5 comments about Adventurers of Purse and Person: Virginia 1607-1624/5: Families A-F Volume 1.

1. It's all there! The 1624/25 Muster, explanatory notes, and family listings (A-F only, though -- I'm eagerly awaiting the next volumes for the rest of the alphabet). This new edition is great to look at, and to hold. I especially liked the endpaper maps of the Jamestown settlements, the 1607 ones in the front and the later ones (1624?) in the back. Well worth the purchase price!



2. Families
   Far too large to be published in a single volume, the new fourth edition is to be published in three volumes (see Volume Two for families G-P). This first volume covers founding families alphabetically from A-F, and includes the following:
   Andrews, Bagwell, Baley-Cocke, Barkham-Jenings, Barne, Bates, Bayly, Beheathland, Bennett (Edward), Bennett (Samuel), Bennett-Chapman, Bernard, Bibby, Bickley, Bland, Boyce, Boyle-Mountney, Branch, Buck, Burwell, Bush, Calthorpe, Calvert, Carsley, Carter, Chaplaine, Chew, Chisman, Claiborne, Clay, Clements, Cobb, Codrington, Cole, Cope, Cox, Crew, Croshaw, Crump, Curtis, Davis, Dawson, Delk, Digges, Edloe, Epes, Evelyn, Farrar, Fisher, Fleet, Flood, Freeman.
   
   This is Volume One of the fourth edition of the most celebrated compendium of family histories in the entire field of Virginia genealogy. Prepared under the auspices of the Order of First Families of Virginia, 1607-1624/5 in anticipation of the 400th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown, and edited by the foremost authority on Virginia genealogy, John Frederick Dorman, this new edition extends the lines of descent of the founding families of Virginia from four generations to six, bringing most families down to the Revolutionary or early Federal periods.
   
   The purpose of the book is to establish descents--through the sixth generation--of the approximately 150 individuals who can be identified as (1) Adventurers of Purse (i.e. stockholders in the Virginia Company of London) who either came to Virginia in the period 1607-1625 and had descendants or who did not come to Virginia within that period but whose grandchildren were residents there; or (2) Adventurers of Person, 1607-1625 (i.e. immigrants to Virginia) who left descendants. With roots deeply embedded in the social fabric of the United States, descendants of these original settlers today number in the hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, and like descendants of the Mayflower passengers, they claim an ancestry that is unique in American history.
   
   The foundation for this work is the famous "Muster" of January-February 1624/25-- essentially a census taken by the Royal Commission which succeeded the Virginia Company to determine the extent and composition of the Jamestown settlements. In the Muster (which is reproduced in entirety here in Volume One), the name of each colonist appears with the location of his home and the number in his family, together with information about his stock of food, his supply of arms and ammunition, his boats, houses, and livestock. In all, about 1,200 persons are named in the Muster, of whom approximately 150 are shown here to have left descendants to the sixth generation. Most scholars agree that the total population of Jamestown between 1607 and 1625 was about 7,000, so by 1624/5 only about one-seventh of the colonists had survived the punishing conditions of the Virginia wilderness.
   
   In addition to the Muster, this work builds on the investigations of dozens of scholars, correcting, revising, and supplementing the best genealogical scholarship of the past half century. New discoveries, newly available information, and a further reevaluation of evidence concerning previously accepted relationships have led, in some instances, to wholesale changes in the accepted genealogies. In consequence, this fourth edition brings together the results of all the most recent scholarship on these families, expanding the limits of what is presently known and opening up possibilities for research beyond the sixth generation.



3. If you have (or think you have) ancestors who arrived in Virginia before 1624, this book is a "must-have". The research is impeccable, the footnotes are fascinating, and the indices list every ancestor. This three-volume series is an essential aid to any genealogist who is tracking down early Virginia ancestors. Because of a family Ahnentafel chart, I knew the names and relationships of the people I was looking for, but did not know any of their places or dates. Thanks to the indices at the back of each volume of this wonderful set of books, I now have all the dates and places back to 1610.



4. Excellent documentation on Jamestowne which proved my relationship to my Jamestowne Ancestor. The book was accepted as proof for my membership in the Jamestowne Society.



5. This book is so useful that I ordered the other two volumes. It even gives you the source location of information in actual records. Makes research much easier and less time consuming.

5 comments about Jefferson's Children: The Story of One American Family.

