Witches in the Family

Many of the accused witches in Salem are ancestors through Allan's mother's family. Anne, wife of Andrew Foster, who died in Salem jail waiting for trial is a direct ancestor. Mary Clements, wife of John Osgood, was accused of witchcraft, but managed to outlast the frenzy. Elizabeth Jackson, wife of James Howe, is another direct ancestor through Connie's Howe line. She was hung on Jul 19, 1692 protesting her innocence. Her daughters received compensation in 1711.
Other relations who were accused include: Martha Allen, wife of Thomas Carrier and daughter of Andrew and Faith (Ingalls) Allen (direct ancestors of Connie), who was hung on Aug 19, 1692; Susannah North, wife of George Martin (direct ancestor of my mother), who was hung with Deborah Jackson Howe; Mary Perkins, wife of Thomas Bradbury and sister to ancestors of my father and Allan's mother, who was accused but not punished; and Martha Sprague, wife of Richard Friend and sister to another ancestor of Connie.

Richard de Clare, Strongbow

Richard de Clare, better known as Strongbow, was one of my father's ancestors.
Richard de Clare and Dermot MacMurrough, King of Leicester, Ireland, made an
agreement to take Dermot's daughter in marriage and later inherit the title
in return for helping to drive the Danes out of Leinster. He He was known
as Strongbow, 2nd Earl of Pembroke. He was often called Earl of Striguil,
Justiciar of Ireland. He was also known as Richard Fitz Gilbert.
He was buried at Holy Trinity Church, Dublin, Leinster, Ireland. He was
born circa 1130. Richard escorted the Princess Maud to the Continent
for her marriage to the Duke of Saxony in 1168. Richard sailed from
Milford Haven, landing near Waterford on 23 Aug 1170, capturing that place
and later marched on Dublin, the chief Danish stronghold, which also fell
on 23 Aug 1170. He After the death of Dermot he faced rebellion from the
Irish and the jealousy of Henry II of England. It was agreed he would do
homage to Henry II and accept Leinster in fee after 1 May 1171. He married
Eva MacMurrough, daughter of Dermot MacMurrough, circa 26
Aug 1171 at Waterford, Leinster, Ireland. He Joining the king in Normandy
he was granted custody of Ireland at Rouen in 1173. He He invaded Munster,
was forced back by the Irish, but did gain undisputed supremacy in Leinster
in 1174. He died on 20 Apr 1176 at Dublin, Leinster, Ireland.
Richard and Eva (or Aoife)'s daughter Isabel married William the Marshall. Thru Eva, the family line goes back to Brian Boru.

Rev Richard Mather

My mother is descended from Rev. Richard Mather thru his Taylor descendants (some of the original founders of Danbury)
from Wikipedia:
Mather was born in Lowton, in the parish of Winwick, Lancashire, England, of a family which was in reduced circumstances but entitled to bear a coat-of-arms.

He studied at Winwick grammar school, of which he was appointed a master in his fifteenth year, and left it in 1612 to become master of a newly established school at Toxteth Park, Liverpool. After a few months at Brasenose College, Oxford, he began in November 1618 to preach at Toxteth, and was ordained there, possibly only as deacon, early in 1619.

In August-November 1633 he was suspended for nonconformity in matters of ceremony; and in 1634 was again suspended by the visitors of Richard Neile, archbishop of York, who, hearing that he had never worn a surplice during the fifteen years of his ministry, refused to reinstate him and said that "it had been better for him that he had gotten seven bastards."

He had a great reputation as a preacher in and about Liverpool; but, advised by letters of John Cotton and Thomas Hooker, he was persuaded to join the company of pilgrims in May 1635 and embarked at Bristol for New England.

On June 3, 1635, Richard, wife Katherine, and children Samuel, Timothy, Nathaniel, and Joseph, all set sail for the New World aboard the ship James. As they approached New England, a hurricane struck and they were forced to ride it out just off the coast of modern-day Hampton, New Hampshire. According to the ship's log and the journal of Increase Mather, the following was recorded;

"At this moment,... their lives were given up for lost; but then, in an instant of time, God turned the wind about, which carried them from the rocks of death before their eyes. ...her sails rent in sunder, and split in pieces, as if they had been rotten ragges..."

They tried to stand down during the storm just outside the Isles of Shoals, but lost all three anchors, as no canvas or rope would hold, but on Aug 13, 1635, torn to pieces, and not one death, all one hundred plus passengers of the James managed to make it to Boston Harbor.

He arrived at Boston on August 15, 1635, in the midst of one of the most catastrophic hurricanes of the colonial era. He was the pastor of Dorchester until his death in 1669.