TRAVELS WITH GEORGE : ANCESTRY WORSHIP - GENEALOGY BOOK REVIEW

Nathaniel Philbrick*** is adept at writing about the early inhabitants of the colonies and key figures in the foundation of the United States. This book is about George Washington, who took office in 1789 and was our first President after a successful Revolutionary War campaign. It's about his family, his wife Martha, and slavery, as well as other aspects of the man's personality and character. 

What Philbrick did was travel the route that Washington himself did: New England to South Carolina and a small area of Georgia. He went to some of the places where Washington's presence was well known enough to enjoy tours and reenactments today. He talked to people.  As he says on page 6, "But this wasn't going to be the same kind of carefree ramble enjoyed by Harry and Bess (Truman)  in the 1950's. We were, after all, following the travels of a slaveholder at a time when Confederate monuments were being removed across the South.  The country's political divide seemed to be widening by the day.  And yet I didn't want this trip to be about what separates us.  I wanted to find out how Washington attempted to bind us together into a lasting union of states.  Acknowledging and even delving into his weaknesses and failings, especially when it came to slavery, I wanted to know what Washington got right - what tools he and his generation had left us to begin to build a better nation.

Oh, and a little independent research on my part; our first three presidents, Washington, Jefferson, and Madison all spoke with English accents. They didn't just speak with that accent, they had that accent because they were British, and their thoughts had to be influenced by a certain mentality of that ethnic heritage, that political system - the King - even as they wanted different for a new nation.

(I try to think of my own ancestors who were in Europe in 1800.  I often wonder what they heard of the American Revolution and what they thought of it.)

There are a few passages in this book that I thought were especially telling or valuable which I will be excerpting. In particular the way Washington dealt with his slaves and those who were brought into the marriage by his wife Martha, called "dower slaves," was especially telling. Laws of inheritance at the time prevented him from decisions on Martha's.

As I have been, rather than do one extremely long session of excerpts, I will play it forward and readers who are interested in more can bring up all posts by clicking on the label or using the search feature...  Try the words George Washington.  This book is a recommended read for those of you who like to learn more about American History, especially as it might pertain to your own genealogy research.

Oh, and as a P.S.  The author and his wife took their dog with them on their travels.  Washington loved his dogs.  Page 23:  "Not only had he almost single-handedly developed what we call today the American fox-hound, but he had a great affection for his dogs, giving them names like Sweet Lips, Drunkard, and True Love.

C 2023  Ancestry Worship - Genealogy BlogSpot

*** In the past I reviewed his book about the Mayflower.

 

NEW WOMEN'S WORK ON THE BIG STEAMSHIPS : MAIDEN VOYAGES

 

EXCERPT: By the 1890s there was a boom in passenger shipping, and the major ports of Britain became the embarkation points for emigrants from all over Europe as well as the British Isles.  In 1893 large transatlantic liners started to leave from Southhampton as well as from Liverpool, which had previously been the main embarkation port for North America.  The White Star and Cunard shipping lines joined P & O in setting up offices and infrastructure in Southhampton, which was just a hour from London by train.  With the growth in the numbers of female passengers, gender-specific roles such as bathing attendants, nursery nurses, laundry attendants and masseuses we also created aboard the big ships.  The shipping companies received applications for women's roles board the ocean going ships far beyond the number of positions available.  The jobs were physically demanding, and those taking them would be living away form home - often in cramped, communal quarters - but, in an era of limited job opportunities for women, the idea of going to sea and earning an independent living was appealing to many.  (page 16)

A note:  Married women and women with children also took jobs on the steamships.

THE GREAT RIDE : A 335 MILE BIKE TRAIL ALONG AN OLD CANAL PATH - FROM WASHINGTON D.C. TO PITTSBURGH

 

YOU CAN WATCH THIS FILM FROM THE WEB/ YOUR LOCAL PBS STATION

or an alternative such as YouTube

I had no idea that there ever was a canal system that went from Washington D.C. area to the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area, so this film was a surprise to me. Bikers from all over the world do some or all of this ride which connects two "towpaths.  One is the C and O Canal Towpath that goes from D.C. to Cumberland Maryland, and the other is The Great Allegheny Passage, which takes the riders into Pittsburgh.  The ride includes encounters with three rivers including the Casselman, Youghiogheny, and the Monongahela. The Allegheny Mountains have over a hundred species of trees and wild flowers. Riders go through much Colonial History territory, cross the Mason-Dixon Line, and wind through beautiful scenery - mountains and rapids.  They can stop to rest, sleep over, or eat in many a small town.

A towpath is the path aside the canal, which holds water and the boat, from which, be it by humans. horses, or vehicles, the boat is towed - when needed.

The history of the canal is that it was used by boats to move products before the railroads and trains took over.  Then it was forgotten. However, it was once vital to shipping and so along it lived many a "lock keeper." Since the Great Ride trail opened and bikers from all over the world are giving it their best, businesses in small towns have become more vibrant.

Some parts of The Great Ride are fairly level and not difficult, other's more rugged. 

You'll go from Harper's Ferry to Canal National Historic Park to Potomac River falls into Cumberland, Maryland, eventually reaching Ohio Pyle, West Newton, and into the city of Pittsburgh and Point State Park.

The Great Ride happened because