Books published by Heritage Books

The Woodville Republican was established in 1823 and is still being published, which makes it the oldest existing newspaper in Mississippi and one of the oldest in the country. The picture of life in the nineteenth-century South that can be drawn from the reports of marriages, divorces, deaths, religious and community events, personal estate and tax sales, court proceedings, elections and gossip makes fascinating reading while providing a wealth of genealogical material. These abstracts include announcements of Masonic Lodge meetings, legal notices, runaway slaves, marriages and deaths, religious and community events, court proceedings, legal disputes, estate and tax sales, military appointments, elections, epidemics, murders and suicides, and all other data of genealogical interest. Arranged chronologically, the entries provide vital statistics as well as historical information. Family historians will appreciate the full name index.

Second German Evangelical Lutheran was one of the earliest German-speaking congregations established in Baltimore, Maryland. Fortunately, the surviving baptismal and burial registers of Second German Lutheran Church are intact from its founding in late 1835 until its closure in late 1867. The original documents are entirely in German. The author has transcribed the German entries as closely as possible from the original within the limits of legibility. The majority of this work is divided into baptisms, burials and confirmations. These three sections are arranged alphabetically by surname. Each baptism entry includes the following information: surname, child's given name, birth date, baptismal date, father's given name, father's place of birth, mother's surname and given name, mother's place of birth, surname and given name of witnesses, and comments. Total baptisms from 1837 until 1867 were 3,042 with more than 12,000 names. Each burial entry includes the following information: surname of decedent, given name of decedent, date of death, date of burial, birth date or age, place of birth, survivor(s) and comments. Because survivor information is provided, it is relatively easy to see how the deceased fit into a given family. The total number of burials entered from 1837 to 1867 is 1,046 with roughly 2,500 names. Unfortunately, there is an incomplete record of confirmations, and confirmation data are rather scant. These entries typically include: surname, given name and date of confirmation. The total number of confirmations is 822. An index is provided to all names other than the subject of the event, as subjects are already listed alphabetically by surname. Since there are so many geographic place names extracted from this church register, a place name index is also included.

With introduction by Harry Kels Swan. Strengthen your understanding of the colonial struggle for independence with this book about the campaigns and exploits of the riflemen during these critical years of the Revolution, with special emphasis on the New Y

This volume transcribes the earliest records of Christ Church Parish, Middlesex County, Virginia, predating by several years the establishment of the parish in 1666. Some of the entries in this vestry book relate as well to Lancaster Parish and Middlesex

The title of this fine book comes from a recruiting broadside published in Marietta, Ohio, July 29, 1812. The broadside was addressed "to men of patriotism, courage and enterprise" and promised five dollars a month pay plus 160 acres of land at the end of

The narratives portrayed in this book represent the life stories of various pioneers from eighteenth-century Virginia. Their struggles and achievements are not well known; nevertheless, they played a crucial role. From poor immigrants, religious dissenters, and the landed gentry, they all changed Virginia history.Pioneer accounts include: Charles Chriswell, Michael Kelly, Nicholas Meriwether, The Queen of Pamunkey, Thomas Joyce, Thomas Stanley, William Witcher, and Sir Francis Wyatt. All of these pioneers, in their own way, contributed to the culture of colonial Virginia. For better or for worse, they either inspired hope or planted fear. In some cases, it was both. The history of Virginia was forever shaped by these pioneers and their decisions.An index to full-names, places and subjects adds to the value of this work.

Margaret Krug Palen was part of the first generation of her German family to speak English as a first language. When she was born in her Krug family's Iowa farm house, Herbert Hoover was president. In this book, Margaret has painted a detailed picture of rural American life from the 1930s into the 1950s: family meals, farm chores, childhood games and sibling rivalry, listening to radio when the bombing of Pearl Harbor was announced.Readers have been invited to join Margaret on her journey from farm and family, to college, to adventures with friends, to work with the Department of Agriculture, to marriage, to travel to other counties, and ultimately, to work in other countries to improve food, textile and clothing production. This book preserves the details of her projects in Ghana, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Belarus, Bolivia, and Jamaica. With the strength of her faith and her commitment to make the world a better place, Margaret met and surmounted difficult conditions in the course of her international projects to improve food production, textiles and clothing. "These pages are written to relate how it is possible for an American to make a difference in the world."