1. This story is catalogued as a book for teens and young adults,
   but I found it great reading for an older audience. It was
   written as a result of research done by twenty-year-old Shannon
   Lanier, a direct descendant of Thomas Jefferson and his slave
   Sally Hemings. With slavery as the backdrop, this book is an
   attempt to combine the history of one American family. Amidst
   the controversy surrounding the biography of Thomas Jefferson
   and his offspring, Shannon shares his family's story.

   Many descendants of Martha Jefferson and several generations of
   historians have resisted the claims of kinship to Jefferson by
   Hemings' offspring, and they feel these claims will tarnish his
   legacy. But the information collected by Shannon is not a myth,
   and it is his belief that he has found the final piece of puzzle
   to complete the search for the the Hemings' family tree. Shannon
   never intended to bring shame to Jefferson's legacy, but he is
   aware that his research will show an unveiled look at a man many
   feel is beyond reproach.

   The story is told with a collection of historical essays,
   interviews and family photographs, and is wonderfully illustrated
   by Jane Feldman. This is not the Thomas Jefferson we studied in
   school and there is the strong possibility that this particular
   information may never appear in history books. Since there are no
   written records of the slaves' birth, and of the period after
   slavery was abolished, to substantiate Shannon's claims. The
   history during these periods was memorized and told by oral
   historians. But in 1998 DNA tests produced evidence that there
   is a link between the Jefferson and Hemings families.

   If nothing else, this story should produce sensitive discussions
   on how we define our country based on the color of our skin. The
   introduction by Lucian K. Truscott IV, a fifth generation great-
   grandson of Jefferson through their daughter Martha
   Jefferson-Randolph, shares his hope that this story will show us
   that the worth of a person should not be determined only by what
   we see.

   Reviewed by aNN Brown
   of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers




2. I bought this book for my 12 year old nephew who wanted to understand "passing."
   
   He had heard that people "passed into the white world" and wanted to understand this concept as he comes from a mixed race background where his Grandmother scandalised many English people when she married a Bengali in a time when Black people were still being murdered for just whistling at a white girl in the USA.
   
   So I have got him this book which talks candidly and in a language that a twelve year old will understand about "Jefferson's Children", both legitimate and illegitimate."
   
   All of whom walked many paths, some down the road to embracing their Anglo-African roots, others to never know their slave origins as they slipped away into the embrace of their "white roots", and just as many who would never doubt their racial purity because they were descended from the two legitimate daughters of Thomas Jefferson.
   
   This is an excellent book for teens and adults alike; it looks at the proud descendents from this illustrious lineage as well as those who see such a bloodline as curse rather than a blessing.
   
   I liked the fact that the book wasn't over syrupy, it was down to earth yet proud with a healthy dose of cynicism from some people both Black and White, I liked that and I think my nephew will like that too.
   
   Of course there are many people, who will continue to deny that Sally Hemmings and Thomas Jefferson ever had a relationship, and this is reflected in the book.
   
   I find this curious as DNA has proven that the children of Sally Hemmings were Thomas Jefferson's offspring, and their excuses such as "Thomas loved his wife Martha too much to take up with a slave," made me smile. Sally Hemmings was his wife's half sister, and probably looked a lot like her, I leave the rest to your imagination plus the fact only Sally and her children were freed upon Thomas Jefferson's death, and also the fact that
   Sally followed Thomas Jefferson back to the USA when she could have stayed in Paris a free woman of colour.
   
   All of this is expressed in this wonderful book that should be on the shelf of every school in the USA.
   
   I just wish we had books like this in England because we too have a secret history like the Hemmings and Jefferson relationship, born from Britain's colonisation of Africa, India and the Caribbean, we too have a legacy that needs to be told and perhaps one day it will be.



3. I am a Lutheran church librarian in Florida who bought this book for our church library. I feel it has very important things to say about the definition of family. A family can be a traditional nuclear family with a mom, dad and 2.3 kids. It can have two mothers, two fathers, step-parents, and grandparents. The people in the family can be of all different races. They do do not even have to be biologically related since they can be adopted. I want my parishioners to realize all this. A family is defined as "a group of people who love and support one another." If a particular family does not match your traditional particular concept of family, GET USED TO IT!
   
