Massasoit

House in Betty's Neck on
 Lake Assawompset

McMansion

Massasoit had many children, but has few descendants.  His sons tended to die fighting the English, and his daughters married Wampanoag or men from nearby tribes who died fighting the English.  I kept hitting dead ends as I pursued Massasoit's blood lines.  I managed to find his last surviving granddaughters (many generations down the line,) living on Betty's Neck road in Lakeville, Massachusetts.  These women died in the late 1800s and their home is NOT  a museum.  It abuts a development of McMansions.  

Wamsutta James

A member of Massasoit's tribe, the Wampanoag, was invited to speak at the annual Massachusetts chapter of Mayflower Descendants' annual Thanksgiving reenactment in Plymouth.  After the Descendants read the speech, they withdrew their invitation.  To read Wamsutta James' speech, click here.  

The last known
descendants of
Massasoit

Canadian Trappers brought disease that
decimated Massasoit's people

In the 1610's, French Canadian trappers brought a host of microbes to the Indians of current day Massachusetts.  As a result, thousands died.  Estimates of the deaths range from 30-95% of the population.  Bacteria were not to be discovered for another 50 years.  The concept of infection control was 150 years away.  Massasoit and the families of the dead thought that the white man had unleashed some sort of evil force on them.  It's not surprising that Massasoit sent Samoset to declare peace to the white men as they arrived.  

He didn't want his people to be annihilated by another round of disease

The rest of the story in 7 degrees will be told in pictures.  Please excuse the twist I published.  After all the depressing research about Massasoit's family, disease, oppression, and plague, I needed a smile.  

7 Degrees

Massasoit
King of Wampanoags

Massasoit made peace with John Carver, John Bradford, Myles Standish
and other pilgrims against the Narragansett and for mutual protection.

Guess who is descended from John Bradford?

This is Natasha, she posed in Heff's magazine.  Natasha married the grandson of......

The Shah of Iran, who met.....

Ted Kennedy in 1975.  Mr Kennedy wrote a letter to....

Benedict XVI.  The pope sent a message back to Kennedy's
family.  Read the correspondences here.  

Brothers!

Massasoit to John Bradford to Hugh Heffner to Natasha to Shah to Kennedy to Pope to Pope

Did you know?  It's never too late for confession and reconciliation.  

Captain John Smith

John Smith was dreamy!

My husband challenged me to write the last two posts in November, John Smith (of Pilgrim fame), and Massasoit.  I hope you are edified by these posts.  I certainly learned much more about Thanksgiving and the Pilgrims than I did before.  Not all of what I have learned is good news, but I'll share it all with you.

Fifth Degree: John Smith

"You're so well-developed for a 10 year old"

John Smith landed on the Massachusetts coast in 1615 with a group of human petri dishes.  The incubators wasted no time in spreading disease among the Native Americans, and the Wampanoags, Massasoit's tribe, lost 30-90% (probably closer to 90%) of their population in a matter of months.

Fourth Degree: Pocahontas 
Just a few years earlier, a 10-year-old Pocahontas saved the sweet tush of Captain John Smith.  If the two were lovers at that time it would be VERY, VERY GROSS.   Evidently, Disney Studios were under the impression that Native Americans shot their kids full of steroids to induce early puberty, but that's another post.

While Captain Smith was gallavanting on Martha's Vineyard, Pocahontas was falling for, and marrying John Rolfe.  It was THAT union that lead to peace between her father and the pilgrims (Jamestown, VA.)

Pocahontas 

Third Degree: King James and Queen Anne
Pocahontas traveled to England with her new husband (married in 1614), and met King James and Queen Anne.  She was the toast of English society and enjoyed sniffing the Queen's lace and reading the king's nifty new bible.

Second Degree: King James II
A few kings later, King James II ascended to the throne.  

King James II

James II was a genuflecting, ring-kissing, relic-lovin' Catholic!  

Pope Alexander VIII
#242

He was the last Catholic monarch of England.  Having abdicated his throne in 1688, he urged the pope's support in a letter in 1689.  Read the letter by clicking here.  

Fiurst Degree: Pope Alexander VIII
This blog treats bloodlines as a single degree.  Since (most) of the popes did not have a papal lineage, I'm considering them as one royal lineage from St. Peter.  Alexander was Pope #242, John Paul II was 265.

Did you know?

John Paul II
Pope #265

Peter was the first pope, and there has been an uninterrupted line of successive popes ever since.  This line of leaders was not planted by "Pastor Bob" or a rogue monk.  Jesus Christ Himself started the Catholic Church.  The Roman Catholics and Orthodox Catholics are the ONLY church (singular form intentional) with such an unbroken apostolic succession.  When choosing a denomination, why not conform to His church instead of trying to find a church that conforms to your views.