Past Lives of Boston

Ghosts in my DNA--A close look at past lives of Boston 

By S.A. Beach

 

Where to begin a story of me? I started back in the 1600's and worked up to the 1950's at the time of my birth.  With so many beginnings,  I began with an immigrant of Balkan descent who migrated from West Prussia that is now part of Poland.  This immigrant arrived in Boston in 1792 and is my fifth generation paternal grandfather.  He married into an early American family who arrived with the Winthrop Fleet in 1636.  From here I have engaged in a journey through family history in Boston covering early theater experiences and influences that defined American Culture, along with the development of scientific thought in the mid 1800's, as seen through the eyes of a great uncle. The response to the Civil War in Boston and the dedication of the abolitionists illustrate the deep sentiments of humanitarians who made a difference. 

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I am the narrator, along with the ghosts who dwell within the atoms of my DNA who I seek to resurrect through written accounts in letters, newspapers, books, and some oral clues passed down through the ages. 

 

You may find some of your ancestors in these pages as well if you have a long family history in Boston. 

 

It is a major undertaking.  I've had to put my research life on hold and live in the moment.  Perhaps Christmas 2025 I will be ready to share this epic work.

 

 

Please check back periodically for updates. 

 

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