August 23, 2024 Coats Museum News
Do you recall reading a few columns back that a flood of immigrants had come to the new world as a result of an English civil war? According to Lefler and Newsome, authors of “A Southern State”, pp.1-22, King Charles I and the Parliament had come to an impasse over the issue of taxation and royal finances. The English Puritans joined forces with the antimonarchical forces. King Charles I had attempted to force loans from the gentry and commercial classes and they refused. The king became desperate for money. War broke out after the famous Long Parliament convened in November of 1640 and repudiated Charles’s concept of absolutism and rule by Devine Right. The members wanted greater religious freedom and religious tolerance.
The Royalists were recruited from the Cavaliers who were for the most part Roman Catholics and wealthy landowners. The bulk of the Puritans forces were from the common people. Many from these groups came to America before these series of conflicts occurred; however, most came after Charles I was defeated by Cromwell.
After his father was beheaded, Charles II went into exile. His restoration to the throne of England marked a turning point in both English and colonial America. The Age of Restoration was characterized by great demonstration of national energy, intellectual progress, scientific advancement, expansion of the navy and merchant marines, virtual elimination of the Dutch as a commercial rival, and above all else, a great expansion of the overseas. The English took over the Dutch and Spanish claimed areas on the Atlantic coastline when Charles II gave Carolina to eight Lord Proprietors. The proprietary grants in 1663 of Carolina were a means of paying off a political debt to those who helped restore him to the throne. He also counted upon them to keep him in power (Lefler and Newsome, p.22)
It was estimated that 22,000 people had settled in Virginia by 1654. More came after all the glowing reports about the “most fertile, gallant, rich soil, flourishing in all the abundance of nature, especially the rich mulberry and vine, serene air, and temperature clime, and experimentally rich in precious minerals…a place unacquainted with nipping frost, no winter, or very little cold to be found here “stated Francis Yeardley, son of Governor George Yeardley of Virginia via Lefter and Newsome, pp .15-16)
With all the glowing descriptions of the area, it should be no surprise that a steady flow of population came from Virginia into Carolina and the Albemarle regions. Plus, all that had occurred in Europe, the new world promised a new life. Many of the early immigrants to Virginia were prisoners in the English jails. When they were given the choice of death by hanging or emigrating to Virginia, they chose to come to Virginia. The vagrants, paupers, thieves, and even prisoners were deported to the new world. Hence many of our ancestors came to America because of political or religious reasons in their native land.
Some of our ancestors may have come for other reasons such as the potential for economic gain in the new land. When silver and gold were not found, they found profit in cod fish, tobacco, furs and ports of trade.
However, the common man was content with nothing more than a fresh start on his own land. Many of these started out as “indentured servants”. For free transportation to the new world, he had a contract to work for four or more years after which he was freed of his contract and received freedom dues which usually were clothing, tools, a gun, some money and sometimes fifty acres of land. As a bonus for the four to five years, the indentured servant had often learned a trade (Lefter and Newsome, pp. 115-116).
After reading this history of the 17th century, possibly one has a better understanding of their DNA ancestry test results but most importantly of all is a better understanding of the struggles that brought some of our ancestors to the new world.
Forward to the fall of 1994 when it was printed in the October 7, 1994 edition of the Daily Record that Flora McArthur Plummer, 30, of Coats had expired on Monday. The Rev. Tommy Smith conducted the funeral services in Dafford Funeral Home. Burial was in the Resthaven Cemetery. She was survived by her husband, Norman Plummer; two daughters-Patrice and Kerri Plummer. Teresa Liles was a sister. Flora’s foster parents were Blanche McArthur and John Williams. George Bridges was her stepfather.
The Farmers Day crowd enjoyed sunny skies, family fun, crafts, a parade and a dance. Mike Ennis of Coats had taken home $400 as the winner of the pig cook-off (Daily Record Oct. 10, 1994).