During the Spring 2016 semester, several students at the College of Charleston's Historic Preservation and Community Planning program participated in their Senior Seminar titled, "What is Your Heritage and the State of Its Preservation?". This was the second time this seminar topic had been taught, with the first in 2014. For this class, each student had to conduct a lengthily in-depth research paper on the state of preservation of heritage sites, material objects, or traditions associated with their family history. The assignment used genealogical research methods in an unconventional way by elevating the assessment of ancestors beyond typical names, dates, and generational succession; so commonly found on most family trees. The students had to ask profound questions to guide their inquiry, such as "Where (as in specific spot) did my ancestors come from?"; "What was life like for them?"; and "What cultural traditions were important for them?". In this way people, whether through a specific individual or a group, became connected and contextualized within time, place, and society. Moreover, the students had to utilize and synthesize the knowledge, skills and experiences they acquired in other classes from past semesters. Susan Kammeraad-Campbell of Storyboard America also collaborated with the students on investigating and writing family history stories. Essays contributed within this volume are by Meagan Pickens, Kaylee Lass, Christa Kearns, Kyra Rooney, Evan Rubel, and Katherine Schofield, with a faculty guest contribution from Marian Mazzone. Barry L. Stiefel, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor in the Historic Preservation and Community Planning Program at the College of Charleston, where he enjoys collaborating on projects with students.

Elizabeth City County was first settled by Englishmen in 1610. The town of Hampton was set off in 1680 and quickly became an important trading center. In recent times Elizabeth City County ceased to exist after it was incorporated into the modern city of Hampton. Unfortunately, many of the early records of Elizabeth City County have been lost. All the extant court records prior to 1702 have been abstracted by Mrs. Neal in a previous volume, Elizabeth City County, Virginia: Deeds, Wills, Court Orders, Etc., 1688-1702 (Heritage Books, 1986). The records from 1702 to 1715 are missing. The present volume contains all the extant court records for the period 1715-1721. The extant record book for this period, as restored in 1937, consists of two parts: the first part contains primarily deeds, wills, and miscellaneous items, while the second part consists of court orders. Abstracts of all the documents in both parts of the record book are included in the present compilation which is a goldmine of genealogical data. There is a concise historical introduction and a complete index to names of people and locations.

Elmwood Cemetery was established in 1852, making it the oldest active cemetery in Memphis, Tennessee. Amongst its 70,000 burials are more than 1,300 Confederate soldiers and veterans (including twenty-four generals). The majority of the burials are concentrated in a section known as the Confederate Soldiers Rest, but many others are interred throughout the cemetery. Several Union veterans are also buried here. The purpose of this expanded edition is to update and make corrections to the original 2001 edition and add new information and individual sketches. The updated and new information is from further research and information provided by many descendants and other researchers. This compilation is intended as a resource for researching Confederate ancestors, drawing information from the burial records of Elmwood Cemetery and the compiled service records for those soldiers whose military units could be identified. Soldiers' entries are arranged alphabetically by surname, and include date of burial, lot/division number, plat number, and varying amounts of data related to their service. These extra remarks often include date of enlistment, regimental and company designation, date and cause of death, and the names of commanding officers. A plat (diagram) is included showing the placement of numbered graves within Confederate Soldiers Rest. A combined section, covering all soldiers and veterans, is organized by unit and regiment. The text is enhanced by a partial bibliography, a note on surname spelling variations, and a reprint of Ruby Hyden Flowers' poem, "Ballad of 1862."

The conquering of the American West produced both winners and losers. The lawless and greedy atmosphere was a magnet for crime and atrocities. Individuals on both sides of the law endeavored to either establish order or make gain from the lack of it. The rugged era experienced Western-style showdowns and shootouts, disasters, massacres and much more. America's indigenous inhabitants seeing their land and lifestyle diminish and disappear, fought back but to no avail. While the nation was being ravaged by bloody civil war, Native Americans were being ruthlessly slaughtered in the West. In the end, as a result of robust immigration, technology, and "Manifest Destiny," the Old, Wild West was tamed and won. Numerous photographs, additional illustrations, chronologies, bibliographies, and an index to full names and places enhance the value of this work.

