John Carver was was born in Nottingham shire, England where Carver was a wealthy London merchant. In 1607 or 1608 he left England and went to Leiden, Netherlands because of religious persecution. In 1617 he became the agent for the Pilgrims in securing a charter and financial support for the establishment of a colony in America. He chartered, a then unknown ship, called the Mayflower and sailed his name in to the analogues of history, along with the other 101 passengers. As govenor of the Mayflower, John Carver was one of the most beloved leaders to brave the unknown world. He set sail from Plymouth, England, in September 1620, signed the Mayflower Compact in November and on that same day was elected to a one-year term as governor. John Carver died in the spring of 1621 from sunstroke-William Bradford was his successor. After his death, the loved leader of the band of "Saints" and "Strangers" (that would later become known as the the Pilgrims) was sorely missed. To pay tribute and Honor to his name and his legacy, John Carver's name was included, and always appears at the head of the roster, on all legal documents, pertaining to the founders of the Plymouth Colony. But his story doesn't end there.
Years later, his great, great, great grandson, would embark on another journey this time across land and head west across the American wilderness. It would be a land now known as America, a nation far larger than that colony that John Carver saw in 1620. His great, great, great, grandson would stop many times. Until one day he would ride his horse up a canyon, where he would settle and homestead a little known valley. A valley that was so beautiful, that he had to name it Eden, in honor of the garden of Eden. But, his story doesn't end there.
Many years later his, great, great, great, granddaughter would live in that place called Eden, that resides in that nation called America. And in her little home in Eden she would tell her sons stories about their ancestors. She would tell of the boat and the horse and many of the details and people in between. She would tell how the spirit of adventure is bred in their blood and how their fore fathers were men of virtue and honor. But, the story doesn't end there......it continues, in a circle of gratitude and thanksgiving for all of those who have gone before and for all of those who will come behind. In that spirit I suppose the story will always continue....................Happy Thanksgiving!
