Last Days

Death does have its way of ending things.  For the genealogist, the date of death, when discovered, is required for all those found among the family tree.  Having family members involved in the English Civil War, led me to study this period in history from both sides of the fence. [Roundheads vs Cavaliers]  The following book by Graham Edwards details the last several months before the beheading of Charles I on Tuesday 30 January 1649.

At the beginning of the search into my own JONES surname family tree, it was unclear which side of the fence we were identified.  The last several posts have given some of the readings and references  that helped open the window to this conflict.  At any rate, there were plenty of JONES to go around on both sides, [a John Jones signed the death warrant ], and it took a number of years to sort things out.

Those deeply involved in the events surround these last days of Charles I are recorded.  Perhaps this text might open some windows for others.

First published in 1999 by Sutton Publishing Limited, the paper back edition [cover shown above] was printed in 2001.

An Apex

Religious, political, and economic differences continued to boil during the reign of the second Stuart, Charles I.  These disagreements came to an apex in what has come to be called the "English Civil War".  For my own Jones surname tree climbing, this period of English history was one of the hardest brick walls to show its face.  A number of issues had to be evaluated and sorted. Several references were helpful in getting through this difficult branch of my family tree, and the next several post will give these sources.  The first is:

A military history of England, Scotland, and Ireland it is.  Edited by John Kenyon and Jane Ohlmeyer [with nine other historians], and was published by Oxford University Press in 1998.  It gives a general overview of this conflict providing a needed "big picture" for those whose ancestors played a part.  The period covered is 1638 to 1660.  This arranges a context in which most of our families became involved.  For those with a military history bend, it is an excellent read.