This book is about how to travel in Europe on your own, rather than with a tour group. It is different from the typical travel guide. It doesn't tell you a lot about all of the places you might visit, or list hotels and restaurants. It does, however, tell you how to select hotels and restaurants, how to plan an itinerary, how to arrange transportation, and generally, how to obtain the most enjoyment with the least cost and pain. It also shows you how to view Europe with 'local eyes' 'see France like a Frenchman, Germany like a German, Spain like a Spaniard, and Italy like an Italian.'This book is organized into chapters that approach a trip chronologically. It begins with planning, continues with flight arrangements, customs, hotels, etc., and ends with your return home. Each chapter addresses a single topic in some detail. It contains advice on how to prepare for and enjoy your travel. The text is light in tone, as if an experienced friend of yours is giving you some travel advice. There is no attempt to tell you about specific places or facilities, other than to relate a few of the author's experiences as illustrations.The experiences and adventures of seven couples (including the author and his wife) are included, which offer a glimpse of the humorous aspects of travel, its problems, and its delightful surprises.

The surname Land was a locational name meaning "the dweller at the launde." Alternate spellings include: Lawn, Landt, Van den Land, Landh, Landell, Le Land, and Landberg to name but a few. This is the family history of Curtis Land, who was born in 1635 in Devon County, England; married Mary Hodges in 1662; and died in 1683 in Charles City, Virginia. Curtis and Mary had two sons: William and Curtis (who was born in Charles City, Virginia, in 1668). The genealogy of Curtis Land's descendants is presented herein. Numbered entries typically include the date and place of birth, date of marriage and name of spouse, date and place of death, and names of children. Entries include (as available) the dates and places of birth and death for the spouse and each child; additional data for spouses may also be included. Biographical information is provided for later entries, which may include place of residence, military service, and more. Abstracts and transcripts of wills and court documents, facsimile reprints of original documents, and photographs enhance the text. An account of Francis Land (1604-1657) of Lower Norfolk County, Virginia, supplements this work. Francis Land was a prominent citizen and wealthy planter, and one of the earliest settlers of Lower Norfolk County.

Tax lists are an excellent resource often overlooked by researchers. Tax lists provide researchers with the names of persons present in the county at the time the tax was assessed along with a comparison of name spelling. The first section of this valuable research aid covers four tax years (1800, 1801, 1809, and 1811) and includes: the location of properties, the name of the person who first claimed or provided surety, which type of land was taxed, and property value. Entries include year, person, location and water course, and entered/surveyed, as well as number of voters, white males, slaves and horses. The second section compares tax records for eleven years that fall within two census periods. The third section shows an expanded census for 1810, and the fourth section offers the deed book indices of the period for name comparison. An index to tax payers and a map of Nicholas County add to the value of this work.

This book promises to become the standard work of the history of the slaves, slaveholders, and the free black population of Antebellum Baltimore. For five years, Mr. Clayton has collected, transcribed, and cross-indexed a great variety of documents: applications for certificates of freedom, slave schedules, field assessor work books, census schedules, mortality schedules, general property tax records, city directories, newspaper advertisements and articles, the Schomburg collection at the Pratt Library in Baltimore, original letter manuscripts, and acts of the General Assembly of Maryland. The growth of Baltimore's black community, free and slave, was supported by two geographical factors of Baltimore. The city's thriving harbor offered a large employment market that attracted free blacks and offered slaveholders the opportunity to hire out their slaves. And Baltimore's position between the North and the South made it a logical station for escaped slaves either trying to reach the North or hoping to blend in with Baltimore's large free black population. The result of Mr. Clayton's labors is a comprehensive, fascinating, and sometimes painful view of an important period in the history of Charm City for which researchers everywhere will thank him.

