Here’s the book for all history enthusiasts. In a book store in Mystic Connecticut, I found this book about the history of Maine – titled The Lobster Coast, Rebels, Rusticators, and the Struggle for a Forgotten Frontier, by Colin Woodard. As one would expect, there’s quite a bit of detail about fish and the fishing industry, particularly lobsters. But there is also a lot to make one think about the rights of Native Americans and the rights and relationships between the original settlers and the subsequent waves of “newcomers”, right up to the present day transformations of land use and the questions of distribution of wealth.
In my genealogy research I have been able to trace most of my ancestors back many generations. At present I am trying to concentrate/focus on the immigration experiences of these branches in my family tree. These would be the 6th-9th great grandparents. About 90% of these forebears came to New England. I have one case of an abrupt end of the trail with my 3rd great grandparents Joseph Reed and Sarah Maddox. They were each born in Maine in the late 1700’s. Joseph died in Maine in 1850. Their daughter Abigail was my great great grandmother. She was born in Gloucester in 1804. But I do not have any information re Joseph and Sarah’s forebears, my 4th great grandparents etc. Did they come to Maine as immigrants? What happened to them in this remote and harsh part of the American frontier. Did they perish in an encounter with one of the many tribes of Native Americans who raided the settlers villages and isolated dwellings. I wonder.
Working on my genealogy this morning I found a reference remotely connecting an ancestor to Herman Melville’s novel Moby Dick. And this novel of course makes me think of that magical island of Nantucket. One of the daughters of Isaac Morrill, my 9th Great Grandfather, married a Folger and Mary Morrill Folger is mentioned in the novel.
Non fiction – full of footnotes – fascinating reading! Increasing my knowledge and understanding of the early settlers of Essex County Massachusetts. And I’m finding a number of familiar names which I will follow up and see if they are actually my ancestors.
A gold mine of information
4 more books I might acquire – when I was visiting the East Coast last week, my cousin and I shared some of our research and these books are part of her library. She is deep into genealogy research and far more trained than I am. She volunteers at the New England Genealogical Research Institute once a week. We spent a bit of time exchanging and sharing information but other activities intervened and called upon our time. A return visit when we might have more time to focus on our shared genealogy interests is called for – maybe a visit to the Saugus Ironworks and the Peabody Essex Museum.
I am enjoying reading this book about English history. On first encountering it one would think that it would be a pretty tough read, but no, somehow the author has made it flow. Maybe it’s because I am eager to find some of my ancestors. The author, Dan Jones, covers the years 1120-1399. I’ve been able to trace a few of my ancestors back that far.
