A Story of Courage, Community, and War
Viking Press
C 2006 Nathaniel Philbrick
I love this writer's work. MAYFLOWER does not disappoint. This book will probably challenge the beliefs you've had aboout the Pilgrims since history was being taught in grade school.
The Pilgrims had been living in Holland and were concerned that their children were becoming too Dutch, rather than remaining English, so along with fleeing religious persecution they were making a second move for enthnocultural integrity. Even as the deals were made for transportation, non-believers were involved in the early colony. While about half of those who came to the eastern coast of what would be Massachusetts died the first year, they kept coming, and in about 50 years there were dozens of small settlements founded. Relationships with the Native Americans were never easy, because the neighboring tribes were interested in taking over each other's turf. Deals became rife with third party interests. And no the Pilgrims were not Pacifists.
If you can trace your ancestry to the Pilgrims you may find yourself related by marriage to a number of famous historical figures. Why?
Because (page 104), "A few weeks after Bradford's election to governor, Edward Winslow and Susanna White showed the rest of the settlement that it was indeed possible to start anew. Susanna had lost her husband, William, on February 21; Edward had lost his wife, Elizabeth, on March 24. Just a month and a half later, on May 12, Edward and Susanna became the first couple in Plymouth to marry. Six weeks may seem too short a time to grieve, but in the seventeenth century, it was quite normal for a widow or widower to remarry within three months of his or her spouse's death. Children needed to be cared for; households needed to be maintained. And besides, these were exceptional times. If all the deaths had failed to inure them to grief, it had certainly altered them to the wondrous necessity of life."
And guess what? They were married in a civil ceremony as, Bradford, who married them, cited that nowhere in the Gospel does is say that a minister should be involved in a wedding!
C Ancestry Worship Genealogy /Christine 2010 All Rights including International and Internet Rights reserved
