This past weekend, I learned that Dave Prowse, who played inside the Darth Vader outfit, died November 28. He was an English bodybuilder as well as actor. Darth Vader's voice, however, was provided by James Earl Jones.
Peter Mayhew, who played Chewbacca died in 2019. In 2016, Kenny Baker died. He was inside R2D2.
The Force, The Force. Stay Away From the Dark Side.
The group from Leiden, Netherlands, the Pilgrims, remained apart from the others, staying on the smaller of the two ships, the Speedwell.
Finally, on August 5, 1820, the two ships left Southampton to cross the Atlantic and find their colony. The Speedwell followed in the Mayflower's wake.
It didn't take long for everyone to realize that the Speedwell was not up to the task before it. The ship proved to be as "leakie as a sieve." The captains of the two ships conferred and decided it best for the ships to set in for repairs at Dartmouth, England, just 75 miles from where they had started.
Robert Cushman, on board the Speedwell declared that if the ship had "stayed at sea but three or four hours more, she would have sunke right downe."
Work on the Speedwell began as the travelers fretted over the loss of time. By August 17, the repairs were finished, but winds kept the two ships at Dartmouth. There was fear that already too much of the food taken along to get them to their destination had already been eaten.
Finally, they were able to sail, but after just a short time, the Speedwell began leaking badly again. The ships returned to Plymouth and it was decided to abandon the Speedwell.
Many of the Speedwell's colonists were put aboard the Mayflower, exasperating already crowded conditions.
So Much for the Speedwell. --CootWell
From "Mayflower: Birth of America."
The Separatists (Pilgrims) were actually supposed to journey to America in two ships, the Mayflower and the Speedwell. So, what happened to the Speedwell. Why is it not well-known, like the Mayflower?
The Pilgrims in Leiden, Netherlands had purchased their own ship to make the voyage. It was named the Speedwell. Just 50-feet long, it was considered safe enough to make the dangerous voyage across the Atlantic.
They also hired a captain for it. Sadly, both the ship and captain proved untrustworthy.
The Pilgrims left the Netherlands and sailed to the English port of Southampton tom meet up with another ship that was hired by the London investors in the proposed colony. From there, they were to sail across the Atlantic.
That other ship was the Mayflower, under the command of Christopher Jones.
So, What Happened to the Speedwell? Why Has It been Overlooked in History? --CootAtist
1621 to 1692
NOVEMBER 1621
A second English ship sent to America by Plymouth Colony's investors arrives off Cape Cod. Other ships carry new colonists follow over the next few years.
JUNE 1630
A flotillas of ships begins delivering more than 700 English Puritans to the new Massachusetts Bay Colony, in present-day Boston.
Over the next 10 years, this new colony will grow to be much larger and influential than Plymouth Colony.
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MAY 9, 1657
Plymouth Colony's longtime governor, William Bradford, dies. He had spent 20 years writing a now-famous history of the Mayflower Pilgrims called "Of Plymouth Plantation." There are those today who want this thrown out because of the word plantation which brings to mind slaves.
JUNE 20, 1675
King Phillip's War begins. The conflict between Indians and English colonists across southern New England is devastating. By the time it ends in 1678, the Indian population of the region is reduced by 40 to 80 percent.
JUNE 8, 1692
The final meeting of the Plymouth Colony legislature is held, as the colony is absorbed into the larger Massachusetts Bay Colony.
--CootPilgrim
From HonorStates.com.
CORPORAL EDWARD J. AUMACK
From Monmouth County, New Jersey.
Death: October 20, 1951 Fighting near Yongon-ni, North Korea.
Corporal U.S. Army, Korean War
Light Weapons Infantryman
Company C, 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regimental Combat Team.
Service Number: 51026861
Killed in Action. Received Purple Heart.
I was unable to find out where he was buried.
In November I did several posts on the Aumack Family Cemetery in Hazlet, New Jersey, which is being cleaned up in my Not So Forgotten: War of 1812 blog. The small cemetery is where the remains of a Civil soldier, American Revolution and two War of 1812 veterans are buried.
I wrote about them, and also came across the name of this Army soldier from Hazlet, New Jersey, with the same last name, who was killed in the Korean War. I am of the opinion that he is likely a member of the family.
From Honor States.org.
--Brock-Perry
DECEMBER 8, 1620
At dawn, the expedition looking for Thievish Harbor fought off an attack by Indians. Later that day, they were hit by a gale with snow alternating with rain. They spent the night on what became known as Clark's Island.
DECEMBER 9
They spent the day exploring the island and rested the next day, the Sabbath.
