Chris Branagan wrote: > Hi everyone, > > I have never found any reference to John and Elinor being > particularly active in the church, beyond the statement they had to > make before boarding the Elizabeth and Ann that they (at least > John) were members of the Church of England. I have always > assumed they came seeking better economic opportunities. In this, > they were certainly successful! > from, Carolyn Whitney Branagan > > PS. Don't forget to check out the Whitney Clan My family.com site > to add your vote as to when in summer 2002 the WRG reunion > should take place. > > MerryJWhit@aol.com <mailto:MerryJWhit@aol.com> wrote: > >> Gary Wallace wrote >> >> "Dear cousins, >> Was watching Snoopys Charlie Brown Thanksgiving and the Mayflower the >> other day (actually fairly accurate) Got to wondering about John and Elinor >> who came in 1635 (?) were they Pilgrim Puritans -came for religious reasons >> or just regular colonists? Or do we know. . . " >> >> I don't know, of course, but prior to finding WRG, when I assumed my old >> "tree" was accurate with its references to Henry VIII and Queens Mary and >> Elizabeth I, I had sort of conjectured that political changes in England >> after 1609 might have made it seem like a good time to broaden the family >> horizons. >> >> But even if John and Elinor did not come from parents whose political >> connections might have begun to seem more a liability than an asset, general >> turmoil and uncertainty in England in the 1620's and 1630's probably helped >> magnify the attraction of crossing the pond. :) >> >> Merry >> >> >> >

I finally got around to looking at the poll for dates on the 2002 reunion in the Boston area. All the proposed dates are in the summer (July & August). Isn't it awfully hot then? Also, for those of us coming from the arid Southwest, the humidity can be oppressive at that time of year. What happened to proposals to hold the reunion in the Fall, about the time that New England leaves are at their best? I note also that only three people had voted. That is hardly an overwhelming mandate for the reunion. Is it that few people are interested, or that few people are interested in those dates? I'd like to hear more feedback on the question of dates for the reunion. Karl Schwerin SnailMail: Dept. of Anthropology Univ. of New Mexico Albuquerque, NM 87131 e-mail: schwerin@unm.edu Cultural anthropology...is valuable because it is constantly rediscovering the normal. Edward Sapir (1949:151)