52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks 2022 Week 1 Foundations

Week 1 Foundations is a double-dipping post. I used it for my Photo Story Facebook post. When I opened my e-mail this evening, I found this week’s prompt. Foundations. I have profound New England roots. A strong foundation of family history.

Day 3 of Photo Storytelling is triggered by photos from 2013 at the 1630 Salem Village.

My husband, Mike Butka, our friend Mike Miello, and I visited the village on a warm June day that offered a gentle breeze from the ocean. A camera crew was there filming a documentary. We were lucky to be allowed in. I explained I was photographing my travels for my “Where in the State is Mom” Facebook page. This was a way to contact our son Michael, stationed overseas for an Air Force tour of duty. Many of his buddies expressed what comfort our traveling posting brought to them. They felt like a piece of home was visiting them as they defended our country.

Any time of year is an excellent time to give thanks for what we have. I want to thank my ancestors and those brave men and women defending our country’s freedom. If not for them, I would not be in this state of four seasons. I wouldn’t be able to enjoy the blossoming Lilacs of the spring. The rushing spring-fed water of our cold streams and brooks, or the dashing waves of the coastline during the summer. The dazzling array of falls colors from the yellow birch trees to the fully dressed red maples. Last but not least, the snow-capped winter mountains. Their stamina and courage to voyage across the great wilderness known as the Atlantic Ocean during the Great Migration allowed me to enjoy new Hampshire naturally for all seasons.

The Great Migration was from 1630 to 1640. Political and religious beliefs turmoil led many from England to decide that the New World would be a place to practice those beliefs. Isaac Stearns (Watertown), Robert Fletcher (Concord), Aquila Chase (Newburyport), and Thomas Nelson (Rowley) were a few of my ancestors that made that decision. They were tailors, surveyors, seamen, and entrepreneurs by trade.

They did not stop their migration in the Massachusetts Bay Colony but continued to advance into the wilderness of New Hampshire. Their large families of eleven to fourteen members needed room to grow and have land of their own. Like most children, you don’t always hold the same beliefs as your parents; some even removed themselves so they could practice their choice of religion, have their own farm or craft, or simply live life away from the political tyrants of the day.

In my research to date, my ancestors were proprietors or early settlers of New Hampshire towns currently called Merrimack, Amherst, Litchfield, Goffstown, Bedford, Weare, Sutton, New London, and Hampton.

Traveling the back roads of New Hampshire provides a small glimpse into what the wilderness was like for them. No electricity. No readily cut timber. The trees and a hole in the ground was their toilet. They needed to settle near a flowing river or ocean for food, water for bathing, and traveling to other areas until a road was cleared. New Hampshire’s springtime dirt road travel can give you an idea of the rough terrain they traversed. Walking ankle to knee deep in wet, earthy-smelling, heavy mud.

They brought what they could carry with them. Our ancestors built from what nature provided or did without. The photo is from the Salem 1630 Village, showing how they lived when they first arrived. They stayed on the ship they arrived on until a home was built.

We enjoy camping in the summer. A few of us may have participated in hardy winter camping. Yet, camping time was limited to a weekend or maybe a few weeks. Can you imagine a family of fourteen people living in a sod-covered house, no doors or windows other than animal skins or homemade bedding? They lived in those rough conditions year-round.

I am thankful for all they did to survive and create New Hampshire towns. Shaw’s Brother Song, New Hampshire Naturally best describes how I think about my native state. New Hampshire Naturally by Rick and Ron Shaw; Words for the song can be found on the State Symbols USA website,

“Oh, New Hampshire, It is the place I want to be. Oh, New Hampshire, I love you naturally.”

June Stearns Butka Photograph taken 2013

Mayflower 400 Leiden Part 6

I hope you enjoyed Mayflower 400 Leiden virtual journey, so far. Click here to see Mayflower 400 Leiden Part 1, Mayflower 400 Leiden Part 2 here. Mayflower 400 Leiden Part 3 here. Mayflower 400 Leiden Part 4 here. Mayflower 400 Part 5 here.

I was granted permission to take screen captures during the virtual tour. Our host, Michael Roumen, Director “Leiden 400”, is joined by Marika Hoogduin, Art History and City Guide, as we continue our four nation, England, Netherlands, United States and Wampanoag, Mayflower 400 virtual tour of Leiden, Holland.

Walking the streets of Leiden offers beautiful scenery, cobblestone pathways, canals, and history. I present to you an overview of the streets of Leiden.

