The Life and Times of Captain Thomas Wiggin  / The Making of American Values
by Joyce Elaine Wiggin-Robbins 

Thomas Wiggin was born on the cusp of change in the British Empire.  It was an era of expansion, political turmoil, religious change and world-wide expansion that would never be equaled again on this planet.  Thomas would be the man in the right place, at the right time, to have a hand in preserving the values of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and its leaders, whose determination, agenda, religious and moral values would become the basis of establishing an entire nation called The United States of America. 
Thomas Wiggin was born to a clergyman of the Church of England and like some of his New England compatriots, who were also sons of the clergy, he would turn his back on the frustrations of dealing with a nation in turmoil to seek his fortunes in the wilderness of New England.  He found in New England a set of values and aspirations he could fit right into with little mental adjustment and the opportunity to possess land he knew how to develop and prosper from owning.
Developing a solid connection to the Lords of the day (such as Lord Brooke, and Lord Saye and Sele), the leading merchants of both Bristol and London, and neutering connections to the factors of Blackwell in London, Thomas would find employment as the governor of their patents in New Hampshire. With the advantage of these connections and knowing how to transport dozens of families to the New Hampshire for settlement, Thomas would become a figure of authority and stability in a new world.  In the years to come, Thomas Wiggin would eventually stand on his own and lead the way in every aspect of New Hampshire pioneering by setting the example of profitable farming, milling, trading and even in relationships with the Native Americans.
The question was who was Thomas Wiggin?  Where did he come from and who were his parents?  After decades of research and thorough investigation of over one hundred-fifty men named Thomas Wiggin (and variant spellings) the author presents all her findings on the origins, upbringing, education, and refinement of a man wrapped in a fast-changing world of European and English history, wars and conflicts, religious turmoil and ever widening global exploration.  Building a picture of where this man found his morals, determination and background to become a figure of stability and achievement required decades of research, millions of documents to study and world-wide trips to gather the necessary materials for this book.
Joyce will be coming to Stratham the end of September 2016, coinciding with the planned parade, for two or three days of book signings.  At press time the places to find her will be the Stratham Library, Historical Society and in the Park after the parade, weather permitting.  Joyce can be reached at joy1982@Windstream.net