Son of a Witch: Honoring Descendants of the Accused in America’s Witchcraft Trials

Son of a Witch is a lineage society created to honor the men and women who were accused, tried, convicted or executed of witchcraft in colonial America. By acknowledging this ancestry, the society seeks to bring renewed attention to the human stories behind these events and to promote greater understanding of the historical context in which they occurred. The Society was founded in 1975 and revived in 2012.

The Witchcraft Trials in American History

Although the Salem witch trials of 1692–1693 are the most widely known, accusations of witchcraft occurred in several colonies during the seventeenth century. These cases often emerged during periods of social stress, religious conflict, and uncertainty within small communities.

In Salem alone, more than 200 people were accused, and 20 individuals were executed—nineteen by hanging and one by pressing with stones. Those accused came from a wide range of social backgrounds, including farmers, tradespeople, church members, and community leaders.

Many of the accused maintained their innocence throughout the trials, and later generations came to recognize that the accusations were largely the result of fear, rumor, and flawed legal procedures rather than credible evidence.

Purpose of the Society

The Son of a Witch‘s mission includes:

Preserving the memory of those accused during witchcraft trials
Encouraging genealogical research into families affected by these events
Promoting historical awareness of the social and legal circumstances that led to the trials
Providing a community for descendants to share research and family history

Rather than focusing on the accusations themselves, the society emphasizes the human dignity and resilience of the individuals involved.

Membership Eligibility

Membership in the Society shall be open to males, who are lineally, or collaterally, descended from any person, residing within the American colonies prior to 1776, who was historically documented as having been accused of witchcraft, persecuted for witchcraft, imprisoned for witchcraft, placed on trial for witchcraft, or executed for witchcraft. The Society shall be by invitation only, although membership inquiries are welcome.

Changing Historical Perspectives

In the centuries following the trials, historians have reevaluated the events of 1692 and other witchcraft accusations, recognizing them as complex social crises rather than supernatural phenomena.

Today the Salem trials are often studied as an example of:

The dangers of mass hysteria
The consequences of flawed legal processes
The impact of religious and political tensions within early communities

Descendant organizations such as the Son of a Witch Society help ensure that these historical lessons remain widely understood.

Preserving the Stories of the Accused

For many families, discovering an ancestor who was accused during the witchcraft trials can be both surprising and meaningful. By documenting and sharing these histories, descendants help ensure that the individuals involved are remembered not as symbols of superstition, but as real people whose lives were profoundly affected by events beyond their control.

The “Sister” Lineage Society

Within the world of hereditary organizations, the Son of a Witch Society occupies a distinctive place. The Sister Society is the Associated Daughters of Early American Witches which was founded to honor the female descendants of individuals accused, tried, or executed as witches in colonial America.