Doing genealogy is often a search for the truth. Sometimes, we are trying to clear up family folklore, and sometimes, the myths go beyond family. As fall and the new school year arrive, my mind is drawn to myths learned as children. George Washington chopped down the cherry tree, Columbus discovered America, and my favorite, the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock.Fred’s family, impressed by heroes of the past, named sons James Madison, Thomas Jefferson and Christopher Columbus. As part Italian myself, I love the Columbus myth. And, I am one of the more than 70 million people whose family legend once claimed ancestry from Mayflower Pilgrims. While it is true that the few surviving Pilgrims did manage to produce 3 million descendants, it is a far cry from 70 million.
Nathaniel Philbrick, from Nantucket, has written several well-documented histories of The Mayflower Pilgrims. I would recommend them to anyone who would like to learn more about the true beginnings and the horror, strength and truth of these early settlers.
The Pilgrims were granted a land patent on the Hudson River in what would become New York. However, for many reasons, upon approaching the dangerous shoals near Long Island, they were forced back to the “back side” of Cape Cod. They actually first set foot on the land at what is now Provincetown, Massachusetts, and in fact this year marks the 100th anniversary of the completion of a 100-foot granite tower to commemorate the Pilgrims arrival there in America. Teddy Roosevelt laid the cornerstone in 1907, and President Taft led the opening ceremonies in 1910.
The Pilgrims spent five tumultuous weeks at the Provincetown site before settling in “Plimoth”, 50 miles across the Bay. By the way, there has been no mention of a “Rock” in any known settler account. It was seized upon by some early “historian” as a way to “mark” their arrival, and used as a marketing tool ever since.
My own ancestors have been good at “marketing” our family myths and legends. I grew up believing that two different ancestresses had made the arduous journey to America alone at the tender age of 13 (neither did). I thought my Irish great-grandmother was born in Ireland (not true). I thought that we were descended from Mayflower Pilgrims and from a minister who preached at the Old North Church in Boston (nuh uh). But what I have learned instead is closer to their true stories. I am descended from strong women who lived their daily lives during some of their countries’ most difficult years. I have learned of men who went to war and lived and died believing in the dream of a better life for their children. I have learned that my struggles were also some of their struggles and that we all have to find our happiness in the best things of life: health, family and freedom.
I know now that fame and fortune are more fleeting than life itself, which often speeds by faster than we can appreciate. Genealogy is a way to learn and appreciate our own truths.
Editor’s note: This regular column is sponsored by the Aroostook County Genealogical Society. The group meets the fourth Monday of the month except in July and December at the Cary Medical Center’s Chan Education Center, 163 Van Buren Road, Caribou, at 6:30 p.m. Guests and prospective members are always welcome. FMI contact Edwin “J” Bullard at 492-5501. Columnist Nina Brawn of Dover-Foxcroft, who has been doing genealogy for over 30 years, is a freelance genealogy researcher, speaker and teacher. Reader e-mails are welcome at ninabrawn@gmail.com.
