Happy 250th Birthday, America!
By: Drifting Cowboy aka Jerry England
Celebrating America 250
Welcome back to the campfire, friends.
Today is no ordinary Fourth of July. As the morning sun rises across the spectacular landscapes of this great nation, we are hitting a monumental milestone—the 250th birthday of the United States of America. For two and a half centuries, this grand experiment in liberty has weathered storms, crossed rugged mountains, and pushed the boundaries of human freedom.
If you’ve been following along with my Celebrating America 250 series, you know that history isn't just something trapped in dusty textbooks for me; it’s alive in our veins. Lately, I’ve been tracing our family trails back through the centuries on FamilySearch, and the deeper I dig, the more I realize that our ancestors were right there in the thick of it. From the old Dutch pioneers clearing the wilderness of early New Amsterdam, to the brave minutemen of the Albany and Pennsylvania militias standing watch on perilous frontiers, and even to a self-taught cousin named Samuel Huntington who boldly scratched his name onto the Declaration of Independence—our family blood helped clear the fields, fight the battles, and write the very words that built this country.
So today, let’s pull up a chair, tip our hats to the patriots, farmers, and pioneers who blazed the trail before us, and look ahead at the long, open road still before us.
Happy 250th, America. Let’s dive into today's post...
Happy trails!
The Barrel-Maker’s Quill: The Shared Blood of Samuel Huntington
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/07/the-barrel-makers-quill-shared-blood-of.html
• Jul 4
A Cycle of Bloody Retaliation: La Prairie vs Deerfield
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/07/a-cycle-of-bloody-retaliation-la.html
• Jul 3
The "ghost trial" of 1673
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/07/the-ghost-trial-of-1673.html
• Jul 3
Our Ancestors’ Contribution to The Bill of Rights
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/07/our-ancestors-contribution-to-bill-of.html
• Jul 2
They Came Seeking Spiritual Liberty, Peace, and Self-Determination
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/07/they-came-seeking-spiritual-liberty.html
• Jul 1
Moving To The Edge: Iowa Territory In 1845
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/07/moving-to-edge-iowa-territory-in-1845.html
• Jul 1
Patriot of the Upper Hudson: The Life and Legacy of Captain James Wilson
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/patriot-of-upper-hudson-life-and-legacy.html
• Jun 30
The Boylston Bloodline — From Colonial Surgeons to a Founding Father
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/the-boylston-bloodline-from-colonial.html
• Jun 30
Lt. William Smith: Climax at the Siege of Yorktown
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/lt-william-smith-climax-at-siege-of.html
• Jun 29
Celebrating America 250: Jackson Bailey, an American Farmer
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/celebrating-america-250-jackson-bailey.html
• Jun 29
The Skirmisher of the Delaware: The Story of Sergeant Joseph Hallowell
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/the-skirmisher-of-delaware-story-of.html
• Jun 28
The Coast Guard of Lake Erie: The Story of Smith Bailey
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/the-coast-guard-of-lake-erie-story-of.html
• Jun 28
Daniel II Denison: New London County Style Cabinetmaker
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/daniel-ii-denison-new-london-county.html
• Jun 27
From the Wallabout to the Jersey Hills: The Long Trail of Peter Monfoort
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/from-wallabout-to-jersey-hills-long.html
• Jun 27
🇺🇸 The Watchman of Rensselaerwyck: The Story of Peter Wyngaart
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/watchman-of-rensselaerwyck-story-of.html
• Jun 27
🇺🇸 Guardians of the Open Sky: The Flight of Fred and Helen Morgan
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/guardians-of-open-sky-flight-of-fred.html
• Jun 26
The Call of the High Country: Why the Bailey Brothers Crossed the Border
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/the-call-of-high-country-why-bailey.html
• Jun 26
The Last Pioneer: The Grace and Grit of Velma Veda Bailey
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/the-last-pioneer-grace-and-grit-of.html
• Jun 26
