Sowams

1908 Map of Indian Localities about Narragansett and Mount Hope Bays

Sowams,” authored by Thomas Williams Bicknell in 1908, delves into the history of the ancient proprietary known as Sowams, encompassing Native leadership under Massassoit and early colonial settlement dynamics that shaped Barrington, Rhode Island, and surrounding areas. Drawing from over forty years of research, Bicknell includes primary records from the proprietary, showcasing the region’s governance, land ownership, and the founding of the First Baptist Church of Massachusetts. This comprehensive work serves as a vital resource for lawyers, historians, and general readers interested in colonial life and legal frameworks of the time.

Collections of the New Hampshire Historical Society

1892 Map of New Hampshire

The Collections of the New Hampshire Historical Society is a 15 publication series documenting the state’s history through various primary sources, including manuscripts, letters, and public records. It collates valuable narratives that were previously difficult to access, providing insight into events, individuals, and communities in New Hampshire. Each volume offers focused topics and historical analyses, and most volumes contain individual indexes.

The Old Dutch Burying Ground in North Tarrytown New York

Old Dutch Church Graveyard

This book documents the early gravestones and inscriptions of the Old Dutch Burying Ground in North Tarrytown, New York, focusing on preservation efforts led by William Graves Perry. Commissioned for the church’s 250th anniversary, it records the deteriorating brownstone and marble markers, some dating back to the 18th century. The text highlights the artistry of gravestones and the community’s historical significance. Despite losses, surviving inscriptions are important for understanding the genealogy of early settlers in the area.

Ashfield Massachusetts Vital Records

Main Street, Ashfield, Massachusetts

Alphabetical indexes to the vital records of Ashfield, Massachusetts, up to the year 1850, supplemented by information from bible records, church registers, cemetery inscriptions and other sources. PDF file is free to read and download.

Families of Ancient New Haven

Four Corners New Haven Connecticut

The Families of Ancient New Haven compilation includes the families of the ancient town of New Haven, covering the present towns of New Haven, East Haven, North Haven, Hamden, Bethany, Woodbridge and West Haven. These families are brought down to the heads of families in the First Census (1790), and include the generation born about 1790 to 1800. Descendants in the male line who removed from this region are also given, if obtainable, to about 1800, unless they have been adequately set forth in published genealogies.

Genealogy of John Steele, 1842 to 1962

The family tree of John Steele, 1842 to 1962

Ethyl M. Steele Thompson’s purpose in penning this manuscript was to list by family all descendants of John Steele, who came from Scotland to Canada to reside until his death, in 1899, in Asphodel Township, Peterborough County, Province of Ontario, Canada. The genealogy begins with Robert Steel, who, with his wife and family, emigrated from Scotland to Canada. This manuscript is unsourced, and large portions may come from the personal knowledge of it’s author, especially those contemporaneous with it’s publication.

Genealogical Record of Thomas Wait and his descendants

Genealogical record of Thomas Wait and his descendants

Genealogical Record of Thomas Wait and his descendants looks at the genealogy of Thomas Wait (1601-1677) who was from Wethersfield Parish, Essex, England. On his arrival in America, landing in Rhode Island, he applied for a lot on which to build,and was granted it on 7/1/1639. On 3/l6/l641 he became a Freeman in Newport R. I. He died in Portsmouth R. I., before April 1677 intestate. This Thomas Wait was a cousin to the Richard Waite of Watertown Mass., who was a large land owner. This unpublished manuscript provides the descendants of this family.

A Genealogy of the Lake Family

Ancestor Register of Esther Steelman Adams

A genealogy of the Lake family of Great Egg Harbour in Old Gloucester County in New Jersey : descended from John Lade of Gravesend, Long Island; with notes on the Gravesend and Staten Island branches of the family. This volume of nearly 400 pages includes a coat-of-arms in colors, two charts, and nearly fifty full page illustrations – portraits, old homes, samplers, etc. The coat-of-arms shown in the frontspiece is an unusually good example of the heraldic art!

