Mine go back in this land to before the U.S.: an American Indian, Dutch settlers in the 1600s, Europeans in the 1700s. Post-Revolution, the 1800s brought the rest from northwestern Europe and assorted British Isles, with the last immigrant arriving almost 200 years ago. My children’s line also goes to the Mayflower.
Once they got here, every generation of my forebearers participated in the era of building essential systems in this country, from farming and livestock to transportation, communications, military, banking, construction, historical preservation and government. Were we wealthy? No, middle class. Anyone motivated could do very meaningful work without a college education and cover the bills for a home and family—this was the land of opportunity! Now it’s choked nearly to death by regulations, many levels of grift, and freeloaders.
“Were we wealthy? No, middle class.”
Right. We watch old Law & Order episodes. Seems like every time the episode deals with wealthy people, they always add something like “old Mayflower money”. Cracks me up ‘cause our line of Mayflower descendants is anything but wealthy — either lower middle class or near-poverty.
They were farmers or preachers, mostly. Actual preachers, not televangelist-type con artists.