the fact that womanās equality is constitutionally protected today, and women have the freedom to pursue their hopes & dreams. The historical records that survive indicate that Ms. Sherwood, a midwife and widowed mother of three, survived her ātrial by waterā in 1706. Those records also indicate that one of my predecessors, Governor Alexander Spotswood, eventually helped her reclaim her property. The record also indicates Ms. Sherwood led an otherwise quiet and law-abiding life until she died at the age of 80. Today, July 10, 2006, as 70th Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, I am pleased to officially restore the good name of Grace Sherwood. Sincerely, Timothy M. Kaine, Governor, Commonwealth of Virginiaā
Grace Sherwood is known today, 300 years belated, as the only deceased person in Virginia to be exonerated.
Grace White is my third cousin 7 times removed; wifeās first cousinās husbandās great-grandmother.
āThis County of Lancashire ā¦ now may lawfully be said to abound as much in Witches of divers kinds as Seminaries, Jesuites, and Papistsā (from Thomas Potts (1613) The Wonderfull Discoverie of Witches in the County of Lancasterā)
The trials of the Pendle witches in 1612 are among the most famous witch trials in English history, and some of the best recorded of the 17th century. The twelve accused lived in the area around Pendle Hill in Lancashire and were charged with the murders of ten people by witchcraft. All but two were tried at Lancaster Assizes on 18ā19 August 1612, along with the Samlesbury witches and others, in a series of trials that have become known as the Lancashire witch trials. One was tried at York Assizes on 27 July 1612, and another died in prison. Of the eleven who went to trial ā nine women and two men ā ten were found guilty and executed by hanging; one was found not guilty.
Six of the Pendle witches came from one of two families, each at the time headed by a woman in her eighties: Elizabeth Southerns (aka Demdike), her daughter Elizabeth Device, and her grandchildren James and Alizon Device; Anne Whittle (aka Chattox), and her daughter Anne Redferne. The others accused were Jane Bulcock and her son John Bulcock, Alice Nutter, Katherine Hewitt, Alice Gray, and Jennet Preston. The outbreaks of witchcraft in and around Pendle may demonstrate the extent to which people could make a living by posing as witches. Many of the allegations resulted from accusations that members of the Demdike and Chattox families made against each other, perhaps because they were in competition, both trying to make a living from healing, begging, and extortion.
I searched for some other related projects, one of them being Metaphysics & within that search was Transcendentalism; one of the core beliefs is an ideal spirituality that transcends the physical & empirical & is only realized through the individualās intuition. I also looked through some other projects for Metaphysics, Astrology, Witchcraft, the Occult, & a couple of others.
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Ralph Waldo Emerson - Ralph Waldo Emerson (May 25, 1803 ā April 27, 1882) was an American essayist, lecturer, philosopher, and poet who led the transcendentalist movement of the mid-19th century. He was seen as a champion of individualism and a prescient critic of the countervailing pressures of society, and he disseminated his thoughts through dozens of published essays and more than 1,500 public lectures across the United States. From Ralph Waldo Emerson - Wikipedia
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Henry David Thoreau
Quote from Henry David
āWith every child begins the world again.ā
A descendant of Mayflower passenger, Richard Warren.
Henry David Thoreau was born in Concord, Massachusetts on his grandmotherās farm on July 12, 1817 (āThoreauā 96). Thoreau, who was of French-Huguenot and Scottish-Quaker ancestry, was baptized as David Henry Thoreau, but at the age of twenty, he legally changed his name to Henry David.
Henry David Thoreau was an American author, poet, naturalist, tax resister, development critic, surveyor, historian, philosopher, and leading transcendentalist. He is best known for his book Walden a reflection upon simple living in natural surroundings, and his essay, Civil Disobedience an argument for individual resistance to civil government in moral opposition to an unjust state.
From: Henry David Thoreau - Wikipedia
Henry David Thoreau is my 6th cousin 6 times removed.
Other interesting relationships that I have are to:
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Sara Northup Hollister ā a major figure in the Pasadena branch of the Ordo Templi Orientis, a society founded by the English occultist Aleister Crowley. She had a turbulent relationship with John Whiteside the head of the Pasadena OTO & who also married her sister Helen. Sara was a committed member known as āSoror (Sister) Cassapā but had acquired a reputation for disruptiveness & Crowley denounced her as a āvampire.ā ā Sara is my 10th great auntās fifth great nieceās ex-husbandās ex-wife
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Aleister Crowley is my third great uncleās first cousin four times removed wifeās third great nieceās husbandās great uncleās wifeās great-grandson
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Carl Jung ā one of the most well-known pioneers in the field of dream analysis, a Swiss psychiatrist, an influential thinker, & the founder of analytical psychology. ā Carl Jung is my 12th cousin five times removed
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Nostradamus (Michel Nostradamus) was a French apothecary and reputed seer who published collections of prophecies that have since become famous worldwide. Known as a master astrologer, was famous for his healing powers, & also a āseerā. Nostradamus is my 16th great grandfatherās wifeās sisterās husbandās wifeās fourth great nephewās wifeās father
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W. B. Yeats ā was an Irish poet and dramatist, and one of the foremost figures of 20th-century literature. He studied poetry in his youth and was fascinated by Irish legends and the occult from an early age. Those topics feature in the first phase of his work, which lasted roughly until the turn of the 20th century. is my 14th cousin 8 times removed & a Nobel Prize in Literature recipient.
