Our First Thanksgiving in Plymouth

Pilgrims and Indians sat down to a feast peacefully around this time of the year in Plymouth, Massachusetts in the early 1600s as the "first" Thanksgiving. According to a letter from Plymouth colonist Edward Winslow dated December 11, 1621, the colonists wanted to celebrate their first good crop of corn and barley grown with generous …

Nobleman, Minister, Prisoner, And Exile–My 9th Great Grandfather’s Saga

Introduction I know my recent posts have focused on my maternal grandmother, Alice Lauretta Lathrop's, noble family who emigrated from England to Massachusetts, Connecticut, and then onto Pennsylvania and places farther down the Atlantic coast. Specifically, this post, focuses on the 400th Anniversary Year of a church that got its beginnings in England by my 9th …

“A Tale of Two Bostons “

When corresponding with those from "across the pond," or elsewhere in the world, I sometimes find it necessary to do side research within our topic of discussion. Quite often, I experience an "Aha moment" of enlightenment. Today was such the case. Here's a part of the message that I didn't quite grasp: "Last summer 2013 Boston …

Ford and Lo-Lathrop Families Among Puritans Who Ban Christmas in MA

December 25, 1659: Christmas Celebration Outlawed To put this story in context, Massachusetts was home to many of the Lo-Lathrop family, my maternal grandmother's ancestors and significant leaders in the making of the "New England" in America.  My 9th great grandfather, Rev. John Lathrop, was one of the first and was the founder of Barnstable, …

Will Baby be Witch or Warlock?–Revisited

2 Mar 2013: While continuing my research into accused witches in New England, I discovered additional resources1. It appears that Mrs. Rachel Fuller, wife of John Fuller of Hampton, CT, may replace Lydia "witch" Gilbert (still looking for maiden name confirmation that she might have been a Lathrop), on my list of possible ancestors who …

Maternal “Lathrop” Family Notables, Who Knew?

If you recall from earlier "Our Heritage" blogs my maternal grandmother, Alice Lauretta (Loretta) Lathrop Ford's family were Puritans who came from England and were among the first settlers to land at Plymouth, Massachusetts, in 1620.  In this blog, I now share with you a direct line of descendants from my 9th great grandparents--[Reverend John …

Plymouth, Pilgrims, Puritans, The Great Migration, Wampanoags, and The First Thanksgiving

Most of us envision Pilgrims and Indians peacefully sitting down to a feast in Plymouth, Massachusetts around this time of year in the early 1600s as the "first" thanksgiving.  However, the first official Thanksgiving holiday was  created  by Abraham Lincoln in 1863 during the American Civil War.  And actually, the new settlers were Puritans and only became …

Our First Thanksgiving in Plymouth

Most of us envision Pilgrims and Indians peacefully sitting down to a feast in Plymouth, Massachusetts around this time of year in the early 1600s as the "first" thanksgiving.  However, the first official Thanksgiving holiday was  created  by Abraham Lincoln in 1863 during the American Civil War.  And actually, the new settlers were Puritans and …