Jonathan Belcher (1681/2-1757) was born the son of a Massachusetts tavernkeeper. Once his father, Captain Andrew Belcher, got into shipping; however, he soon became one of the wealthiest men in New England who could afford to send his son to Harvard and then on a tour of Europe. Jonathan set sail in 1704 to England where he first spent time researching his family history. He then traveled through Holland and Germany, keeping a journal, which is published herein. And it was during his European travels, Crockett contends, that Belcher became a Freemason, possibly the first American-born Freemason. Even apart from the freemasonry question, the journal is delightful. Jonathan had a knack for making friends within hours of arriving in any strange city and his journal is filled with descriptions of his new acquaintances and their families, their houses and the sightseeing trips they took him on. In his lively, direct style he tells us about the towns and villages of early 18th century Holland and Germany, the appearance of the houses, the ways of fishing and farming, the windmills, the wealth of the merchants, poorhouses, prisons and churches. He concludes his journal with a mileage and expense account, for the enlightenment of "any that are desirous to make the same tour which I have." Back to London, Belcher was introduced to the Royal family, which would eventually lead to his appointment in 1730 as Royal Governor of Massachusetts and New Hampshire. The latter part of the book tracks his successes and shortcomings in that position.

Mr. Hall has abstracted the earliest of the land records (the patents) and grouped the information by owners and by hundreds. The level of detail included clearly separates this work from rent roll abstracts and land records and makes it more useful. Patentees and other persons named in the patent document are identified and the relationships or involvement of such persons is defined. This includes relatives, former tract owners, persons transported, persons completing service, surveyors, public officials, contributors of rights to acreage, trades and, occasionally, employers. The work is amply footnoted to include any unusual information found including personal relationships, disputes, and even an occasional reference to a burial site. Also included are tracts now located in adjoining counties that were granted as Anne Arundel tracts. Hall has identified virtually all the Anne Arundel patentees along with others who owned the land or warrant or acted as owner. In addition, he includes references to tract location by river, creek, or branch. In nearly all cases he identifies neighbors and their tracts and, using data gleaned from other records such as probate, judicial proceedings, church and marriage records, he has identified and included many grants not included in the Rent Rolls. An every-name index and an Index of Tracts add to the value of this work.

Newberry County was formed in 1785 and became Newberry District in 1800. Prior to the border surveys of 1764 and 1772, the area was included in Anson, Mecklenburg, and Tryon Counties, North Carolina. For this reason, a few grants and deeds from North Carolina are referenced in the Newberry County deeds. Early settlers of Newberry County, as indicated in these deeds, included Quakers, German Protestant immigrants, Germans from Pennsylvania, and Irish Protestant immigrants. There were also settlers from North Carolina. Migration from Newberry County to other areas of South Carolina is also indicated in the deeds.The deeds in this volume were recorded for 1785 to 1794; however, the earliest deed included in this work dates from July 1751. The instruments in this volume have been abstracted from LDS microfilm and South Carolina Archives microfilm. A full-name index and a place index add to the value of this work.

The purpose of this work is not to reproduce the record but to extract the content so that researchers may determine if the actual recorded copy needs to be consulted elsewhere. Entries here give the page numbers from the original record, date of the instrument and recording, signatories (both parties and witnesses), type of record, and a brief abstract to show the purpose of the original writing.Few deeds give actual metes and bounds, but rather give adjacencies as landmarks or reference to the properties of other owners. Many deeds give acreage as an estimate in round numbers, like "100 acres more or less." Spelling of known parties varies significantly, even within the same record. Commissions where a wife was examined to relinquish her rights are not always filed with the record to which they pertain. Individual items such as animals, kitchen or household furniture, or other personal items are indexed as personal property.Of particular interest in the deed books for this period are the multiple lists of taxes collected and election or poll lists. These may be useful to researchers as a type of early enumeration or census for a particular district within Essex County. This collection is filled with references to apprentices, bonds for public position, guardians, emancipation of slaves, powers of attorney, and deeds, gifts, mortgages, agreements, and polls. An index to full-names, places and subjects adds to the value of this work.

