Americans have been through some hard times, such as during the Revolutionary War. With Independence Day swiftly approaching, we ourselves are in the middle of a crisis. Covid-19 is keeping up separated, concerned, and fearful of, and for, our neighbors and our friends. We are keeping more to ourselves, and trying to find things to keep our minds off of the current climate in the United States and in the World.
Two hundred and forty-five years ago, our ancestors were also concerned and fearful of their neighbors and their friends. Who were the loyalist and who was working with the patriots? General George Washington had spies working for him, and he was friends with the French. There was the militia that made up what would become known as the Minutemen. King George of England had his hands filled in trying to keep an iron grip over the Americas, which at the time was a cluster of separate colonies.
These 13 colonies worked together to rise up and fight for freedom and independence. Battles took place in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New York, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia. Did your ancestors play a part in this fight for freedom? Did they work for the King and flee America after the war? Or do you have ancestors on both sides of the conflict? Do you have relatives that were military in other wars like the Civil War, WWI, WWII, or even the Korean or Vietnam War?
To learn what your ancestors did to secure your freedom is an uplifting and exciting journey into the past. The Pastfinders of South Lake County Genealogical Society invites you to take the challenge to learn about your family. Start with what you know. Write it all down: Who your relatives are, Where they lived, When they were born or died, What they did, and How many children they had. Then go to PastfindersSLC.Org and click on the helpful links tab, or send us an email if you need assistance. Hopefully, in the coming months, we can meet at the Cooper Memorial Library in Clermont for genealogy help sessions. But until then, create a free account at Familysearch.org and get started in searching for your ancestor. To learn more about Pastfinders “Like” us on Facebook PastfindersofSL.
