tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28102666.post5798348395417435470..comments2024-03-28T04:26:30.557-05:00Comments on Boston 1775: John Adams and “Uncle Fairfield” Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28102666.post-16416245791781856772013-11-12T16:20:48.383-05:002013-11-12T16:20:48.383-05:00I've got my hands full with two kids - I don&#...I've got my hands full with two kids - I don't know what I would have done way back then! My 5th great-grandfather had fourteen children by three different wives; his third wife was also his stepsister's daughter (shudder!).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28102666.post-39428835782294252152013-11-12T15:54:52.452-05:002013-11-12T15:54:52.452-05:00Yes, and other factors producing a lot of interrel...Yes, and other factors producing a lot of interrelationships were large families (many more uncles and aunts) and the class factor. These Adams, Fairfield, Ruggles, and Smith families were all toward the top of Massachusetts society—not the very top, but they included Harvard graduates, professionals, and long-time office-holders. So of course they had to look for spouses within the same limited group.J. L. Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15405157000473731801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28102666.post-80742039700380075342013-11-12T11:37:03.819-05:002013-11-12T11:37:03.819-05:00After several years of doing my own genealogical r...After several years of doing my own genealogical research, I'm still wrapping my mind around the fact that there were fewer degrees of separation back then, what with a smaller population and frequent remarriage (often out of necessity) after the death of a spouse. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com