This is a list of the passengers on board the ''
Mayflower
''Mayflower'' was an English ship that transported a group of English families, known today as the Pilgrims, from England to the New World in 1620. After a grueling 10 weeks at sea, ''Mayflower'', with 102 passengers and a crew of about 30, r ...
'' during its trans-Atlantic voyage of September 6 – November 9, 1620, the majority of them becoming the settlers of
Plymouth Colony
Plymouth Colony (sometimes Plimouth) was, from 1620 to 1691, the British America, first permanent English colony in New England and the second permanent English colony in North America, after the Jamestown Colony. It was first settled by the pa ...
in
. Of the passengers, 37 were members of a separatist Puritan congregation in
Leiden
Leiden (; in English and archaic Dutch also Leyden) is a city and municipality in the province of South Holland, Netherlands. The municipality of Leiden has a population of 119,713, but the city forms one densely connected agglomeration wit ...
, The Netherlands (also known as
Brownist
The Brownists were a group of English Dissenters or early Separatists from the Church of England. They were named after Robert Browne, who was born at Tolethorpe Hall in Rutland, England, in the 1550s. A majority of the Separatists aboard the ' ...
s), who were seeking to establish a colony in the
New World
The term ''New World'' is often used to mean the majority of Earth's Western Hemisphere, specifically the Americas."America." ''The Oxford Companion to the English Language'' (). McArthur, Tom, ed., 1992. New York: Oxford University Press, p. 3 ...
where they could preserve their English identities but practice their religion without interference from the English government or church. The ''Mayflower'' launched with 102 passengers, 74 male and 28 female, and a crew headed by Master
Christopher Jones. About half of the passengers
died in the first winter. Many Americans can trace their ancestry back to one or more of these individuals who have become known as the
Pilgrims.
Members of the Leiden, Holland Congregation
Note: An asterisk on a name indicates those who died in the winter of 1620–21.
*
Allerton, Isaac (possibly Suffolk).
**Mary (Norris) Allerton*, wife (
Newbury, Berkshire
Newbury is a market town in the county of Berkshire, England, and is home to the administrative headquarters of West Berkshire Council. The town centre around its large market square retains a rare medieval Cloth Hall, an adjoining half timbere ...
)
[Locations of birth for ''Mayflower'' passengers follow Caleb Johnson's list as found a]
Mayflower History.com
. Retrieved August 29, 2006.
**Bartholomew Allerton, 7, son (
Leiden
Leiden (; in English and archaic Dutch also Leyden) is a city and municipality in the province of South Holland, Netherlands. The municipality of Leiden has a population of 119,713, but the city forms one densely connected agglomeration wit ...
,
Holland
Holland is a geographical regionG. Geerts & H. Heestermans, 1981, ''Groot Woordenboek der Nederlandse Taal. Deel I'', Van Dale Lexicografie, Utrecht, p 1105 and former province on the western coast of the Netherlands. From the 10th to the 16th c ...
).
**Remember Allerton, 5, daughter (Leiden).
**
Mary Allerton
Mary Allerton Cushman (c. 1616 – 28 November 1699) was a Dutch settler of Plymouth Colony in what is now Massachusetts. She was the last surviving passenger of the ''Mayflower''. She arrived at Plymouth on the ''Mayflower'' when she was about ...
, 3, daughter (Leiden). She died in 1699, the last surviving Mayflower passenger.
*
Bradford, William (
Austerfield
Austerfield is a village and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England. It is to the north-east of the market town of Bawtry on the A614 road, and adjacent to the hamlet of Newington in Nottinghamshire, ...
,
Yorkshire
Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a Historic counties of England, historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other Eng ...
).
**Dorothy (May) Bradford*, wife (
Wisbech
Wisbech ( ) is a market town, inland Port of Wisbech, port and civil parish in the Fenland District, Fenland district in Cambridgeshire, England. In 2011 it had a population of 31,573. The town lies in the far north-east of Cambridgeshire, bord ...
, Isle of Ely,
Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire (abbreviated Cambs.) is a Counties of England, county in the East of England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the north-east, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and North ...
).
*
Brewster, William (possibly Nottingham).
**
Mary Brewster
Mary Brewster (April 17, 1627) was a Pilgrim and one of the women on the ''Mayflower''. She was the wife of Elder William Brewster. She was one of only five adult women from the Mayflower to survive the first winter in the New World, and one of onl ...
, wife.
**
Love/Truelove Brewster, 9, son (Leiden).
**Wrestling Brewster, 6, son (Leiden).
*
Carver, John (possibly Yorkshire).
**Katherine (Leggett) (White) Carver, wife (probably
Sturton-le-Steeple
Sturton le Steeple is a village located east of Retford, Nottinghamshire, England. According to the 2001 census it had a population (including Littleborough, Notts) of 497, reducing slightly to 486 as at the 2011 Census.
Origin of the name
The ...
,
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire (; abbreviated Notts.) is a landlocked county in the East Midlands region of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west. The traditi ...
).
*
Chilton, James* (Canterbury, Kent).
[Division of passengers by category generally follows Appendix I of '']Saints and Strangers
''Saints and Strangers'' is a book by George F Willison published in 1945 by ''Reynal & Hitchcock'', New York.
Its full title, ''Saints and Strangers - Being the Lives of the Pilgrim Fathers & Their Families, with Their Friends & Foes: & and ...
'' by George F. Willison
George Findley Willison (1896–1972) was a writer and editor who specialized in American history. He also worked in education, journalism, art, public relations, and the military.