DECEMBER 11
Explored the harbor behind the island and found it could accommodate a ship the size of the Mayflower.
DECEMBER 12
Back on the Mayflower. Told the others they had found a site for the colony.
DECEMBER 16
The Mayflower entered Plymouth Harbor, but it wasn't until December 20, that they decided where to build their colony.
DECEMBER 21
Pilgrims land at the site that would become their colony.
So, I Guess December 21 Would Be The Real Date of the Pilgrims Arrival At Their Colony. --Cooter
From the History Site.
Did you know that these famous people can trace their ancestry to the Pilgrims:
Humphrey Bogart
Julia Child
and, Presidents:
James Garfield
John Adams
--Cootgrim
3. THE PILGRIMS DIDN'T NAME THEIR COLONY AFTER PLYMOUTH, ENGLAND.
The site had actually been named that before the Pilgrims had arrived and had already been shown as such on maps (with some variations of spelling such as Plimoth).
It is sheer coincidence that the Pilgrims had originally sailed from Plymouth, England.
4. SOME OF THE MAYFLOWER'S PASSENGERS HAD BEEN TO AMERICA BEFORE.
Several of the crew had already been there. One man, Stephen Hopkins, had already tried to settle in the New World at Jamestown ten years earlier, but his ship wrecked off the coast of Bermuda, stranding him before his eventual return to England.
William Shakespeare admitted that he had based his play "The Tempest" on this story and had even named one of its characters, Stephano, after Stephen Hopkins, who was once one of his neighbors as well.
5. THE PILGRIMS WERE RELATIVELY TOLERANT OF OTHER RELIGIONS.
They were strict on their interpretation of religion but did not attempt to convert others. They did not observe Christmas, but allowed others to take the day off. They allowed men who were not of their faith to hold public office.
Gosh, I Didn't Know Some of This Stuff. --Cooter
From the History site by Beth Dunn.
1. NOT ALL THE MAYFLOWER PASSENGERS WERE MOTIVATED BY RELIGION.
The ship actually carried three distinct groups. About half were Separatists (Pilgrims) Others were friendly to the Pilgrims, but not hard core members. Still others were laborers, soldiers, and craftsmen of various skills needed for a new settlement.
2. THE MAYFLOWER DIDN'T LAND IN PLYMOUTH FIRST.
They first landed on the tip of Cape Cod, in what is now known as Provincetown. They were actually supposed to land at the mouth of the Hudson River, but had missed it. Intention was to continue on to the Hudson, but winter changed their minds and they decided to settle at what became Plymouth.
--Cooter
1620
NOVEMBER 20
Birth of Peregrine White born to Susanna and William White.
NOVEMBER 27
Another expedition from the Mayflower, this time led by the ship's master, Christopher Jones. Jones soon returned to the ship because of harshness of New England winter setting in. The rest of exploring done under leadership of Myles Standish.
Essentially, this exploring led to grave looting, stole corn and raided homes.
*************************
By now, it was becoming critical to find a place to settle. Many wanted to settle where they were, but the Mayflower pilot, Robert Coppin, had been in the area before and said he kind of remembered a good harbor across Cape Cod Bay.
He called the place "Thievish Harbor" because it was where a Native had stolen one of his company's harpoons.
DECEMBER 6
A group set off from the Mayflower to explore and look for Thievish Harbor.
--Cooter
I saw one of those neat collector book/magazines in the local Jewel about the Mayflower and Pilgrims and then remembered those cancel culture folks want this gone because of what happened to the Indians afterwards. I don't much like cancel culture folk anyway, so instead of burning it or protesting out in front of the store, I bought it.
I like these magazines and have been amassing a whole bunch of them. They are generally just 100 pages long, with lots and lots of pictures, so it doesn't take too long to go through one. These are the new coffee table books of this age I guess.
Sadly, the price of them keeps going up every year. Now one will cost you between $13 and $15.
Anyway, since this year and month marks the 400th anniversary of the Pilgrim arrival in the New World, I will be writing segments of the "Mayflower: Birth of America" book/magazine for the rest of the month.
The book magazine started off with a Pilgrim Timeline.
***************************************
1620
SEPTEMBER 6-- The Mayflower departs from Southampton, England
NOVEMBER 9-- The Mayflower's passengers spot Cape Cod, considerably north of their intended Hudson River.
NOVEMBER 11-- The Mayflower rounds the tip of Cape Cod, drops anchor near present-day Provincetown, Massachusetts and the Mayflower Compact is signed. The people spend the next few weeks exploring Cape Cod.