This challenge led me to find out some interesting information about my genealogy & ties to witchcraft, the occult, metaphysics, astrology & other different aspects of the craft that have been explored throughout history.
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@Amaris_Bane Iām thrilled you like the topic, Amaris! I remember from your past posts about the great ancestor work youāve done previously- Iām looking forward to hearing how youāll jump back into your altars/process! Good luck 
@Kasandra How exciting! I have a teeny percentage of Scottish in my DNA chart but I donāt know much at all about my family there. And I certainly donāt know much about Pre-Christian Scotland- Iām looking forward to hearing about what you find (as well as any rituals you might craft)! 
@Aurora_Hestia Youāre very welcome, Aurora- I know not everyone is close to/fond of/interested in their blood kin, but as witches I strongly feel we have more kin than just ābloodā, we have that strong bond of magick too! Itās always interesting to learn about our witchy ancestors who paved the path for us today. If you do decide to explore our witchy history, Iāll look forward to reading about what you discover! 
@Garnet Full respect to you, Garnet- sometimes a challenge is about sizing it up, saying ānope, not for me!ā, and moving on. Iāll hope that next weekās challenge will be more up your alley, my friend! Blessed be
@AileyGrey Hooray! Iām happy itās a theme that resonates with your current work, Ailey! 
@Amethyst Something different, out of the ordinary! You always do great even in the face of a challenge, Amethyst, Iām excited to see how youāll tackle this theme! Good luck
@MeganB Ohhhhh Iām excited to see this idea of yours come to life! Good luck, Megan! 
@mary25 Beautiful reflection on your heritage, Mary, and thank you so much for sharing the link! I opened it up and felt like Pandora and the box haha- thereās so much to explore! Iāve used Ancestry but not this site yet and it looks like a fun place to search around. Iāll have to see if I canāt find any famous ancestors in the list haha. Great work and thanks again!
@Jeannie1 Iām so sorry for the loss of your cousinsā son- he sounds like he was a really warm and great person. I think making an altar in his honor is a very thoughtful idea, Iām wishing you all the best with it, Jeannie! Good luck 
@Susurrus I can feel the excitement and inspiration in your words, Siofra- itās clear that heritage is a theme that is close to your heart! And how neat to explore your bond with Grace Sherwood, she has quite the story! As for transcendentalism, I remember doing a unit about that in school and not really paying attention (shame on me! Haha) but recently Iāve been hearing about Emerson and Thoreau quite a bit- that is so cool that youāre related to Thoreau!!! 
Youāve got some really amazing people in your lineage, Siofra- how fun to see, thank you so much for sharing!
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I have always had a fascination with doing my genealogy. I remember when I learned that I am a direct descendant of Bishop Hans Herr, the founder of the Mennonite church who ābrought it overā from Germanic Europe & then spent years traveling back & forth to bring others to America to practice. That was a fun discovery & there are books about his direct lineage through the early 1900s that I have a copy of too.
I was beside myself when I realized that her side was part of the original colonial settlers in PA & VA so many years ago. I have some newspaper stories & records from then that are just so interesting to go through & the pictures too!
Itās funny because thatās all mainly from my birth motherās side of the family & itās fascinating. Still, I am so not connected with that side in a personal kind of way like I am to my fatherās side which is primarily Irish 
, Italian 
, and Sicilian areas. I have a line that goes back to the island of Cyprus too.
Definitely fascinating & some amazing relationships in there that I would never have thought to look for if it wasnāt for this challenge & @mary25ās entry. I wound up in a huge rabbit hole. There are so many more, but I kept it to the most interesting to me & as short as I possibly could but it was so exciting! I actually had to scale it back once I saw how long the original entry was
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Thatās amazing! Those are some of the most interesting people in history! How wonderfully magical. I really enjoyed learning about their backgrounds, too
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Thank you for the inspiration @mary25 I truly enjoyed the rabbit hole! If we have another ancestor-themed challenge I will have to add in some of the others that I found in there when I went through the projects & it tells you if you are connected & how. For some of them, I only listed the blood relations but had actually been connected through a blood relative & in-law which is pretty cool & crazy to me at the same time!