Out of the Monongahela Mist: The Legacy of Lydia Waggoner
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/out-of-monongahela-mist-legacy-of-lydia.html
• Jun 25
⚔️ The Crucible: Our Ancestors' Civil War Engagements
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/crucible-our-ancestors-civil-war.html
• Jun 25
From Kennebec County to the Mud of the Argonne
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/from-kennebec-county-to-mud-of-argonne.html
• Jun 24
Colonel William McDonald: High Sheriff of Somerset County
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/colonel-william-mcdonald-high-sheriff.html
• Jun 24
Cockpit of the Revolution: Jersey Blues to the Ohio Frontier
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/cockpit-of-revolution-jersey-blues-to.html
• Jun 24
The Plymouth Colony Trial of Dinah Silvester (March 1661)
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/the-plymouth-colony-trial-of-dinah.html
• Jun 23
From the Governor's Staff to the Beat of a Patriot's Drum
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/from-governors-staff-to-beat-of.html
• Jun 23
The Fatal Cliffhanger: Matthew Beckwith & His Descendants
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/the-fatal-cliffhanger-matthew-beckwith.html
• Jun 23
Our Yankee Diaspora, “Go West, Young Man”
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/our-yankee-diaspora-go-west-young-man.html
• Jun 22
🏆 The 1930 World Cup & The American Pinnacle
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/1930-world-cup-american-pinnacle.html
• Jun 22
The Unyielding Pen: Our Kinship with Founding Father George Mason
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/the-unyielding-pen-our-kinship-with.html
• Jun 21
Our Dutch-French Descent & Historical Milestones
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/our-dutch-french-descent-historical.html
• Jun 21
Rev. Samuel Fuller: Genealogical Goldmine with a Major Plot Twist
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/rev-samuel-fuller-genealogical-goldmine.html
• Jun 21
When the Sparks of Liberty Ignited into Open Rebellion
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/when-sparks-of-liberty-ignited-into.html
• Jun 20
The Block Island & Onrust Connection
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/the-block-island-onrust-connection.html
• Jun 20
From Block Island to Narragansett Plantations & Maritime Elite
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/from-block-island-to-narragansett.html
• Jun 20
Ensign Gerard Spencer: The Military Anchor of Haddam (1614–1685)
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/ensign-gerard-spencer-military-anchor.html
• Jun 19
The Iron Ring of Saybrook: How Engineer Lion Gardiner and the Backus Line Secured Connecticut
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/the-iron-ring-of-saybrook-how-engineer.html
• Jun 18
From the Atlantic Surf of Gloucester to the Flathead Valley of Montana
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/from-atlantic-surf-of-gloucester-to.html
• Jun 18
American Patriots: From the Shores of Rhode Island to the Carolina Woods
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/a-few-more-of-moms-revolutionary-war.html
• Jun 18
Thomas Shailer: Lost at Sea in the West Indies (1706)
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/thomas-shailer-lost-at-sea-in-west.html
• Jun 17
The Timber Barons of Kittery: Nathan Lord I
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/the-timber-barons-of-kittery-nathan.html
• Jun 17
The Frontier Crucible: Our Littlefield-Stevens Family in Maine
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/the-frontier-crucible-our-littlefield.html
• Jun 17
The Tragedy at Old Providence (1641)
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/the-tragedy-at-old-providence-1641.html
• Jun 17
The Mythic Legacy: Isaac Potts and the Praying Washington
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/the-mythic-legacy-isaac-potts-and.html
• Jun 16
Burying the Guns: How Our Potts Cousins Saved Washington’s Artillery
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/burying-guns-how-our-potts-cousins.html
• Jun 16
🇺🇸 Plymouth Rock 1620 to "We the People" 1787 & Beyond: Our Family’s Footsteps Through the American Story
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/plymouth-rock-1620-to-we-people-1787.html
• Jun 15
Did you ever wonder what the differences were between Pilgrims and Puritans?