   I was raised to appreciate and enjoy history, and I first visited Monticello as a middle-schooler. This book is particularly interesting in that it fleshes out the individuals who made up the family of Monticello, white, black and every shade in between. Thank you, Shannon Lanier, for writing this family history. It is a very important historical statement besides being a fascinating family genealogy. Since we have no photos of Jefferson, I especially enjoyed studying the faces of his descendants in these photos--one or two seem to be the spitting image of him.
   
   As to whether Jefferson was a god or not, no he was not. He was human and had failings and gifts just like anyone else. He was a product of his time. That meant he did certain things indicative of that time. So what? It just makes him a more interesting person to me. Does it really help us to try to judge him by today's standards? All we can really do is to examine the man in the context of his time. This book can be enjoyed by both teens and adults and will especially interest those who liked Jefferson, the colonial era, or who like genealogy.



4. this inspiring book was written by a friend of mine...who i've known since he was shorter than i am now! i'm very proud of him and he did an awesome job of showing both sides of this extended family and in including all kinds of views of the situation. brilliant...he also happens to be an alum of Hughes Center High School in Cincinnati, Ohio. GO BIG RED! I love you Shan-Shan!



5. I've been interested in this subject for a long time, and recently read the book about Sally Hemings and Jefferson, The Hemings of Monticello. The book "Jefferson's Children" contained some new information, and updates on the descendants and what they are doing today. I can recommend this book.

5 comments about Origins of New Mexico Families: A Genealogy of the Spanish Colonial Period.

1. If you have ancestors listed in this book, you must have it. Just to see them listed in it makes you feel soo proud and you have it to show others in case they think you are full of crap.



2. This is an excellent resource for New Mexican genealogy research. The information is documented, the layout is clear, and the book is easy to use. I have consistently returned to this book while researching for my clients' family history and for mine as well. There are some errors, so don't use this book as the sole source of your work.
   
   The only problem I see with this book is that sometime people become TOO eager to make their known lines stretch out to "fit" the work in here. But most researchers, professional and ameteur, aren't like that.
   
   Purchase this book before it goes out of print, just like the previous reviewer urges. You'll use it for decades.
   
   Salena Ashton



3. Very interesting, felt there could have been more added but was happy to have as a resource and history reference.



4. The Origins of New Mexico Families is a must have source book for anyone conducting genealogy research that includes New Mexico. A Must Have Book!



5. I was shocked when I received this book and saw what a collection of work was involved. This is a very low price to pay for a book that is loaded with actual documented family data. Think of what it would cost for you to do the years of research that he has already compiled for you. Yes, there are a few errors, but there are also errors in actual documents... This is just a GREAT place to start for those who are working on their early Spanish American families.
   
   He has managed to bring together an enormous group of varied families in this one 442 page effort. I know it doesn't cite it's sources in every case and the dates are not always published, but an experienced researcher can glean much from this man's work. My suggestion is that if you have New Mexico families researched back to the early 1800's you will find this source invaluable.
   
   Using his sources I should be able to order some of these records from a local Family History Center to acurately document my own data. If these manuscripts haven't been filmed yet, they eventually will be, so be patient. I was able to put together several promising families using this book and am working on the documentation for myself which we should all do anyway.

4 comments about Carolina Scots, An Historical and Genealogical Study of Over 100 Years of Emigration.

1. When I first ordered this book, it was for purely personal reasons. I was tracing hard to find ancestors; however, once the book arrived, I found myself engrossed in compelling reading. In fact, CAROLINA SCOTS is addictive, and I could not put it down until I had finished it.

   For the Highland genealogist, this is a must-read. For anyone interested in Scottish history or early-American history, this is a must-read. And, finally, for anyone who enjoys a story well-told and well-written, this is a must read.

   I'm waiting on Part II.




2. Helped me trace my wife's heritage back to Scotland. Since we live in the heart of Scots Carolina it all hits home. All Scottish genealogists will use this book. Very well written.



3. Doug Kelly has provided a much needed addition to the geneological arena with this 500 page work. If your family is from Carolina and of Scottish derivation, it is probably in here. The general history section is worth twice the price alone. A must have for even the part-time family history buff.



4. Douglas Kelly is my wife's cousin and she found it to an excellent history of Scots in Eastern North Carolina. He helped her to find her Great-Great-Great Grandfathers first house.

5 comments about Princes of Ireland, Planters of Maryland: A Carroll Saga, 1500-1782.