I had to add the little blurbs too for them (thereās actually a lot more information about some of them on the site & then it lists other resources) but the Grace Sherwood White case was soooo intriguing because I have ancestors from there way back when aside from the relation to her. As soon as I saw that area with witch trials, I was likeā¦ somehow I have ancestors involved in thatā¦
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This phrase speaks to me! My husband will tell you that genealogy is my ālove languageāā¦I am constantly falling down rabbit holes of ancestry. It looks like you have too! I so enjoyed reading your family history and all the wonderful connections you have to fame.
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@mary25 & @Trixie_Thojrne I have found that to be true for VA & PAā¦ I was given a āFamily Bibleā which is an original print from the 1800s in PA, this thing is so thick & heavy! I canāt remember where it says it was printed in PA, but within it is a section for family pictures & then there are all kinds of clippings & stories & family lines done within it in the back with events, dates, places, and people. I had put it away so nothing would happen to it by accident.
I have another family tree that had been started even further back & actually is set up kind of like an actual tree with each marriage a part of a branch then their children make another type of branch off of the main branch. I will have to see if I can find that oneā¦ also put in a safe place because I didnāt want to ruin it.
Itās really interesting to look through but also a little intimidating because of the age, I donāt want to ruin anything that is inside. I have found some original soap labels from that time in there & others. The family lines go back to the early 1700s & earlier in some places. They definitely kept records of family happenings meticulously!
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Challenge Entry
The ship has sailed a long time ago on me digging into my ancestors, but I do have an Ancestry DNA account that at least helped me find a starting place.
According to my DNA, I am:
- 45% England and Northwestern Europe
- 17% Sweden and Denmark
- 17% Scotland
- 13% Germanic
It explains a lot of my interest in European paganism and traditions in general. I spent a lot of time prior to my āofficialā witch journey learning about the Nordic/Scandinavian ways of living and in a lot of ways, that led me to actively pursuing witchcraft. Norse paganism has also been an interest of mine for years. So my ancestry definitely affects my practice as all of this has been a natural interest - even before I knew more about my DNA or when I started my magickal journey.
So I used this info to dig into European witches a bit more and found some interesting things. While I was familiar with Joan of Arc, I wasnāt familiar with the fact that she was accused of witchcraft and burned at the stake for it.
https://www.history.com/news/joan-arc-burned-stake
I also spent some time learning about the first Swedish witch to be executed (Lasses Birgitta) and the last (Anna Eriksdotte). Eventually that led me to the the Vƶlva - Viking witches, which I found the most interesting in my research.
I found the way the seeress practiced to be super interesting (the importance of the staff, speaking with spirits, and more) and then learned a lot about witchās salve/flying ointment as the seeds were found buried with a Vƶlva and it tied in perfectly with me learning about a new herb every day.
There were SO many rabbit holes that I went down with all of this that made it super exciting. I feel like this challenge really helped me as I felt like I was missing out on something by having limited information on my heritage. Now I feel like thereās SO much for me to explore and learn from.
Looking forward to seeing everyone elseās entries!
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@Susurrus You are so fortunate to have the family Bible in your possession! I am the genealogist for a local lineage society and work with Bibles that are sometimes the only remaining proof of lineage when old documents in city halls were lost to fire or just not kept at the city level at all. Itās a real treasure!
I know youāre worried about handling it, so maybe consider transcribing it or taking clear photographs of the specific pages and uploading them to your computer to be saved digitally. Be thinking about who will inherit this gift from you. Maybe even donate it to a local historical society in the town where the majority of your ancestors lived. I promise you that people like me and distant cousins of yours will seek it out and in finding this Bible, you and your ancestors will be remembered.
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Iāll have to get it out & take some pictures for you to see some it. Iāll find the other one too. They are in a container right now. When I get to it Iāll take some pictures of the pages that have like artwork of holy sites that are fold out parts of the Bible.
Iāll grab one of my sonās to help me get it upstairs. Honestly itās at least 6 to 8 inches thick. I know that it has been passed down to the oldest child in the family since it started, which happened to be me. I was wide eyed & wore gloves turning the pages.
Now Iām on a new mission
@Aurora_Hestia I have a DNA map too! Iāll have to sign in, it explained a lot about how my practice has evolved too! I love these kinds of rabbit holes!
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CHALLENGE ENTRY
Genealogy is my passion and one day perhaps my profession. Iāve proven many of my ancestral lines back to their sources in England, Ireland and Scotland and to the earliest days of the United States including several Mayflower and Revolutionary War ancestors. Among those is a line to my 9th great-grandmother, Sarah Vinson, who was accused of witchcraft during the Salem witch trials.
Last summer I took my daughter on an ancestral tour of the East Coast in the US. We visited historic sites and grave sites galore and I have never felt more in touch with my family history.
