This story has a very personal meaning for our family as six of your ancestors came on the Mayflower in 1620.
Anthony Ivins Bentley Jr.—Anthony Ivins Bentley—Margaret McKean Ivins—Israel Ivins—Anthony Ivins—Margaret Woodward—Deborah Tilton—Miriam Allen—Ralph Allen—Elizabeth Howland—John Howland passenger on the Mayflower who married Elizabeth Tilley, who came with her parents, John Tilley and Elizabeth Lancaster, on the Mayflower.
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More can be found on the internet: http.//members.aol.com/calebj/howland.html and
www.geocities.com/Heartland/Plains/4803/tilley.htm?220058
Wendy Whiting—Johanna Jeanette Cook—Ella Call – Anson Vasco II—Anson Vasco – Anson Call – Sally Tiffany – Rebbeca Ellis – Zilpha Hammond – Jedediah Hammond – Seth Hammond – Mary Hathaway – Sarah Cooke – John Cooke who came on the Mayflower with his father, Francis Cooke.
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More can be found about Francis Cooke at www.pilgrimhall.org/cookefrancisrecords.htm
Thanksgiving:
A Bentley Family Tradition. Told by Wendy Whiting Bentley each Thanksgiving as Family and Friends unite to give thanks for their bounteous blessings.
Thanksgiving is a wonderful day. A day for greeting loved ones and friends, for family, delicious food and football games. It ushers in the festive holiday season, and how fitting it is that we begin it by setting aside a day to give thanks for our many blessings and by remembering our heritage and forefathers. Nearly four hundred years ago a group of 102 people set sail from England for a new life in a new world. They would become known as the Pilgrims, and be remembered long after many other groups of pioneers and settlers had faded into histories pages. Why? Because they came to America not as fortune seekers hunting for adventure, wealth or land. They came with a dream and a vision of a land where they could be free to worship God according to their own beliefs, establish a permanent colony under a democratic government, and live in peace with their Indian neighbors.
The Pilgrims, or Separatists, as they called themselves, had broken away from the Church of England over differences in beliefs. For this they were persecuted, not allowed to hold meetings or pray publicly. They sought freedom first in Holland . However after living there eleven years the Dutch government, with pressure from London , began to make their life difficult. This plus the fact that their children were adopting Dutch customs and language led them to seek a home elsewhere. They had listened to the tales of those who had traveled to the new world, and after much debate they decided to settle in America where they could be truly free.
They set sail in September 1620. John Carver, William Bradford and William Brewster were their leaders. Only forty-four of the 102 aboard were Separatists. While at sea 66 days one man died, and one baby, Oceanus Hopkins, was born. On November 11th land was sighted at what today is Cape Cod , Massachusetts , and the Pilgrims knelt to thank God for their safe arrival. However, it wasn't until a month later, on December 11th that they were able to find a suitable place to settle. They picked Plymouth because it had enough fresh water for a colony, trees enough for building; land already cleared where Indians had once lived and a deep safe, natural harbor.
Before the men left the ship they signed what would become known as the Mayflower Compact. In this document they pledged to obey their Governor, keep the laws for the good of all, practice religious freedom, and work together in peace to establish a new colony.
One common house was built that December. They winter was bitter cold, and the ground was frozen hard. In January there were only seven people well enough to care for the sick and bury the dead. Over half of their group died during those first few months – only four married women survived. Fortunately during one exploring party they had found an abandoned Indian village and some baskets of dried Indian corn, beans and tobacco. These they took promising to repay their Indian neighbors if they ever had the opportunity. They had hoped to save it for spring planting, but to keep from starving when supplies grew scarce they rationed themselves five seeds of corn a day.
The situation turned desperate, and then one day they were surprised to see an Indian approach their settlement. In English he greeted them with "Welcome Englishman." His name was Somoset; he had learned English from Squanto who had been kidnapped by white seamen years before. He announced that the great Chief Massasoit would be coming to visit them.
Massasoit did come and the Pilgrims presented him with gifts. They explained that they had come in peace, and a treaty was signed. Squanto came with the chief, and seeing their desperate condition stayed to literally save their lives by teaching them how to hunt with bows and arrows, tramp the mud driving out the eels for cooking and how to trap small animals and spear and net fish. In the spring and summer he taught them how to raise pumpkins, squash and to plant corn using 5 herring fish in each mound for fertilizer, gather wild berries and literally how to survive in this new land. Squanto had been born at Plymouth , and his own people all wiped out due to a disease passed to them by white sailors. His life was spared because this plague swept through his village while he was a slave in Europe . He spent the rest of his life with his Pilgrim brothers. Certainly one can see the Lord's hand in preparing Squanto for his great mission in saving this little band of men and women, they who would establish a heritage and atmosphere of freedom for all who would follow them to America .
At the end of that first summer the Pilgrims had a wonderful harvest. They invited their Indian friends to join them and 91 braves, squaws and children came, including the great chief Massasoit. The celebration lasted three days with religious services twice a day during which thanks was given the Lord for their blessings of freedom of country, religion, family, health and friends.
Beside your plate you have 5 kernels of corn which represent these blessings in our lives today. I am humbly grateful for my Pilgrim heritage, and the legacy of faith, integrity, hard work and courage they left for each of us. Happy Thanksgiving!
(Sing "The Pilgrims Held a Feast" and "We Gather Together."
FIVE KERNELS OF CORN
The Pilgrims arrived at Plymouth Bay on December 11, 1620. The winter was bitterly cold. Sickness and starvation took the lives of nearly half their number. Fortunately, in an abandoned Indian village they found a few baskets of dried corn, beans and tobacco. These they took with the promise to repay their Indian neighbors if ever they had the opportunity. The story is told, that to keep from starving they rationed themselves five kernels of corn a day.
These five kernels of corn remind us of the Pilgrim's legacy of faith, integrity and courage. They represent the blessings the Pilgrims were so thankful for that next autumn after a bountiful harvest: Family, Faith, Freedom, Friends and Food. May we too be thankful for these great blessings on this Thanksgiving Day.
FIVE KERNELS OF CORN
The Pilgrims arrived at Plymouth Bay on December 11, 1620. The winter was bitterly cold. Sickness and starvation took the lives of nearly half their number. Fortunately, in an abandoned Indian village they found a few baskets of dried corn, beans and tobacco. These they took with the promise to repay their Indian neighbors if ever they had the opportunity. The story is told, that to keep from starving they rationed themselves five kernels of corn a day.
These five kernels of corn remind us of the Pilgrim's legacy of faith, integrity and courage. They represent the blessings the Pilgrims were so thankful for that next autumn after a bountiful harvest: Family, Faith, Freedom, Friends and Food. May we too be thankful for these great blessings in our lives on this Thanksgiving Day.
Spiderman, Football Jock, Pumpkin, and Princess
Coming fun June 2009!
