rev. john parris

October 15, 2026

Witchcraft in the Family Tree: My Ancestral Connection to the Salem Witch Trials

The Reverend Samuel Parris, the girls whose accusations ignited a witchcraft panic, and the Manley connection that brought this history to my doorstep. Every family tree has its share of surprises. Some ancestors leave behind remarkable achievements, others lead ordinary lives that history has largely forgotten, and occasionally, one turns up whose name is forever… Continue reading

paternal history, stories of america

halloween, manley, rev. john parris, rev. samuel parris, salem witch trials

“The creation of a thousand forests is one acorn.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson~

Welcome! My name is Lisa, and I’m a family historian, storyteller, and unapologetic history nerd with a deep love for discovering the ordinary people, places, and stories that came before us.

What began as curiosity about my own ancestors has grown into a passion for researching, preserving, and sharing the stories, photographs, documents, and places that connect generations across time. Along the way, I’ve discovered that some of the best stories aren’t necessarily found on my family tree. Sometimes they’re hiding in an old newspaper, a forgotten recipe, a historic place – or some random bit of history I simply can’t resist sharing.

I believe every ancestor – whether they left behind a diary or only a name on a census record – deserves to be remembered. My hope is that this site not only preserves my family’s history for future generations, but also celebrates the fascinating, surprising, and sometimes wonderfully everyday stories of the past.

Because history is everywhere. You just have to be curious enough to look.

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rev. john parris

Witchcraft in the Family Tree: My Ancestral Connection to the Salem Witch Trials