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/did-you-ever-wonder-what-differences.html
• Jun 15
The Sword and the Surveyor’s Chain
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/the-sword-and-surveyors-chain.html
• Jun 14
Simon Weeks and Bellinger’s Regiment of New York Militia
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/simon-weeks-and-bellingers-regiment-of.html
• Jun 14
Samuel R. Brown and Ball's Squadron of Light Dragoons
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/samuel-r-brown-and-balls-squadron-of.html
• Jun 14
The Frontier Defender: Solomon Brown’s Revolutionary Service
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/the-frontier-defender-solomon-browns.html
• Jun 13
The Drummer and the Dragoon: A New York Frontier Legacy
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/the-drummer-and-dragoon-new-york.html
• Jun 13
America 250 Thematic Anthology
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/america-250-thematic-anthology.html
• Jun 12
Putnam Catlin: The Teenage Drummer of the Revolution
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/putnam-catlin-teenage-drummer-of.html
• Jun 12
Cousin George Catlin: American Artist 1796-1872
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/cousin-george-catlin-american-artist.html
• Jun 12
The Revolutionary Anvil: John Catland (Catlin) (1718–1808)
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/the-revolutionary-anvil-john-catland.html
• Jun 12
The Phantom of New Haven: The Tale of Captain George Lamberton
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/the-phantom-of-new-haven-tale-of.html
• Jun 11
The Lineage of the Compass and the Square: 1853 to 2013
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/the-lineage-of-compass-and-square-1853.html
• Jun 11
Jonathan Brewster, Master of the Coastal Frontier
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/jonathan-brewster-master-of-coastal.html
• Jun 11
John Gardner and the 1778 Battle of Rhode Island
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/john-gardner-and-1778-battle-of-rhode.html
• Jun 10
Rhode Island: The most rebellious colony in British America
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/rhode-island-most-rebellious-colony-in.html
• Jun 10
1710 Palatine Migration: Harrowing saga of early American history
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/1710-palatine-migration-harrowing-saga.html
• Jun 10
The New Netherland Ancestry of Charity Winegard (2026 update)
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/the-new-netherland-ancestry-of-charity.html
• Jun 9
Transactions Between Job Babcock And Ninigret II Sachem Dynasty
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/transactions-between-job-babcock-and.html
• Jun 8
The Voice on the Border: Job Babcock and the Language of Survival
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/the-voice-on-border-job-babcock-and.html
• Jun 8
The Forge and the Pulpit: The Armed Defiance of Westerly
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/the-forge-and-pulpit-armed-defiance-of.html
• Jun 8
The Loom of Aquidneck: The Shared Destiny of the Tylers and Havens
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/the-loom-of-aquidneck-shared-destiny-of.html
• Jun 8
The Convergence of Empires: From Manhattan Fortresses to Narragansett Fields
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/the-convergence-of-empires-from.html
• Jun 8
The Current of the Bay: The Maritime Tapestry of Portsmouth and Exeter
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/the-current-of-bay-maritime-tapestry-of.html
• Jun 7
The Engine of the State: The Uncompromising Hand of Timothy Pickering
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/the-engine-of-state-uncompromising-hand.html
• Jun 7
The Fortress and the State: The Structural Mastery of the Wingate Bloodline
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/the-fortress-and-state-structural.html
• Jun 7
The Coggeshall Dynasty: Pillars of the Patent
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/the-coggeshall-dynasty-pillars-of-patent.html
• Jun 6
The Unyielding Spirit of the Rhode Island Bull Family
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/the-unyielding-spirit-of-rhode-island.html
• Jun 6
From the Potomac to the Prairies: The Unstoppable Arc of the Mason-Boyd Line
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/from-potomac-to-prairies-unstoppable.html
• Jun 6
The Master of the Shifting Tides: Jan Cornelissen DeZeeuw
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/the-master-of-shifting-tides-jan.html
• Jun 5
Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/ethan-allen-and-green-mountain-boys.html
• Jun 5
Dr. Zabdiel Boylston and the 1721 Smallpox Crisis
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/dr-zabdiel-boylston-and-1721-smallpox.html
• Jun 5
