Thursday, October 31, 2013

Rebecca Shelley Chamberlain

Not so very long ago, a woman in her sixties, a woman who seemed overfond of her cat and most certainly a woman alone would have been the subject of local gossip. Rebecca Chamberlain was in her sixties, respectable, married and the mother of 12 living children. She lived in Billerica, Massachusetts with her husband William. How she got caught up the hysteria is not known. In fact, not much is known about Rebecca beyond these basic facts.  She was arrested on the charge of "mischief"and was jailed in Cambridge. Later accounts state that she was accused of witchcraft- "mischief" was the common euphemism for that charge. Rebecca, my ninth great grandmother, died in jail in September 1692 before a trial could be held.  On this day, when modern mischief has an entirely different meaning, it's good to reflect a moment on how far we've come.

16 comments:

  1. Your ninth great-grandmother wow you have really dug a long way back in the tree.
    Jon

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  2. Yes, that side of the family goes back a loooong way in New England.

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  3. She is my eighth great grandmother, hello cousin!

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  4. Thanks for sharing this info. She's my 9th great-grandmother. I also happen to be a crazy cat lady.

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  5. Seems as if there are a lot of us finding Rebecca far back in our line.

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  6. Hi there~ She is my eighth great grandmother as well!

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  7. She is my 10th great grandmother on my mother's line and 10th great grandmother on my husband's father's line.

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  8. She's my eighth great grandmother too...so sad

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  9. She was a nurse and her home farm is open to the public her church member apologized to the church she was taken over by satin and made many false accusations Rebecca being one of them

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  10. I believe that would be Rebbecca Nurse.

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    1. I have no evidence to support that. Do you?

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    2. I love seeing all my "cousins" checking in here. She's my 9th Great Grandmother, as well. It would be lovely to meet her one day in heaven. She appears to have been a Godly woman, bless her heart.

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  11. Rebecca Chamberlain is also my 9th great grandmother. On a different branch of my family, my 9th great uncle was Roger Toothaker, who was a pretty nasty character who specialized in hunting witches. Ironically, he also died in prison awaiting trial after being accused of being a witch and was a more well-known victim of the Salem Delusion. He was accused by Ann Putnam Jr, whose mother (and likely instigator), Anne Putnam Sr. Ann Putnum Sr is also my 9th great aunt on yet another family branch.
    Welcome to the family!

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  12. She is my 8th great grandmother too. I'm proud to say that. She probably was everything women would be happy to be in this time.

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  13. My tenth Grandmother and I pray she was welcomed onto her after life by all

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  14. Rebecca was my ninth great-grandmother as well. Hello!

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Joseph Jerome Harrington

In my continuing search for the members of Cassandria Hooper Harrington Rogers Kauffman's birth family, I'm always trolling for new ...