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Bloodlines of Salem is a Salt Lake City-based family-history group in the United States of America. Its purpose was described as providing a "place where visitors share ideas and information about the Salem witch trials of 1692, its participants and their families. Many visitors have researched and proved their descents from one or more of the participants. The trials unfolded more than three centuries ago and continue to figure prominently in the studies of history, law and religion. As amateur and professional researchers, or 'Salemologists,' however, their study of the trials isn't limited to their lineages."
Contents
Membership
A person is eligible to register a membership with the group if he or she proposes in writing 1) a desire to register, 2) an agreement with the group promise to "remember the Salem Witch Trials and its participants by associating their families and preserving their lineages," "share commercial, genealogical and historical information about the trials and its participants," and "educate others about [the] group and promise," and 3) a name, city of residence and contact information. The person won't be charged a registration fee, may use the postnominal abbreviation "MBoS," and may request at any time to cancel or change the registration.
A person is eligible to register a descendant membership with the group if he or she is otherwise eligible to register a membership and proves beyond doubt his or her descent from or relationship to one or more participants of the trials with lineages showing detailed descendancy. The person won't be charged a registration fee, may use the postnominal abbreviation "DBoS," may request at any time to cancel or change the registration, and must include proof of parentage for each generation, beginning with his or her own, so that the person named first in a generation was a child or relative of the couple named in the following generation.
History
The group was founded in 2007 in Salt Lake City, home of the worldwide Family History Library, to encourage and provide resources to persons who are or suspect they are descendants and relatives of trials participants, or enjoy an interest in the trials. The current head of BLoS, as of October 2013, is Steven Hale.
Activities
Group researchers investigate and publish evidence of notable descendants and relatives of trials participants. Its 2007 investigation discovered that "Harry Potter" film actor Tom Felton is a relative of several participants including Lt. Nathaniel Felton and John Proctor, who was hanged during the trials. Its 2008 investigation discovered that U.S. President George W. Bush is a descendant or relative of up to 217 participants including as an 8th great-grandson of Mary Parker who was hanged during the trials.