Gardner's Beacon, Vol VII, No 2

This issue of Gardner's Beacon gives additional reporting on our research activity. Too, we have the first print of The Gardner Annals in which issues of Gardner's Beacon (Vols. I, II, III) are provided in an appendix. This print edition included Vols. I and II of the TGA.

GB Vol VII_No2

In the current issue of Gardner's Beacon, we continue to look at The Massachusetts Magazine. All of the issues have now been reviewed with their Table of Contents reprinted. Too, we have looked closely at a few articles that are pertinent. Both Dr. Frank and his sister, Lucie, were regular contributors to the magazine. Too, Charles Alcott Flagg, of the Library of Congress, wrote a regular series on western pioneers from Massachusetts to Michigan.

Col. Thomas Wentworth Higginson was an early advisory editor. He will be one of the TMM supporters who will be featured in Vol. IV, No. 1 of The Gardner Annals which is undergoing preparation. A descendant of Count Rumford provides a short article in the TMM about efforts related to honoring the gentleman. We will take a closer look. Vol IV will print with Vol. III in the next printing to be ready in early spring of 2018.

The current print version of the TGA (Vol I and II) and GB (Vol I, II, III) can be obtained through emailing for instructions: publications@TGSoc.org.

See Vol. VII, No. 2 of Gardner's Beacon for the issue (PDF).

Remarks: Modified: 12/01/2017

11/30/2017 --

First Thanksgiving

So, keeping our southern cousins in mind, we can look at their early experiences and compare those with the Mayflower group and the Cape Ann Group and other early arrivers, including Samuel Maverick who explored the area that became Boston very early.

And, in 1619, they were thankful. Here are their words (Hatch, pg 45).

A number of the papers concerned with the initial establishment of Berkeley Hundred survive and at least give an insight into what was intended. The undertaking was expected to reflect "to the honor of allmighty god, the inlargeinge of Christian religion and to the augmentation and renowne of the generall plantation in that cuntry, and the particular good and profit of ourselves, men and servants, as wee hope." There was a very special instruction, perhaps, of some unusual note: "wee ordaine that the day of our ships arrivall at the place assigned for plantation in the land of Virginia shall be yearly and perputualy keept holy as a day of thanksgiving to Almighty god." Was this the first specific Thanksgiving Day in America?

Albeit, this was twelve years post the first entry. Next up, we will recount the number of new arrivals and the deaths over that first decade.

The Virginia effort was commercial. Some of the issues were the capitalists looking for profit. The Mayflower was a flight to and from whatever. Lots to read there and discuss. Then, Cape Ann was, again, commercial. And, the capitalists, in their cushy environment, wanted their payback. So, the U.S. was down the line, quite a ways, however a proper look at our history ought to start with Virginia, especially the Roanoke effort. Too, Maine was settled, albeit briefly, in 1607.

Remarks: Modified: 11/24/2022

03/01/2019 -- Added the image. We're building an index by images at our portal to truth

11/23/2019 -- Lots of 400ths to celebrate.

11/25/2021 -- We'll have another issue of Gardner's Beacon, soon. Recently, we saw this reminder of the Thanksgiving in Maine in 1607. The colony was short lived but full of lessons, even a seaworthy ship built. This is from four years ago before the acceleration of planning for the 400th that was to be in 2020. Then, COVID came along. Next year, Weymouth has their deal then followed the next year by Gloucester. We have written a lot about Maine as it paralleled Virginia. In many cases, the same people. ... Great article, on the subject: Thanksgiving Mayflower Story. 

11/24/2022 -- Who was first? Who cares? Now, the importance of farming in order for the people to live? That deserves attention; we'll address that as a technology theme. 

Southern New England

Having been given a chance to look at descendant lines from Virginia, I had to take advantage of learning about its History. As I read, parallels with Northern New England stood out. For instance, in the south, there was early migration out west just as we saw in Massachusetts. Too, there were two  rides similar to Paul Revere's. One of them saved Thomas Jefferson. Then, the themes related to Albion's Seed apply to our work.

Today, I picked up a book that I had purchased in D.C. back in 1997. I lived in Virginia for a while. Too, I visit the area often. 1997 was 12 years  before I started to do this historic genealogical work. And, it has taken a while for me to get to read it. Til now, it sat on the shelf.

The book? It had been copyrighted in 1957. The author is Charles E. Hatch, Jr. The title: The First Seventeen Years, Virginia 1607-1624 (text version of the book, archive[.]org) There are various on-line versions that one can find on the web. Some of these have a preview mode.

It was this content on page 23 that got my attention.

Participation in the affairs of government was another element in the new Company approach. Soon after his arrival, Yeardley issued a call for the first representative legislative assembly in America which convened at Jamestown on July 30, 1619, and remained in session until August 4. This was the beginning of our present system of representative government. The full intent behind the moves that led to this historic meeting may never be known. It seems to have been another manifestation of the determination to give those Englishmen in America the rights and privileges of Englishmen at home that had been guaranteed to them in the original Company charter. It seems to be this rather than a planned attempt to establish self-government in the New World on a scale that might have been in violation of English law and custom at the time. Whatever the motive, the significance of this meeting in the church at Jamestown remains the same. This body of duly chosen representatives of the people has continued in existence and its evolution leads directly to our State legislatures and to the Congress of the United States.

That is, in 1619, Virginia had the first meeting that relates to our current way of life. This was before the arrival of the Mayflower. As the northern crowd gets into the mood (and the tone ramps up, I can hear it out hear in the netherlands, already) of celebration, we ought to juxtapose the whole scene with southern incidents, albeit not with any direct time association. In fact, as I read, parallels are all over the place.

Too, the Mayflower destination was more southern than not.

Many families had representatives in both the north and the south. Some of those who have both pedigrees had ancestors who met while heading west. One example is covered in the article on our flyover country.

Remarks: Modified: 11/24/2022

11/22/2017 -- Looking at parallels will also consider differences: Dales' code (Laws, Divine, Moral, and Martial).

07/27/2018 -- Some editing. Added links, like this one: What is an American?

03/07/2019 -- Added image from this post to our portal to truth.

05/24/2022 -- Melissa Davenport Berry article on the Queen's visit to the area in 1957. 

11/24/2022 -- Thanksgiving Day. The first one was in Virginia. Also, they had food problems like we saw with Plymouth later and even Cape Ann when too many people came over.