Did you know that you can learn a lot about history while researching your genealogy? The history comes alive when it’s contextualized to your own ancestors. Allow me to use my own ancestors to illustrate the kind of information you can glean from genealogy records.
Where they lived
In 1640, my ancestor Fulk arrived on Long Island to join a new British colony. Searching through Ancestry.com (not an affiliate), I was able to locate a copy of the original charter for the colony. It showed my ancestor and his wife were among the original 14 members of the colony. The settlers named the colony Maidstone. Later it would be renamed South Hampton.
Although my family’s oral history claims my ancestors came originally from Wales, the records on Ancestry only verify that he came to Maidstone as part of a group of colonists who had first been in Lynn, Massachusettes. It may take a while to find such records, but they do exist and can shed light on where your ancestors lived. Records might include marriage, birth, christenings, deaths, or as in my case, the colony charter.
Where they came from
The fact that the original colonists named their settlement Maidstone suggests that a number of the original 14 settlers most likely came from Maidstone in Kent, England. A number of the records from this colony support that idea. So, at least some of the 14 colonists were from England originally. Others may have been from neighboring Wales but I haven’t found records to verify that. Some records I have been able to locate include ship manifests, maps, and lists of colony inhabitants.
Why did they leave?
To find this information, I had to turn to Google. What was happening in England in 1640? This search yielded a number of results telling all about the English Civil War happening at the time. There was religious reform and persecution and many of the actions of then-monarch Charles I were unpopular. So much so that Charles I was ultimately beheaded and Charles II took the throne in 1649. It’s not hard to see how such turmoil could motivate people to try their hand in a colony in the New World, far from political and religious problems.
What did they do?
Many of the new colonies recruited colonists based on their skill set. Only people whose skills would serve the community were allowed to join the settlement. In the case of my ancestors, Fulk was a skilled farmer and his wife was a weaver. Both were highly prized skills in a new community. The records on Ancestry helped me to locate information that revealed their vocation and that of other residents. In the allotment of lands, the records often noted the purpose—farming, religious, weaver’s quarters, the blacksmith’s forge, etc. So, it was easy to match up many of the residents with their profession based on which lands they were allotted.
Conclusion
This illustrates just a small percentage of the information I have been able to dig up on my ancestors using genealogical records. In addition to those records listed above, court records show what personal interactions among residents were like at times. Court records also help verify place of origin, vocation, and other information.
Sometimes reading through the records available can feel like a slog, but it is also fascinating to learn more about where you came from and who your people are.
Leave me comment and let me know what you’ve been able to find out about your ancestors.