1. I was originally attracted to this book out of a simple curiosity about the last surviving signer of the Declaration of Independence (Charles Carroll outlived Adams and Jefferson by about six years, or about 56 years after 1776!). On a deeper level, I hoped to learn more about the kind of early capitalist that would be attracted to signing on to the American Revolution in general. What this book helped me discover was a family that had over time become focused, almost obsessed, with making a buck under fairly adverse circumstances (namely, continuing in their Roman Catholic faith that made it difficult for them to thrive, even in an enclave as seemingly sympathetic as colonial Maryland, with its relatively large Catholic population). But when the time came for this family to rise above its simple wealth building and to champion the cause of the Revolution, it did indeed rise to the occasion, however brief and painful the process might be. (Hoffman attends to both the private and public lives of the Carrolls.) The history of the Carrolls is a part of the history of the magic that was the American Revolution. It is not surprising that the book ends abruptly with the death of Charles Carroll's father and his wife, about 10 days apart from one another in 1782 (though there is a brief summing up of Carroll's remaining 50 years and the attention attracted by his death in 1832). The story is told, the dynasty pretty much complete.

   What's the book like? At times it seems downright willfully prosaic, and the story proceeds much like a carefully written doctoral dissertation - all conclusions fully supported and made in as logical a context as possible, all contentions politically correct for our time. Hoffman's goal is of course to be scholarly and thorough, not to be entertaining or controversial. Thus the sweep of this history must emerge and coalesce in the mind of the reader. Leave being beaten over the head with the broader conclusions inherent in the narrative to more popularly written histories.

   Suffice it to say, if you're a municipal library and you need to beef up your Revolutionary War material, this is a prime buy. If you're a true history buff, this would be an excellent choice to work into your reading list. It has the effect of immersing you into the spirit of the times and providing you with detail you could not have imagined you would find interesting (but you do). If you're a casual reader, just be advised - this is heavy stuff. It's not an easy read, but it is ultimately a rewarding one.




2. Ronald Hoffman is an excellent historian who has brought great knowledge of Chesapeake social and cultural history to this biographical work that places three generations of the Carroll family within their colonial context. It is a wonderful biography that gets the reader into the minds and lives of these three Charles Carroll's. But for me the best thing was the number of times it made me think, "Oh, that's how it was." I have read enough colonial history to know that there were lots of tenant laborers and not just slaves in the region, to know that Catholic Maryland quickly became Anglican Maryland, and to know that the Revolution was not just about ideas but also about social change. Ronald Hoffman's narrative, however, really brings these facts home. His book is not about any one of these issues in particular, but in telling the story of three generations of Carroll's in Maryland he brings home the greater circumstances of the colony better than many historians who have set out to make a case for one of the above arguments, or many of the other fascinating takes on early Chesapeake society contained in this highly readable book. I have not read any book lately that I enjoyed more.



3. Traditional patriotism demands that we believe that the founding fathers of America were all great democratic idealist. Although this may have been true for some, many others had no problem with the idea of an elite ruling class, so long as they were considered the elite. Thus the victory over England can be viewed as less of an American Democratic Revolution and more of a power transition from the English crown to the new American aristocracy.
   
   A primary example of this American elite class was Maryland representative Charles Carroll of Carrollton. A signer of the American Declaration of Independence, Charles of Carrollton was a wealthy planter and businessman who became such not by his own doings but primarily through the inheritance and molding of his father, Charles Carroll of Annapolis. Ever mindful of his Irish and Catholic roots and the persecution therein by English aristocrats, the elder Charles did everything in his power to equip his son to fend off those who would attempt to cripple him politically and economically. In so doing, the elder Charles created a mindset of elitism within his son.
   
   This irony is highlighted by Ronald Hoffman in his book, "Princes of Ireland, Planters of Europe," in which he examines the Carroll family and traces how a persecuted family from Ireland in 1500 came to be one of the prominent families in America by the time of the American Revolution



4. This is perhaps the most pleasurable "academic" history I have come across. Although it provides an extensive account of life in the Chesapeake through the lives and business dealings - and there are plenty of those enumerated - of the tenacious Carroll family, I was also struck by Ronald Hoffman's major theme of family continuity, of purpose driven by recollection and ambition that the Carrolls had in spades. The very tightly researched accounts of the family history in Ireland, and of all the other families like them in the chaos of the 17th century, is little short of astonishing. I'll admit to an enduring interest in Irish history, but this one illustrates why Carrolls and others left their broken aristocracy. That continuity touches on my own forebearers, one of whom was a first cousin of Charles Carroll of Carrollton's. She married another Irish immigrant Marylander and set out in 1796 to populate the then frontier in Kentucky with other Catholics, I am sure at direction of one of their neighbors in Upper Marlborough, MD, Fr. John Carroll, first Catholic bishop in America and also Charles' first cousin. A great read on many levels.