The Weaver of Medfield: Mary Smith and the Blueprint for Survival
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/the-weaver-of-medfield-mary-smith-and.html
• Jun 4
The Seeds of the Boylston Line: From London Planter to Frontier Fortitude
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/the-seeds-of-boylston-line-from-london.html
• Jun 4
Susannah Eaton: The Collateral Cost of the War For Liberty
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/susannah-eaton-collateral-cost-of-war.html
• Jun 4
The Guardians of the Frontier: The Pierce Legacy
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/part-1-sorting-out-two-thomas-pierces.html
• Jun 3
The Fortress of Louisbourg: The "American Dunkirk"
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/the-fortress-of-louisbourg-american.html
• Jun 2
Captain Adriaen Crijnen Post and The Peach Tree War
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/captain-adriaen-crijnen-post-and-peach.html
• Jun 2
ADIOS OLD PAINT — AN OLD COWBOY'S LAMENT
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/a-cowboys-lament-thoughts-about-valley.html
• Jun 1
The Architects of the Republic: Cousin Roger Sherman and the Sherman Spirit
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/the-architects-of-republic-cousin-roger.html
• Jun 1
Our New Netherland Dutch & President Martin Van Buren
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/our-new-netherland-dutch-president.html
• Jun 1
Our high-stakes, blood-soaked world of Scottish Clan Royalty
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/our-high-stakes-blood-soaked-world-of.html
• Jun 1
The Year the Earth Stood Still
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/the-year-earth-stood-still.html
• Jun 1
The Winthrop Tapestry: Boston Iron to Long Island Peace
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/06/the-winthrop-tapestry-boston-iron-to.html
• Jun 1
The Sovereign Ground: How the Ellsworths Anchored the Connecticut Valley
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/05/the-sovereign-ground-how-ellsworths.html
May 31
Fort Stanwix, Zepheniah Rogers and the Road to Ohio
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/05/fort-stanwix-zepheniah-rogers-and-road.html
May 31
Our Plimpton family and the geographic expansion of early America
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/05/our-plimpton-family-and-geographic.html
May 31
Major General Nathanael Greene our 3rd cousin 7x removed
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/05/major-general-nathanael-greene-our-3rd.html
May 30
The Brown Family Great Migration Out of Massachusetts
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/05/the-brown-family-great-migration-out-of.html
May 30
The Patriotic Legacy of our Townsend Line
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/05/the-patriotic-legacy-of-our-townsend.html
May 30
Rebel Daughter of the Winthrop Dynasty
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/05/rebel-daughter-of-winthrop-dynasty.html
May 29
Early American Medical Folklore and Revolutionary Heroism
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/05/early-american-medical-folklore-and.html
May 29
The Great Swamp Fight plot thickens into an unbelievable, high-stakes drama for our Tefft family
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/05/the-great-swamp-fight-plot-thickens.html
May 28
The Disarming of Philip Sherman: How Colonial Tyranny Forged the Second Amendment
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/05/the-disarming-of-philip-sherman-how.html
May 28
The Great Swamp Fight, The First American Ranger, and the First Born Pilgrim Child
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/05/the-great-swamp-fight-first-american.html
May 27
The Blacksmith of Freedom: The Ordeal of Richard Maxson
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/05/the-blacksmith-of-freedom-ordeal-of.html
May 25
The Thirty Coats: The Forging of Haddam, Connecticut
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/05/the-thirty-coats-forging-of-haddam.html
May 24
The Keepers of the Castle: A 600-Year McNeill Odyssey
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/05/the-keepers-of-castle-600-year-mcneill.html
May 23
Great-Granddad Minted America's First Coins: The Remarkable Story of Joseph Jenks (Jenckes)
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/05/great-granddad-minted-americas-first.html
May 22
Prince Henry Sinclair and his Alleged Voyages
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/05/prince-henry-sinclair-and-his-alleged.html
May 16
Robert the Bruce and the Tale of the Brave Heart
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/05/robert-bruce-and-tale-of-brave-heart.html
May 15
Captain Donald MacDonald: from the Highlands to the Battlefields of Quebec
https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2026/05/captain-donald-macdonald-from-highlands.html
May 14