Puritans and Puritans

After a recent conversation, I find it necessary to once again explain that there were other Puritans than those that arrived on the Mayflower.

In 2020 we will celebrate the 1620 arrival of the Mayflower to this land. Of course, as a researcher and supporter of women, I applaud the Puritan women who made this treacherous journey, settled down in Plymouth and had many children so there are lots of descendants who will celebrate their Mayflower heritage. They were first and that is something to celebrate.

I hasten to say though, these are not the puritan women I researched and profiled in Female Adventurers. No, my women came a little later, in the 1630s, as part of the Great Migration orchestrated by John Winthrop. Many of them did not settle down. They saw as their mission spreading their puritanism across the land. Time after time, they uprooted their families and moved to start another town. I hope there will come a time when we can celebrate their sacrifices.

Life Gets in the Way

As the title says, life often gets in the way of good intentions. I cannot believe that it has been so  long since I have published a post on this blog. Shame on me.

With new energy, I intend to once again move forward in promoting women's history. Although most of my research, published works and lectures/workshops are on the women of the Great Migration, I will be adding presentations aout women from other times. 

Presently, I am using an article I did for the Cape Cod Genealogical Society on women in the Civil War as a basis for a workshop, entitled "From Where Comes Courage."

When I set out to research two women on opposing sides of the Civil War, I chose Sarah Edmonds and Loreta Velasquez because there were many researchers who totally debunked their accounts as untrue. I have found that where there is a story, there is usually at least a grain of truth to be found.


I will be presenting this workshop as part of the Osterville Library's summer historical series on the Civil War. Please check "Upcoming Presentations Page" for details.


Any questions, please email me at aliceplouchardstelzer@gmail.com