Legacy: An Ancestral Journey Through American History

The story of Legacy lies at the intersection of ancestry research and early American history. My ancestors were there at the beginning of America including descendants of four native tribes. My European ancestors arrived in New England on the Mayflower and ships soon thereafter; others were at the founding of Jamestown, the Jamestown massacre, and the birth of the Virginia colony. Some came as indentured servants, some as religious pilgrims, and others as English aristocrats seeking fame or fortune. As settled areas became crowded, many moved to the Ohio frontier and the distant Midwest. Others traveled to North Carolina and points south. They were at every major historical event in early America. The historical evolution of America is documented through the eyes and experiences of my ancestors. Over a decade of ancestry research and contributions by many professional genealogists are woven through a pattern of historical events and conditions at the time. The book documents the ancestry of more than fifty families and four native tribes. Families that are profiled include famous names such as Adams, Hutchinson, Lee, Ludington, Marshall, Nickerson, Palmer, Randolph, and many others responsible for the founding and early development of America. Natives including the ancestry of Pocahontas are also documented. Historical events are described in detail including the founding of Jamestown, life on the Mayflower, the discovery and settlement of Cape Cod, the journey by wagon trains to the Midwest, and establishment of southern states including North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, Alabama, Georgia, Arkansas, and Louisiana. Major battles where ancestors fought are described including various native vs settler conflicts such as King Philip’s War, likely the deadliest war in American history. The Battle of Bunker Hill was really fought on ancestor Breed’s Hill, and numerous conflicts in the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and the Civil War are described in both a historical and ancestral context. A must read for American history buffs and ancestry enthusiasts.