William Brewster was my 11th great-grandfather, and every year as we approach Thanksgiving, I am reminded that heritage is more than lineage — it is a testimony of faith, endurance, and divine providence. Our family line reaches back to one of the most pivotal moments in American history, when on November 21, 1620 (New Style calendar), a small band of Pilgrims signed the Mayflower Compact and established Plymouth Colony.
Of the 102 passengers who braved the Atlantic, only 51 were alive by Spring, and at one point just six were healthy enough to care for the others. Yet their faith. . .