The Hastings Memorial Website
www.ThomasHastings.org

A collaborative effort between Scott Billigmeier, Louise Hastings, Ann Guenther and Julie Hastings-Barnes

 

Books

Title	Review	Availability
* New England's Generation, The Great Migration and the formation of Society and Culture in the Seventeenth Century, by Virginia DeJohn Anderson, 1991.  232 pages.	A very readable yet fact-filled look at what brought the Puritans to America and, once here, what their lives were like.  It provides great context for the researcher.	How to obtain (hard) How to obtain  (Soft)
* Albion's Seed, Four British Folkways in America, by David Hackett Fischer, 1989.  946 pages.	Probably the seminal work of early American history - certainly in our time.  Written to appeal equally to the scholar and non-professional historian.   Comprehensive look at migration patterns (both U.K. & U.S.), religious motivations, inter-marriage of notable families, occupational factors	How to obtain (Hard) How to obtain  (Soft)
* The Hastings Memorial, A Genealogical Account of the Descendants of Thomas Hastings of Watertown, Mass. From 1634 to 1864, by Lydia Nelson (Hastings) Buckminster, 1866.  183 pages.	The first and still the only truly comprehensive genealogy of the Hastings family.  Contains amazingly few errors (e.g., spurious noble ancestry for Thomas).   A great book and a "must have" for Hastings researchers.  Contains specific Hastings content.	Out of print but hard bound photoduplicate can be purchased from the New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS) for approximately $40.  Members can also borrow this book (for nominal fee) from NEHGS Book Loan Service.
Family Memorials, Genealogies of the Families and Descendants of the Early Settlers of Watertown, Mass. Including Waltham and Weston..., by Henry Bond, M.D., 1855.  Approximately 1100 pages.	Perhaps the best and single most comprehensive local history/ genealogy ever written for ancient New England families.  It is almost unbelievable that one man could have put this together.  The best.  Contains specific Hastings content.	Out of print and rare but can be found sometimes at antiquarian bookstores such as Tuttles in Brattleboro, VT.  If found, it will probably sell for several hundred dollars.  NEHGS Members can also borrow this book (for nominal fee) from Book Loan Service.
The Great Migration 1634-1635, by Robert Charles Anderson (Boston 2003), Vol. III, pp. 235-40	The magnum opus of books covering the biographies of Great Migration immigrants to New England through 1640.  Contains specific Hastings content.	Any book in this series in the series can be purchased from NEHGS  www.newenglandancestors.org
* Puritan Village, The Formation of a New England Town, by Sumner Chilton Powell, 1963.  211 pages.	This book won the 1964 Pulitzer Prize for History.  An excellent study of the settling of Sudbury, MA.  Contains useful context for those studying other towns as well.  Great information about notable settlers such as Edmund Rice.	How to obtain   (Soft)
* Builders of the Bay Colony, by Samuel Eliot Morison, 1930.  405 pages.	Contains hard to find biographical information on the early "movers and shakers" (e.g. John Winthrop, etc.).  When you need it you really need it.	Out of print.  Can possibly be obtained through Tuttle Antiquarian Books or Amazon's out of print service.
* Ancestors of American Presidents, by Gary Boyd Roberts, 1989.330 pages.	Even if you aren't interested in notable kin (oh come on now fess up) you will find the family trees contained in this book exceedingly valuable.  New England families were very inter-related and this book shows how with easy to follow illustrations.  Excellent resource!	Mr. Roberts is associated with the NEHGS and they sell his books.
* Watertown Records Comprising the First and Second Books of Town Proceedings with the Land Grants and Possessions also The Proprietors' Book and the First Book and Supplement of Births, Deaths and Marriages, by the Watertown Historical Society, 1894.	This is where you go when you want to see the sheer magnitude of Dr. Bond's task in writing his Watertown Genealogies mentioned above.  Every aspect of day to day life is mentioned in this book.  Thomas Hastings, who served in many public capacities during his long life, is mentioned perhaps more than any other citizen.  Captures the essence of 17th century Watertown.  Contains specific Hastings content.	Out of print but hard bound photoduplicate can be purchased from the NEHGS.