With over 17 miles of canals surrounding Leiden, you will enjoy the beauty of the bridges. Some dating back before the Pilgrims arrived in Leiden. The oldest bridge is the Visburg, referred to as the fish bridge, was built in the 12th century. What they call a covered bridge is different from our New England covered bridges. The Koornburg bridge was built in 1642. After the Pilgrim’s departure in 1620. The cover over the bridge was built in 1834. It was the center of the grain trade in 1642. Today it would be the center of the Outdoor Marketplace.

Walking the streets of Leiden you see Majestic churches, Buildings, parks and the Botanical gardens. [Future posts]

The church the worker Pilgrims attended, Vrouwekerk, only ruins remains. They are in the process of reconstructing the church as it was in the early 17th Century.

Sarah Moine Curator “Leiden American Pilgrim Museum” talked about the artifacts surrounding her.

I encourage you to watch the Facebook Live Mayflower 400 Leiden to get the full version of the Pilgrims journey. How Leiden played a part in that journey from 1607-1643 and beyond.

For more reading:

On the bridges click the link Leiden Bridges

On the churches click here Churches in Leiden

On the Leiden American Pilgrim Museum click here

Source:

Leiden 400 Virtual, Mayflower400 UK Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/Mayflower400UK/videos/515258389407633/?v=297663821229983&notif_id=1589822198004787&notif_t=live_video_explicit ,accessed 16 May 2020,

The Leiden Bridges global tourisn website 2020 https://www.holland.com/global/tourism/destinations/more-destinations/leiden/the-leiden-bridges.htm, accessed 3 June 2020.

The Churches in Leiden Wikipedia page https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Churches_in_Leiden, accessed 3 June 2020.

On the Leiden American Pilgrim Museum Wikipedia page, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leiden_American_Pilgrim_Museum , accessed 3 June 2020.

Mayflower 400 Leiden Part 5

“Museum De Lakenhal” continued (part 5)

I hope you enjoyed Part 1 and Part 2 of Mayflower 400 Leiden virtual journey. Click here to see Mayflower 400 Leiden Part 1, Mayflower 400 Leiden Part 2 here. Mayflower 400 Leiden Part 3 here. Mayflower 400 Leiden Part 4 here.

Join me in the inaugural virtual tour of the Mayflower 400-Leiden exhibit at the“Museum De Lakenhal.” The exhibit is still under installation. The museum is one of the sponsors of Mayflower 400-Leiden. The displays are in two languages, Dutch and English, taking the Pilgrims journey from England in 1609 to the New World in 1620.

The next leg of the Pilgrims journey was to America. They took boats up the river canals to Delfs Harbor where they boarded the Speedwell. Then the Mayflower. The Freedom to America Exhibits display life when they arrived in America. The Native Americans did not approach them for a few months. They stayed back and observed. Once interaction began there was trade between peoples. Beaver and deer pelts were used to make hats and clothes. The Beaver hats were popular in England and Holland. The pilgrims needed ways to make money to repay the investors for the expensive journey to America. Jori Zjimans- Creator History Museum De Lakenhal, explains that for each hat made two beavers were needed. Within fifty years the beaver was almost extinct. The pilgrims sold 20,000 hats a year to England alone.

Beaver Hats were the Fashion of the time

The exhibit honors the end of the first harvest thanksgiving. A quote: “Our harvest being gotten in, our governor sent four men on fowling so that we rejoice the fruit of our labors. Amongst other recreations, we exercised our arms, many of the Indians coming among us, and among the rest their great king Massasoit, with some ninety men. For three days we entertained and feasted, and they went out and killed five deer. 1623-Edward Winslow/William Bradford

There were more Native Americans than Pilgrims at the first Thanksgiving. It wasn’t until the 19th Century the romanticized version of the first Thanksgiving became a National Holiday about the origins of America. In the 1970’s Thanksgiving also became a National Day of Mourning reflecting the Native Americans discrimination and massacre.

As you leave the exhibit through the “Corridor of Reflection,” it provides the opportunity to think about what Liberty is? There are poems, Words of expression and feelings about what Liberty is. What cost is Liberty. Then and now. How our nation was founded. How we grew as a nation. How we will grow as a nation in the future.

The Exhibit opens to the public June 2, 2020 until September 2020.

Reflection Wall Corridor -NorthernLights

Refugee-Colonist-Human-Choice-Borders-Leiden-Universal-Me, are just a few of the words.

“Almost four centuries after the Mayflower set sail, the world is still full of the pilgrims.” Barack Obama

We will journey along the streets of Leiden in my new blog post. The beautiful canals of Leiden. We will learn a little about the city the pilgrims lived in for twelve years. Did you know that during the 17th, that Leiden was considered the Beer Capital? Beer was the only thing you could safely drink. Men, Women and children all enjoyed the beer. It was a lower percentage of alcohol at that time. Water of the time was not safe to drink.

