It's pretty common for Americans to find a story or two that have to do with crossing the ocean. From the first explorers to Jamestown and Plymouth to a recent immigrant relative. I believe that no matter the reason that brought one here, you are still an explorer to a new land and way of life. I have several seafaring stories that come to mind from our families.
In 1620, my first explorer ancestor came to America on the Mayflower. His name was Myles Standish. He was born about 1584 in England, but there are conflicting theories about where and to whom. He was hired by the Pilgrims in Leiden, Holland to be an advisor on military affairs once they arrived in America. So he and his first wife, Rose, came aboard the Mayflower bound for an adventure in the New World. Arriving near Cape Cod in November, winter was close behind. They lived on the ship until a shelter could be built on the land. Rose Standish died the first winter along with about 50 other Pilgrims. Myles survived and was one of those who cared for the other sick Pilgrims. I reading much about Myles, he was a controversial character. He both befriended and fought the Native Americans. He was both caring, as in the winter sickness time, and was also accused of using too brutal of methods when fighting. No matter what , he survived and around 1634 moved with some other families to found Duxbury, Massachusetts. He took on many roles in running the community but died in 1656. He was the husband of a 2nd wife, Barbara, and father to 7 children.
After reading Nathaniel Philbrick's book, "In the Heart of the Sea", I have come to the conclusion that I must be related to nearly every early family in Nantucket, Massachusetts! This book was the true story of the whaling ship "Essex" and it's shipwreck and sinking in 1820 in the Pacific Ocean. This story was said to be the inspiration for Herman Melville's "Moby Dick". It was a voyage that was supposed to last about 3 years. The trip from Nantucket to the waters where whales could be found was about 2500 miles long having to go south around the tip of South America and north again. As I was reading the book, I kept seeing familiar New England surnames of the crew and other associated individuals making me wonder where they fit into the family tree. Not only was the ship Essex exploring the ocean in her search for whales and subsequent rescue after the Essex sank, but I began exploring the family ties of the crew and others mentioned in the story. In all, I looked at 70 individuals and was able to connect all of them, either by a blood relationship or thru marriage. It was one of the more fascinating family explorations that I have done. Just a few of the names that I descend from are: Coffin, Starbuck, Paddock, Bunker, Gardner, Shattuck & French. The Macy & Sears names are prominent in the families as well, among others. Tristram and Peter Coffin and Thomas Macy were among the 9 original purchasers of Nantucket Island in 1659. Other families arrived later to populate the island. All of these families intermarried for generations and were a tight knit community with many whaling ships coming and going from Nantucket for hundreds of years.
One last story from my husband's family was found in family research done by a distant cousin. I have not found any paper documentation for this yet, so it can be considered a story handed down. Jonas Latham Gray who was born in 1762 in New London County, Connecticut is said to have been a carpenter & cabinet builder by trade. What has been proven is that Jonas was a veteran of the Revolutionary War who served in place of his father, Philip, when he was less than 18 years old. Toward the end of the war Jonas, along with his father and a brother sailed on a trading vessel which went around the horn of South America to the west coast of America. Later they took regular trips to the West Indies. They continued these trips for about 12 years. Jonas and his half brother Asa Gray once pooled all of their money to build a large ship. While Jonas was at sea, Asa sold the ship and absconded with the money leaving Jonas penniless and in debt. By Jan 1, 1819, Jonas had worked hard to pay his debts and he and his wife and three youngest children left Connecticut, on foot in the middle of winter. Stopping for a brief stay in Schoharie county, New York, the family continued, on foot, to Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania. A journey west of about 240 miles. Jonas lived in Dimock, Pennsylvania for the remainder of his life. He died in there in 1832. Having been buried in a small cemetery near his farm, two of his sons moved his body to a cemetery in Dimock in 1845. They opened his coffin in the presence of all his living descendants. The body was in a remarkable state of preservation and his features were as natural as the day of his burial. I'm not sure that I would take exploration quite that far, but an interesting story none the less.
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