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Carla Bauer's avatar

Dave had an ancestor named Alice Stokes who was hanged for witchcraft in 1647. She was supposed to be the first in the colonies. I am loving your ancestor stories!

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Annie Leonard's avatar

Yes! That is so cool! I have read about Alice whose maiden name may have been Stokes, who married a Young. I think that's the same person. I think maybe the image of the woman at the execution that I used was actually representing Dave's Alice. I find representative public domain images that 'work' and that one is not Alice Lake, I think it's Alice Young. Here's Alice (Stokes?) Young's story, in case anyone is interested: https://worldwidegenealogy.blogspot.com/2014/03/alse-young-americas-first-executed-witch.html

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Carla Bauer's avatar

Thank you for the article.

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Cathy Haustein's avatar

How horrible. That poor woman had no one on her side. The sad thing is, people today are sliding back into the judgmental ways.

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Annie Leonard's avatar

I know! This one was emotional for me - actually, most of them are, if I'm honest. But this one, especially. I just think of those poor children. And also how internal guilt can destroy us.

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Sarah West's avatar

Alice is my 8th great grandmother!

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Jessica Davenport's avatar

Yes, I am a descendant of Alice! It's so sad to see a woman so deep in her grief (be it grandiose imagination or poor mental health up to and including postpartum depression or postpartum psychosis) being subjected to such cruelty.

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