Grave Symbolism - A Depth of Meaning

I have been taken by genealogist who spend hours, if not days traveling from cemetery to cemetery recording the grave markers of famous people they are researching or for family members. Several member of my family do most of this kind of work. Until recently, I pretty much left it up to them. Then I spent some time on a tour in old Riverside Cemetery in Denver. There were grave markers that went back to the early days of Denver's history. Symbolism was absolutely everywhere, so I decided to learn more.

Eternal Life - Butterfly and Flowers - Eternal Life

It didn't take long before I was hooked. My next trip was to another of Denver's oldest cemeteries, Fairmont. My Father is buried there and most of the time I only go out to pay my respects to him.
My husband happened to be with me this time. We walked the cemetery and could not get over the great detail that went into most of the graves. Tiny little things came up, like the use of lambs or angels for the graves of small children. It was then that I realized that quite a bit could be gleamed about a person by their grave marker.

Indicative of a great loss - broken branch of family
and so close to the trunk.

This one above stuck out in my mind as I am also a Day. I remember when my Grandfather died back in the late 70's. It felt just like this grave marker indicates. A beautiful soul had died and the branch of family was broken as well. My Grandfather was the root of our family and the marker seemed to portray that as well. The broken branch is near the trunk.

Shows a journey to the other side.

This grave marker is full of symbolism. It shows the journey one makes from this life to that place where many of us feel our loved ones go. Life is a journey and perhaps these people felt their loved one was continuing the journey on.

In taking hundreds of pictures of both Riverside and Fairmont Cemeteries now, I have come to appreciate the beautiful artwork that is so carefully placed on grave headstones. Looking towards the part of the cemetery where the markers were set down into the ground, I feel at loss for the people buried there. Although still hallowed ground, the messages are often not included on such a small marker. It feels somehow empty with only the name, DOB and DOB on these graves.

I encourage you to walk your local cemetery some day and spend some time reflecting on the distinct messages each of the older graves have incorporated. It gives one a sense of appreciation for people you never knew.

Here is a link to some common grave symbolism. Take the link and remember them the next time you are in a cemetery.

Grave Marker Guide



 

Consanguinity - The Degree of Genealogical Relationships

So you found someone famous in your family line have you? You turn to your friends and family and then have to proceed through a complicated description on just how you are related. Sounds easy at first, until someone's eyebrows scrunch, and a puzzled look come across their face as they try to process this new narrow, but worthy path you have just forage in relationships. 

Hoping that no one asks question we try to use the right words to help them understand the unique relationship you, or they have. If they understand or are family with the common language of relation sanguinity. It makes your job easier. 

So the statement that Daniel Boone is your the great-uncle of my great-great-grandfather's third cousin, shouldn't be a problem.  Right? I will give you a pen and watch you chart that relationship. No, you say? 

Hard to conceptualize? A bit confusing, right? Don't worry you are not alone. 

It is easier to think of what your shared ancestors would call you both - if your closet shared direct-line ancestor is your great-great-grandparents, and they call you both "great-great-grandchildren," then you have no removal, you two are second cousins. Once, Twice, Thice Removed...Have I lost you? Well hang on a bit. 

Actually, it is only by being familiar with the system we use in designating these relationships, that you can see there is a consistent formula to the kinship titles we assign to various family members. In English-speaking societies, we classify family relationship based on gender, generation, and consideration of consanguinity (direct descendants) and by what is called, immediate afinal (in-law) relationships. Our common familiarity is with immediate family and direct lines – brother, sister, cousins, aunts/uncles and the (great) grandparents. It starts to get confusing when differentiating between the “degrees” and “removals” of cousins. 

Something I am sure most of you will agree with as we all have wrestled with this system at one time or another. 

First, Second, Third Cousins?  What Does it Mean? The ordinals in this system, “first cousin”, “second cousin”, “third cousin”, all describe the degree of the cousin relationship or the number of generations to their closest ancestor. For example, your second cousin is a person you share great-grandparents with and is not your direct sibling. 