Beginning this journey of combining my interest in ancestry with my witchcraft is a labor of love I am so looking forward to. I have had moments while researching when I asked a particular ancestor for guidance, and got it, so I feel like my family is out there waiting for me to get in touch. I started reading a book suggested by @Jewitch in the Spells 8 Book Club July ā21, called āBadass Ancestorsā. The cover alone is really compelling!
In addition to beginning the book, I have started a nightly meditation during which I set my intention to connect. I start by striking my singing bowl to cast a circle with sound . Then I
anoint a light blue candle with my saliva, so my DNA is part of the energy, and I start my meditation.
This book is a great addition to my library. I recommend it to anyone who is starting their ancestor work. Itās a compendium that gives wonderful information about genealogical research, alter creation, prayers to ancestors, crafts, cultural history, rituals and divination. I loved the way this author writes as well, just easy and relatable anecdotes and analysis throughout. Very fun, quick and insightful read!
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Oh dear, this one is going to be a difficult one for me! 
I feel a lot of pain and darkness in my close ancestry, a lot of addiction, jealousy and other compulsionā¦ we havenāt really been in contact. Reaching beyond the Veil for my blood ancestors hasnāt felt like a good idea at all, I donāt need those low vibrations in my life. My living relatives and I havenāt been in contact either. Iām curious how far past it continuesā¦ the one thing I could think of would be to make a family tree, ask my father about his side. My motherās passed away and I donāt really have a contact on that side anymore. Maybe once I have more money available I could go see someone who can heal family lines. This feels beyond me and my own abilities.
To me that only really tells where my body comes from though. My spiritual ancestry is different. It includes all the incarnations Iāve had so far, and all the people who have touched my soul in some way. All the books Iāve read, and where their authors got their inspiration and knowledge, all the people Iāve had deep heart to heart connections with, or just passing ones. All that energy and light Iām carrying in me. 
It would be very hard to catalogue! I could still try, make a rough little chart of where Iāve got the things that I feel connected to today.
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Most of you know that Iām a closet witch. A few months ago I discovered that my brother is a closet witch. We both hid it so well that we didnāt know about each other. Lol! Anyway, he met a witch and when they were introduced she knew that he was a witch. She told him that he came from a long line of powerful witches. He and I have been trying to figure out which of our ancestors were witches. I donāt think we are going to have much luck with this because they were probably closet witches. It seems to run in the family.
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Well, Iād say itās a very exciting rabbit hole to fall into 
You have a lot of passion for your genealogy, Siofra, and I have no doubt that youāll continue to discover amazing things about your heritage and family past! Iām cheering for you- keep on enjoying your research!
Sometimes distance can be filled with knowledge- Iām so happy to hear that you were able to bridge the gap and connect with your heritage, Aurora! 
And wow, it sounds like you found quite the treasure trove of discoveries- from European witches to seeresses (that is quite a word haha) and all of the magick those things entail, you found a lot of interesting things to connect with! Iām both proud and happy for you, Aurora- I know you were a bit hesitant about this theme, but you overcame the challenge wonderfully. Great job! 
This sounds like not only a fun family and bonding trip, but a fantastic way to connect with your ancestors and heritage from the region. What a fun idea! I can really tell that genealogy is a big passion of yours, Trixie- if you are considering it, I think it could be a very enjoyable and rewarding career path for you!
Thank you for bringing the book back too- itās a perfect one to add in for this weekās theme. Iām happy to hear you enjoyed it so much! Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts, work, and recommendation about ancestors- this was a pleasure to read!
If reaching beyond the veil to contact your blood ties feels like a bad idea, I would definitely say to put the idea into the ānot for meā category and leave it peacefully be.
On the other hand, it sounds like you have a truly amazing and very positive bond with your spiritual ancestry- what an amazing thing to explore! We truly are blessed by all those who have aided and helped us on our journeys, and I think that path of ancestry is a wonderful way to approach and honor ancestor work. Thank you so much for sharing this, Celestia- may your spiritual ancestors continue to grant you light, love, and many blessings!
What a great discovery! It sounds like you are both very good at protecting yourselves haha. Iām glad things came into the light and you were able to connect as fellow witches- how exciting! Hopefully with the two of you working together youāll be able to find some fellow witchy ancestors, despite your familyās talents with secrecy and protection 
Good luck and blessed be!
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I did! I was grateful I had the forum to share it with because my husband and daughter are not nearly as excited by this type of information And thank you so much! I appreciate your kind words
Thatās so cool that you discovered that at least! Even if the hanging out in the broom closet runs in the family, thatās wonderful that you can share it with your brother
I love your thoughts on this. Itās SO true and speaks to me so much as thereās also a lot of darkness with my close ancestry. Nothing that Iād really like to dig into and encourage more of in my life!
This sounds like such an amazing way to learn more about your ancestry! I bet that was a wonderful trip! And that book cover is beautiful 
Me too! It was really interesting to see how our ancestry plays a part in our practice and our interests.
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