Source:

Mayflower 400 Leiden Part 4

Leiden400-opening

“Museum De Lakenhal” (part 4)

I hope you enjoyed Part 1 and Part 2 of Mayflower 400 Leiden virtual journey. Click here to see Mayflower 400 Leiden Part 1, Mayflower 400 Leiden Part 2 here. Click here to see Mayflower 400 Leiden Part 3

I feel the anguish, struggles, their way of life and pilgrims’ strength as they journeyed from England to the Netherlands and finally decided to leave for the New World. Join and me on the “Pilgrims to America-And the Limits of Freedom Exhibit.”

Their journey begins by fleeing from the persecution of King James I. Taking them first to Port Delfshaven, Netherlands, then onto Leiden. They chose the Netherlands because it was a Protestant county. William Bradford was familiar with Holland from previous trips with the Ambassador of England in 1585.

John Robinson was granted permission by Amsterdam to bring men, women and children to Leiden. Liden, The City of tolerance. These tiles depict ordinary people of the time of the Pilgrims.

Jacob van Swanenburg -Textile Workers 1607-1612

Jacob van Swanenburg-Painting of Textile workers 1607-1612. William Bradford was a weaver, the pilgrim families (men, women and children) worked from their homes, spinning, pulling, dying the cloth.

The Freedom Exhibit shows many pieces of artwork about the time of the Pilgrims. Quotes from William Bradford’s journal and John Robinson are also seen throughout the exhibit. I think the most exciting part of the exhibit is the depiction of their life in Leiden, Textiles, printing, typesetting, pamphlets, where they lived, and how they lived.

William Brewster, assisted by Edward Winslow and investor William Brewer, would smuggle pamphlets in the false bottoms of Barrels, to Scotland and England. Feeling unsafe in Leiden by this time was one of the reasons the pilgrims wanted to flee to the New World. Another reason would be the enticement of travel journals by John Smith, about the New World. Living to exist, hard work, and difficult times, they felt they had nothing to lose by seeking new opportunities in the New World.

One third of the pilgrims left. Two thirds remain behind. Some couldn’t afford to go. Others were scholars at the University and decided to become part of the community they lived in.

The four Reflection Houses are located throughout the exhibit.

Can I Be Who I Am? Do I Stay Or Do I Go? Do I Dare To Start A New Life? and, Your Freedom or My Freedom? Are the Reflection House themes. Universal themes that still resonate today.

Some artifacts of what the pilgrims brought to the new world are on display. William Mullins even brought 80 pairs of shoes. No one knows why he did.

A 1620 painting by Adam Willaerts, of the pilgrims departure from Delfs Harbor, Netherlands. Next to the painting is a quote by William Bradford 1651, “The place they fixed their thoughts upon was somewhere in the vast and unpopulated countries of America.”

Pilgrims Departure Delfs Harbor Netherlands

I will stop her for today. The exhibit offers much of the Pilgrims history. I don’t want to overwhelm you.

Come back for Part 5 of the Limits of Freedom Exhibit- Mayflower 400 blog post.

Source:

Mayflower 400 Leiden Part 3

I hope you enjoyed Part 1 and Part 2 of Mayflower 400 Leiden virtual journey. Click here to see Mayflower 400 Leiden Part 1 Mayflower 400 Leiden Part 2 here.

Marika Hoogduin, Art History and City Guide Joins Michael at the Windmill

Marika tells us about the arrival of the Pilgrim’s in 1609. They most likely saw the windmill shown in the drawing (1618), as they approached Leiden. You can see the base of the windmill [currently a Museum], as it is today behind Marika and Michael. The miller lived in the base of the windmill. The image also shows the defense wall surrounding the windmill. The city center usually hosted an Animal market until the 1960’s, selling lambs and cattle. The area they are standing on was bombed in World War II. Renovations were made to this area providing our current view.

aula Peters-Member of Wampanoag Advisory “Committee to Plymouth400,

Paula Peters-Member of the Wampanoag Advisory “Committee to Plymouth400, speaks about her participation in Mayflower 400 commemoration. She brings to the foreground a less romanticized version of the Pilgrims’ Mayflower voyage. She speaks about colonization of Indegenious people around the world. Colonization, Oppression, Assimilation and Death were minimized in the past. “Fifty years ago a National Movement of Activism by Native American tribes across America demanded to be recognized Historically, Culturally and as vital Sovereign peoples. Today being a full partner in Mayflower400 commemoration is a major milestone. The telling of the full story told in the Wampanoag voice, provides balance to history and future generations.”