5. Purchased this book for my Grandmother. Apparently we are related on her side of the family. Thought she would enjoy reading. I purchased one years ago when my daughter had to do a report on someone famous in your family. I found the book very interesting and informative.

3 comments about Francis Parkman : The Oregon Trail / The Conspiracy of Pontiac (The Library of America).

1. This volume is a reader's delight, for it presents not one but two of Francis Parkman's classic works: The Oregon Trail and The Conspiracy of Pontiac. Rightly hailed as America's greatest historian, in The Oregon Trail Francis Parkman relates a journey to the 1840's American West - undertaken for the express purpose of living among "real" American Indian tribes of the Great Plains before their way of life passed forever. By this experience Parkman hoped to better understand and relate what eastern tribes had so tragically fought for and lost in the preceding century's struggle for the continent. The Oregon Trail is a great book in its own right, and has been reviewed by this reader previously (see more in "About Me/Other Reviews"), but the primary focus of this review is Parkman's study of a crucial chapter in the development of North America as we know it today: the disastrous consequences France's defeat in Canada would bring to the remaining eastern tribes. For this event would inexorably lead to the explosion of the English colonies across lands heretofore held by them under French "dominion".
   
   While the Iroquois Nations had long maintained an uneasy alliance with the English as they pushed their way into the western reaches of New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia, those further west knew what the defeat of the French would bring: utter destruction. The Ottawa, Ojibwa, Pottawattami, Delaware, Shawnee, Illinois, Sauk and Foxes had long fought the intrusion of the arrogant and land-grabbing English from Quebec to the Mississippi. Pontiac himself had fought beside the Marquis de Montcalm as he tried in vain to save New France from ruin during the French & Indian War. But at last, in the mid-1700s France finally capitulated to her English rivals, her hold on the North American continent broken forever. The only task left to the conquerors was to make their way across the Great Lakes, into the valleys of the Ohio, and down the Mississippi into the Illinois country to make their claim upon the former French forts and trading houses. For a brief time a singular leader and a dozen nations blocked their way: Pontiac and his assembled allies.
   
   Parkman sets the stage by briefly relating the history of France and England in America from the early 1600s-1760s, then meticulously details the source of the tribes' many grievances - grievances which would directly lead to Pontiac's bold attempt to decisively halt the English advance.
   
   Though doomed to ultimate defeat against the onslaught of English guns and armies, traders and pioneers, for a short time Pontiac's initiative was remarkably successful. He brought war to nearly all of western America at the same time - from the siege at Detroit to the forests outside the gates of Niagara, from upper Michigan and Wisconsin to the Ohio valley, into western Pennsylvania, Virginia and New York, down the many rivers and tributaries leading into the Mississipi. A dozen forts fell before him and hundreds of miles of frontier settlements emptied in terror.
   
   Parkman's work is perhaps the best chronicle of many of these tribes' last desperate fight for their lives and land. Those interested in the history of the struggles destined to come shortly to the tribes west of the Mississippi will derive much insight from Parkman's treatment of Pontiac's war. For his "conspiracy" was the original "last great battle" for the "American West" - 100 years before the battle for the further western Plains would come to an ignominious close. To understand Pontiac's war, the motives of both his people and the English and French, as well as the burgeoning force who would soon thereafter cast off their identity as "colonists" is to understand much of what would follow as American history.



2. David McCullough and Theodore Roosevelt both say that they consider Francis Parkman to be their favorite historian and the author who had the greatest impact on their own writing. If you read the Oregon Trail you will understand why.
   
   Parkman made his journey in 1846. It was before the Civil War, and 15 or more years before the West portrayed in most westerns. The outposts of the American Fur Company were 700 miles west of the farthest reaches of the U.S. Cavalry, and Parkman was truly on the cutting edge of frontier. This is a very different view of the West than we get from the movies.
   
   What is most interesting here is the portrayal of the American Indian. Traders, merchants, immigrants, trappers, and frontiersmen live side by side with the Sioux Indians. The Sioux are are war with the Crows, and the six nations are gathering to finally wipe the Crows from the face of the earth.
   
