My son had Gordon Wood as a professor. He had to read 700 pages a week. Most of the material was written by Mr. Wood.
In April I attended a 1 day Revolutionary War seminar in Butler, Pa and the next two days about the Civil War in Carnegie, Pa.
I have 142 books on the War of Independence and another 113 on the founding (founders). I have read or used 98% of those titles on hand. Humbling.LOL, no PBP from the conference. I already stand out (so to speak, as we're all seated), by having my computer open, and dealing with the boards, e-mail, etc.
While I enjoy history of many different countries/eras/etc., my passion in history is the American Revolution. Any history conference I have attended of late, or will attend in the future, is focused on that aspect of history.
I have 142 books on the War of Independence and another 113 on the founding (founders). I have read or used 98% of those titles on hand. Humbling.
I have 20 ancestors who fought in the Revolution (with two who spent a winter at Valley Forge) and another 25 or so who were in the Militia, but saw no action. They served from the Siege of Boston to Yorktown, to chasing the British out of Charleston.
I have a good friend that also had Gordon Wood as a professor.
At one time, Gordon was one of two biggest academics in the field of American Revolution scholarship. He kind of lead one school of philosophy about the Revolution, while Joseph Ellis lead another school. (Not literally lead a school, but more a school of thought, or interpretation, of the American Revolution.) There were a few others that were very big/influential in the field, though none were as prolific in writing about the Revolution as were Wood and Ellis. Both of those guys have been retired for quite some time, so they no longer are training doctoral candidates. Ellis still writes a book every couple of years, but health issues have limited his ability to be more prominent in the lead-up to the 250th. Wood hasn't written a book in @ 5 years, though he's written some forewards to books, as well as some essays. At this point, I don't think either of the aforementioned would be considered leaders of any schools of the American Revolution, as the research has, for the most part, gone in different directions, with a less focus on the leaders (on both sides), and more focus on the combatants on both sides at the bottom of the pecking order, or on the impact the conflict had on citizens in the 13 states, regardless of whether they were patriot, loyalist, neutral, disaffected, etc. There are exceptions to this generalization, but the majority of books and papers being issued by academics are more in the vein that I indicated as opposed to focusing on the leaders.
I do recall seeing info about the conference in Butler. At this point, I can't recall what the issue was, but I had a schedule conflict that made it so that I couldn't consider attending that conference. This year, in large part due to the 250th, there are so many more conferences on the American Revolution than is the norm. Sadly, I've already had to miss several that I really wanted to attend, as I had other things on my schedule that conflicted with them. I'm still trying to work out my schedule for the rest of the year, but I'll probably attend at least 2 additional conferences, and hopefully more.
I have one revolutionary relative - this guy, whose history is certainly an interesting one: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_MilesI'm pretty sure I have more books on the two subjects you mentioned than do you, though I haven't counted the total number in quite some time. Every time I go to a conference I try to remind myself to not purchase any more books (as the "to read" pile is still quite large). Alas, while I'm in general very disciplined, books on the American Revolution or the Founding are a real weakness of mine. I believe I purchased 5 books at this conference. Probably the only thing that kept the purchase number that "low," was that I had already read (and own) about 95% of the books that were available at the assorted booths.
Congrats on being a descendant of some many participants in the Rev war, either as a member of a Continental line, or a militia member. By contrast, I had zero ancestors that participated in the fighting, as no branch of my family tree was in the USA between 1775 - 1783. With your ancestors, you would be a prime candidate for one or more of the lineage societies. The person I drove up and back to the conference with has only 2 ancestors that fought in the Rev War, but he's in the national leadership of the SAR (as well as in the leadership of his state SAR and the head of his local chapter of the SAR), while also be a member of several of the other lineage societies.
The high number of Patriot ancestors is due to geography. PA Germans of Central PA, English of what is now suburban Philly, others from New England. Some of their stories from pension applications are awesome inspiring.I'm pretty sure I have more books on the two subjects you mentioned than do you, though I haven't counted the total number in quite some time. Every time I go to a conference I try to remind myself to not purchase any more books (as the "to read" pile is still quite large). Alas, while I'm in general very disciplined, books on the American Revolution or the Founding are a real weakness of mine. I believe I purchased 5 books at this conference. Probably the only thing that kept the purchase number that "low," was that I had already read (and own) about 95% of the books that were available at the assorted booths.
Congrats on being a descendant of some many participants in the Rev war, either as a member of a Continental line, or a militia member. By contrast, I had zero ancestors that participated in the fighting, as no branch of my family tree was in the USA between 1775 - 1783. With your ancestors, you would be a prime candidate for one or more of the lineage societies. The person I drove up and back to the conference with has only 2 ancestors that fought in the Rev War, but he's in the national leadership of the SAR (as well as in the leadership of his state SAR and the head of his local chapter of the SAR), while also be a member of several of the other lineage societies.
One of my ancestors served in his Rifle regiment! Died in November, 1776. It is not known if it was from wounds or disease.I have one revolutionary relative - this guy, whose history is certainly an interesting one: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Miles
Miles makes for extremely fertile ground for cocktail party conversations... the ambiguities of the Brooklyn engagement (where the view of him seems to change wildly every time I read something new!), the State College angle, the First Mayor of post-constitutional Philly, the First Faithless Elector...The high number of Patriot ancestors is due to geography. PA Germans of Central PA, English of what is now suburban Philly, others from New England. Some of their stories from pension applications are awesome inspiring.