This work is a compilation of data found in 1,478 marriage bonds or consents of Essex County, Virginia, for the years 1804 through 1850. These are the earliest marriage records that survive for the county ¿ those before were either burned or inadvertently destroyed. These original records are not generally served to researchers, rather researchers are directed to a bound Register of Marriages (Book One) that lists the bonds. Each entry references the page in this Register on which the information may be found. The most bonds were issued in 1835 (forty-seven) and 1827 (forty), with the other years averaging about thirty each. The fewest bonds are found for 1826 (seventeen).Individual entries in this work were derived primarily from marriage bonds and consents (by guardian or parent), and have been supplemented with data taken from outside sources such as: family Bible records, cemetery records, military records, and other publications. Not all entries contain information from outside sources. The format is two-fold: the first part of the paragraph is used for sequencing of the groom, and includes what data the compiler has found outside of the marriage record itself. Followed by this is the consolidated public marriage record (with the names of the bride and groom in capital letters), including the date of the marriage bond, and citing the main sources for the information used. The text is supplemented with nearly 900 footnotes by the compiler, an every-name index that contains over 9,000 entries, and a bibliography.

In 2014, the Friends of Santa Rosa Libraries funded a project to convert the microfilm images of the existing Sonoma County Superior Court record indices to digital images. Volunteers from the Sonoma County Genealogical Society transcribed the records of the General Plaintiff Index, volume 2, and the General Defendant Index, volume 2, from these digital images for the years 1880 through 1889. Volunteers also abstracted information from eight volumes of original Sonoma County Superior Court Registers of Actions housed at the Sonoma County Archives for the same time period.This book is arranged in two sections: A comprehensive name index for all Sonoma County Superior Court suits from 1880 through 1889 and a listing of each suit's suit number, plaintiffs, defendants, cause, Register of Actions volume and page number(s) reference, and action date. A total of 2337 Sonoma County Superior Court suits for the years 1880 through 1889 are indexed in this publication. The suits are numbered 1 to 2326 with eleven suits using non-integers. Both civil and criminal cases are included.

This book tells the story of John Zimmermann and Eva Katherine Kellenbenz and how they succeeded in their dreams in America. The story begins in the state of Werttemberg, in southern Germany, where their ancestors had lived in small towns for more than 400 years. Both towns were a few miles east of Stuttgart, although the Kellenbenz and Zimmermann families did not know each other in Germany.American Dreams is divided into three parts. Part I, with two chapters, is about the European origin of the families of John Zimmermann and Eva Katherine Kellenbenz. It begins with the background of the Germanic people, and it then focuses on the homeland of these two families in the Swabian Alb, now the state of Baden-Werttemberg in Germany. It traces the history of the Zimmermann and Kellenbenz families from the 1400s to the late 1800s, when John and Eva each decided, independently, to come to America. Part II continues with the story of John and Eva Katherine, who came separately to America, where they met and were married in Philadelphia. Part II also tells of the early lives of their seven children and recounts John Zimmermann's remarkable success as an inventor of weaving and dyeing machines, as a businessman in the textile industry, and as a philanthropist and Mormon bishop. Part II ends with his death in 1936. Part III is divided into seven chapters, each of which is devoted to one of John and Eva Katherine's seven children, and of their descendants. It follows the lives and careers of the descendants of John and Eva to the present time, including 190 of their descendants, and eighty of those who are known to be their spouses. The lives of about 270 men, women and children are presented in either outline form or in biographies. The value of this work is enhanced by a wealth of photographs, a complete bibliography, a full-name index, and three appendices: Zimmermann Family Charts (bef 1642-2009), by Jean Hoxie Naples; John Zimmermann Family Timeline (1855-1978), by Jean Naples; and, Barbara S. Zimmermann, Mutterings (1969), excerpts.

