Happy Thanksgiving!

The Mayflower landed inside the tip of Cape Cod fishhook, 11 Nov/21 November 1620.

The passengers on board the Mayflower during its trans-Atlantic voyage of September 6 - November 9, 1620, the majority of them becoming the settlers of Plymouth Colony in what is now Massachusetts. Of the passengers, 37 were members of the separatist Leiden congregation seeking freedom of worship in the New World. The Mayflower launched with 102 passengers, as well as at least two dogs, and a crew of 25-30 headed by Captain Christopher Jones. One baby was born during the trip and named Oceanus Hopkins. Another, Peregrine (meaning "wanderer") White, was born on the Mayflower in America on November 20, before the settlement at Plymouth. About half of these emigrants died in the first winter. Many Americans can trace their ancestry back to one or more of these individuals who, 'Saints' and 'Strangers' together, would become known as the Pilgrims.

Celebrating the Pilgrim Spirit
More than one hundred years ago, a group of descendants of the Pilgrims who sailed on the Mayflower in 1620, saw the need for a national society to honor their memory. The intention was to remember these Pilgrims who established Plymouth Colony. Today there are tens-of-millions of individuals descended from these brave souls. It is the goal of The Mayflower Society to join together people who share this heritage and to carry on the memory of our Pilgrim ancestors.

The Pilgrims
The group of 102 passengers who crowded aboard Mayflower for the crossing was not homogenous. Many of the passengers were members of the Leiden congregation, but they were joined by a number of English families or individuals who were hoping to better their life situations, or were seeking financial gain. These two general groups have sometimes been referred to as the "saints" and "strangers". Although the Leiden congregation had sent its strongest members with various skills for establishing the new colony, nearly half of thepassengers died the first winter of the "great sickness."

I got the above information from the Internet. On my father's side, he had two relatives (two brothers) that worked as ship hands to pay for their passage on the Mayflower. We are blessed that they survived that first winter where almost 'half' of the 102 passengers died.

I am thankful for their desire to leave England and come to America. I am thankful for my ancestry. They were true patriots to this country. They fought for this country's freedom in its infancy and we are blessed today to be able to enjoy that freedom.

My father died November 27, 1982 two days after Thanksgiving. He died on Saturday morning at 8:30a.am. That very same morning Pres. N. Eldon Tanner also passed away. He went with good company!