Table of Consanguinity Showing Degrees of Relationships

The secret is in the generations. When the cousins are not in your same generation then they are “removed. “First cousins once removed” declares that either one of you are one generation away from being first cousins. For example, if your first cousin has kids, they are your first cousins once removed – the closest common ancestor shared are your grandparents but are “once removed” from the level of first cousin (held by their parents). 

Here is the confusing part: there are two instances in your family tree that can share this title. This is a reflection of what cousins refer to each as. Up until now, each relationship in your family tree has inverse titles for each other. You are your aunt’s niece or nephew; you are your great-grandparents grandchild. Cousins refer to each other as cousins, but because of this, your first cousin’s kid is your first cousin once removed and you (the parent of their second cousin) are also their first cousin once removed – you each refer to each other as the same. This means that the child of your first cousin and the parents of your second cousin are both “first cousins once removed” despite each of them being generations apart. 

Here is the breakdown: 

FIRST COUSINS: Non-siblings that share grandparents 
SECOND COUSINS: Non-siblings that share great-grandparents 
THIRD COUSINS: Non-siblings that share great-great-grandparents 
FIRST COUSINS ONCE REMOVED: Two people for whom the first cousin relationship is    one generation removed. 
FIRST COUSINS TWICE REMOVED: Two people for whom the second cousin relationship is two generations removed. 

If this is still confusing, take a breath and remember they are not going anywhere and will still be your ancestor or relative tomorrow. You will in time and practice understand this classification system. Practice also always makes understanding so much easier. Try to use the chart with someone you are closer in relation to,  and you will find it easier each time you use it to classify your unique blood relation to people more distantly related.  Remember you can always pull out your file proving lineage and really impress everyone with your verifiable work. Because the proof is in the detailed genealogy work that you do anyway. 

Good luck and enjoy your newly discovered relatives!


 

Marriage Law for Genealogist - The Definitive Guide

Marriage Law for Genealogists: The Definitive Guide. By Rebecca Probert. Published by Takeaway Publishing. Copies are obtainable directly from the author at books@takeawaypublishing.co.uk or on Amazon. 2012. 160 pp. Illustrations, index. Softcover. $14.99.

The book is the definitive guide to understanding marriage law in England and Wales, from 1600 to the present. This book is written for genealogists and it is not a legal text. It is not a light read, but it is clearly written and is certainly worth the effort in reading all the way through to get a complete, accurate picture of marriage laws before it is used as a research tool to look up specific questions. 

Ms. Probert is a genealogist and Professor of Family Law at Warwick University and a leading authority of the history of marriage laws of England and Wales. She strongly disputes the writings of other historians such as John Gillis, Lawrence Stone and Brian Outhwaite who have all written extensively on marriage laws and practice, divorce, cohabitation, and children out of wedlock. Their books have guided many genealogists, including me, who write and research marriage laws. Probert contends that the errors and assumptions of these authors create confusion for genealogists. I would absolutely agree with her. In my personal opinion, she succeeds in clarifying the changing rules of marriage from 1600 to the present.

The book addresses five questions.  (1) “Whether and Why” your ancestor married deals with the likelihood of any given couple having gone through a valid ceremony of marriage. (2) “Who” examines who could marry, and whom they could or could not marry. (3) “How” examines the formalities required for a valid marriage, plus what that means for Roman Catholics or Protestants. (4) “When”  looks at the age at which couples could and did marry, when parental consent was required and who could object; plus it examines the seasons, days and hours when marriage could be and were celebrated. (5) “Where” moves beyond the legal requirements to large scale genealogical studies that provide guidance to family historians on where they may need to look for the marriages of their ancestors. Throughout the book there is a continual discussion of important key conditions (changing over time) that make a marriage valid, void, and voidable. Additionally there is frequent discussion about what in the law was required versus what was directory. Included in the text are sample questions typically raised by genealogists, and these are answered clearly. This is a must have book for all Genealogist. 