Fighter-bomber flying and fighting originated in World War I as pursuit pilots strafed and dropped small bombs on the enemy below. However, it was in World War II that the term "fighter-bomber" emerged, as American fighter pilots combined combat actions of dogfight, bomb/rocket, and strafe into extensive "fighter-bomber" operations. These operations became universally recognized for their major role in that war and in air power ever since. An official news release at the end of World War II stated: "Fighter Squadron Commander, Major Colgan, a top fighter pilot in Europe, in combat August 1943-May 45, CO a full year...he accumulated more missions, decorations, narrow escapes, and friends (ground forces) than the vast majority of other pilots in the war." His vivid account here of courageous fighter-bomber action on varied, deadly, low-altitude missions was written for the general public. It has drawn wide praise as a "gripping, magnificent" story of people at war and has been acclaimed as an "accurate, definitive, vital, long overdue" history. It is often cited as the prime, and now a most timely, book on the heritage of current U.S. multi-role fighter pilots/crews and planes: the F-15E, F-16, F/A-18, F-22, and F-35-today's "fighter-bombers." Colonel Colgan also served in combat in Korea and Vietnam, held key positions in requirements for and test of new fighters/fighter-bombers, and retired as Commander, 326th Air Division, Hawaii. He was inducted into The Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame, 1996, "Top Fighter-Bomber Pilot." In this book he tells far more than ever done before about World War II fighter-bomber pilots and unit ground personnel: their lives; their war; their dedication, duty, valor, and sacrifice. This is their story and legacy.

The first depredation by the Indians in the Connecticut valley, during King Georges war, was on the Great Meadow. On October 11, 1745, 'Black Friday,' Nehemiah How left the safety of the Great Meadow Fort (now Putney, Windham County, Vermont) to cut some wood and was captured by a party of Abenakis of St. Francis as he returned to the fort. His captors ¿continued northward until they arrived at Black River, in the environs of Fort No. 4, now Charlestown, N.H. They then struck out to cross the mountain wilderness of the present state of Vermont; probably came as far as what is now Larrabee's Point, opposite Fort Ticonderoga continued to Crown Point, and embarked for Quebec, through Lake Champlain and the rivers of Sorel and St. Lawrence. According to How's testimony in his pamphlet and his deposition at Quebec ¿he was not subjected to any severe cruelties by his Indian captors, who generally were kind to him. Nehemiah How gives an account of his journey to Canada, and his imprisonment there. How died in a prison in Quebec on May 25, 1747.

Accessible, trustworthy documentation is key to successful genealogy research and Hazel Boss Neet provides just such data in this publication. Extracted from data collected and certified as true and complete by W. W. Lamar, the local tax assessor, this valuable resource contains the names of all educable children in Pontotoc County, Mississippi, in 1892. The entries are arranged alphabetically by the name of the child's parent (or guardian) and include the following categories: range, township, sex, age, and color. The author also provides a helpful index for referencing children whose last names are different from the parent or guardian. Located in northeast Mississippi, Pontotoc County is part of the last territory in Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee that was ceded by the Chickasaw Indians in the 1832 Treaty of Pontotoc. Anyone searching for ancestors in these locales may find strong evidence of them among the thousands of names included in this text.

Accessible, trustworthy documentation is key to successful genealogy research and Hazle Boss Neet provides just such data. Extracted from data collected and certified as true and complete by W. W. Lamar, the local tax assessor, this valuable resource contains the names of all educable children in Pontotoc County, Mississippi, in 1894. The entries are arranged alphabetically by the name of the child's parent (or guardian) and include the following categories: range, township, sex, age, and color. The author also provides a helpful index for referencing children whose last names are different from the parent or guardian. Located in northeast Mississippi, Pontotoc County is part of the last territory in Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee that was ceded by the Chickasaw Indians in the 1832 Treaty of Pontotoc. Anyone searching for ancestors in these locales may find strong evidence of them among the thousands of names included in this text.