   The West resembles a multi-racial society, where the settlers and traders try to get along with everyone, but where the Indians seem to have a little more trouble than the settlers living in peace. The Sioux look upon the trading posts as a source of protection and manufactured goods. They leave the bodies of their dead chiefs on scaffolds nearby Fort Laramie for protection, to keep the Crow from desecrating the bodies of the dead.
   
   There is a great deal of mixture between whites and Indians. Traders and merchants have squaws as mistresses or even wives, and the families, the in-laws, live inside the fort with them. During one pare of the journey, Parkman leaves the Oregon trail to go with a friend and find his dying wife, a Sioux squaw who is with the tribe.
   
   This book is a classic. It is the type that should be read by every educated American. On top of that, it's well written, and as timeless as any modern American history.



3. The Library of America has done it again - directing me toward this priceless book by Francis Parkman, whom I had heard of but never read. It is perhaps the best accounting I have read thus far about the era and aura surrounding historical depictions of the Oregon Trail. It began in diary form, fleshed out later into a splendid historical novel. He is a marvelous writer, a factual storyteller; equal to if not surpassing Mark Twain's captivating talent, in my own opinion; but more importantly, he was a remarkable man of solid character and it is readily apparent, thus adding credibility to his every word. His wit and prose are truly out of the ordinary and he uses both to great effect to capture the imagination of the reader which he accomplishes virtually from the first sentence. A remarkable work and one that will last through ages more, unchallenged as not only the last of it's kind, but as the best benchmark for any historical endeavor that may yet be written about the Oregon Trail.
   
   He was a young adventurer, who set out on the Oregon Trail mostly because he could. His was a journey destined to explore the Indian Nations if he could - in all their original state of gore and glory. This became an obsession; something he required of himself while he was on the prairie - and he shrugged off life-threatening illness, hardship and peril to write it down as he saw it roll before his eyes. They accepted him into their lives and their village, not without some trepidation, but with hospitality as they knew it nonetheless. As he moves within their culture through this short time, he notices everything down to the slightest detail, providing excellent insight into the daily rituals of plains Indian life. His descriptive passages of the moving of the villages, complete with dogs, children, warriors and old mothers, fathers and, of course, the Chief are remarkable in that it required not only tactful diplomacy, but astonishing bravery as well. He remarked, but did not dwell on it, nonetheless, the reader senses the acute danger present with every step along a path such as this.
   
   There was also much humor through everyday occurrences that he never failed to note. One passage comes to mind from pages 206/207 and it's regarding, of all things, a dog being admonished for bad behavior by one of the native women: "....scolding an old yellow dog, who lay on the ground with his nose resting between his paws, and his eyes turned sleepily upward to her face, as if he were pretending to give full respectful attention, but resolved to fall asleep as soon as it was all over.."
   
   His eyes beheld Fort Laramie in it's hey day, the mountain men of self-exile and boundless energy when in pursuit of the beaver, the lazy and the disagreeable, the "complexions" that had little to do with who you were in such a primitive yet natural scenario. But it is not primarily the culture differences or the human aspect - wild and therefore superstitious vs. civilized and educated - of his accounting but of his open mindedness, his willing to look beyond surfaces of people unlike himself and search for the soul within; the search for fact and truth what ever it was, where ever it was, and whomever it belonged to. He held a genuine interest in his undertaking and his virtual pen was faithful in that regard. His eye for beauty and appreciation of the boundless and magnificent wilderness excursion fills the reader with longing to have experienced such as this themselves, even though most of us know it takes a separate breed of individual to breach the hardship inherent in such a journey. And, as one who has grown up in the West, it is easy to spot a counterfeit.
   
   Truly a masterpiece of Western Americana, taking it's rightful place alongside Mari Sandoz/s "Old Jules".
   
   I highly recommend this two-volume historical book to anyone who is interested in factual narrative adventure, Indian Nations as they were or first-person American History, especially during the Westward movement.
   
   For those whose tastes run to this kind of historical narrative, another Library of America selection, William Bartram's "Travels and other writings" is in a similar vein, a fabulous accounting of the eastern half of the U.S., when it too was young, and includes fascinating narrative regarding the Cherokees, Crees, Creeks, and other Native Nations. Allan Eckert's "The Frontiersmen" is another excellent example of historical narration regarding the pioneers and woodsmen.

