Skeltons in the Sheldon Family Closet![]()
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If we dig deep enough into the history of any family, we are inevitably going to find an unsavory character of two who the family might wish we simply went away, never to see light again.![]()
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Such is the case of Susanna (alternatively Susannah), the daughter of William Sheldon and Rebecca Scarlett (Scadlocke), born sometime around 1674 in the Province of Maine, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America, and her brother, Ephraim, born sometime around 1672.![]()
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These siblings, Susanna more so than Ephraim, played a crucial role in one of the most horrendous events of the colonial period – The Salem Witch Hunt and Trials of 1691/92.![]()
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Susanna, my 8th great-grandaunt, was one of the most active of the accusers, naming eleven individuals as “witches” as well as offering testimony in twenty-four depositions. Activities that led, directly and indirectly, to the deaths of ten individuals, nine hanged, one crushed to death. Among those who Susanna’s actions harmed the most were Rebecca (Towne) Nurse, my 8thgreat-grandmother, and Mary (Towne) Estey, Rebecca’s sister, my 8thgreat-grandaunt, both of whom she had accused, who, were then, tried, convicted, and hanged based, in large measure on her testimony. See: [salem.lib.virginia.edu/tag/sheldon_susannah.html](salem.lib.virginia.edu/tag/sheldon_susannah.html)for transcripts of records related to Susanna’s testimony.![]()
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In addition to Rebecca and Mary, Susanna was a principal accuser, along with Mercy Lewis, of Rev. George Burroughs, whom the family may have known in Maine and may have been their minister. Rev. Burroughs had served for a time as minister of the Church of Christ in Salem Village, but the congregation never ordained him as their minister.![]()
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Susanna fled Salem prior to the end of the trials, removing to Providence, Rhode Island Colony, Province of Massachusetts Bay, British Crown Colony where she apparently lived out her life, reportedly dying sometime around 1697, unmarried and childless.![]()
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Some historians suggest that Susanna’s behavior was a manifestation of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder suffered as a result of events during King Philip’s War which forced the family to flee Maine when she was about two years of age, then, after returning to Maine in the 1680s, to flee again during King William’s War some years later. Whatever the cause, Susanna was clearly a very troubled individual who ruined many families by her actions.![]()
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See: [salemwitchmuseum.com/locations/susanna-sheldon-home-site-of/](salemwitchmuseum.com/locations/susanna-sheldon-home-site-of/)for more about her life and role. ... See MoreSee Less
Let’s welcome our new Facebook group members: Ben Loomis, Eileen Monreale and Stephanie Starke Broughton!![]()
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Thanks for joining the community. ... See MoreSee Less
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The SFA follows a Sheldon woman's line down to today if possible. That means if a Sheldon woman married many many generations ago (her surname wouldn't be Sheldon anymore), all of her descendants can be added to our database. That could be up to 12 generations! Most importantly, we've found many times where one Sheldon line marries into another Sheldon line, or even the same line. BUT without adding ALL the descendant generations, we wouldn't have made those great connections! Including women in your tree is a good practice. ... See MoreSee Less