This book will greatly add to your understanding of marriage laws and help you in your research. It is a must for anyone seeking to understand the laws or struggling to find a particular marriage ancestor’s marriage. (Unique laws apply in Scotland and Ireland so don’t apply the laws here to other places, but make use of the framework presented here as an excellent structure for examining marriages in other locations.) If you think you know everything you need to know about English marriage laws then take the author's quiz

Find Here on Amazon


Find Here with Barnes and Noble

Princeton Battlefield Society - Tactical Reenactment

It is my great pleasure to share an exceptional upcoming event taking place April 6th and 7th 2013. The Princeton Battlefield Society of New Jersey will offer a tactical reenactment of the Battle of Princeton held on the site showing General Mercer's portion of the battle. Attending units will participate in a reenactment of General Hugh Mercer’s Brigade’s attack on, and defeat by, the British 4th Brigade, along with the subsequent rallying and counterattack of the American forces lead by General Washington.

The Princeton Battlefield Society will be offering a special tour of the battlefield. Refreshments will be available for purchase throughout the two day event. There will be militia drills, games and stories for the kids and for those young at heart. If you are interested please contact by email - Brianjkovacs@aol.com to confirm your attendance or ask any additional information about this event. Donations are welcome.

Find the Princeton Battlefield Society Here 

If you like to use Facebook and would like to follow or contact them, below is the link. Link to the Princeton Battlefield Society on Facebook

Children of the 18th Century

CHILDREN IN THE 18TH CENTURY from guido verelst on Vimeo.

A recreated look into the lives of children of the 18th Century.

Enjoy! 

Now for a reality check, which most of you are probably crying for after seeing this? Why? Because most of our ancestors did not live a life anywhere like this. 

There is an outstanding book, yes you still need to get your history there sometimes too. It was written by Alice Morse Earle, 1851-1911. It is called Child Life in Colonial Times and was republished by Dover Publications, Inc., in 2009. It is a newly reset, unabridged republication of the work originally published as Child Life in Colonial Days by The Macmillan Company, New York, in 1899. 

In this well written book, author Alice Morse Earle really describes what life was like for children in the colonial period. She also authored another great book, you should also own, Home Life in Colonial Times. Both literally are a treasure trove of customs and facts found no where else so complete. I have both of these in print and also on my iPad. I enjoy reading both of them. Every serious student of American Colonial History, or reenact or should have copies. 

Chatelaines - Châtelaines - Helper's

18th Century 
Chatelaines - Châtelaines

The word "Chatelaine" actually has two meanings. One is of course the tool that this lens is about, and the other means the mistress of a castle, mansion or house. The word in French literally means "kepper of the keys." A Chatelaine is a decorative belt hook or clasp worn at the waist with a series of chains suspended from it. Each chain is mounted with a useful household appendage such aas scissors, thimble, watch, key vinaigrette or perhaps a household seal. 

Since women of antiquity did not have a lot of pockets and they had to move around a large area, carrying these helpful items around with her kept her on task. The use of chatelaines dates all the way back to the Elizabethan Era. They were of course used during the American Revolutionary Period as the above picture represents one that was in service to it's mistress. There have been many times I wished I had a chatelaine even today. Not all of my clothing have pockets or ones big enough for what I need to carry around with me for the day. 

Below is a link to my collection of Chatelaines on Pinterest. 

Enjoy,

Christine

Chatelaines on Pinterest

Colonial Recipes - Making Wassail

COLONIAL HOT CIDER PUNCH, AKA "WASSAIL' 

1 Gallon heated apple cider 
1/2 ounce brandy flavoring 
1/2 ounce rum flavoring OR (even better) 1/2 quart light rum 
3 sticks cinnamon 
3 to 6 whole oranges small bag of whole cloves 


Simmer mixture with 3 sticks whole cinnamon to melt--DO NOT COOK. Allow to cool, pour into punch bowl. Separately stick whole cloves around entire surface of 3 to 6 whole oranges. Place oranges into baking pan with 1/2 inch of water, and bake at 350° for 45 minutes. Place oranges into punch bowl Serves 40 Serve with pound cake, nut cake, or cheese and crackers. 

Enjoy!

Christine

Women of The Revolution - A Poem

WOMEN OF THE REVOLUTION

Read the fresh annals of our land the gathering dust of time

Nor yet has fallen on the scroll to dim the tale sublime;

There woman's glory proudly shines, for willingly she gave

Her costliest offerings to uphold the generous and the brave

Who fought her country's battles well; and oft she perilled life

To save a father, brother, friend, In those dark years of strife.