5 comments about Plantagenet Ancestry: A Study In Colonial And Medieval Families (Royal Ancestry).

1. This is an important study on some of the descendants of the Plantagenet family, whose ranks include many kings, queens, princes, princesses, dukes, duchesses, counts, and many more of the ranks of royalty and nobility, in almost every country of the world. The sources used are original or transcriptions of original records (as much as possible), along with other records, to document the family ties between the people listed in this book. Mr. Richardson et al, have also attempted to give many of the individual royal and noble titles held by each person (if any), to aid in finding these persons in other original and printed resources. Though I'm sure there are mistakes here and there, Mr. Richardson et al does a wonderful job straightening out as many of the known errors as well as a few new ones that had yet to be addressed. The great part is that this work seems to be an ongoing work - I haven't as yet gone online to check out the website, and we can look forward to many new family tidbits in the future. This book is a "must have" for those researching historically or for those with family ties to the Plantagenets!



2. What a wonderful book! As a beginning family historian, I can't figure out how anyone could organize so much material, and keep it both interesting and easy to use. I read about a different part of my family almost every day, and have great fun imagining life back when "Grandpa" was king!



3. I bought this book because it was the first "Royal Ancestry" tome to list one of my own ancestors, namely Richard Parker, 17th century immigrant to Virginia. The author accepted the research of amateur genealogists Waunita Powell and Fred Olen Ray, and included Richard and George Parker, allegedly sons of James Parker and Catherine Buller of Cornwall, in the "Courtenay" line (pp 238-243). Reading this part of Richardson's book, one would naturally assume that this descent was "proven," at least as much as any pedigree can be without DNA verification. However, because these are my ancestors, I have looked in great detail at this Parker family, and I have found a great many problems that would make me hesitate to take the ancestry shown by Richardson at face value. To look at Richardson's bibliography for this line on p. 243, you couldn't tell that McSwain (1980) is a book (now long out of print), while Powell (1990) is just a typewritten collection of notes. There is also no mention of the fact that McSwain and Powell came to opposite conclusions, nor any mention of the fact that the identification of Richard Parker of Cornwall with Richard Parker of Virginia essentially rests on one document which appeared in the late 19th century, the original of which has apparently vanished. When I wrote to Mr Richardson and laid out in great detail the problems associated with the Parker identification, his reply was short, dismissive, and showed a complete lack of understanding of the issues involved. If there are all these ambiguities and uncertainties with this one line, which are not even touched upon by Richardson in his presentation, how many other lines in the book rest on equally shaky ground? How did he get such a reputation as a thorough genealogist? I don't think I'll ever buy any of his books again, because I do not feel I can trust the ability of the author to evaluate sources. Gary Boyd Roberts, in the most recent edition of The Royal Descents of 600 Immigrants to the American Colonies or the United States Who Were Themselves Notable or Left Descendants Notable in American History includes this Parker family in an addendum, and that has made me wonder now about him. Genealogy is big business, and everybody wants to be able to trace their family tree back to Charlemagne, never mind that it's often hard enough to find out who great-grandma really got pregnant by!



4. "Plantagenet Ancestry," and its companion volume, "Magna Carta Ancestry," provide the reader with a wealth of information, and are more accurate than Gary Boyd Roberts' "Royal Descents" series. It's helpful that Richardson gives a glimpse into the content of some of his sources. But some of his inferences from these sources are unwarranted, and both books contain errors.
   
   Before purchasing "Plantagenet Ancestry" and "Magna Carta Ancestry," I recommend trying to locate them in a library and examine them for the quality of research on your line. If you have deep British colonial ancestry, they might prove to be a handy reference, but how much more useful they are compared to the far less costly "Ancestral Roots 8th Edition" and "The Magna Charta Sureties, 1215 5th Edition" is debateable.



5. Douglas Richardson has produced an incredible reference work. I have used it extensively, and although there are a few errors they are easily detected and corrected (except in a very few cases). For the most part, the information contained in this book is very accurate. I have entered source material for my entire genealoy file, and find that the work of other authors usually agrees with Mr. Richardson. I wonder at the other reviewers that criticize this work because they find a few errors. All genealogies contain errors! That is a fact we have to live with. Our goal, as genealogists is to do all we can to find and correct those errors. That is not an easy task! We research everything we can find to try to make our genealogy as accurate as possible, but there are still errors that crop up. When you are dealing with information that is many hundreds of years old you sometimes have no choice but to accept that which is the most logical as true. Sometimes that works and sometimes it doesn't. I think Plantagenet Ancestry is well researched, well written and quite accurate. I have also written to Douglas Richardson and pointed out some of the errors I found. I assume he keeps track of them for a future release, but since he doesn't answer my emails, that is only my opinion. I look forward to his future volumes and will surely buy them!

