The Aldrich - Burton Genealogy This history, with stories of the Aldrich and Burton families, begins with the birth of Charlemagne in 747 A.D. and covers 1266 years This story of the author's family lines, both male and female, takes the reader through early European, Scandinavian, French, English, and all periods of American history. The first ancestor described, Charlemagne, became the Holy Roman Emperor and his actions effectively began the Middle Ages. You will learn of a Viking king who entered France as a warrior, took over Normandy, and whose descendant, William, conquered England and changed the face of Europe. From the descendants of English kings, commoners, and other Europeans, these families made America the best of all lands. This is a story of what early arrivals to America and their descendants accomplished as immigrants, warriors, and leaders in their communities. This genealogy tells stories of warriors in the author's family from the Middle Ages, through the Revolutionary War, and into the 20th Century. The mystery of an unknown family, due to the early death of his parents, inspired the author to begin his many decades search for ancestors. Even though answers were difficult to uncover, this lawyer/author never gave up the search, no matter how many doors were shut. From a chance finding of the George Aldrich Genealogy, the author found that his family arrived in American in 1631. The names found included the wives of the Aldriches, giving him other ancestors from which great stories came to light. His direct Burton lines, developed by a cousin, showed him a long line of Virginia planters, but the families that married those Burtons also had an extremely interesting history in America. You will read of many early Americans in the families that fought the British to free America from the tyranny of the English monarch. From a young family member, in his Aldrich line, who fought with George Washington, also a distant cousin of the author, you will learn of perils in fighting the Revolution and one big reason for the Revolution's success. You will discover from family stories how the rugged individualism of the various families expanded America westward as family members traveled to find their place to live free. You will also find that most of the Aldrich families of New Englanders were satisfied with their lot in life and stayed put in New England. In the early 1800's tobacco was no longer a major export and his named Burton ancestors and other family members started a slow move westward. The named Burton family members arrived in Texas in the late 1800's.