Myers-Snell Family

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Genealogy of the Bliss Family p.31:
Mary BLISS-Parsons: daughter of Thomas and Margaret Hulins-BLISS, b. abat. 1625, m. Nov 2, 1646 to Joseph Parsons, a coronet of the British cavalry, who was b. abt. 1617-18 prob. near Great Torrington, Devonshire, Eng. Mr. parsons, associatedwith Mr. Pynchon, was one of the most prominent men in the public business of the place and quite wealthy. He was a witness to the deed (for the Springfield Settlement) given by the Indians to Pynchon July 15, 1636. In 1654 they removed toNorthampton, Mass. Issue:
1.JOSEPH (or Esquire), b.Nov. 1, 1647 at Springfield, m. Mar. 17, 1669 to Elizabeth Strong and d. Nov. 1729 at Northampton, Mass.
2.BENJAMIN, b. and d. June 22, 1649 [The Benjamin Parsons who was a witness to Thomas Bliss' will was a brother of Coronet Joseph Parsons.]
3.JOHN, b. Aug. 14, 1650, m. Dec. 3, 1675 to Sarah Clark, and d. Apr 15, 1728 at Northampton.
4.SAMUEL, b. Jan 23, 1652 and m. 1677 to Elizabeth Cook, who d. Sept. 2, 1690. He m. 2nd in 1691 to Rhoda Taylor and removed in 1709 to Durham, Conn. He m. 3rd Dec 15, 1711 to Mary Wheeler.
5.EBENEZER, b. May 1, 1655, the first white child b. at Northampton and was killed Sept 8, 1675 in battle with the Indians at Northfield.
6.JONATHAN, b. June 6, 1657, m. Apr. 5, 1682 to Mary Clark, and d. Dec 1694.
7.DAVID, b. Apr 30, 1659, d. y.
8.MARY, b. June 27, 1661, m.1st Oct 16, 1685 to Joseph Ashley, who d. May 19, 1698. She m.2nd to Joseph Williston, and d. Aug. 23, 1711.
9.HANNAH, b. Aug 1, 1663, m. Jan. 7, 1687 to Pelatiah Glover, who d. Aug, 22, 1737. She d. Aug 23, 1739.
10.ABIGAIL, b. Sept 3, 1666, m. Feb. 19, 1685 to John Colton, and d. June 27, 1689.
11.ESTHER, b. Sept 11, 16-- and d. that day.
12.BENJAMIN (a twin with Esther), d. with Esther.
13. HESTER, b. Dec. 24, 1672, m. Sept 15, 1689 to joseph Smith of Springfield, and d. 1760.
In 1656 Mary was accused of witchcraft by some of her neighbors who were envious of their prosperity and endeavored in this way to disgrace them. She was vigorouslly defended by her mother, Margaret, but in 1674 a formal charge was made. Shewas sent to Boston for trial, where the jury gave her a full acquittal of the crims, and she returned home to Northampton. She and her husband removed back to Springfield in 1679. Soon after her acquittal in Boston, her son Ebenezer, waskilled by the Indians at Northfield (Sept. 8, 1675). Those who had been instrumental in bringing her to trial said, "Behold, though human judges may be bought off, God's vengeance neither turns aside nor slumbers." It is said that shepossessed great beauty and talents, but was not very amiable. She d. Jan. 29, 1712. [For a more complete description of the witchcraft case ses Trumbull's 'History of Northampton', Vol. 1, pp.43-50 and 228-234, and for the descendants of Josephand Mary Parsons see 'Parsons Family Genealogy' by Henry Parsons, A.M., Frank Allaben Genealigical Co., New York, 1912, reprinted by the Parsons Family Assoc., 58 Bridge St., Northampton, Mass., 1981.]*
*According to a Salt Lake City, Utah newspaper (1979) Mary (Bliss) Parsons was a seventh great-grandmother to the late Hollywood screen actor, John Wayne, who was b. Marion Michael Morrison May 26, 1907 at Winterset, Ia. and d. in 1979. /
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                  THE WITCH OF NORTHAMPTON      Though proven not a witch

by Kathy Ann Behee Becker

Multiple Great-Granddaughter of the "Witch of Northampton" Alive and Well in Wendell.

My multiple great grandma was not a witch, honest. But this is the story of what happened to her. Watch out that it doesn't happen to you. And don't look at me if strange things go on around here.

The first case of witchcraft in Northampton came to trial in 1674. Mary Parsons, wife of Coronet Joseph Parsons, one of the first settlers in town, who had disembarked as a child in Plymouth and moved to the "wilds" to become one ofNorthampton's most prominent citizens, was accused.

"She was...a woman of more than ordinary intelligence, and of unquestioned respectability. Her accusers were also persons of high standing and good reputation. How much revenge, jealously, or spite may have influenced the prosecutors is notknown, but there is reason to believe that the imputation grew out of an old quarrel of some eighteen years standing. (Trumbull's History of Northampton). Mary was different: rich, beautiful, high strung, argumentative. One man[...literallystalked her, so obesssed was he. He testified about how he waited and followed her at night (she was an insomniac). He said she walked through swamps and he saw her chemise never get wet. He had many stories about her walks while he covertlyobserved her---sometimes with other men for company.. He reports her conversations with her husband in their yard. He was hiding in the bushes.]
complained, "I cannot have my mind from this woman yt if shee be not right this way, shee may be a cause of these things, though I desire to look to ye overwhelming hand of God in all."

For eighteen years she was suspected as being the cause of unexplainable events and sicknesses of people and animals, and was brought to trial three times for the charge of practicing witchcraft. Finally she was taken to Boston and jailed forthree months, her body searched for devil marks. In court she was called upon to speak for herself, which she did effectively. The jury found her innocent. Mary Parsons returned home to Northampton.

Not content to let the business end, the villagers took up calling her son, John Parsons, a warlock. He had angered "witch-finders," the Bartletts and Bridgemans, by defending the innocence and dignity of his mother
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When Mary's younger son was killed in a battle at Northfield by Indians, it was said to be God's judgement on the family. Cornet Joseph Parsons and Mary and some of their children retreated to Springfield. John Parsons remained, held townoffices in Northampton, and was a Captain in the King Philip's War.

As for the "wrath of God," two of Capt. Parson's children were killed by Indians, two drowned in the Connecticut River. A surviving son, William, married his cousin, Mary Ashley(Parsons). Lieut. William Parsons lost all but two of his childrenin infancy or to drowning. His only surviving son, Samuel Parsons, served as a Lieut. in the 2nd Mass. Rgt. in the Revolution; was wounded and lame the rest of his life. His daughter, named Mary Parsons, wed and moved to upstate New York andprospered.

Three generations later, a single son left Niagara County, took a wife, named Mary, and moved to Ohio. Their daughter now lives in Wendell, Kathy Becker, multiple-granddaughter of the "Witch of Northampton", Mary Parsons.

footnote: The person Mary Parsons was accused of killing by witchcraft was one of her in-laws, John Stebbins, likely an ancestor of Wendell's Stebbins family, who were prominent in Northampton at the time. Ironically, her son, John Parsons, socalled "warlock"' took as his wife another relative of the Stebbins family, Abigail Stebbins, joining the two families for all time.

Presently[1996} descendants of both these families live side by side on Locke Hill Rd. by coincidence, with graves of the earlier Stebbins family not too far away in the Jennison/Locke Hill intersection cemetery.

{for extended information, see the Geneology
Notebook of three articles about Mary Parsons}