This section is reserved for special features concerning the Thomas Hastings family, his descendants and related surnames. We welcome submission of serious, well researched articles that are likely to be of interest to TH descendants. You may submit material for consideration to the webmaster address at the bottom of this page.
The Hastings – A Story of Creation: Join us as we bring history, genetics and educated conjecture together to tell the story of how our Hastings family may have come to be (Hastings Creation PDF). [Tags/Key Words and Terms: Alstagnus vel Hastingas vulgo Gormundus, Angles, Anglian, Anglo-Saxon, Battle of Hastings, Battle Abbey, Celtics, Christian, Cinque Ports, Colchester, Corded Ware Culture, England, East Anglia, Essex, Estonia, Finland, Germanic, Haplogroup, Haestingas, Hungary, Ipswich, Jutes, King Harold, London, Mercia, Norwegians, Offa, Pagan, Puritan, Suffolk, Sussex, Normans, Romans, Weald, William the Conqueror, Vikings]
Notable Kin: Over hundreds of years in America, the Hastings have intermarried with many great families (Bond, Cheney, Coolidge, Garfield, Rice, Sherman, etc.) and together they have produced some of America’s greatest sons and daughters.
Some Who Served – Roll Call of Honor: Hastings descendants have served in all pre and post colonial conflicts that involved what was to become the United States.
The Ivy League Connection: Centered in New England for the first three centuries, the Hastings have sent many to the great Ivy League colleges.
A Genealogical Travel Adventure: In June 2005 (significantly updated in 2009), Scott Billigmeier visited New England for his first extended exploration of Hastings (and related family) sites ranging from Watertown to southern Vermont. This illustrated trip recap covers the many interesting finds that flowed from this trip. [Tags/Key Words: Amidon, Bennington, Bliss, Brattleboro, Browne, Coolidge, Connecticut River, Essex County, Flagg, Franklin County, Goddard, Green Mountains, Hastings, Ipswich, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Newton, Orange, Vermont, Watertown, Whipple, Windham, Woodward, Worcester]
Preservation & Conservation: The two things are a cornerstone of family history. They are what lift the often dry subject of genealogical research up and off the page to real places and vistas that still exist today. If you’ve visited an ancient family home that still stands, an intact farm where ancestors tilled the land or a battlefield where they fought you know the feeling – invigorating and profound. Of course, there are many other good reasons for preserving our historical places and natural landscapes such as habitat preservation and watershed protection. Whatever the reason, this is a worthy cause and our legacy to future generations.
The Lydia Nelson (Hastings) Buckminster letters: In 1866, Mrs. Buckminster published her genealogy of the Thomas Hastings family — the first descendant to take up the challenge and she did a most commendable job. The problems she encountered in collecting and verifying the information will be familiar to any genealogist today. When you add to this the lack of technology in her day one can imagine what a truly difficult task she faced. Mrs. Buckminster continued her genealogical research and efforts to update and correct the book until her death several decades later. These letters, all from early 1894, shed light on her challenges and dedication. The original letters plus many others relevant to the Hastings and Coolidge families were passed down through a corollary line and were donated to the New England Historic Genealogical Society shortly after we received these copies in March 2004. [Page to be Developed]
Hastings Family – Genealogy, Geography & Mobility: From earliest Watertown, the Hastings and related families have, at first very slowly, begun to disperse along similar pathways. These patterns contributed to a shared history and participation in the great events of our nation.
The Creative Legacy: The Descendants of Thomas Hastings left a last legacy of beauty, creativity and innovation across the country. Here are some of the more notable examples.