Glimpses, August 2009
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Items of recent and historical interest from members of The Heritage Library Vol. 1, No. 1 August 2009 Late-Breaking News The Feather and the Crown 3 Robert (Bob) P. Smith has stepped into the presi- by Barbara Vernasco dency of the Heritage Library following the resigna- THIRTEENTH COUSINS! tion of Blanche Sullivan. We’ll hear from Bob in the Barbara Vernasco (l) and Valerie next issue of The Heritage Observer in September. Cole, researching genealogy, found a 3 The Heritage Library is now on Facebook: mutual ancestor. Barbara is a Heri- http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hilton-Head-Is- tage Library member who was a land-SC/Heritage-Library/108026742283?ref=ts valued volunteer for the Heritage Library for six years. Her book, About Heritage Library’s Passing the Blessings Along, is in the Heritage Library. We miss her New Publication, Glimpses enthusiastic presence and thank her This your first issue of Glimpses, intended to be a for this delightful anecdote. forum for research and articles by our members. In this issue you will find: “Savoy! Is that one of the families you’re working on?” • “The Feather and the Crown,” by Barbara Ver- This was my genealogical introduction to Valerie nasco. To the right on this page. Cole, a Heritage Library member who resides in Otta- wa, Canada and has, shall we say, “dual spring citizen- • “Witches in the Attic,” by Nancy Burke, Page 2. ship.” We library volunteers looked forward to Valerie’s Nancy has some very interesting ancestors. spring visits; Valerie, a long time genealogist, would • “Lowcountry Colonial Settlements,” by Lyman take a neophyte under her wing and lead him or her on Wooster, Page 5. Two early settlements, across the Sa- the path of discovery. vannah River from each other. On this particular day as I rounded the corner of • “The Launching of the USS Constitution,” by Barbara the study table and glanced at Valerie’s work, the name Muller, Page 7. This famous ship gained its nicknames “Old “Savoy” jumped off the page. I had just recently or- Ironsides” for its strong hull of southern live oak. dered a copy of the book, Savoy Heritage, 1621 to the • “The Great Sea Islands Hurricane,” by Barbara Present. Muller. Page 8. This book proved my link to the We are eager for articles from more of you. descendants of the Duke of Savoy. See Page 2. When Valerie and I compared notes we found that her twelfth great- Victor Amadeus Savoy, the Duke of Savoy from 1630 grandfather and my twelfth great- to 1637. He was titular King of Cyprus and Jerusalem, grandmother were brother and sister. also known as the Lion of Susa. His maternal grandfa- Their father was our joint thirteenth ther was Philip II of Spain; his maternal great-grand- great-grandfather. father was Henry II of France. He married a daughter of Henry IV of France and Marie de Médicis. See “The Feather and the Crown” on Page 2 Source: Wikpedia. Glimpses: A Publication of the Heritage Library August 009 The Feather and the Crown (cont’d from Page 1) Witches in the Attic We were cousins. by Nancy Burke We learned that our mutual (thirteenth) great- Editor’s Note: Nancy Burke first grandfather, Francis (Prince) Savole, married Cath- became enthralled with geneal- erine Jeanne di Briard LeJune in Acadia. Catherine’s ogy when she took a class with Bill mother was a MicMac Indian, Jeanne Marie Kagigo- Altstaetter. That opened new doors for her, and since then Nancy has niac, born in 1610 in MicMac Village, Nova Scotia, been opening new doors for many Canada. Catherine’s father was Martin Pierre di Bri- others, teaching classes, running ard, a fur trader. clinics, and helping people who Now we could design our “coat of arms,” the Feath- come in the Heritage Library door seeking their family histories. Ex- er and the Crown. periences such as Nancy’s illumi- I have returned to the cold regions of the north and nate the fascination of genealogy will continue my family research in Fort Wayne, Indiana. My story of a chance encounter with a fellow genealo- We all have family secrets that we would prefer to hide gist demonstrates the excitement of finding the secrets in the attic. of our past and the adventure of future research. The Putnam family, through whom I have member- ship in both the Pilgrims and the DAR, is no exception. J The Putnams came to Massachusetts Bay Colony early in its establishment. Some four decades thereafter they Call for Articles became embroiled in one of the Colony’s most tragic mo- Do you have a favorite period of history that has so ments, that of the Salem witch trials. Ancestors