Whatever strong-armed man hath wrought, whatever he hath won,

That goal hath woman also reached, that action hath she done."

Mary M. Chase

Source: Hanafore, Phebe A., "Daughters of America on Women of the Century", True and Company, Augusta, ME, 1883.

Today's Colonial Gift From Whiskers

The trend of History is often reflected in the very names borne by the men and women who played a part in it", according to Donald Lines Jacobus, often considered the father of American genealogy. The history of given (first) names in early America offers a glimpse at our forebears and their customs, as well as clues to their origins. 

New England's first settlers bore names of three different types: those of English origin, those of Hebrew derivation, and those intended to have a moral significance. Old English names, connected with the Church of England, were not often favored by the Puritans. Puritans named their children somewhat differently than other English-speaking settlers, preferring Biblical names. Evidently, some parents shut their eyes, opened the Bible, and pointed to a word at random--what else could account for a child being named Notwithstanding or Maybe? 

The early Massachusetts Brewster family had two sons, Love and Wrestling, and two daughters named Patience and Fear. The names Humility, Desire, Hate-evil, and Faint-not also appeared in the region. Other New England onomastic Practices included obscure references and names that commemorated an occasion--such as Oceanus Hopkins, who was born on the Mayflower in 1620.

Early settlers seemed to favor names for their associated moral qualities. Among girls' names, which were no doubt intended to incite their bearers to lead godly lives, were: Content, Lowly, Mindwell, Obedience, Patience, Silence, Charity, Mercy, Comfort, Delight and Thankful. 

In many families, the first names of the father and mother were given to the first-born son and daughter, respectively. In the Massachusetts Bay Colony, 53 percent of all females were named Mary, Elizabeth, or Sarah. Other popular girls' names were Rebecca, Ruth, Anne, Hannah, Deborah, Huldah, Abigail, and Rachel. Meanwhile, prevalent boys' names included John, Joseph, Samuel, Josiah, Benjamin, Jonathan, and Nathan. 

In Virginia, Biblical references were less common. Early settlers often named sons for Teutonic warriors, Frankish knights, and English kings. Favorites included William, Robert, Richard, Edward, George, and Charles. Daughters received name of Christian saints and traditional English folk names, such as Margaret, Jane, Catherine, Frances, and Alice, along with English favorites Mary, Elizabeth, Anne, and Sarah. First-born children were named for their grandparents, and second-born for their parents. A popular custom in both Virginia and New England was the use of surnames as given names. This occurred mostly with boys, but it was not unknown for girls. Some names were also chosen for their magical properties, and astrologers were consulted in attempt to find a "fortunate" or "lucky" name. 

Among Quakers in Colonial Pennsylvania and Delaware, babies went through a ritual called nomination. An infant's name was carefully selected by the parents, certified by friends, witnessed by neighbors, and then entered in the register of the meeting. 

First-born children were named after grandparents, honoring maternal and paternal lines evenly, often with an eldest son named after his mother's father and an eldest daughter after her father's mother. 

While this practice was not universal among Quaker families, it was common in the Delaware Valley. Many names came from the Bible, with favorites for boys being John, Joseph, Samuel, Thomas, William, and George; and for girls, Mary, Elizabeth, Sarah, Anne/Anna/Hannah, and Esther/Hester. Also popular among the Quakers was Phebe, which rarely appeared in New England or the South. They also favored the names Patience, Grace, Mercy, and Chastity. One family's eight children were named Remember, John, Restore, Freedom, Increase, Jacob, Preserve, and Israel. 

Naming patterns differed in the "back country" of early America, which was heavily populated by Scots-Irish as well as German, Scandinavian, Irish, Scottish, French, and Dutch families. In these rural areas, many given names were "americanized," making it difficult for genealogists to identify a family's ethnic origins. 

