That is so cool Turp,

I'm descended from the Mullins family and John Alden on both sides of my family and also the Chilton family on my father's side.

Everyone thought my maternal grandmother was a tad nuts when she proclaimed the connection during a third grade geneology project of mine. When I matured I was able to prove her correct, and later more amazed that the line was on my father's side too. Thanks to the Mayflower Society.

When I discovered the link I wrote my parents, who were vacationing, telling them they were 13th cousins. I got a prompt reply from my mother who said, "Thank God, now I can get an annulment."

Not sure why the History Channel calls the Mayflower folks Puritans. The Puritans came years later to the Boston area and were the dour folks in black. Mayflower folks, as the program mentions, were quite the colorfully dressed, beer drinking, rowdy bunch....as evidence to the large number of children the early women bore.

My ancestors aboard were the merchants, and John Alden who was the cooper in charge of the beer.

Ron