Does anyone have a witch or wizard in their family tree?

Question

Mary Perkins, sister of my 10th great grandmother, Elizabeth Judith Perkins, was married to Thomas Bradbury. Mary was tried and convicted for acts of witchcraft during the Salem Witch Trials, but escaped punishment when the trials were dismissed.

I have also found, on two different branches of my family tree, Sir Hugh (Hugo) de Giffard (Gifford), a grandson of the first Laird of Yester. He served as a guardian of the young Alexander III of Scotland, and was by repute a magician and necromancer.

Answer 1

My 9th great grandmother Winifred King Benham (https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/King-405) was the last person tried for witchcraft in the state of Connecticut.

Answer 2

I share DNA with some descendants of William Morse, husband of Elizabeth Morse - accused witch of Salem.  I haven't yet discovered how I am related.

Answer 3

My 9th Great grandmother https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Steele-1811 

still waiting for an apology for wrongful arrest and execution from the state of Connecticut

Answer 4

One of my ancestors by the name of Margaret Faust was accused of being a witch (which she denied), and had her tongue ripped out for "lying" and was hung.

Answer 5

I wanted so much  to find such a connection to this history in my family tree but it wasn't so. I don't have any blood connection to any witches or wizards. I do have a first cousin, Phebe Cowperthwaite who married William Bassett and his great grandparents were involved in the Salem Witch Trials, including a great aunt, Elizabeth Bassett, who was married to John Proctor, accused and executed for being a witch.

Answer 6

Yes. My 9th great-grandmother Walpurge/ Walpurgis Eberhart/Eberhardt was beheaded then burned in Diemeringen Alsace, France 16 October 1673. I have no idea why she was condemned, so I would love to get a hold of any trial documents but I keep hitting a wall on that. If anyone has that information please let me know.

Her grandson, Johann Michael Koppel immigrated to Philadelphia in 1749. He died on 15 Nov 1764 at Fort Pitt in Pitsburg during the Pontiac War in which the Indian Nations rose up against the British Empire.

Comments

A friend of mine, Allen Berfield, had an ancestor who was one of the British soldiers that was attacked on route to Fort Pitt. Perhaps his "Barfield" ancestor knew your Johann Michael Koppel ancestor.

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i am also descended from Walpurgis.  And I also happen to live in Pittsburgh.  The Kepple line that I am descended from settled in Westmoreland County, east of the city.

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i also had ancestors involved in the Diermeringen witch trials in 1673, 1671.  The information about the 20 executed is in the diary of the Lutheran pastor of that time and afterwards.  There is little written.  The village was Lutheran and a number of the descendants of those involved emigrated to Pennsylvania between 1740 and 1760 as part of that teutonic emigration into the colony of Pennsylvania.  My family was part of that move.

Answer 7

I was just looking at my tree and found that Mary was one of my direct ancestors. I have not done much in the way of research of any of my ancestors. Mary was married to Joseph Hale and Hale was the maiden name of my grandmother on my father's side. growing up in New Hampshire I never dreamed I had any connection to the Salem Witches. I guess it's time to start tracing family ties. Thank you everyone for your contributions.