As a general rule for these people, the patterns included a mixture of biblical, teutonic, and saints' names. Among the most popular given names for boys were: John, Robert, Richard, Andrew, Patrick, and David. Celtic names such as Ewan (and variants Ewen and Owen), Barry, and Roy were often used, as were Archibald, Ronald, Alexander, Charles, James, Wallace, Bruce, Percy, Ross, and Clyde. Again, eldest sons were often named after their grandfathers, and second or third sons after their fathers-- similar to patterns found in early tidewater Chesapeake families. 

One peculiar naming pattern found among the back-country settlers was the one bestowing unusual--sometimes made-up--given names. From an early date, these rugged pioneers cultivated a spirit of onomastic individualism, a spirit still found today in this country as parents search for a special, perhaps unique, name for their baby. Others prefer to select a name from their family tree that has been passed along for generations.

Old Naming Patterns of Ireland

Sons

1st son was named after the father's father
2nd son was named after the mother's father
3rd son was named after the father
4th son was named after the father's eldest brother
5th son was named after the mother's eldest brother

Daughters

1st daughter was named after the mother's mother
2nd daughter was named after the father's mother
3rd daughter was named after the mother
4th daughter was named after the mother's eldest sister
5th daughter was named after the father's eldest sister
If the father remarries after his first wife dies, the first daughter born to this new marriage is often named after the deceased wife, and includes her whole name.
If a child dies young then their name is then used for the next child of the same sex, thereby keeping alive the name of the relative who they are ‘named for’

GIVEN NAME
or "Christian name," is the first name of an individual listed before their surname.  "Middle names", do not seem to have been used in either Ireland or Scotland until some time after the 16th century.  In both Ireland and Scotland, men used male given names, and women used female given names. There was only a small group of given names that could be used for both men and women. The typical Irish byname is a patronymic, which would indicate who your father is.

MAC
Irish and Scotch Gaelic prefix meaning "son of."  Also m' and "mic," giving rise to the racial slur for Irish men as "micks," "mics," or "micky's."  Scottish and Irish patronymic surnames frequently have the prefix Mac or Mc. When these surnames were originally developed, they were formed by adding the Gaelic word mac, which means son of, to the name of the original bearer's father. For example, the surname MacDonnell literally means son of Donnell.
In later times, these prefixes were also added to the occupation or nickname of the bearer's father. For example, MacWard means son of the bard and MacDowell means son of the black stranger.  Numerous variations of this prefix emerged, for a number of reasons.  It was rendered Mag before vowels and aspirated consonants. Historical records concerning Irish and Scottish names reveal that the common prefix Mc and the less common prefixes M' and Mcc developed as abbreviations of the original Gaelic prefix Mac. 

Historical records concerning Irish and Scottish names reveal that the common prefix Mc and the less common prefixes M' and Mcc developed as abbreviations of the original Gaelic prefix Mac.  Thus, the popular beliefs that Mc is a distinctively Irish prefix while Mac is exclusively Scottish, and that one prefix is used by Catholic families while the other one is specifically Protestant are erroneous. 

In actuality, the same person often had his surname recorded using both Mac and Mc on separate occasions.

NI
(also nee and nighean or inghean or even inghean uí) In the Irish patronymic naming system, indicates that the individual is the daughter of the man whose surname follows.
The form is:inghean uí ,
which means:  daughter of a male descendant of .
For example: Cairistiona inghean uí MacGhilleFhiondaig' which means: Cairistiona daughter of a male descendant of MacGhilleFhiondaig  (or, fully Anglicized, Christine daughter of a male descendant of McClintock). Later the word inghean was corrupted to nighean, which was further shortened to ni. 

Ó
Irish and Scotch Gaelic prefix to a patronymic name literally meaning "of the generations of," or the more commonly understood term "grandson."
Ua, Uí
Family, clan. E.g. Uí Néill