Jori Zijlmans-Creator History “Museum De Lakenhal,” will be our guide at our next stop. Let us now visit the Museum De Lakenhal, to learn about 17th Century textile manufacturing in the time of the Pilgrims.

The carvings on the exterior of the museum show the different aspects of textile work.done in the building during the 17th century. It became a museum of Fine Arts and History in 1870. Inspecting the cloth, a heavy woven wool, that was expensive at that time. Most of the Pilgrims family would most likely work at home weaving (Men), spinning (Women), wool combing (Children), dying and shaving the thick material. Pilgrims were not able to afford it. Leiden, of the time, was the largest textile industry, exporting all over the world.

The museum houses some Rembrandt paintings. A fourteen year old Rembrandt lived, went to Latin School and learned to paint in Leiden. He would be roaming the streets of Leiden at the same time as the Pilgrims.

My next blog post we will take us on the inaugural virtual tour of the Mayflower400-Leiden exhibit at the museum. The exhibit is still under installation. The museum is one of the sponsors of Mayflower400-Leiden. The displays are in two languages, Dutch and English, taking the Pilgrims journey from England in 1609 to the New World in 1620.

Source:

If you are interested in more information on:

17th Century Textiles click here The Dutch Economy in the Golden Age (16th – 17th Centuries)

Who are the Wampanoag? Click here

Mayflower 400 Leiden Part 2

I hope you enjoyed Part 1 of Mayflower 400 virtual journey. Click here to see Mayflower 400 Leiden Part 1.

One of the things I liked about the virtual journey is the insertion of video clips from each of the Nations “coordinators”, for lack of a better word. The clips were shown as Michael Roumen, Director “Leiden 400” proceeded to the next stop. They talked about why each nation joined the Mayflower 400. Click on Mayflower 400 for the four hour virtual tour that includes those clips. It was not just about the Pilgrims’ journey from England, to the Netherlands, to America. It was about Freedom, Obsession and Migration. For the first time in celebration the Wampanoag Nation is also being recognized.

Let us continue this four nation, England, Netherlands, United States and Wampanoag, virtual tour of Leiden, Holland, with a time of Reflection and Ponderance.

Why would the Pilgrims leave their mother country? England in 1609, the year the English born men, women and children, left was a Catholic Sovereign nation under James the 1st. They were of the Protestant faith, not allowed to practice it for the past six years. Since James 1, son of Mary, Queen of Scots became King of England in 1603. Most likely they started to question themselves.

The NorthernLight exhibition at the “Museum De Lakenhal,” provides an opportunity for Reflection of then and now..I’m going to let you ponder these questions from the exhibition, before I proceed with our Mayflower 400-Leiden tour in my next blog post.

Can I Be Who I Am? Is just appropriate in today’s society of World Wide COVID-19 Pandemic as it was for those travelers to be in 1609.

In 1609, Do I leave my family, friends, and home to go where I can be me.

In Today’s world, Do I venture to the store, a restaurant and to a friend’s home and risk the chance of getting COVID-19. A virus that might not kill me, but someone I love I transferred it to.

In 1609, it was a choice of starting a new life in a strange land.

In Today’s world, it is more about proceeding forward in a different lifestyle than before the pandemic.

In 1609, it was about, not only religious freedom, but freedom of the “populated” country they journeyed to. It was not un-popluated as they thought.

In Today’s world, it is more about what is our freedom? Consider Life or Death of each other.

Is there really much difference between 1609 and today? I’m not talking about technology. I’m talking about people. How they think. How they act. How they proceed in life.

Please take time to reflect on then and now. I will be back with more of the Mayflower 400 -Leiden virtual tour in Blog post 3, with our host, Michael Roumen, Director “Leiden 400” and Jori Zijlmans- Curator History “Museum De Lakenhal.”

Source:

Mayflower 400 Leiden Virtual Tour Part 1

Mayflower 400 Leiden Virtual Tour

On 16 May 2020, I was lucky enough to join people across the world on a virtual Pilgrimage through Leiden, Holland cobblestone pathways. A World-wide Pandemic turned an in person tour of Leiden, the pilgrims’ home for twelve years (1609-1620), to a Facebook Live four hour tour with over 30,000 viewers. A huge Thank you to Marileen Dogterom [I hope it is the correct name] the coordinator of the Leiden 400 virtual tour.

I was granted permission to take screen captures during the virtual tour. Please join me and our guide, Michael Roumen, Director “Leiden 400”, in a series of blog posts about our Mayflower Pilgrims stay in Leiden.