of mine intrigued you that it has become one of your passions? were both accusers and victims and I’d like to share just a Have you, like Nancy Burke and Barbara Vernasco bit of this unhappy history. (whose stories are in this issue) unearthed some fasci- I’m sure you all have some familiarity with the trials; nating tidbits in your own family tree? Does your field, suffice it to say the witch-hunts took place between Feb- such as medicine or law, give you a special insight into ruary 1692 and May 1693. Some 150 people were arrested some historical development? Might you write about and imprisoned. Twenty-nine people were convicted of the evolution of free speech, the fight for woman suf- the capital felony of witchcraft. Nineteen of the accused, frage or civil rights, the role of disease in early settle- fourteen women and five men, were hanged. One man ments, the social mores of colonial plantation life, or was pressed to death under heavy stones. Trials were held the rigors of serving in the Revolutionary or Civil War in three counties, but the best-known ones were conduct- armies? ed in Salem Town. All twenty-six who went to trial there If so, we hope you’ll share your knowledge and in- were convicted. sights with the members. You may send your articles to Background me, [email protected], via email in a Word Why did Salem become such a fertile ground for these document. If you don’t like to use email, you can send a trials and why were the Putnams so involved? Reviewing a double-spaced typed copy to me at the Library. little of the history of the town and its inhabitants will help us I look forward to hearing from you. understand. Barbara Muller See Witches in the Attic on Page 3 Glimpses is published by The Heritage Library. • 852 Wm Hilton Parkway Suite 2A • Hilton Head Island SC 29926 • 843-686-6560 • www.heritagelib.org President: Robert P. Smith 843-686-6560 • [email protected] Editor: Barbara Muller • 843-715-0153 • [email protected] August 009 Glimpses: A Publication of the Heritage Library Witches in the Attic (cont’d from Page 2) These members, their dignity offended, insisted that the My ancestor John Putnam was born about 1580 and minister be dismissed. In 1689 Samuel Parris, who would emigrated to Salem, Massachusetts between 1627 and figure prominently in the witch trials, was appointed to the 1641. post, having been selected by a committee that included John, a farmer, was, by the time of his death, very well Nathaniel and John Putnam and notably did not include off for the times. He acquired some eight hundred acres the Porters. Moreover, Parris drove a hard bargain for his of land and had held positions of importance in town. The contract, even managing to secure title to the parsonage main town of Salem was primarily a commercial center.; and the surrounding land. These terms, coupled with Par- John lived in an outlying agricultural area, Salem Village. ris’ intense and rigid personality, served to exacerbate Much of the tragedy which would visit Salem in 1692 local tensions. Sadly, Parris was a difficult man in a was the result of tension between rural Salem Village and contentious town. commercial Salem proper. Those who had opposed his ordination were deter- John had three surviving sons: Nathaniel, and two mined to drive him out. They attended services in Sa- known by their military ranks, Lieutenant Thomas and lem rather than in the Village and withheld payment Captain John. John’s land was divided among his children, of the taxes intended to support him. In October 1691 who married into other local families. By the third gen- Villagers elected a new committee made up, to a man, eration Putnam families owned the land surrounding the of Parris’ and thus the Putnam’s opponents. church and parsonage. By the late 1680s the Village was controlled by the Putnams and another well-to-do fam- Samuel Parris has been described ily, the Porters. The Porters lived in the Village but their as the “fire-fanning minister” of wealth came from their commercial interests in Salem it- the Salem witch trials. The Mas- sachusetts Historical Society says self rather than from agricultural interests in the Village. of this miniature “It portrays a Conflict Develops fair-complected man … in his 20s or 30s … and may very well The Putnams were not averse to exercising their influence be Samuel Parris prior to his reli- in the Village and there were numerous conflicts over land us- gious calling. If so, this is the only age, unpaid debts, and other unfulfilled obligations. known portrait of any inhabit- One major dispute with the adjacent town of Topsfield ant of 1692 Salem Village.” went to court.