My PA Germans basically arrived in early to middle 18th Century. Philly, early 18th, New England, 17th.
One of my ancestors served in his Rifle regiment! Died in November, 1776. It is not known if it was from wounds or disease.
Agree re Miles. Enigmatic. My soldier was in Capt. James Murray's Company who was the executor of my guy's will, which was written the day before he enlisted.Miles makes for extremely fertile ground for cocktail party conversations... the ambiguities of the Brooklyn engagement (where the view of him seems to change wildly every time I read something new!), the State College angle, the First Mayor of post-constitutional Philly, the First Faithless Elector...
Have a few who were as well . One was a Captain in the NJ milita under Seeley . Another fought under James Morgan with the Middlesex Militia.One was captured by the British while fighting in NY and died as a prisoner. One of my great grandfathers came over in 1662 on a ship called Hope (de hoop)Agree re Miles. Enigmatic. My soldier was in Capt. James Murray's Company who was the executor of my guy's will, which was written the day before he enlisted.
Genealogy can be a very funny thing.Have a few who were as well . One was a Captain in the NJ milita under Seeley . Another fought under James Morgan with the Middlesex Militia.One was captured by the British while fighting in NY and died as a prisoner. One of my great grandfathers came over in 1662 on a ship called Hope (de hoop)
One of my ancestors was the first person hanged in Pennsylvania. Shucks, all he did was kill the local justice of the peace.Not the Revolution - still need to do a genealogy deep dive, but i did find a crazy story about an ancestor in the War of 1812 while researching Canadian citizenship issues for me and my siblings.
Found out an ancestor was hung in Southern Ontario during the War of 1812 - then he was beheaded and his head paraded through town. Part of the “Bloody Assize” of 1814. He was part of cross border raiding parties harassing the British Army. After he was executed, his 8 children, including what might have been my 1st Canadian ancestor, were essentially sold off to farmers who needed future helping hands. This kid - 12 years old - landed in a farm town on the north shore of Lake Erie.
Anyway, my ancestors have been here since the 1680s - Swedes, Germans and Scottish mainly. All living in the Brandywine Valley - guaranteed there are plenty who took up arms for the Continentals
Yes it's definitely wild. I have only searched my dads side he knew his great grandfathers name and from his obituary in 1925 it had his dads name in it and from there it goes back to 1420 thru all my great grandfathers. My last name is a town in the Netherlands which was founded in the 9th century. I visited there 5 years ago it was a cool experienceGenealogy can be a very funny thing.
So down the one stream I have a guy like Miles.
But down the other (which ends at two generations), I have my Ukrainian coal miner grandfather, who by family lore, avoided conscription into the Austro-Hungarian army by spitting chewing tobacco into his urine sample.
I am directly related to G. Washington's Mother.I have one revolutionary relative - this guy, whose history is certainly an interesting one: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Miles
My sister’s former boyfriend is a Thomas Jefferson/Sally Hemmings descendant!I am directly related to G. Washington's Mother.
It's amazing when you can trace these things back into Europe. My other grandfather hailed from Croatia (again, came over around the turn of the 20th century). He went back with my mom and found his home town, and when they went to the tiny parish church, were able to trace baptismal records back until they got tired. It's sort of crazy, and I suppose a testament to the Church, that so many of those sorts of records survived all the crap the 20th century dished out in that part of the world.Yes it's definitely wild. I have only searched my dads side he knew his great grandfathers name and from his obituary in 1925 it had his dads name in it and from there it goes back to 1420 thru all my great grandfathers. My last name is a town in the Netherlands which was founded in the 9th century. I visited there 5 years ago it was a cool experience
It's amazing when you can trace these things back into Europe. My other grandfather hailed from Croatia (again, came over around the turn of the 20th century). He went back with my mom and found his home town, and when they went to the tiny parish church, were able to trace baptismal records back until they got tired. It's sort of crazy, and I suppose a testament to the Church, that so many of those sorts of records survived all the crap the 20th century dished out in that part of the world.
There's an obituary that I see every once in a while about a guy named Fritz or something who died in Ohio a couple years backHow come nobody is talking about their ancestors who fought for Britain in the American Revolution?![]()
Tell her gangsters, thugs, and smugglers are thoroughly respected.My grandmother traced our family tree and she stopped when she found out we descended from horse thieves.
The truth will set you fre.
Finally, we have an explanation for your extraterrestrial avatar.The best I can tell my family landed in New Mexico in 1947. Can’t find any records before then.
My paternal side snuck into this country via the southern border in the mid-70's. On my mom's side, they came from Mexico in the late 60's for my grandfather to go to medical school. They're all long deceased and as far as I know nobody knows a whole lot about anything before they came to the U.S.The best I can tell my family landed in New Mexico in 1947. Can’t find any records before then.
(I thought it was among my best efforts in here)Finally, we have an explanation for your extraterrestrial avatar.![]()