This is not a typical "who begat whom" genealogy. While it is a meticulously researched genealogical record, it is also a gripping story of the Beville family, set against the lives and times of contemporary England, from the day that the original deBeville knight came ashore with William the Conqueror in 1066 A.D. through the arrival of a lone immigrant, Essex Beville, who came to the New World to find his fortunes in the Virginia Colony in 1660. It is from Essex that all Bevilles of any spelling who live in America today are descended.The first edition of Seven Hundred Years was written and privately printed in 1976 by Asselia S. Lichliter, a linear descendant of Essex Beville. In the course of her research, she spent years in England and France conducting exhaustive research at every historical site she could think of, consulting church records, court documents, deeds, wills, and of course, the extensive records held by the British Museum. She then combined the fruits of this research with her extensive knowledge of English history, producing a book which smoothly integrates a detailed, unbroken genealogy with the context of the times in which the Beville and various collaterally related families lived. It is small wonder that a thousand copies were sold well before her death in 1996.To meet the continuing demand for this fine work, it has been reissued in a second, specially revised and updated hard-bound edition, one which exceeds the first edition in level of detail and areas of research which have been explored. The book contains several illustrations, a glossary of terms found in medieval documents, detailed indices after each chapter, and appendices including links to other families.

The traditional Wampanoag Indian lands known as Sowams are located in present day Bristol County, Rhode Island, on an irregular peninsula extending Southward between Narragansett and Mount Hope Bays. Sowams was sold to the English in 1653 for the sum of thirty-five pounds, in close succession with the nearby tracts of Rehobeth, Taunton and Wannamoisett. This text provides an enlightening history of the first European settlement in this region and reprints a number of documents found in the Sowams Record Book, the Records of the Plymouth Colony and the Ancient Records of the town of Swansea, all dating to the mid-1600s. Much material is included in Chapter 1 on the Europeans' first encounters with the Wampanoags in 1621 and the peaceful relationship maintained between the settlers and the tribe in the forty years prior to King Philip's War. Chapter 2 reprints the Records of the Sowams Proprietary, dating from the initial purchase of the territory to the 1680s. Chapter 3 contains biographical sketches of the original proprietors. Chapter 4 gives a general history of the settlement of Sowams. Chapter 5 provides an overview of the New England proprietary system. The text is further enhanced by a detailed map of the region and numerous portraits. The original index to names, places and subjects adds to the value of this book

This is the diary of a young school-girl from Canandaigua, New York, beginning in 1852 and continuing until 1872. According to Margaret Sangster, who wrote the introduction in 1912, "Her Diary is a faithful record of impressions of that stormy time in which the nation underwent a baptism of fire. The realism of her paragraphs is unsurpassed." This is an exquisite look into the past. The author was ten years old when she began the diary; thus one gets a unique picture, both innocent and honest, of Northern life during the Civil War. The characters, though actual people, are like any found in classic literature. This is a rare opportunity and a wonderful observation of nineteenth century life; altogether a pleasant little book. An every-name index adds to the value of this work.

Supplementing its 'standard' genealogical data with narrative text, this book documents the family and descendants of Richard Shute, an English mariner who arrived in the Massachusetts Bay Colony sometime prior to 1659 and began a New World family line full of ambition, daring, and initiative. The book focuses on Richard and his progeny, but also investigates the descendants of Richard's brother, William, himself a mariner of Boston. It covers twelve generations of Richard's line (to the time of original publication in 1995) and five generations of William's (to the early 19th century). Basic facts such as birth dates, death dates, and marriage dates, and names of associated people and places are included, as well as tidbits and anecdotes gleaned from wills, diaries, and public records. Over 1,000 descendants of Richard and William are supplied; families mentioned include Belcher, Boardman, Buckley, Coffin, Cushing, Dudley, Emerson, French, Greenland, Grover, Hitchings, Jewett, Knower, Mountfort, Nichols, Pearson, Pillsbury, Rainsford, Rust, Sargeant, Soley, Sprague, Waite, Watts, and Wiggins. Chapters include: Descendants of Richard and Elizabeth Shute, Index to Descendants of Richard Shute, Descendants of William and Hopestill Shute, and Index to Descendants of William Shute. Appendices include: The Will of Richard Shute, Sr. (1631-1703); The Will of Richard Shute, Jr. (1666-c1742/43); The Will of Michael Shute (1707-1784); and, The Will of Benjamin Shute (1759-1847). A bibliography adds to the value of this work.