Great Little Watertown, by George F. Robinson and Ruth W. Robinson (his daughter).  1930.	This labor of love was published on the Tercentenary of Watertown's founding.  Mr. Robinson married into the Coolidge family so many Hastings descendants share a kinship.	Out of print.  Antiquarian copies hard to find.
Plymouth Colony, Its History & People 1620 - 1691, by Eugene Aubrey Stratton.  481 pages.	An outstanding combination of local history and family genealogies.	Out of print.  Try anyway?
* Genealogical Register of the First Settlers of New England, by John Farmer, 1829.	Perhaps the most comprehensive source for first and second generation puritans.  Doesn't always answer the question but usually points you in the right direction. Contains specific Hastings content.	A hard bound reprint can be purchased through the Genealogical Publishing Co. in Baltimore.
* The Little Commonwealth: Family Life in Plymouth Colony, by John Demos, 1971.  197 pages.	A thorough sociological view of early American life looking at everything from marriage, raising children to traditions and taboos.  Good context.	How to obtain   (Soft)
* The Charles, by Arthur Bernon Tourtellot, 1941.  356 pages.	This is part of the excellent "Rivers of America" series.   While it more than does justice to the river it really uses the Charles as a narrative vehicle for telling the story of the people and towns who graced its banks.   Highly readable with great anecdotes and historical context.  Another one in the series to look for is about the Connecticut River.	Becoming hard to find.  Check your local used book store...that is where I found mine.
* The Flowering of New England, 1815-1865, by Van Wyck Brooks, 1936.  550 pages.	This beautifully written book explains how the land of staid puritans began to evolve into the liberal mecca that is Massachusetts today.  Hawthorne, Emerson, Alcott, Thoreau...they're all here.  One of the best sources for capturing the intellectual cross-currents of life in the 19th century.	How to obtain
* New England Outpost, by Richard I. Melvoin, 1989.   368 pages.	A very interesting book on the settlement of Western Mass. and Deerfield in particular.  Contains specific Hastings content.	How to obtain  (Soft)
* Pathways of the Puritans, by Mrs. N.S. Bell, 1930.   212 pages.	The fairly rare book published for the Mass. Bay Colony Tercentenary Commission contains a wealth of hard to find information of the people and places of early New England.	Rare...try Tuttle's.  If you find one expect to pay a premium.
* The First Salute, by Barbara W. Tuchman, 1988.  147 pages.	An excellent source on the Revolutionary War era my one of America's foremost historians.	How to obtain  (Hard) How to obtain  (Soft)
* Chronicles of the First Planters, by Alexander Young, 1846	An outstanding source for information on the journey to America and the hardships of the first settlers.	Reprinted by the Genealogical Publishing Co. in 1975.  Copies should be available through them.
* The Beginnings of New England, by John Fiske, 1889.   328 pages.	A scholarly work, well written and packed full of interesting lithographs, and maps.  Heavy emphasis on the origins of puritanism, the pilgrim exodus, etc.   Another great context book.	Out of print.  This book is hard to find.  Best bet is probably to try Tuttles.
* The Oxford Book of Royal Anecdotes, by Elizabeth Longford, 1989.  546 pages.	For the many that have royal lines this book is full of great anecdotes about your ancestors.  After reading this, you may have a new appreciation for what you thought was mis-behavior on the part of the current royal family.	How to obtain  (Hard)
* Mobility and Migration, East Anglian Founders of New England, 1629-1640, by Roger Thompson. 305 pages.	An invaluable source for information on the origins, occupations and family inter-relationships of early New Englanders.	How to obtain  (Hard)
* History of the Thomas Adams and Thomas Hastings Families, of Amherst, Massachusetts, by Herbert Baxter Adams, 1880.  66 pages.	Prof. Adams' genealogy is a very good source for information on both his Adams ancestry and his line of descent from Thomas the immigrant via son Dr. Thomas Hastings and wife Anna (Hawks).   Contains specific Hastings content.	Originals of this book are rare but a rebound photoduplicate version was (probably still is) available through Tuttle's.
* Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume 1607-1896, published by The A.N. Marquis Company, Revised Edition, 1967.  689 pages.	I refer to this excellent book more often than most.  It contains thousands of famous and also long-forgotten Americans.  The biographical citations are very valuable because, in most cases, they list full dates of birth and death, names of parents and name of spouse (to include maiden name).	If you are lucky you might pick this one up as an ex-library book as I did.  You might also try Tuttle's.
The Genealogical History of the Clark and Worth Families..., by Carol Clark Johnson, Private Printing (Ohio), 1970.	Contains specific Hastings content.  Of main interest for the Hastings researcher is this books speculative ancestry for Thomas Hastings the immigrant.   The author's supposition is covered in my article on his ancestry	My be viewed, for a nominal membership fee, at www.GenealogyLibrary.com.  NEHGS Members can also borrow this book (for nominal fee) from Book Loan Service.
The Hawaiian Islands, From Monarchy to Democracy, by Nancy Webb and Jean Francis Webb, New York.	Contains specific Hastings content.  Of main interest for the Hastings researcher is this discussion of the missionary Judd family (TH descendants) and their great influence on the social and political life of the Hawaiian Islands.
Dorothea Dix: New England Reformer, by Thomas J. Brown, Harvard Univ. Press, 1998.  432 pages.	Dorothea Dix was a respected 19th social reformer and, at least as portrayed in this book, a rather difficult and vainglorious person.  Contains specific Hastings content.  Of main interest for the Hastings researcher is the fact that Dorothea Dix was a TH descendant.	This book is available through Amazon.com.   Approximate cost is $30.
* Theodore Parker: Yankee Crusader, by H.S. Commager, Peter Smith Publishers, 1984.	Rev. Theodore Parker was a highly respected 19th theologian and social activist who was a friend and intellectual peer of Emerson, Holmes and other New England luminaries.  He was considered one of the brightest men of his day.   Contains specific Hastings content.  Of main interest for the Hastings researcher is the fact that Rev. Parker was a TH descendant.	This book is available through Amazon.com.   Approximate cost is $16.50.
Life and Correspondence of Theodore Parker, by John Weiss.	See above.  Contains specific Hastings content.  Of main interest for the Hastings researcher is the fact that Rev. Parker was a TH descendant.	Out of print.  This book is hard to find.  Best bet is probably to try Tuttles.
* Put the Vermonters Ahead, by George N. Parsons, 1996.   216 pages.	Members of the Hastings family and related families were well represented in the Union regiments of  Vermont.  This is a very readable history and useful reference tool.	This book is available through Amazon.com.   Approximate cost is $30 (Hardcover).
Coolidge: An American Enigma, by Robert Sobel, 1998.   400 pages.	The many Hastings descendants who share a Coolidge lineage will find this very well written book on President Coolidge quite interesting.	This book is available through Amazon.com.   Approximate cost is $24 (Hardcover).
"The Hastings Family in England and America," compiled by Judith Ruth Maclean & Ira D.S. Kelly	We have not personally read or reviewed this book but at least one Hastings researcher considers it "the best reference I've ever seen."	It is  from the authors by writing to 5300 West 58th St, Shawnee-Mission, Kansas, 66205.
* Paradise Planters, by Katherine Burton, 1939.  336 Pages.	Of main interest for the Hastings researcher is extensive reference to Rev. Theodore Parker, a TH descendant.	Probably out of print.   Best bet is probably to try Tuttle's or alibris.
* The Old Post Road, by Stewart Holbrook, 1962.  273 Pages.	This book provides great historical background for New England's greatest road and one that our Hastings ancestors knew well.	Probably out of print.   Best bet is probably to try Tuttle's or alibris.
