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Book Review of Saints and Strangers

Saints and Strangers
Saints and Strangers
Author: George F. Willison
Genre: History
Book Type: Paperback
reviewed on + 66 more book reviews


SAINTS AND STRANGERS, Being the Lives of the Pilgrim Fathers & Their Families, with their Friends and Foes; & an Account of the Posthumous Wanderings in Limbo, Their Final Resurrection & Rise to Glory, & the Strange Pilgrimages of Plymouth Rock. This is a pivotal work regarding the Pilgrims, their names, places of origin, vital statistics, and family relationships and group sheets. More, perhaps, has been written about the Pilgrims than any other small group in our history. And yet they are extravagantly praised for doing that which they never even attempted nor intended to do -and often they failed at what they planned to do. Through historical misinformation the Pilgrims are given attitudes and attributes which they did not possess. E.g. they were not timid and were full of life in their relationships. They are still confused with the Puritans who settled north of them around Boston Bay. This biographical work draws a true distinction between the truth and the literary fallacies regarding their lives The ones who survived the many failures and traumas of their journey were as much a force in England and Holland before they crossed the waters as when they finally arrived to create their legacy to the New World. Chapters include Plymouth Rock and the Pilgrim Saga; the Postmaster at Scrooby; Ye Lord's Free People; Scandal in Brownists Alley; At the Green Gate, Leyden; The Merchant Adventurers; A Waighty Voiage; Mutiny on the Mayflower; Babes in the Wilderness; New Plimoth Planted; Yellow Feather, the Big Chief; Cold Comfort for Hungrie Bellies; Liquidation of Wessagusset; Unsavorie Salte; the Undertakers; Purge of Joylity; Into ye Briers; Minister Trouble; The Pilgrim Company (a list of names, kin, and vital statistics); Officers of the Old Colony and of the Pilgrim Church (a roster); and more. This work has been written using excerpts from the colonists diaries and letters, and has much to say about background of who and what they were in England, and Why they left to embark on the tragic journey westward. The period of History referred to in the book is generally the years 1600-1665. Some of the name mentioned in the rosters are Christopher Jones; Isaac Allerton; Mrs. Mary Morris; Moses Maverick; Thomas Cushman; William Bradford; William Brewster; John Carver; George Laggatt; Francis Cooke; John Crackston; Moses Fletcher; Samuel Fuller; John Goodman; Degory Priest; Thomas Rogers; Edward Tilley; John Tilley; Thomas Tinker; John Turner; William White; Edward Winslow; John Billington; Gregory Armstrong; Richard Britteridge; Peter Browne; James Chilton; Richard Clarke; Humility Cooper; Francis Eaton; Edward Fuller; Richard Gardiner; Stephen Hopkins; Edmund Margeson; Christopher Martin; William Mullins; Henry Samson; Myles Standish; Richard Warren; Thomas Williams; John Alden; John Allerton; Thomas English; William Trevore; William Latham; John Howland; William Butten; Edward Dotey; and several more just in the Mayflower roster. Many of these men have their wives listed, and it seems that most had at least three wives. This is a pivotal genealogical work for research on the early colonists, the Pilgrims