Page 154 - Family History

Family Stories

places in England where some of the Mayflower ancestors lived their lives. It
posed the question “Why were these people willing to get on a small boat headed

somewhere they knew (as yet) there was almost nothing? – Hope and Faith”.

The luncheon was my first chance to meet in person
with fellow Mayflower descendants
– my new Washington State
Mayflower “cousins” – including

the historians that worked on
verifying and authenticating my
lineage. A fellow descendant of John
Alden was at our table. He told us

that it took him just as long to get
his final proof (like me) – and that
was years before I even started!

(Thanksgiving) Leftovers.

A long time ago … our family had just moved to

a new town (Port Townsend, WA). Our house
was right next door to a grade school. I remember
walking through the hall at the school – it must have
been Thanksgiving time because the walls were

decorated with holiday art: “hands” forming a turkey,
“fingers” colored as feathers; construction paper
fashioned into Pilgrim hats. Did that memory stay
with me all these years because I was supposed to eventually
figure out that Thanksgiving and the Pilgrims had a special
significance to our family?

A couple days before Thanksgiving this year, I will be giving a
PowerPoint presentation at the Clark County Genealogical Society’s
(CCGS) November General Meeting – “Proving My Mayflower Heritage”. It will
detail everything I did to prove my Mayflower heritage. CCGS had a role in the

process so I thought I would volunteer. I’ve invited my brother Mark and sister
Janelle to attend. I’m going to bring my certificate of course. And to celebrate,

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