Which Colony Would You be From?

[D]

As the colonies were being populated with immigrants from Europe, the foundations for many of the characteristics of modern-day states were being laid. The interests of the many local communities would also be some of the driving forces behind the revolution.

Towards the north was the Hudson River Valley in New York where many Dutch settled. Massachusetts had many vocal personalities that heavily influenced the revolution. New Jersey was a prominent coastal town that saw heavy fighting during the war. Pennsylvania saw many German settlers, and Philadelphia served as the nations capital for some time. Moving south was Virginia with large rural areas and concentrations of wealth and influence (homes of Washington and Jefferson). The Carolinas contributed opinionated delegates to the Continental Congresses and also saw many battles on the land during the revolution.

Some of the states might have appeared to be world apart in terms of daily lifestyles, culture, and appearance, yet all came to be united. If you were a settler in the early colonization of America, what state would you settle in?

Attachments:

• 300px-British_colonies_1763-76_shepherd19232.png

[Scott Carter]

Myancestors were from Massachusetts, South Carolina, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. Given that I’m not tough enough for New England, the Pee Dee River area of South Carolina would work.

[D]

Hi VanZandt,

Do you have a lot of family that you can trace to the colonial/revolutionary period? If so, that’s pretty amazing. It’s fun to draw the connections and know where we came from.

The Pee Dee River area sounds good, I read a little about it and it seems to have been a key trade route area. If I had to pick an area, it might be Pennsylvania or Massachusetts. Of course, biased hindsight into the history make those appealing places to want to live in knowing the events. Though without that knowledge I likely would have chosen a settled area close to the shore if I were coming over on a boat. That way people would be there within a community and it would be easy to travel via water. So as I think through it with that in mind, I might have ended up somewhere in the Carolinas myself 🙂

[Scott Carter]

Indeed all my ancestors are colonial, effectively. I’m at aVA hospital so my computer doesn’t work well and I’ll post more after work.

Coincidentallly, I have ancestors who fought with Marion on both my mother and father’s side in South Carolina.

Another two ancestors were on what was called the Bennington Alarm in New England, meaning they were Minutemen.

More later.

Scott

[Scott Carter]

To further elaborate, I’m informed heavily by family history. Some of our Quaker ancestors stayed in Pennsylvania, while others went to North Carolina. Geographically and climate-wise, those are both bountiful areas. Some settled in New Garden North Carolina and were part of the Quakers involved in caring for wounded. That area, now Greensboro, seems like a great place.

I often wonder how my Massachusetts ancestors survived and thrived. So cold.

In terms of South Carolina, if one can tolerate mosquitoes, yellow fever and heat, it is a great place in the 18th century. The Santee River and Pee Dee River basins were where those relatives settled. I am touring some of that this summer.

[D]

Wow, that is absolutely incredible. I could only imagine having that much family rooted in American history (mine are more recent early 20th century immigrants from Europe). Have you done a lot of the primary research into them or is it mostly passed down through the family?

And some fighting in the south with the “Swamp Fox”, and up north with John Stark at Bennington, whew, the stories they could tell. With such an early population of family in the colonies, did that extend as well later on to their relatives fighting in the Civil War?

I generally look into/learn about the physical items of the period since I don’t have any directly connected family members that I know of to research, so I get excited to hear others who do, it really brings a life to the history. Thanks for sharing, so cool

Dan

[Scott Carter]

Thanks for asking. Captain George King and his son both fought in South Carolina with Marion. The son eventually moved to Alabama and his descendants fought in the Civil War. These particular men were kin to Abel Kolb, who was a fairly well known officer in American South who was murdered at his home by Tories. If you just google “Abel Kolb’s murder” you’ll see that reference.

Also, a number of Kolbs fought for Marion. These are all cousins / uncles of ours. Jehu Kolb is mentioned in this article as being wounded at Eutaw Springs http://allthingsliberty.com/2013/06/francis-marion-at-the-battle-of-eutaw-springs/ . I think practically all of these South Carolinians I’m kin to fought at Eutaw, which some called “The Eutaws”.

The other was Solomon Wright and he also moved to Georgia, then Alabama and had descendants that were Confederates.

The New England crew, well they were involved in Shay’s Rebellion. I cannot recall how their descendants ended up in the South, but some did.

[P Gwiazdowski]

Hello VanZandt92 I found your family very interesting. My only interesting relative was my grandfather on my mothers side, who was a private in the czar’s army Russia. I suspect that I would be from the New Jersey colony. As you may know a lot of rev war action took place here. Some took place in my old hometown of Bayonne NJ. P.S. South Carolina does have some tenacious mosquitoes as I found out while stationed there. Thanks for your history, Pete

[D]

Hi Captain Pete, that’s interesting you have a relative from the czar’s army, it makes me curious what their stories/adventures were. Also NJ would be a great colony to be from, as you mention so much happened there.

VanZandt92, thanks for the link and history. It seems Eutaw Springs saw some fierce fighting. And Captain King married a woman from Pennsylvania. Solomon wright seemed to have his sons fight in the war of 1812 (http://www.wiregrasssar.org/wrightgravemarking.html), and with folks in New England participating in Shay’s Rebellion after the war, wow, some truly incredible family history. They’re really american roots that in all generations participated in the shaping of the country.

Have you had the opportunity to hold/view any physical pieces from the family? Letters, or clothing buttons, or small artifacts maybe handed down? Being able to hold and experience that in person would be amazing. I think the family history would make a great american book/movie, I imagine there are so many patriotic stories to tell. Just have to get the producers of AMC’s Turn on board 🙂

[Author]

Posts