A Great Generation: The Founders of Sandwich, Massachusetts (Part 2): The Freeman, Burgess, and Ellis Families

Before coming to North America in 1620, some of the Pilgrims tried living in a country much closer—Holland. Several families moved there in 1608, but found the society too liberal in accepting different beliefs and ideas. So they moved back to England for a time, before heading across the Atlantic in 1620. The Pilgrims were … Read more

A Great Generation: The Founders of Sandwich, Massachusetts (Part 1)

The people born just before the Great Depression faced a lot of challenges in their lifetimes. Many people spent their lives facing economic hardships, as their parents experienced bank failures, home foreclosures, and job losses. Then, as they became adults, they were thrust into World War II. After overcoming these significant challenges, some have called … Read more

My Ancestors Among the Puritans and Pilgrims of Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay Colonies

You probably haven’t thought about it before, but you have a lot of great grandparents. For example, if you go back 10 generations of ancestors, in that 10th generation alone, you have 1,024 8th great grandparents. And if you go back 2 more generations, you’ll have 4,096 of your 10th great grandparents. Your total number … Read more