The 99th Annual Meeting of the Society of the Sons & Daughters of the First Settlers of Newbury will be held on Saturday, August 8, 2026, at the Hope Community Church, 11 Hale Street, Newburyport. Public, members and guests are welcome.
The non-profit organization’s mission is the preservation of the history of Old Newbury and the pioneer families that created its Yankee traditions and community. The organization owns and maintains the historic Jackman-Willett House on Cottage Road in Newbury. In addition to descendants of the first settlers, members include those interested in local history and the preservation of the Jackman-Willett House.
There will be a brief business meeting followed by a presentation by keynote speaker Alex Cain, author, historian and reenactor – “These English Liberties: The New England Perception of English Rights and Liberties from the Settlement of Newbury to Lexington and Concord”
What did the people of colonial New England, including the first settlers of Newbury, believe their rights were, and why did they ultimately conclude that those rights had been violated on the eve of the American Revolution?
Alex Cain traces the evolution of constitutional thought in New England from the signing of the Mayflower Compact in 1620 through the outbreak of the American Revolution in 1775. Examining foundational documents, important legislative acts in Massachusetts Bay Colony, colonial charters, and the development of English constitutional principles, this presentation will explore how generations of New Englanders — and more importantly, the settlers of Newbury — came to understand their rights and liberties as English subjects in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Alex Cain is an educator, writer, historian and a well-respected, highly sought-after speaker. He has published several research articles relevant to New England militias and loyalists during the American Revolution. He has published two books, “We Stood Our Ground: Lexington in the First Year of the American Revolution (2nd Edition)” and “I See Nothing but the Horrors of a Civil War.” His next book, “For God’s Sake, Fire! The Massachusetts Militia System on the Eve of Lexington and Concord,” is currently in production and is expected to be released in 2027.
A continental breakfast and buffet lunch are included in the $35 registration fee. The doors and registration open at 8:30 am, with the business meeting starting at 9:30 am. Details about the meeting and on-line registration can be found on the Society’s website, www.sonsanddaughtersofnewbury.org. Register online at https://www.sonsanddaughtersofnewbury.org/event-list.
