The Prallsville Mills Speakers Series features “The Story of the Fitz Randolph Family – A Founding Family of New Jersey,” a talk by historian Roy Ziegler, at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 9.
Pilgrim Edward Fitz Randolph Jr. arrived in Plymouth Colony in 1630, during the Great Migration from England in search of freedom and opportunity. He married Elizabeth Blossom, daughter of a prominent religious figure, Thomas Blossom.
Their descendants were farmers, war heroes, noted physicians, community activists, builders, governors, congressmen, senators, and four presidents of the United States.
Ziegler will speak about nine generations of the family from Colonial times to the Revolutionary War, through the Industrial Revolution and the Civil War, to the modern era and into the 21st century, and how they helped build America.
Ziegler has written three books on early American history. His most recent book, “Unfaltering Trust,” tells the story of Fitz Randolph and his descendants, and their contribution to the development of America over the past four centuries.
He also is the author of “New Hope, Pennsylvania: River Town Passages,” which traces the history of 50 historic buildings in New Hope, and the Parrys of Philadelphia and New Hope, and he collaborated on a children’s book, “Let’s Visit New Hope,” with Gayle Goodman and Pat Achilles.
Ziegler also was an associate producer of the documentary video about the 200-year history of the New Hope-Lambertville Bridge.
He is past president of the New Hope Historical Society and has continued to serve on its board of directors since 2002. He is editor of the Historical Society’s quarterly newsletter, “History in the Making.”
He chairs the annual New Hope History Day committee and he sponsors the Historical Society’s annual Benjamin Parry Day. Ziegler produces and conducts walking tours of historic New Hope and has been a featured speaker for numerous organizations in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
The Prallsville Mills is located at 33 Risler S., Stockton, N.J. Visit prallsvillemills.org for information.