After Covid claimed my son-in-law’s father in South Dakota, J.B.’s mom moved to the Chapel Hill, NC area. She was very involved in preserving the history of her hometown of Mitchell, SD. A thank you goes to Louise Blair Smith for her continued, generous donations to help preserve the history of our Coats area
Do you recall reading a few columns back that a flood of immigrants had come to the new world as a result of an English civil war? According to Lefler and Newsome, authors of “A Southern State”, pp.1-22, King Charles I and the Parliament had come to an impasse over the issue of taxation and royal finances. The English Puritans joined forces with the antimonarchical forces. King Charles I had attempted to force loans from the gentry and commercial classes and they refused. The king became desperate for money. War broke out after the famous Long Parliament convened in November of 1640 and repudiated Charles’s concept of absolutism and rule by Devine Right. The members wanted greater religious freedom and religious tolerance.
The Royalists were recruited from the Cavaliers who were for the most part Roman Catholics and wealthy landowners. The bulk of the Puritans forces were from the common people. Many from these groups came to America before these series of conflicts occurred; however, most came after Charles I was defeated by Cromwell.
After his father was beheaded, Charles II went into exile. His restoration to the throne of England marked a turning point in both English and colonial America. The Age of Restoration was characterized by great demonstration of national energy, intellectual progress, scientific advancement, expansion of the navy and merchant marines, virtual elimination of the Dutch as a commercial rival, and above all else, a great expansion of the overseas. The English took over the Dutch and Spanish claimed areas on the Atlantic coastline when Charles II gave Carolina to eight Lord Proprietors. The proprietary grants in 1663 of Carolina were a means of paying off a political debt to those who helped restore him to the throne. He also counted upon them to keep him in power (Lefler and Newsome, p.22)
It was estimated that 22,000 people had settled in Virginia by 1654. More came after all the glowing reports about the “most fertile, gallant, rich soil, flourishing in all the abundance of nature, especially the rich mulberry and vine, serene air, and temperature clime, and experimentally rich in precious minerals…a place unacquainted with nipping frost, no winter, or very little cold to be found here “stated Francis Yeardley, son of Governor George Yeardley of Virginia via Lefter and Newsome, pp .15-16)
With all the glowing descriptions of the area, it should be no surprise that a steady flow of population came from Virginia into Carolina and the Albemarle regions. Plus, all that had occurred in Europe, the new world promised a new life. Many of the early immigrants to Virginia were prisoners in the English jails. When they were given the choice of death by hanging or emigrating to Virginia, they chose to come to Virginia. The vagrants, paupers, thieves, and even prisoners were deported to the new world. Hence many of our ancestors came to America because of political or religious reasons in their native land.
Some of our ancestors may have come for other reasons such as the potential for economic gain in the new land. When silver and gold were not found, they found profit in cod fish, tobacco, furs and ports of trade.
However, the common man was content with nothing more than a fresh start on his own land. Many of these started out as “indentured servants”. For free transportation to the new world, he had a contract to work for four or more years after which he was freed of his contract and received freedom dues which usually were clothing, tools, a gun, some money and sometimes fifty acres of land. As a bonus for the four to five years, the indentured servant had often learned a trade (Lefter and Newsome, pp. 115-116).
After reading this history of the 17th century, possibly one has a better understanding of their DNA ancestry test results but most importantly of all is a better understanding of the struggles that brought some of our ancestors to the new world.
Forward to the fall of 1994 when it was printed in the October 7, 1994 edition of the Daily Record that Flora McArthur Plummer, 30, of Coats had expired on Monday. The Rev. Tommy Smith conducted the funeral services in Dafford Funeral Home. Burial was in the Resthaven Cemetery. She was survived by her husband, Norman Plummer; two daughters-Patrice and Kerri Plummer. Teresa Liles was a sister. Flora’s foster parents were Blanche McArthur and John Williams. George Bridges was her stepfather.
The Farmers Day crowd enjoyed sunny skies, family fun, crafts, a parade and a dance. Mike Ennis of Coats had taken home $400 as the winner of the pig cook-off (Daily Record Oct. 10, 1994).
After Covid claimed my son-in-law’s father in South Dakota, J.B.’s mom moved to the Chapel Hill, NC area. She was very involved in preserving the history of her hometown of Mitchell, SD. A thank you goes to Louise Blair Smith for her continued, generous donations to help preserve the history of our Coats area