SURNAME
The last, or "family name" of the individual. All Gaelic surnames are patronymic," it is the father, and not the mother, whose given name was used to form this type of byname.  Gaelic bynames formed from the mother's name (metronymics) are vanishingly rare to nonexistent in both Scotland and Ireland.  In Ireland, clan affiliations were often used to form bynames. Simple patronymic bynames and clan affiliation bynames are the two most common types of Gaelic byname found in medieval and early modern Ireland.
Men: The standard form of Irish clan affiliation bynames for men is:
ó , the ó being a contraction/corruption of uá, which gives us the meaning: male descendant of
For example: Seamus ó Dae, which means Seamus male descendant of Dae (or, fully James, Dae male descendant of Day).
Women: Women patronymics are formed the same way, so the standard way to form Irish clan affiliation bynames for women is:
inghean uí ,which means:  daughter of a male descendant of
For example: Caristiona inghean uí Dae' which means: Cairistionia daughter of a male descendant of Dae (or, fully Anglicized, Christine daughter of a male descendant of Day).  Later the word inghean was corrupted to nighean, which was further shortened to ni.

Note that in names such as Cochobhar,  the nominative form of the change from Conchobhar is Conchobar. The h in Chochobhar is the result of a feature of Gaelic called "aspiration," their way of recognizing the living or inherent "spiritual" aspect of names.  Most consonants are aspirated after ingen nighean and ni, but in the period when ingen was used, this aspiration usually wasn't reflected in the spelling.  Also note that the parental name is often modified even further.  For example, if you are Cormacc son of Aed, the Irish would be Cormacc mac Aeda.  This is because Gaelic has a distinct genitive or possessive case that looks (and often sounds) different from the nominative case. For instance, Aeda means "of Aed" or "Aed's."

A subgroup of patronymic style names is formed from the father's occupation, status or nickname instead of his given name.

Ó Gobhann means "(male) descendant of (the) smith.
Mac an Bhaird means "son of the bard."
Mac an Ghoill means "son of the foreigner."
Mac an tSionnaigh means "son of the fox."

(These are modern spellings; in Middle Irish these might have been Ua Goband, Mac in Baird, Mac in Gaill and Mac int Shinnaig.)
There are other forms of Irish bynames, including epithets, occupational name and locatives. An epithet is a descriptive phrase added after the given name. These tended to be extremely simple and concrete. A colour might be added to describe a person's hair or complexion.

• Maine with the red hair might be called Maine Ruad.
• Little Lugaid might be called Lugaid Beag.
• Cathan, who is clever like a fox, might be called Cathan Sinnach.
• Locative names state that someone is from a particular place.
• In Mulind, in modern Irish an Mhuilinn means "of the mill" and indicates that the person lived at or near a mill.
• Muimnech, now spelled Muimhneach is a byname meaning "Munsterman, the man from Munster."

Resources: 
Choosing an Irish Name, Kristine Elliot 1997
Colonial Naming Patterns, Colin Thomas, 2002
LDS Church Records, et al. 
Naming Patterns of Virginia
Anglican Church Records

Rode Island - A Colony Founded on Tolerance and Reform

Did you know that the colony of Rode Island, means Red Island? It  was founded on the principle of separation of Church and State guaranteeing religious freedom to all who settled there. It became a safe haven for persecuted Jews, Quakers and Presbyterians who had fled the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

William Rogers who is credited with starting the colony of Rode Island, was himself a Puritan who came to America. He had quite an impact on the second generation of Puritans at a time when ideas of change were contagious. Rogers was friends with the Puritan leaders of Colonial Massachusetts until he started voicing his discontent. Rogers told the Puritan leaders that the Puritanism practiced in the colony was not pure enough and the Church of England was beyond reform. He spoke out against the punishment of anyone for religious offences and denounced Puritan leaders for forcing religion on everyone who lived in the community. When asked to take an oath by the local government, Rogers refused stating that any kind of oath or vow was religious and could not be required of the government. For speaking his mind, the colony tried and banished William Rogers (founder) to Rhode Island. It later became it's own colony. After William Rogers was banished from Colonial Massachusetts, he made friends with the Pequot Indians and established Rhode Island from land that he purchased from the Indians. William Rogers believed that the Indians had legal right to the land, which further ostracized him from society. He learned the Pequot language and remained on friendly terms with the Indians. Rogers used his friendship with the Pequot to save the Massachusetts colony from attacks on many occasions yet the people of the colony still ostracized him. Despite the Puritans treatment, William Rogers still helped them.

