During lunch, I was visiting with a resident from the New England states. Of course, I shared my current obsession with Ancestry. I “guessed” I should see if I could find more information on my Smith ancestors (in the New England states). I hit “a brick wall” many years ago (researching Smith). Well… I spent the afternoon and it was so-o-o-o simple!! I lament the hours I spent futilely searching “the old-fashioned-way”!! The given names are such a laugh: Aristobulus, Chileab, Diathea, Ebenezer, Enos, Eliphas, Ephram, Honor, Milo, Moses, Person, Preserved, Salmon, Simeon, and Zadook (just to name a few).

So far I’ve traced back to the early 1600’s in America and the direct lineage is as follows (ancient ancestor at the top of the list).

Henry Smith, b. 20 Apr 1610, Norwich, Norfolk, England; arrival, Boston, 1637; died 9 Aug 1648, Wethersfield, Hartford, Connecticut, “of great fever.*“

 2) Preserved Smith

 3) Preserved Smith

 4) Chileab Smith

 5) Moses Smith

 6) Salmon Smith

 7) Persons Smith

 8) Gideon Watson Smith

 9) Ina Bird Smith

10) Pearl Olma Showalter

11) Lorraine Evon Frantz

Thinking about the current horrific winter weather in the New England states, I shudder to think of the difficulties of my early ancestors. Imagine it; count our many blessings!!

*Research seems to contradict that diagnosis listed by another researcher. “The great fever” not identified in America in 1648. (I love the Internet.)