Milford chronicle., 1907-04-19
A HISTORICAL PAPER BY
PROF. JOHN D. BROOKS.

On Saturday, April 18th, Milford
Grange was addressed by Prof. John ID.
Brooks on the regular topic for the day,
1.-THE English in America" While not
exactly farmers subject the approach
Of the tri.centennial at jamestown
gives special interest to a review Of our
country's early history.
The railroads are already publishing
special rates and the nearness Of James,
town makes it certain large number
Of grangers will attend this exposition.
The first English settlement in
America was made at jamestown in
1907. Other Europeans had been in
America before this. The Spaniards
had been in the West Indias and Mexico
for more than a hundred years. The
Spanish having destroyed the natives
and needing help imported slaves.
Twelve years after the landing at
jamestown a Dutch trader landed the
first cargo OF negroes in Virginia. It is
estimated that three million slaves were
brought to this country. The two I'M
poItant early colonies are, the one on
the James River in 1907 and the one in
New England in 1920. Between these
two dates the Hollanders settled at
New York but in few years this passed
into possession Of the English.
A large proportion Of the people Of
this Peninsula are descended from set
tiers in the Virginia colony.
The jamestown people came for gain
and to improve their material cOndi-
ton. The New England settlers came
for religious liberty and the two were
very different The southern colony
was of the cavalier type-many OF them
from good families aud we'll educated
but not trained to work. George WASH
ington was descended from the cavalier
class. Needing laborers and artisans
the Jamestown colony imported many
poor debtors who were indentured to
them and when they had worked out
their time became residents Of the couns
try many making their homes along
the Chesapeake in Delaware, Maryland
and Virginia. Others worked their way
west to the mountains Of Moth Caro-
lima, Tennessee, West Virginia and
Kentucky. A later generation crossed
the Mississippi and settled in Texas.
people who migrated west never
became slave owners. They were fine
horsemen of a fearless spirit and loved
outdoor life In New England the
hard conditions of climate and soil de-
veloped the we'll known Yankee thrift.
The descendants Of the northern colony
also went west and made their homes
in the middle west and the northwest.
One other EHglish settlement should
be noted that by the Quakers in Penn
sylvania IN 1852. Prof. Brooks and
Charles Barker are both descended fiOm
these Quaker colonists. They were not
q fighting people. Their tenets forbade
war. The Quakers treated the Indians
more kindly thanlthe other settlements
and had less trouble with them.
The supremacy OF the English in this
was but once seriously threat
ened and that was at the time Of the
French and Indian War" The French
settled in Canada and built forts along
the Great Lakes, the Mississippi and
tributary streams. The French became
so aggressive that the "French and Ia
dian War" lasting seven years, re-
suited. The French were first success
fHl but finally the English forces trium.
phed. Had the French been victorious
this would have been a Catholic cOun-
try and French the national language.
General DagswOrthy of Delaware and
George Washington OF Virginia were
officers in the war. When John Han
cock was considering who to appoint
as Commander Of the Continental
Army General iDagswOrthy being the
ranking officer expected the appoint
nent. Washington was given the COM
nand and General DagsworthY, dis
retired to his estate in Della.
ware where he ended his days, leaving
10 direct descendant. English has al
ways been the controlling strain in
his country; giving us the language,
eligious freedom, our legal forms and
English ideals generally and there is
very prospect that it will dominate in
he future.
The topic next week is "TomatO Gull
ure," to be lead by Charles Sackett,
who is expected to tell how to raise the
most tomatoes on an acre of ground.