Research of the first Thanksgiving Turns Into a Personal History!

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civilsmoker

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This past year has been kind of a journey for my family, which is saying something because we have moved many times over the years.....this was our 17th move over 27 years of marriage..... all for work except for this last one...this one was for us..... and our first Thanksgiving after the move for for us was crazy with no kitchen and even being a few days late..... which was hard because my wife just LOVES Thanksgiving.... to her it is the ultimate act of sharing....to sit down and celebrate overcoming the challenges of the past and looking forward with faith of a better tomorrow...... this experience got us thinking about all of the divisive talk about that first Thanksgiving the pilgrims had all those years ago so we wanted to do a little research about it.........

Well as we researched the pilgrims and their ancestors we discovered a personal connection. I have direct ancestral lines to 10 of the pilgrims on the Mayflower and who participated in that first Thanksgiving......my Wife has lines to 14 different pilgrims.....so our kids have a combined 24 ancestral lines .... one of my wife’s was one of the first Thanksgiving “cooks” in the kitchen preparing for a celebration of faith for a better future.....

After this discovery, I now have a deeper understanding of my wife’s drive to have the “perfect” thanksgiving under any circumstance.....our last one certainly wasn’t our “best cooked” one but it will never be forgotten! It’s an amazing thing what a meal can do for spirit and happiness of ones soul.....

It also got me wondering if the pilgrims had any idea (as they signed the Mayflower Pact) of the Country that would be founded or the Constitution that would be written for that Country or the freedom and better life of the many that followed would have because of their desires to have freedom and the faith it took to reach for it........ I for one believe that there was a Divine hand in preparing a way for this land of liberty and freedom to be available for all that followed.... I also believe it is up us to remember, share, and teach of the hopes, dreams, and faith of those who were in search of a better life!

So as we each sit down over what ever meal we have with the company we keep (many, few, or even one), I encourage everyone to reflect on the past with a forward looking future of faith and hope that tomorrow will bring freedom and prosperity to all that seek it.... May Gods Blessings be on this land and all those that search for freedom!
 
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Divine Providence was the core of their beliefs. Not manifest destiny.
That’s a great story. Hope you and yours are fulfilled today.
 
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Civil there were only 100 or so original pilgrims, and your related to a quarter of them.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours Civil. Pretty cool lineage find.
Chris

Edit: I reread my original post and it didn't come out that way I intended.
 
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Great post! Glad you found a deeper meaning of Thanksgiving for your family. The triumph of Thanksgiving is the celebration of Capitalism over Socialism; of taking care of yourself, tending your own crops for your own bounty and having more than enough to freely share with everyone rather than being forced by society to share through quotas regardless of effort. Lest one never forget the perils of a socialist society....

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
 
This past year has been kind of a journey for my family, which is saying something because we have moved many times over the years.....this was our 17th move over 27 years of marriage..... all for work except for this last one...this one was for us..... and our first Thanksgiving after the move for for us was crazy with no kitchen and even being a few days late..... which was hard because my wife just LOVES Thanksgiving.... to her it is the ultimate act of sharing....to sit down and celebrate overcoming the challenges of the past and looking forward with faith of a better tomorrow...... this experience got us thinking about all of the divisive talk about that first Thanksgiving the pilgrims had all those years ago so we wanted to do a little research about it.........

Well as we researched the pilgrims and their ancestors we discovered a personal connection. I have direct ancestral lines to 10 of the pilgrims on the Mayflower and who participated in that first Thanksgiving......my Wife has lines to 14 different pilgrims.....so our kids have a combined 24 ancestral lines .... one of my wife’s was one of the first Thanksgiving “cooks” in the kitchen preparing for a celebration of faith for a better future.....

After this discovery, I now have a deeper understanding of my wife’s drive to have the “perfect” thanksgiving under any circumstance.....our last one certainly wasn’t our “best cooked” one but it will never be forgotten! It’s an amazing thing what a meal can do for spirit and happiness of ones soul.....

It also got me wondering if the pilgrims had any idea (as they signed the Mayflower Pact) of the Country that would be founded or the Constitution that would be written for that Country or the freedom and better life of the many that followed would have because of their desires to have freedom and the faith it took to reach for it........ I for one believe that there was a Divine hand in preparing a way for this land of liberty and freedom to be available for all that followed.... I also believe it is up us to remember, share, and teach of the hopes, dreams, and faith of those who were in search of a better life!

