Category Archives: 17th Century

Into the Unknown: Our Intrepid German Ancestors

Posted on December 8, 2014 by cynthiaberryman

We are nearly all the descendants of immigrants, those hearty people who risked everything to start again in a new land. Their bravery and fortitude made our country what it is today, made each of us what we are today. … Continue reading →

Posted in 17th Century, 18th Century, Germany, Pennsylvania | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

John Bailey and the Angel Gabriel

Posted on October 13, 2014 by cynthiaberryman

No sailor approaching Pemaquid Point, Maine, can look upon that black coast with anything but dread. Monolithic rock walls jut from the ocean floor like fists, waves crashing and wind howling the names of all those lost at this ocean … Continue reading →

Posted in 17th Century, Strange Facts | 20 Comments

The Family Ties that Bind

Posted on May 26, 2014 by cynthiaberryman

I did not set out to write a multi-part series on the Blue Ridge Mountain evictions, but as the original post became longer and longer, I decided to split it into parts, all of which I will post in upcoming … Continue reading →

Posted in 17th Century, 18th Century, 20th Century, Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Let’s Play Ancestral Name Detective!

Posted on March 29, 2014 by admin

First names, like eye color, tend to run in families. In my (ex) brother-in-law’s family, every first son is James, every second son is John. It has been like that for generations. He broke the tradition by a hair, naming … Continue reading →

Posted in 16th Century, 17th Century, 18th Century, Strange Facts, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Least Popular Baby Names for 2014

Posted on March 27, 2014 by mulberrygrrl

My seventh great grandmother was Fear Brewster, daughter of Elder William Brewster of Mayflower fame.  Fear’s siblings were named Love, Wrestling, Patience, and Jonathan. Jonathan was apparently named before the Brewsters got their hands on the Geneva Bible, which became … Continue reading →

Posted in 17th Century, Strange Facts | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

I’m Thinking About the Children

Posted on March 23, 2014 by admin

Searching for your ancestors teaches you a lot. When you start to see past the organizational structures of genealogy, past the dates and towns and who begat whoms, you find small truths that touch your heart, or hidden stories that … Continue reading →

Posted in 17th Century, 18th Century, 19th Century, Old Photos | 6 Comments

America: Conceived on a Beer Bender?

Posted on March 19, 2014 by mulberrygrrl

It’s time for a break from our John Fitch series. File this under strange facts…. The Mayflower wasn’t heading for Plymouth Rock back in 1620. It was heading for Jamestown, Virginia. It might never have landed at Plymouth at all … Continue reading →

Posted in 17th Century, Strange Facts | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment