I originally hand wrote this on an old yellow tablet that resembles the "goldenrod" pad with which we all started school. There was a hacking problem trying to get into some programs...so i had to have my beautiful rose gold HP wiped and inspected. Now everything has to be reinstalled. Arrrgh!!!
Back to genealogy: Both Glen and I have a lot of family behind us. I have the Anglins,Rapps,Kitchs
and Rushers. Glen has the Longs, Hoovers, Garrards
and the historic and legendary Dotys. One must start somewhere so I will begin with Edward Doty on. the Mayflower. You can find the timeline on this post from a few years back.
One reason I want to start there is it it is easier. The Mayflower society has already awarded authenticity
to Glen's family tree through his grandmother Long's family.
I remember Grandma Long and do not remember ever hearing her talk about her family history.
Glen's aunt Gurthie told us she had heard her mom talk about it when she was young. The researchers were working on it during her lifetime in another branch of the family.
Grandma Long was not effusive with her speech; she usually kept her thoughts to herself.
The ancestor of our history was not one of the venerated leaders of the pilgrims. He was an indentured apprentice/servant, which makes him even more interesting in my estimation. I'm Grandma* Long now and I'm talking.
Edward Doty, the "pilgrim" in question was written about in an almost comically pejorative way. He was a young man aboard the Mayflower as one of the "others " ....what we might call support staff. After landing, he got into a few scrapes with"Pilgrim law"
When he matured he owned land and became an upstanding member of the community.
The good things Edward did have been largely
overlooked. He helped build the first sheltering buildings including most of Stephen Hopkins dwelling almost singlehandedly. He helped with the sick and dying that first horrible winter they lost one half the people. He was one of the signers of the Mayflower compact and many years later his daughter married Miles Standish's son.
*I prefer to be called Grammy or Gram.