DECEMBER 16-- The Mayflower arrives at Plymouth Harbor
A Bit Late in the Year to Be Starting a Colony in My Books. --CootPil
5. IT WAS THE PEAK OF BLOOD SPORTS
Bears vs. a dog or a bunch of dogs and then there was goose-pulling.
4. NEWSPAPER EDITORS HAD TO CARRY GUNS
Attack a politician in print, defend yourself on the dueling field.
3. NOVA SCOTIA COULD HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED THE 14TH COLONY
Before the Revolution, it was just British North America, not the 13 colonies and N.S. was considered part of it.
***************************************
2. THOMAS JEFFERSON CONSUMED OPIUM HABITUALLY
Well, our 3rd president had a habit. And then, there was his slave.
1. POLITICS WERE VERY, VERY UNCIVIL
And you thought politics are uncivil now. They pale to those of the 18th-century. Lord help you if you insulted Andrew Jackson.
I Challenge You to a Duel!! --CooterCoward
From the July 4, 2018, ListVerse by Kevin Klatman.
Go to the site for pictures and a lot more information.
*************************************
10. AMERICANS WERE TALLER THAN THE BRITISH
On average, the British stood at 5-foot, five inches, and Americans were three inches taller.
9. AMERICANS HAD A HIGHER LITERACY RATE THAN THE BRITISH
Much of this because the Puritans in New England valued education for religious purposes.
**************************************
8 ONE IN THREE WOMEN WHO WALKED DOWN THE AISLE WAS PREGNANT
Perhaps because of the practice of bundling.
7. AMERICANS DRANK ... A LOT
Alcohol safer than water. Go figure.
6. SOUTH CAROLINA: ONE OF THE MOST TOLERANT AND CULTURED OF THE COLONIES
New England colonies were too Puritan to go much for the arts.
--CooterGiveMeABeer
Howard Miller was born May 6, 1921, and died on November 22, 1942, the third day of the hard-fought battle for Betio, Tarawa while serving with Company A, 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force. Almost 6,400 Japanese, Koreans and Americans died in the fight for Betio.
Miller attended San Mateo High School and was a football player. After graduation, he worked at Bethlehem Steel in San Francisco. He was on a four-day furlough from Marine boot camp, when he married Elizabeth Bettinger. She learned he had died on New Year's Day, 1944.
His body was found after nearly a decade of excavations by History Flight, a Florida non-profit that researches and recovers missing U.S. service members. This group has accounted for most of the lost Marines on Betio.
The Marines were buried, but the location of those sites was lost. Mr. Miller's boots had bone fragments in it and DNA on those led to his identification. They also found his dog tags nearby.
From the November 10, 2020, East Bay Times by Peter Hagarty. San Mateo, California.
A U.S. Marine has come to his final resting place decades after gunfire cut him down as he was defending this nation thousands of miles from home.
Howard Miller died during the grueling Island Hopping Campaign across the Pacific as Americans moved closer and closer to striking distance against Japan. Back then, his brothers in arms lowered the 22-year-old private first class into an unmarked grave on Betio, a little-known island that is part of the Tarawa Atoll in the Gilbert Islands.
His remains were flown into San Francisco where active-duty Marines in full dress blues moved the casket and it was then transported to San Mateo for burial.
Today marks the 245th anniversary of one of the world's greatest fighting forces, the United States Marine Corps.
Today's Corps traces its roots back to the Continental Marines of the American Revolution. It was formed by Captain Samuel Nicholas by resolution of the Second Continental Congress on 10 November 1775, hence today's birthday.
Nicholas was authorized to raise two battalions of Marines, and that was the beginning.
Happy BD, Jarheads!!! --CootJar
From the September 16, 2020, MidWeek (DeKalb County, Illinois) "Looking Back."
1920, 100 Years Ago.
"Is DeKalb to have a fairgrounds? While there seems to be no particular head of a movement for a fairground for the last few days the talk has been more and more on this line and there is a big chance that it will crop out in a movement.
"The argument has been , if Sandwich, which is not located on any main road either highway or railroad, can draw a 20,000 crowd, what would this city draw if the fairgrounds were located here? The argument is a good one and is causing more than one person to think it over."
A little intercounty tiff. The fairgrounds are still in Sandwich, though.
--CootFair
In the last post, I wrote about the Normal School in DeKalb, Illinois, (NIU) having a shortage of coal in 1920. Evidently this was not just here, but elsewhere. I came across an blurb in the September 20, Bloomington-Normal Pantagraph newspaper from 1920 as follows:
"A large group of citizens met in the BHS (Bloomington High School) auditorium to tackle the coal shortage. They decided to wire President Woodrow Wilson and ask him to take action against speculators.
