Introduction

The first boat of immigrants to arrive in New England was the Mayflower. It landed in November 1620. Subsequent immigrants who arrived before 1650 are grouped together as "Second Boat Ancestors." John Jewett Garland, through his father, William May Garland, and his mother, Sadie Blanche Hinman, is descended from many men and women who immigrated to America in the seventeenth century. I have identified close to one hundred of these Second Boat ancestors. They all came from England.

John Jewett Garland was a ninth generation descendant of Peter Garland, the immigrant ancestor. He would be identified this way: John Jewett 9, William May 8, Jonathan May 7, Jonathan 6, Samuel 5, Jonathan 4, Samuel 3, Jonathan 2, Peter 1. He was a ninth generation descendant of Sergeant Edward Hinman. He is identified this way: John Jewett 9, Sadie Blanche 8, Marshall Littlefield 7, Simeon Benjamin 6, Simeon 5, Abijah 4, Noah 3, Benjamin 2, Edward 1.

Peter Garland settled in Hampton, New Hampshire, just over the Massachusetts border. The next four generations of Garlands were born in Hampton. Samuel Garland moved west to Parsonsfield, Maine, and his son Jonathan moved north to Winslow, Maine. Jonathan May moved from Winslow to Daytona Beach, Florida and his son William May Garland moved west to Los Angeles, California, where John Jewett Garland was born.

Edward Hinman settled in Stratford, Connecticut. His son Benjamin moved north to Woodbury, Connecticut where the family stayed for two generations. Abijah Hinman moved north to Pittsfield, Massachusetts and then to Benson, Vermont. His son Simeon moved west to Cattaraugus County, New York, where Simeon Benjamin and Marshall Littlefield would live and die. Sadie Blanche married William May Garland and moved to Los Angeles, California.

The Garlands and Hinmans were primarily farmers for the first two hundred years. They did not move to the city until late in the last century. This has made tracing their lives much simpler for me, since the vital records in small towns in New England are well kept. The cemeteries that I visited are well maintained and haven't suffered the vandalism that can occur in large cities.

There are still gaps in the family trees, that hopefully will be filled in someday. I take several genealogical magazines and belong to many family associations, like the Hinman Family Association and the Jewett Family Association. I keep up an extensive correspondence with fellow genealogists all over the country, who are also pursuing their elusive ancestors. It is a very satisfying hobby.