Alexander Shapleigh, of Totnes & Old Kittery - Kittery, Maine From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I've heard about Kittery ? Area being used as a fishing station long before colonization. Have you run across that info?

Funny you should ask, Erica. Just minutes ago I sent Ashley a link to a paper that mentions settlement along the eastern seaboard before the generally accepted dates:

http://www.dnaexplain.com/Publications/PDFs/WhereHaveAlltheIndiansG... (Where Have All the Indians Gone?)

I don't remember the details now but years ago I came across one Kittery family that claimed a maternal descent from a European woman born in the area in something like 1572. It wasn't clear to me even at the time whether the family was supposed to be English or Portuguese, but it was clearly supposed to be early fishermen at the Grand Banks.

Things like that make me a little nervous when people go around "correcting" birthplaces for early European immigrants. In a very small handful of cases they could be accidentally erasing clues to a contrary tradition. Perhaps not a legitimate tradition, but one that should be investigated using conventional means.

BTW, lots of other fascinating papers on that same site:

http://www.dnaexplain.com/Publications/Publications.asp

I'm not convinced many European women came that early but perhaps some of the Trappers & fishermen brought wives along. And acquired some from the local women.

Yes, I'd want to see some real evidence. But, my policy is never to dismiss anything without investigation.