5 comments about Chasing The Frontier: Scots-Irish in Early America.

1. Larry Hoefling leads the reader through the migration of the Scots-Irish from the Scotland lowlands, to Ireland, and then on to America. He provides excerpts from the lives of different Scots-Irish surnames of these early pioneers in America which is invaluable for the genealogist with Scots-Irish ancestry. Mr. Hoefling as been able to merge the history of these people's migration to America, along with a personal look at wills, death records, marriage records, military rosters, and land deeds of these early pioneers. Anyone with Scots-Irish ancestry would find this book an invaluable addition to their collection, and may even find the name of one of their ancestors included in the book.



2. As someone who tries to read every book published on the subject, I was quick to buy this book, and quick to read it, but it proved a major disappointment.
   
   I was expecting a comprehensive treatment of the subject based on the title, but that's not what this is; instead, it is a dreary recitation of the author's family history, limited chronologically and geographically to the author's area of interest. If your area of interest happens to include the Huston family, or the Shenandoah Valley, or early Kentucky, it MIGHT be of interest to you, but it's doubly damned by a schizophrenic narrative style and a serious lack of connection to earlier, better works on the subject.
   
   If you've done any genealogical research, you have doubtless endured long tomes full of names and dates, strung together by a valiant effort to create an interesting historical narrative; that's essentially what this is, and if the surnames and placenames are not relevant to you, it is pure unrewarding drudgery. If they are, you might be interested, but don't expect to be entertained or edified.



3. This is a good overview of the Scots in Colonial America. Particularly good information about the Scots in Ireland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and North Carolina. I would have liked to read more about South Carolina. Worth the money. A good starter book.



4. This tells the story of the Scots-Irish coming to America and settling the wildest of areas. While there are several other books more in depth, the story includes some very informative sample lists of names. The story follows in depth the Huston/Houston family with side stories of some famous Scots-Irish, and their migration from Philadelphia, through Virginia, down to the Carolinas, Tennessee and back up through the Cumberland Gap to Kentucky. While this path was important, an equally important path, that was left out, was through western Pennsylvania, Ohio and points west in what would later become the free states. While my ancestors took both paths, this still made for interesting reading.



5. Good book may have spent too much time on some families, but outlines the Scots-Irish pretty well.

No comments about Adventurers of Purse and Person Virginia 1607-1624/5: Families G-P (Volume Two).

3 comments about Plymouth Colony: Its History and People.

1. In doing research on my own ancestor who was a passanger on the Mayflower and one of the original Pilgrims, I have used over 50 books. This one is by far the best. Very readable, this book provides an excellent narative of many of the events of the first 70 years at Plymouth, and detailed descriptions of many of the Pilgrims. For anyone interested in this era, this book is a must.



2. There are hundreds of books out there about the Pilgrims and the first Thanksgiving and all that goes with the subject. But the majority of these books are written either in a stodgy, encyclopedic (read: Boring!) format, or they are written for children. Well, now I have one that is actually written for adults, as well as in an easy to read manner. Written mainly from a genealogical stance, the author, Eugene Aubrey Stratton, did his "putting flesh on the bones" research; that is, he sought out how the pilgrims lived their daily lives in all aspects of their time and place. Instead of the cartoonish figures we all see come November, Mr. Stratton actually gives an authentic look to these early Americans. He makes the reader feel that they now know the pilgrims, not only through their historical prominence in our early history, but by name, and we feel their hardships, especially of their first winter here. After the first time reading this book, I re-read it, only this time I read the 'Biographical Sketches' section, located toward the back of the book, first, THEN I went to the beginning. My advice to the first time reader is to do the same. You will then know who you are reading about as names are mentioned.
   This book is, simply put, the best of its kind. Maybe more genealogists should write our history books! At least they bring history to life!



3. My husband & I are both descended from The Mayflower - He from William Brewster & Stephen Hopkins and I from William Bradford. This book has added so much information for our Genealogy. I cannot tell you how many times I have used it to add information to our family history file. It has many years of use.