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Mayflower 400: the science of sailing across the ocean in 1620

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Re: Mayflower 400: the science of sailing across the ocean in 1620

#21

Post by bitbckt »

bserge wrote: post #7
kyle_morris_ wrote: post #3

Apparently 2 million Americans can trace their lineage to a passenger on the Mayflower who fell overboard and survived by grabbing a rope trailing behind. They include FDR, H.W. And W Bush.[1] [1] https://accesswdun.com/print/2015/11/352412

I've always been amazed by this ability to track your ancestors hundreds of years back. Were the records that good back then? I had lots of trouble getting birth records for my great-grandparents. The system in my country was terrible, if I didn't have the exact name and date of birth, they couldn't find anything. Nothing was digitized, maybe that changed but I doubt it. In fact, I did have the wrong day but fortunat…

My family is descended from Rev. John Lothrop[0], who came across on the Griffin in 1634. The high literacy rate among Puritans and their subsequent notability through the colonial years left many, many records of them and their progeny.

He is also an ancestor of the Bush clan - among many others. At some point, everyone is related to everyone. :)

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lothropp

Re: Mayflower 400: the science of sailing across the ocean in 1620

#22

Post by pbalau »

sdeer wrote: post #5
MichaelZuo wrote: post #2

“These would have been on a cramped gun-deck (where the passengers would also live) with gun-ports” Was that really the case? It seems far more likely for the crew to have lived on the gun-decks since presumably they would have been trained to use the cannons, instead of the passengers.

The crew (other than the captain who probably had his own cabin) probably stayed at the lower deck because the gun deck had better ventilation for the passengers. It took a long time after a ship first became visible for a gun battle to occur so the crew had enough time to get ready.

Most likely the crew used the forecastle for accommodations [0] (as they always do). I don't think the well being of passengers was a big concern for the crew.

0. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forecastle

Re: Mayflower 400: the science of sailing across the ocean in 1620

#23

Post by wombatmobile »

buran77 wrote: post #19
wombatmobile wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I've always been amazed by this ability to track your ancestors hundreds of years back. Were the records that good back then? "... between 1640 and 1700, the literacy rate for men in Massachusetts and Connecticut was somewhere between 89 percent and 95 percent, quite probably the highest concentration of literate males to be found anywhere in the world at that time. The literacy rate for women in those colonies is…

Would the group of literate people contain enough people also concerned with accurate record keeping? They seem to be relatively distinct and not necessarily overlapping skills or interests. And plenty of record get lost no matter how well they're kept. Fires, floods, disinterest, etc. But for some people such a lineage is like a vanity address. And they will go out of their way to dig up a connection like this and a…

> They seem to be relatively distinct and not necessarily overlapping skills or interests.

Actually, literacy is a prerequisite for record keeping.

Re: Mayflower 400: the science of sailing across the ocean in 1620

#24

Post by mbzi »

jialutu wrote: post #15

https://www.mayflowerpub.co.uk/ One of the best pubs in London if you are in the area. Never disappoints.

Used to live around the corner. Nice owner, good food and a great beer selection. I now [Ironically?] live in the states and miss that pub quite a lot.

Re: Mayflower 400: the science of sailing across the ocean in 1620

#26

Post by dbcurtis »

TedDoesntTalk wrote: post #17
kyle_morris_ wrote: post #3

Apparently 2 million Americans can trace their lineage to a passenger on the Mayflower who fell overboard and survived by grabbing a rope trailing behind. They include FDR, H.W. And W Bush.[1] [1] https://accesswdun.com/print/2015/11/352412

How do they trace their lineage to this guy? Word of mouth?

It was the tradition of New England churches to keep pretty good birth, death, and marriage records. Plus, the Mayflower gang and other early arrivals have been fairly extensively documented. Once you can hook your limb of the tree into the existing documents, the rest of the database is just there.

My wife is into genealogy as a hobby. Chasing my New England roots was an easy warm-up exercise. Chasing her Nordic roots through revolving patronymics, now that gets mind-bending, and actually the trail goes cold pretty fast unless you get lucky.

Re: Mayflower 400: the science of sailing across the ocean in 1620

#27

Post by dmckeon »

bserge wrote: post #7
kyle_morris_ wrote: post #3

Apparently 2 million Americans can trace their lineage to a passenger on the Mayflower who fell overboard and survived by grabbing a rope trailing behind. They include FDR, H.W. And W Bush.[1] [1] https://accesswdun.com/print/2015/11/352412

I've always been amazed by this ability to track your ancestors hundreds of years back. Were the records that good back then? I had lots of trouble getting birth records for my great-grandparents. The system in my country was terrible, if I didn't have the exact name and date of birth, they couldn't find anything. Nothing was digitized, maybe that changed but I doubt it. In fact, I did have the wrong day but fortunat…

In the USA, 10-year census records since 1790 and immigration records are great resources. The LDS church has done a lot of work microfilming many church and government records that remain available, and has had volunteers transcribing and indexing them. For the British Isles, property records are a good resource - if the people being researched owned or bequeathed property. Research-sharing sites such as ancestry.com can help connect Nth cousins who may be looking for the same remote ancestors.

Re: Mayflower 400: the science of sailing across the ocean in 1620

#28

Post by rbg246 »

jonstewart wrote: post #10
kyle_morris_ wrote: post #3

Apparently 2 million Americans can trace their lineage to a passenger on the Mayflower who fell overboard and survived by grabbing a rope trailing behind. They include FDR, H.W. And W Bush.[1] [1] https://accesswdun.com/print/2015/11/352412

Yep! I’m descended from one of his brothers who came over a bit later. That so many Americans are descended from the Howland boys shows how important it can be to get in on the ground floor of a new enterprise.

I bet any one of your ancestor's from that time would swap their series A stock for your boring index fund portfolio that you hold by living today.

Re: Mayflower 400: the science of sailing across the ocean in 1620

#29

Post by saalweachter »

TedDoesntTalk wrote: post #18
hef19898 wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No harm, I'm just not that interested in that kind of stuff it seems.

I understand your sentiment, but I gain humility and inspiration knowing how my ancestors lived and the sacrifices they made to have a better life. To each his own.

There's also the reciprocal promise: we try to remember our ancestors and hope our descendants will remember us.

Re: Mayflower 400: the science of sailing across the ocean in 1620

#30

Post by metalliqaz »

jonstewart wrote: post #10
kyle_morris_ wrote: post #3

Apparently 2 million Americans can trace their lineage to a passenger on the Mayflower who fell overboard and survived by grabbing a rope trailing behind. They include FDR, H.W. And W Bush.[1] [1] https://accesswdun.com/print/2015/11/352412

Yep! I’m descended from one of his brothers who came over a bit later. That so many Americans are descended from the Howland boys shows how important it can be to get in on the ground floor of a new enterprise.

howdy cousin!
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