I decided to start our four nation commemoration of Freedom, Oppression and Migration by the Netherlands, United Kingdom, United States and the Wampanoag Nation, with the Wampanoag culture display at the World Museum [Museum Volkenkunde.]

Liesbeth Ouwehand, Curator Photography, “Museum Volkenkunde” explains the First People creations by contemporary artists.

The “Museum Volkenkunde” is part of the National Museum of World Culture. It is the oldest of the museums founded in 1837.

There are four photographs called “History of the World” by Shelley Niro. They are oblong framed pieces; each panel shows Land, Air and Water. The color of the frames, Red, Yellow, White, Black, represents the scared directions . Above is the Red framed photograph.

Our tour continues with the Wampanoag culture with one of the photographs by Cara Romero called “Julia.” There are three different women standing in different boxes, showing the cultural diversity of the Indigenous people of North America. Below is just one of those photographs. A confident woman in traditional dress surrounded by cultural items.

We leave Lisbeth to join Henrietta Lidchi, Chief Curator “Museum Volkenkunde” Exhibition video about honoring the Resilience and creativity of Indigenous people. The exhibition displays Athletics, Pottery, Weaponry, Wampum, Photography and Fashion.

Henrietta Lidchi, Chief Curator “Museum Volkenkunde”

In respecting the exhibitions, I’m only posting a few screen captures of what the exhibition has to offer. My goal in this post was to give thanks to the work of those that are bringing this, now virtual tour, to us. The emotions I feel in just the first hour, of this four hour tour, is overwhelming. The First Americans Exhibit provided me with a reminder that all actions have consequences. The pilgrims did not go to an uninhabited place. There were sad consequences to that journey. Both for Indeginous people and the Pilgrims.

I think the fact that all four nations, Dutch, English, American and Wampanoag, joined together to commemorate and honor all people, affected by the Pilgrims journey 400 years ago speaks volumes. The Pilgrim’s journey is about Freedom, Oppression, and Migrations, starting in England in 1609 to 1647. Yes, 1647 was when the last of the Leiden Pilgrims, who migrated to the New World, came aboard the “Fortune.” Not all those who left England to the Netherlands, decided to journey on. The 1620 Mayflower journey is a story we need to revisit. To understand the consequences of that journey to all nations, not just the Pilgrims point of view.

I will talk about the Pilgrim’s journey in future blog posts.

Source:

Mayflower Remembered

This Thanksgiving I’m thinking more about our Ancestors who arrive in 1620. I have several, yet to be accept Mayflower lines. Richard Warren, John Howland, Elizabeth Tilley, Joan Hurst Tilley are just a few that I have a paper trail to. Next year the celebration of the arrival of the Mayflowers 400 years ago.

Here is my entry for Bill West’s 11th Annual Great Genealogy Poetry Contest. Here is the link.

I dedicate this Poem to all who struggled with the decision to leave their homeland and traverse to an unknown wilderness.

Migration

Away

Yearning

Family

Labored

Outbound

Weathering

Emphatic

Religion

Ancestry DNA Match Focus Search

I’m using Ancestry new features to help narrow down my DNA match searches. A Focused Search is part of the Genealogy Proof Standard. When searching your DNA matches it is even more important to narrow the field.

First I sort by Date:

I check a match for Shared Ancestor Surnames

Surnames Johnson and Roberts can be either maternal or paternal lines.

Now I checked for Shared Matches. In this case only one shared match. I do the same Surname search in the Shared match tree. Surnames Babbs, Goodwin-both paternal lines. Varney -maternal Pease lines.

It is important to color tag both the matches to the potential family lines. I also make a note in the notes field for myself and others to follow in future research. My goal now is to group people together. This helps focus my research to a specific surname or family line.

Note and color tag

I noticed that if I did the Date sort; then the family surname search, the earliest surname is from three weeks ago. It didn’t include either of the ones I found in the last 7 days.

Still adding this search provides more potential matches for a focus group.

This is just the first steps in my DNA search organization. It is my way of working my matches. Others may research differently. No one way is correct or wrong. It is what you find comfortable working with.

I hope this helps you.

Happy Ancestor Researching.

Source: Ancestry.com, DNA matches for June Butka, Provo, Utah, 2019, accessed 22 Aug 2019, https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-matches/match-list/a2ef6672-891c-4edd-9d6f-93e4d178e000?sortby=date ,

Morning World

Morning World – Life is too short….

To look around you.

Your neighbors offer insights,

Into their personality.

See the beauty they share.

Welcome those surprises.

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