Strength in the Face of Adversity
Many of my ancestors exhibited strength in the face of adversity. There were those who fought in wars because they supported the causes and wanted a better world for their progeny. There were those who immigrated from other countries or migrated to other parts of the country hoping to provide a better life for their families. (I’ve identified 11 ancestors in my grandparents’ chart who immigrated to America in the 1600s. Anthony Colby is the first ancestor of mine that I can definitively track as arriving in 1630.) There were those who managed to eke out a living by farming in harsh conditions. There were those who survived economic collapse and physical hardships. There were the women who put family first and took care of the home while raising multiple children often after suffering the loss of other children.
Some examples of these ancestors are:
- Ninian Beall – from captured Scottish loyalist to indentured servant to landowner and businessman to commander to founding father to elected government official
- Frances Bennett Watkins Lloyd – a widow who questioned British Law in the Virginia colony that stated that her widow’s dower became the property of her new marriage; when she remarried she insisted that her new husband give land to her son so that she could provide for her son
- Thomas McElroy – born in Drummore, Ireland in 1751; immigrated from Ulster to Drumore, Pennsylvania in 1751; enlisted in the American Revolutionary in 1776; was refused a Revolutionary War pension because he was a wagoner during the war which was not considered military service
- Maria Christina Schaefer Schmidt – immigrated from Germany; she gave birth to 18 children; when she died at the age of 59, ten of her children were still living
- Anthony Colby – willing to suffer hardship in order to pursue his beliefs
The Strength of One’s Convictions
It was 1630 and Anthony Colby (my 9th great grandfather) decided to leave Horbling, Lincolnshire, England and the parish where his family had lived for centuries. As a Puritan, Anthony strongly adhered to the position that the Church of England desperately needed change; he believed that the reforms that had already occurred were not extreme enough and that it bore too much resemblance to Catholicism (PBS). In addition, since the king of England was head of both the church and the country, Anthony had a problem with the political situation. Anthony was part of the Great Puritan Migration and joined Governor John Winthrop in his quest to settle Massachusetts Bay Colony.
Anthony Colby set sail for the New World in 1630 with the Winthrop Fleet, most likely on the ship “Arbella” in the first wave of ships. This journey was very difficult. “For seventy-five days the ship sailed westward through gales, cold, fog, and fair weather.” Many passengers suffered greatly. They “were confined to narrow quarters, lived on short rations, and were without the common conveniences of life (“Great Migration”).
Life did not immediately improve for the Puritans after they arrived. Anthony continued to live aboard the “Arbella” for four months until housing could be build. Within the first year, approximately 200 of the 700 or so Puritans who were part of this migration died. Nonetheless, according to Governor John Winthrop those Puritans who “lived properly, maintained a true faith, and upheld God’s ways would be blessed and their example would inspire others (Brooks).” Anthony Colby and the other Puritans were finally free to worship as they pleased (though they were not known for their tolerance of other religions) and developed a reputation for being hard workers.
As an early settler of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, Anthony is listed at number 93 in the records of the First Church of Boston (“Anthony Colby” Macy-Colby House).
Anthony married Susannah and they had seven children. Their daughter Rebecca who was born in 1643 was my 8th great grandmother.
Anthony Colby received land and become known as a planter as well as a sawmill owner. Anthony was one of the founders of Amesbury. His strong convictions continued as he worked incessantly to have the new settlement at Amesbury separated from the town of Salisbury and become its own town. He continued to stand up for what he believed. “Anthony seems to have been able to speak his mind; in 1639 he was fined 1 shilling for being ‘disorderly’ in a town meeting. (“Anthony Colby” Macy Colby House).”
Gaining Strength from our Ancestors’ Stories
Learning about our ancestors’ lives can help us make connections. We can gain strength from their struggles and survival. “While history helps us understand the present by knowing the past, family history makes that past personal. Understanding what they experienced, and what they did, better helps you understand yourself (Copeland).” We can use our strength to forge our own paths.
Sources
“Anthony Colby.” Anthony Colby Born 1605 , The Macy-Colby House Amesbury MA, https://www.macycolbyhouse.org/Anthony-Colby/.
“Anthony Colby.” WikiTree, 6 Mar. 2021, https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Colby-38.
Brooks, Rebecca Beatrice. “The Great Puritan Migration.” History of Massachusetts Blog, 16 May 2021, https://historyofmassachusetts.org/the-great-puritan-migration/.
Copeland, Libby. Genealogy Provides the Strength to Persevere. Psychology Today, 13 Apr. 2020, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-lost-family/202004/genealogy-provides-the-strength-persevere.
“Great Migration: Passengers of the Arbella, 1630 Genealogy Project.” geni_family_tree, geni_family_tree, https://www.geni.com/projects/Great-Migration-Passengers-of-the-Arbella-1630/5754.
“People and Ideas: Early American Groups.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/godinamerica-early-american-groups/.
Indeed, I couldn’t agree with you more that “. . . “learning about our ancestors’ lives can help us make connections. We can gain strength from their struggles and survival.”