"Keeping the McLean County Coal Co. open is the heart of the issue."
************************************
And, I found a copy of the November 2, 1920 Duluth (Minnesota) News Tribune with headlines "Duluth Coal Companies Charged With Illegal Combination, Shortage Forced, Prices Boosted."
"A group of West Duluth residents yesterday charged that coal companies have conspired to cause a shortage of coal and to boost prices. The residents have formed a committee to urge the U.S. District Attorney to start proceedings against the coal companies."
--Cooter
From the September 2, 2020, MidWeek "Looking Back."
1920, 100 Years Ago.
"The Normal school is in quite a predicament at present in regard to coal there being not a single lump of coal in the bins at school. Ever since the first of May the school has been without fuel and all of the electricity that has been used has been obtained from the electric company.
"Now that the start of the fall term of school is near the shortage is very serious as everything in the dormitory is run either by steam or electricity. There is a car of coal on the way but when it will arrive is a matter of speculation.
--CootCoal
One hundred and two years ago on Tuesday, November 5, Americans were heading to the polls to vote. It was not a presidential election, but stakes were high. People were electing members of the 66th Congress. It was also the lone election to take place during the United States' involvement in World War I (though it was winding down) and there was a full-scale pandemic going on at the time.
Campaigning was disrupted tremendously around the country as states had banned large gatherings. Nebraska, for example, lifted a ban on public gatherings to allow campaigning five days before the election.
The president was Democrat Woodrow Wilson, but the republicans swept to control of both houses in Congress.
This was also a big election for women suffragists.
And, Now We have 2020. --Cooter
Using her $500 grant from Julius Rosenwald, Vivian Harsh visited libraries serving black communities in New York, Washington, D.C., Cleveland, Detroit and Newark, New Jersey. From these, she drew up a list of 300 essential books for readers interested in black literature and history.
To acquire them for her Chicago library, she solicited donations and appealed to booksellers. And, she continued adding volumes above that number. When she retired in 1958, her library's Special Negro Collection had 2,000 books, plus newspaper clippings, pamphlets and manuscripts. All this accomplished while she ran the library.
And, she was a neatness person. En route to her desk each morning, she would stop and pick up even the smallest scrap of paper.. She was constantly telling her employees about the importance of keeping the premises neat and clean.
Sadly, she was extremely private about her personal life and never wrote anything about it. That is why her archives are now being examined to piece together her life.
From the February 2, 2020, Chicago Tribune by Ron Grossman.
She didn't write a book, but her name is on a special collection in the Carter G. Woodson Regional Library in Chicago. When she died in 1960, the Chicago Defender's obituary was headlined: "Historian Who Never Wrote."
Vivian Harsh once said: "If we as Negroes knew the full truth about what we, as a race, have endured and overcome just to stay alive with dignity, our respect and hunger for education would triple overnight."
Her devotion and dedication to all things history began back when she was at high school at Wendell Phillips in Chicago, where she joined the Herodotus History Club. The ancients called Herodotus the "Father of History."
Vivian Harsh was the "Mother of Black History."
After the George Cleveland Hall Branch of the Chicago Public Library opened on the South Side, with Harsh as the head librarian, the Rosenwald Fund gave her a $500 grant to study libraries serving black communities in other cities. Julius Rosenwald, a philanthropist and president of Sears, Roebuck & Co. was responsible for making the Hall Branch a reality in Chicago's Bronzeville neighborhood. Not to mention all the hundreds of Rosenwald schools built in the South to educate black children.
From the May 3, 2019, Chicago Tribune "Actor who played Chewbacca in several 'Star Wars' films" by Andrew Dalton, AP.
Actor Peter Mayhew, who played the shaggy, towering, noise-making Chewbacca in several of the "Star Wars" films died May 2, at age 74. He was 7-foot-3 and played the menacing but lovable sidekick and best-buddy to Han Solo as co-pilot of the Millennium Falcon in the original "Star Wars" trilogy.
He went on to appear as a Wookie in 2005's "Revenge of the Sith" and shared the part in 2015's "The Force Awakens.
"He put his heart and soul into the role of Chewbacca," said a family member.
Actor Mark Hamil, who played Like Skywalker, said: "He was the gentlest of giants -- A big man with an even bigger heart who never failed to make me smile & a loyal friend."
He was born and raised in England and had worked in one film and was working as a hospital orderly in London when George Lucas found him and cast him for "Star Wars."
