Salem Ancestry Days

04/25/2023

Thanks to everyone who joined us for Salem Ancestry Days over the weekend!

04/13/2023

If you’re a descendant of of a Salem Witch Trials victim, this packet is essential reading. Descendant packets contain: a biography; lists of relevant locations, surviving court documents, and genealogical...

04/13/2023

The Narbonne House tells the stories of over three hundred years of continuous occupation in one of the oldest homes still standing in Salem, built in 1675. For almost 200 years, the Narbonne House was owned by the members of one family. While the names of the family members differ, they are connected through marriages and kinship. This tree traces the connections between the Andrews, Vincent, Narbonne, and Hale families and their ownership and occupation of the Narbonne House from 1780 to 1963.

Join us on April 22nd, from 1-3pm, for an open house to learn more about the stories of the Narbonne House’s residents using genealogy and oral history.

NPS Graphic | Narbonne House Family Tree of Ownership 1780-1963

04/13/2023

Mark your calendars for an exciting event on April 22nd where you can uncover more information about your Salem Maritime Ancestors!

Join genealogist Stephen Hartwell at 3:00 PM for a free, in-person presentation where he will share his expertise on local repositories and research techniques used to trace the lives of early mariners in the Salem area. Stephen will take you on a captivating journey as he delves into the fascinating records of seafaring men from Essex County in the 19th century.

Using his own Hartwell seafarers as examples, including one who rose to the rank of sea captain and another who committed mutiny, you'll gain valuable insights and learn how to apply these techniques to uncover the stories of your own ancestors.

Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to explore the history of Salem's maritime past!

Sign-up Here: https://bit.ly/3zKFMl9

04/04/2023

Save the Date for a bonus lecture for Salem Ancestry Days . . . details to come! April 23 @ 2:00 p.m.

03/22/2023

Salem Ancestry Days is just 30 days away! There is a great mix of events on the calendar, including the exhibitor fair at The First Church in Salem. We hope you can join us!

Salem Ancestry Days celebrates the genealogy and ancestral connection to Salem, MA, during a weekend-long event featuring lectures, tours, and research.

03/22/2023

Many are familiar with the story of Bridget Bishop, the first innocent person executed for witchcraft during the Salem trials. But did you know that in recent years elements of her story thought to be fact were discovered to be a long running mistake?

The entanglement seems to have been due to the fact that both Bridget Bishop (resident of Salem Town) and Sarah Bishop (resident of Beverly) were married to men named Edward Bishop. Evidently, the mistake was derived from a deposition given in May of 1692, where Sarah Bishop was referenced as “Goodwife Bishop, married to Edward.” Determining details of women’s lives can be particularly tricky for historians, as they are often referred to exclusively by their last name (as was the origin of this confusion), if mentioned at all!

Interested in learning more about historical mistakes? Join us on April 21st for our Salem Ancestry Days virtual event “Learning from our Mistakes: Researching the Salem Witch Trials.” Head over to our website for more information: www.salemwitchmuseum.com/event/learning-from-our-mistakes

03/22/2023

Do you have a connection to Roger Conant?

Conant 400
https://www.salemnews.com/news/to-budleigh-with-love-conant-connection-lives-on/article_aa5340aa-c4f4-11ed-b23f-1bc56ae51125.html?

Salem may view Ota, Japan, as its sister city, but were it not for Budleigh, the little village of just more than 800 in the United Kingdom, the City of

02/28/2023

We've added several links to the Peabody Essex Museum Phillips Library to the Resources Page. You'll find them under Witch Trials History, African American History, and Architectural History.

Want to do your own research into Salem ancestry and heritage? Here we have gathered numerous online research resources for you to explore.