Crack me up Turp,

Well, my Mayflower ancestors were merchants...Bill Mullins was a shoe merchant from London who brought along a large supply of shoes. He signed the Mayflower compact, then died. His wife Alice died the first winter. They were buried in unmarked graves so the Indians wouldn't be able to count the losses to the colony.

Bill's daughter Priscilla, who was 18 at the crossing, married John Alden. John signed on at the last minute and nothing is known about his past. Some suspect he was very attracted to Pricilla, and they did marry and have a LOT of kids. He was a cooper by trade and became a strong leader both during the crossing and in the colony after.

Jim Chilton was a tailor from Canturbury, Kent. He died aboard ship at Cape Cod. His wife died in the Spring of 1621. No one ever recorded her name and its lost in time. Their daughter Mary was 13 at the crossing. Fortunately for me she survived. She's described as "a sprightly young miss" and "very vivacious."

Mary married John Winslow who followed on the ship Fortune in the Spring of 1621 and had ten kids. They moved up to Boston where he was a wealthy shipowner.

Really spooky to realize that if the Mayflower sinks, or Pricilla or Mary die, then I don't get the gift of life.

But, no religious freedom folks in my Mayflower ancestors. Just merchants trying to make a buck, or in John Alden's case out for adventure, love, or both.

And really ironic to me. Last night, I'm with a group of friends, and we're breaking up the gathering, and the Navajo's are all wishing the Bilagaana's (Anglos) a happy Thanksgiving....Kinda touching and heavy on history.

Ron