The example William Rogers set for generations of Puritans was important. Literacy was widespread in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Many could read, and did read the Bible. They were able to think, making interpretations and judgments on their own. Most in the Massachusetts Bay Colony perceived William Rogers as a trusting person who was ostracized because he questioned the authority of "the establishment." Over one hundred years later an article in the Massachusetts Spy, stated, “For however strange it may appear, yet indubitable facts prove that mankind is naturally compassionate toward those who are subjected to pains and hardships for the sake of their religion, and very frequently join with them and espouse their cause and raise sedition and faction and endanger the public peace.”

Here is a little background:
In the Massachusetts Bay colony, those caught practicing the Quaker faith were whipped, tarred and/or hanged. Rogers chastised the Puritan Colony for refusing to allow freedom of religion after they had experienced religious persecution when he wrote his book The Bloudy Tenant of Persecution for Cause of Conscience. “The blood of so many hundred thousand souls of Protestants and Papists, spilt in the wars of present and former ages, for their respective consciences, is not required nor accepted by Jesus Christ the Prince of Peace.”

Rhode Island Colonial Facts

• The Puritans of Colonial Massachusetts exiled to Rhode Island those who did not fit into their society or those who's ideas and beliefs were contrary to theirs.
• Rhode Island original name was Rogues Island
• William Rogers set up a colony that was based on religious toleration
• Anne Hutchinson banished from Massachusetts settled in Rhode Island
• The capital of Rhode Island is Providence
• Rhode Island is the smallest State in the United States
• Rhode Island is a New England State

A Special Colonial Woman - Anne Hutchinson


Anne Hutchinson was another exiled to Rhode Island colony by the Massachusetts colony. Colonial women did not speak in Church or teach in public. Anne Hutchinson knew the Bible well and preached the word of God despite the consequences. She openly denounced the views of a preacher during a sermon at a church service. Labeled a heretic for her brazenness, Hutchinson was banished to the Rhode Island colony. The Puritans believed that the devil was using Anne to undermine the stability of Puritan society, which would eventually lead to the breakdown of moral standards. However, the real reason was that Anne was a woman who dared to speak out in church and teach in public.


Anne’s audacity threatened the man-woman relationship where colonial women submitted to the authority of their husbands. Anne in effect challenged the State and raised issues of responsibility and equality. An accuser told Anne, “You have stepped out of your place; you have rather been a husband than a wife, preacher than a hearer and a magistrate than a subject.” New laws enacted after Anne’s banishment put more restrictions on women and allowed the Puritan leaders to deny entrance to anyone thought to be seditious. People protested the enactment of these oppressive new laws by signing petitions. The Puritan leaders imposed fines on those who signed the petitions and forced them to give up their firearms. Authorities arrested the instigators who stood trial for seditious behavior and consequently denied legal council. Oppression of religious liberty led to oppression of other liberties. Anne Hutchinson was exiled to the Rhode Island colony where she continued to preach her beliefs.


Anne Hutchinson was an early Boston colonist who was expelled from the colony because of her different religious views. She conflicted with ministers who preached that “good works” were a sign of individual holiness. She believed that people instead could only receive grace from God. She was also known to draw women to prayer meetings at her house because she gave women’s souls the same value as men’s souls. As a result, she was banished for heresy in 1638, fleeing to Rhode Island, and eventually staying in the New Netherland colony. In 1643, she and her family died tragically in a conflict between the Dutch colonists and the local Native Americans. This statue was sculpted by Cyrus Dallin in 1922, and given by the Anne Hutchinson Memorial Association and the State Federation of Women’s Clubs.

We Remember Them

With our whole hearts, we remember all who have served our great nation. Colonial Bytes wishes to remember the men and women who set us upon the course we are on today. To these brave people, who gave of their life, liberty and treasure, we say heartfelt thank-you.


You have given us such a rich heritage. It is our honor to carry it forward.


We Remember You this Memorial Day 2011


Thank-you for your sacrifice in the pursuit of liberty.


Colonial Bytes Editor,
Christine McClintock Hudspeth


Read About the Battle of Ft. Henry Here

God bless the men and women who sacrificed their lives on the altar of freedom.

