Did you become an
American because of an ancestor’s decisions to come to this land? Carolyn
Doughty of St. George relates the story of her family’s early immigration to
America. My paternal grandfather left the family a hand written book
of his genealogy. My father continued his father’s love of genealogy by
continuing the search for our family’s roots. I was fortunate enough to have
inherited both my father and grandfather’s notebooks. One of our ancestors Robert
Cushman was the first of his family to immigrate to American in the early 17th
century. He, along with others, came from England to Holland in search of
religious freedom, and joined those brave souls on the Mayflower who made their
way to a new land.
These early ancestors of mine were determined to
have the right to worship as they wished, free from the control of King George.
With the aid of Deacon John Carver, they raised money for the ships to take
these Separatists as they called themselves to America. With great difficulty,
they finally obtained a charter from the Virginia Company. They were blown off
course and landed at Cape Cod now know as Provincetown. Where were they? What
part of North America was this stretch of land? The Mayflower captain told them
it was a great arm off the coast known as Cape Cod. The territory granted to
them by the Virginia Company did not extent this far north. The Mayflower
passengers were people who believed in the personal guidance of God, and so
began the Plymouth Colony and helped settle this great land of America. Carolyn continues with her thoughts…I feel a great
debt to my ancestors who were part of opening this land to all who wished to
find freedom from oppression. I pray that it will always remain a country that
was envisioned by those who went before us.
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