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Author Eric J Ostroff · Sep 6, 2026 · 1:08 AM UTC

Author Eric J Ostroff

@EricJOstroffSep 6

I’m honored to share that my research and writing on King Philip’s War have once again been recognized by Dr. David Weed’s Sowams Heritage Area Project! Its newest feature, **“Uncovering the Draft: How Your Ancestors Were Called to Fight in King Philip’s War,”** draws upon my recent research into how colonial communities selected men for military service. The article credits me by name, links directly to my video and channel, and highlights my central argument: militia service was not determined by military ability alone. Property, occupation, family obligations, reputation, and a man’s perceived value to his community could influence whether he remained at home—or was sent into danger. This recognition comes at an especially meaningful moment. I have also been invited to participate in an upcoming panel and webinar examining how we can preserve the momentum generated by the 350th anniversary of King Philip’s War. The anniversary demonstrated both the enormous potential for public engagement with this history and the need for a more coordinated effort to preserve, interpret, and share it. The panel will consider how the hundreds of individual historic sites, family stories, educational programs, and voices associated with the war can be connected into a larger and more accessible account of one of the most consequential conflicts in New England history. I am honored to join: * Donald “Strong Turtle” Brown Jr., Tribal Historian of the Pokanoket Tribe * Eric Schultz, public historian, lecturer, and co-author of *King Philip’s War: The History and Legacy of America’s Forgotten Conflict* * Stan Svec, recently retired history teacher and producer of dozens of videos chronicling the war * Catherine Zipf, Executive Director of the Bristol Historical and Preservation Society * And I will participate as a professional genealogist and author of the historical novel *Yellow Feather* Together, we will explore the causes and course of King Philip’s War, the conflict’s continuing impact, and how historians, genealogists, educators, tribal voices, preservationists, and local communities can work together to ensure that this history is neither forgotten nor fragmented. The intention is for the panel and webinar to be broadcast online next month. I will announce the official date, time, and viewing information as soon as they are finalized. In the meantime, you can read the newest Sowams feature here: sowamsearlyhistory.org/uncov… Watch my complete video here: youtu.be/3XP191OBOBM I am deeply grateful to Dr. Weed and the Sowams Heritage Area Project for continuing to recognize and share my work—and I look forward to participating in this important conversation. #KingPhilipsWar #NewEnglandHistory #Genealogy #FamilyHistory #AmericanHistory #HistoricalResearch #Sowams #Metacom #Pokanoket #YellowFeather #TraceYourNewEnglandRoots