Memorial Day Tribute 2011

May this Memorial Day mean everything it should to each of us Americans. May we never forget those who have given the ultimate sacrifice for us, to support and defend out great country.


General George Washington once said, "We will be remembered by how we treat our Veterans." May we all aspire to keep his words of wisdom in our daily lives.


To all who have served, or our serving in our Armed Forces. I will remember you.

God Bless The United States of America.

Colonial Bytes Announces A Special Honor

I am honored to be awarded a 2011 certificate for outstanding Social Network Media for my blog, Colonial Bytes from The Colorado State Society of The Daughters of the American Revolution. I enjoy colonial history and writing about it. I invite you to check out this fun blog.


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Colonial Dancing - A Celebration for May Day

These young students are learning colonial dancing. They are absolutely adorable and you can see the hours that went into practice and their clothes. The colonies did keep the tradition of celebrating May Day. This took on may of the British forms of dancing and merriment. Some colonies did not allow such things based for cultural and religious reasons.

• Symbolizes the return of flowers after the long days of Winter. 
• This holiday was celebrated in many cultures.
• On May Day, the many colonists that did celebrate this holiday went “a-maying.” “A-maying” was when colonists woke up early in the morning to go out to collect flowers. 
• To help celebrate this special day, the colonists decorated a pole, the maypole, with flowers and ribbons. Later, they danced and sang around it.

So in honor of May Day 2011, I leave you with these little people dancing the dance of life.

The Ride of Paul Revere - When Poetry and History Conflict

 We continue today to teach our elementary school children about "Christopher Columbus wanting to prove the Earth was round," and George Washington's having wooden teeth.  I was in the company of two Scottish friends a while back, who were commenting on my knowledge of not only American history, but Scottish history as well. It seemed I knew theirs better than they did, much to their delight! I will never forget being asked, whether George Washington did indeed have"wooden teeth?" To which my answer was, "noooo... they were not wooden at all." They had been taught the very same thing as school children in Scotland, as many of us have.


The question of what to teach our children about the history of our country comes into conflict particularly with the esteemed writing of Henry Wadsworth Longfellows and his of the famous ride of Paul Revere.


Thanks largely to a famous poem by Mr. Longfellow, which was written April 19, 1860, and first published in 1863 as part of "Tales of a Wayside Inn," most people believe that Revere was the lone hero who rode through Middlesex County, Massachusetts alerting everyone that the British soldiers were invading. The truth however, is that there were actually multiple riders that night delivering news, including the likes of Israel Bissell and Sybil Ludington, both of whom, it is said, actually traveled much further than Revere did (Ludington actually doubled the distance that Revere covered). Perhaps, Midnight Riders will finally set the record straight.


I am a rider and a writer, so I will humbly apply for clarifications here.


In  a celebration of April's National Poetry Month, Historian, Jayne Triber passionately reads Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's "Paul Revere's Ride." Triber also discusses the background of Revere's fabled ride, and the historical inaccuracies in Longfellow's poem.

TAKE A LISTEN TO A READING ON NPR HERE"


This poem literally transformed a nation's perception of an event and a man who had a very minor roll, into almost a founding Father. Longfellow wrote this written some 80 years after the actually ride. The poem was published just before the American Civil War. It was to inspire to come together in patriotism by having them reflect on a telling of history from the American Revolution. Longfellow's attempt succeeded in inspiring his countrymen before the civil war. 

However, Longfellow also doesn't mention in "The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere" that British troops captured all three men at a site near Hanscom Air Force Base in present-day Bedford. You can see a marker commemorating the capture site in Minute Man National Historic Park on the route to the Old North Bridge.
Fortunately, they managed to escape. 


I hope I didn't spoil some of the romantic aspects of that night for you. It still was very important to the telling of the whole story of the American Revolution. But remember it was a poem taking creative license with the intent to inspire. It did inspire, when it was published and still does today. We need to remember that creative license often takes history down alternative paths, and this includes movies made about the same subject, but that is a post for another day.


TAKE THIS LINK TO READ THE POEM HERE




Reference:
A True Republican: The Life of Paul Revere (University of Massachusetts Press; Written By Jayne Triber, ISBN: 1558492941).