Mayflower Families Through Five Generations, Vol. 16, part 1, Family of John Alden
Mayflower Families Through Five Generations, Vol. 18, Part 1, Family of Richard Warren
Emigrants' Guide to Oregon and California, by Lansford W. Hastings	The original, not always reliable guide book that helped spur migration to West...generating controversy in the process as it led some travellers astray.  Lansford was a TH descendant.	Available from Applewood Books, Bedford, MA, at www.awb.com
Ordeal by Hunger, by George R. Stewart,	This book offers a good rendition of the Donner Party story.  Addresses Lansford Hastings' role in the tragic event.
The Confederados, Old South Immigrants in Brazil, edited by Cyrus B. & James M. Dawsey, University of Alabama Press, 1995	A good source to learn about Lansford Hastings plan to set up post-Civil War colony in Brazil for Confederates
The Great Platte River Road, by Merrill J. Mattes, University of Nebraska Press, 1969
California Wagon Train Lists, Vol. I (April 5, 1849 to October 20, 1852, by Louis Rasmussen		Information and/or photocopies from the book may be obtained by contacting the San Francisco Historic Records, 1204 Nimitz Dr, Colma, CA 94015
The Diaries of Peter Decker, Overland to California in 1849 and life in the Mines, 1850-1851, edited by Helen S. Giffen, The Talisman Press, Georgetown, CA, 1961		This is a RARE BOOK.  Try www.alibris.com
The Overland Diary of James A. Pritchard from Kentucky to California in 1849, edited by Dale L. Morgan, The Old West Publishing Co., 1959		This is a RARE BOOK.  Try www.alibris.com
The Detestable Voyage, by Henry Jackson McCord	Description of trip by boat to California by Henry McCord and Daniel Hastings (ancestor of Julie Hastings-Barnes).   Excellent description of life on shipboard, weather, dates, etc.	Private printing: contact Ronald J. Ballou, Bookman, Fine Quality Used and Rare Books (bookman@psyber.com)
The California Trail by George R. Stewart, Univ. of Nebraska Press, 1962 & 1983	Description of trail's year-by-year changes.
The Lost Colony of the Confederacy,  by Eugene C. Harter, Texas A & M. University Press, 2000.		Available via www.amazon.com
Women's Diaries of the Westward Journey, by Lillian, Stockmen Book, New York, 1982 & 1992
Then World Rushed In, The California Gold Rush Experience, by J. S. Holliday, Simon and Schuster, 1981
The Oregon Trail, Yesterday and Today, by William E. Hill. The Caxton Printers, Ltd., Caldwell, Idaho, 1994	Contains maps, guides, diaries, journals, drawings, and recent photographs.
Roaring Camp, The social World of the California Gold Rush, by Susan Johnson, W.W.Norton & Co., NY, 2000
Maps of the California Trail, published by Patrice Press	Very good maps to tract the trails.	http://patricepress.com
Land and Property Research in the United States, by E. Wade Hone	Excellent book for researching property recordings across the United States	Available via www.amazon.com
New England Captives Carried to Canada 1677–1760, by Emma Lewis Coleman	This book has info about Eliphalet Hastings -- a Waltham man and TH descendant who was captured during the French and Indian War
* Full Duty, Vermonters in the Civil War, by Edward Coffin, 1993.  376 pages.	This exhaustive book gives great background on the raising of Vermont units as well as their commendable performance during the war.  Mr. Coffin is the Press Secretary to Sen. James Jeffords, (I-Vt.)	This book is available used from www.alibris.com
* 1603-1630, The English on the Eve of Colonization, by Wallace Notestein, 1954 (1962 reprint).  302 pages.	A very thorough and readable book that provides excellent context for the era.	This book may be available used from www.alibris.com
The Ancestry of Eva Belle Kempton 1878-1908: Part I The Ancestry of Warren Francis Kempton 1817-1879, by Dean Crawford Smith and edited by Melinde Lutz Sanborn (Boston, 1996), pages 224-233.	This genealogy touches fairly extensively on the Cheney's and thus by extension the Hastings.	This hard back is believed to be out of print.  Ised copies can be found in the range of $140.