Genealogy of the Rhodes Family of Taunton Massachusetts

john rhoades

The Rhodes family has a rich history in Taunton and New Bedford, Massachusetts, tracing back to Henry Rhodes, an ironmonger born in 1608 in England. Stephen Rhodes, born in 1716, married Deliverance Walcot and later established a substantial lineage, including notable descendants involved in local business and governance. Among them are Stephen H. Rhodes, prominent in Boston, and Marcus Morton Rhodes, an influential manufacturer in Taunton. The family’s connections continue through the Bird family, further intertwining their legacy in the region’s heritage.

Ancestors of Horace Alden Keith of Brockton, MA

Horace Alden Keith

Horace Alden Keith, born May 25, 1862, in West Bridgewater, MA, founded the Brockton Webbing Company, becoming a prominent figure in local industry. He hailed from a distinguished lineage, tracing back to Rev. James Keith, an early minister in Bridgewater. His father, Henry Snell Keith, and mother, Thalia Alden, also contributed to the family’s historical significance. Horace’s early career included roles at Spalding Brothers before establishing his own successful business, reflecting both his entrepreneurial spirit and New England heritage.

Descendants of Charles Keith of Bridgewater, Massachusetts

Rev. James Keith

Charles Keith, born in 1794, married Mehitable Perkins in 1817, and they had several children, including Charles Perkins Keith, who became a prominent shoe manufacturer in Brockton, Massachusetts. Charles Perkins Keith’s business thrived from the mid-19th century, establishing a legacy in the shoe industry. His sons, Preston Bond and Rufus Perkins Keith, continued this tradition, holding significant roles in local manufacturing and banks while actively contributing to the community and the South Congregational Church. The Keith family remains a notable presence in Bridgewater’s history.

Mayhew, Brainard, Elliot, and Monroe Missions

From 1822 until their forcible removal, the North American Indians saw a rise in schools and religious practices, despite being unjustly labeled as infidels and savages. Missionaries, upon their arrival, found the Native peoples to possess moral integrity, respect for property, and a sincere belief in a Supreme Being. They discovered a society rich in virtues, countering misconceptions of savagery. However, the intrusion of white settlers led to the tragic displacement of these tribes from their ancestral lands, marking a devastating shift in their existence.

Choctaw Warpath & Dress

The Choctaw people, revered for their natural oratory, engaged in dignified deliberations regarding national affairs, often symbolized by the ceremonial smoking of the peace pipe. Warfare was considered a noble pursuit, marked by the Hoyopa-hihla war dance. Celebrations followed victories, featuring music, trophies, and mourning for the fallen. Choctaw warriors adorned themselves with elaborate ornaments while maintaining a strong belief in witches and supernatural beings. Their creation myths reflected connections to nature, attributing humanity’s origins to the Great Spirit.

The Discovery Of This Continent: It’s Results To The Natives

Columbus Landing on Hispaniola

In 1470, Christopher Columbus married Dona Felipa, daughter of a renowned navigator, and settled in Porto Santo, where they shared dreams of discovering lands to the West. Their ambitions fueled Columbus’s determination, leading to his 1492 voyage that resulted in the European discovery of the Americas. However, this event marked the beginning of devastation for native peoples, introducing warfare, disease, and colonization that would decimate their populations and cultures, ultimately transforming their rich, diverse societies into shadows of their former selves.

Narratives of Rogers, Goodwin, Toogood – Indian Captivities

Three Narratives of Excessive Distress of Persons Taken at the Destruction of Salmon Falls, in the State of New Hampshire, on the Twenty-Seventh of March, 1690; Viz., The Cruel Torture of Robert Rogers, the Five Years’ Captivity of Mehetable Goodwin, and the Fortunate Escape of Thomas Toogood. From the Magnalia Christi Americana, of Doctor Cotton Mather.