So as we each sit down over what ever meal we have with the company we keep (many, few, or even one), I encourage everyone to reflect on the past with a forward looking future of faith and hope that tomorrow will bring freedom and prosperity I all that seek it.... May Gods Blessings be on this land and all those that search for freedom!
What a great story. Thank you for sharing.
Happy Thanksgiving and God Bless
 
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Cool thing to learn. Nice post and happy Thanksgiving!
Thanks Jake, Happy Thanksgiving!

Divine Providence was the core of their beliefs. Not manifest destiny.
That’s a great story. Hope you and yours are fulfilled today.
Thanks SEdge! Their core beliefs cause destiny for sure!

Civil there were only 100 or so original pilgrims, and your related to a quarter of them.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours Civil. Pretty cool lineage find.
Chris

Edit: I reread my original post and it didn't come out that way I intended.
Thanks Chris, and no worries, my kids are pretty stubborn and freedom minded, so it was shocking and amazing to find the lineage! But is sure makes me and them think and act much differently when discussion of that first thanksgiving are talked about....


What a great story. Thank you for sharing.
Happy Thanksgiving and God Bless
Thanks Yankee and Happy Thanksgiving!

Great post! Glad you found a deeper meaning of Thanksgiving for your family. The triumph of Thanksgiving is the celebration of Capitalism over Socialism; of taking care of yourself, tending your own crops for your own bounty and having more than enough to freely share with everyone rather than being forced by society to share through quotas regardless of effort. Lest one never forget the perils of a socialist society....

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Thanks Swamp! Self reliance and self sharing the bounty is a recipe for goodness all around! Happy Thanksgiving!
 
Since this is the 400th anniversary, I thought I would share our turkey to honor this day as well.....

When it was pulled......
E84F42FD-500D-459B-8B7B-F91E1A80C168.jpeg

20lber ran at 335 on the RT 1250 for 3.5 hours (partial back bone removed to allow for a quicker uniform cook), turned 90 deg at the two hour mark to get it crispy all around....
D0E27F87-F994-4B49-9CBE-97090BFF1979.jpeg

Classic Turkey Money!
3CED56A3-03F1-4BCE-9C1F-04ACB61B284D.jpeg
 
Very nice bird Civil.

Point for sure
Chris
 
Great looking bird! And cool to find out family history like that! Hope ya had a great day!

Ryan
 
I ate Thanksgiving lunch with the guys at the firehouse today. I felt like a goldfish in a fish bowl where a little kid dumped the entire can of food in all at once...."OMG! THERE IS TOO MUCH FOOD!!! I'M FREAKING OUT!!!!"

LOL!!!!!
 
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Beautiful bird Civil. That’s excellent.
Thanks SEdge! This was the first big bird in the 1250 and it performed perfect.....I think this is one the bests birds I have ever done!

Very nice bird Civil.

Point for sure
Chris
Thanks Chris!

Very cool to learn of your family history like that!

Thanks Jcam! It sure makes one reflect how one lives for sure!

Great looking bird! And cool to find out family history like that! Hope ya had a great day!

Ryan
Many thanks Ryan! We had a great day for sure! Hope you and your fam did too!
I ate Thanksgiving lunch with the guys at the firehouse today. I felt like a goldfish in a fish bowl where a little kid dumped the entire can of food in all at once...."OMG! THERE IS TOO MUCH FOOD!!! I'M FREAKING OUT!!!!"

LOL!!!!!
I think you and me were in the same fish bowl!
 
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That's a great looking bird . I've got 2 breast going on the SmokeFire today . The pellet grills make great food .
Interesting on the research . We all did the DNA test a few years ago . That's cool to know too .
 
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That's a great looking bird . I've got 2 breast going on the SmokeFire today . The pellet grills make great food .
Interesting on the research . We all did the DNA test a few years ago . That's cool to know too .

Thanks Chop! I did the DNA about two years ago as well. I smoked two brined breasts (I saved from my stock turkey) late last night for samiches, going to vac and freeze.
 
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