He was born in Colorado and lived much of his life in New York. ...
with some exceptions.
**Mrs. (James) Chilton*, wife.
**
Mary Chilton
Mary Chilton (May 31, 1607 – May 16,1679) was a Pilgrim Fathers, Pilgrim and purportedly the first European woman to step ashore at Plymouth, Massachusetts.
Biography
Mary Chilton was baptized on May 31, 1607 in Sandwich, Kent, England and wa ...
, 13, daughter (
Sandwich, Kent
Sandwich is a town and civil parish in the Dover District of Kent, south-east England. It lies on the River Stour and has a population of 4,985. Sandwich was one of the Cinque Ports and still has many original medieval buildings, including sev ...
).
*
Cooke, Francis.
**John Cooke, 13, son (Leiden).
*
Cooper, Humility, 1, (probably Leiden) baby daughter of Robert Cooper, in company of her aunt Ann Cooper Tilley, wife of
Edward Tilley
Edward Tilley (c. 1588 – c. winter of 1620/1621) traveled in 1620 on the historic voyage of the ship ''Mayflower'' as a Separatist member of the Leiden, Holland contingent. He was a signatory to the Mayflower Compact, and died with his wife in ...
[Humility Cooper and Henry Sampson were both children who joined their uncle and aunt Edward and Ann Tilley for the voyage. Willison lists them as "strangers" because they were not members of the church at Leiden; however, as children they would have been under their aunt and uncle who were members of that group.]
*
Crackstone/Crackston, John* (possibly Colchester, Essex).
**John Crackstone, son.
*
Fletcher, Moses* (Sandwich,
Kent
Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...
).
*
Fuller, Edward* (Redenhall, Norfolk).
**Mrs. (Edward) ____Fuller*, wife.
**Samuel Fuller, 12, son.
*
Fuller, Samuel (
Redenhall, Norfolk), (brother to Edward).
*
Goodman, John (possibly Northampton).
*
Priest, Degory*
*
Rogers, Thomas* (
Watford
Watford () is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England, 15 miles northwest of Central London, on the River Colne.
Initially a small market town, the Grand Junction Canal encouraged the construction of paper-making mills, print works, a ...
,
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire (; abbreviated Northants.) is a county in the East Midlands of England. In 2015, it had a population of 723,000. The county is administered by
two unitary authorities: North Northamptonshire and West Northamptonshire. It is ...
).
**Joseph Rogers, 17, son (Watford, Northamptonshire).
*
Samson, Henry, 16, (
Henlow
Henlow is a village and civil parish in the Central Bedfordshire district of the county of Bedfordshire, England, about south-east of the county town of Bedford. The name Henlow is believed to derive from the old English ''henna hlaw'', meaning ...
,
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire (; abbreviated Beds) is a ceremonial county in the East of England. The county has been administered by three unitary authorities, Borough of Bedford, Central Bedfordshire and Borough of Luton, since Bedfordshire County Council wa ...
) child in company of his uncle and aunt Edward and Ann Tilley.
*
Tilley, Edward* (Henlow, Bedfordshire)
**Ann (Cooper) Tilley* (Henlow, Bedfordshire) wife of Edward and aunt of Humility Cooper and Henry Samson.
*
Tilley, John* (Henlow, Bedfordshire).
**Joan (Hurst) (Rogers) Tilley*, wife (Henlow, Bedfordshire).
**
Elizabeth Tilley
Elizabeth Tilley (December 21, 1689) was one of the passengers on the historic 1620 voyage of the ''Mayflower'' and a participant in the first Thanksgiving in the New World. She was the daughter of Mayflower passenger John Tilley and his wife J ...
, 13, daughter (Henlow, Bedfordshire).
*
Tinker, Thomas* (possibly Norfolk).
**Mrs. Thomas Tinker*, wife.
**boy Tinker*, son, died in the winter of 1620.
*
Turner, John* (possibly Norfolk).
**boy Turner*, son, died in the winter of 1620.
**boy Turner*, younger son. died in the winter of 1620.
*
White, William*
[Ruth Wilder Sherman, CG, ]FASG Fellow of the American Society of Genealogists (FASG) is an independent society of fellows reflecting the master class of genealogists within the United States of America. There are only fifty (50) lifetime FASG members within the American Society o ...
, and Robert Moody Sherman, CG, FASG Fellow of the American Society of Genealogists (FASG) is an independent society of fellows reflecting the master class of genealogists within the United States of America. There are only fifty (50) lifetime FASG members within the American Society o ...
, ''Mayflower Families Through Five Generations, Family of William White'', Vol. 13, 3rd edition (Pub. by General Society of ''Mayflower'' Descendants 2006) p. 3. William White's sister Bridget was John Robinson's wife. John Robinson was Pastor of the Pilgrim Fathers leading the Separatists since his days at college at Cambridge
**
Susanna White
Susanna White (born 1960) is a British television and film director.
Early life
White was born in England in 1960. She first became interested in films at 8 years old, when she visited the set of the BBC children's TV show Crackerjack, and aske ...
, wife, widowed February 21, 1621. She subsequently married Pilgrim
Edward Winslow
Edward Winslow (18 October 15958 May 1655) was a Separatist and New England political leader who traveled on the ''Mayflower'' in 1620. He was one of several senior leaders on the ship and also later at Plymouth Colony. Both Edward Winslow and ...
.
**
Resolved White, 5, son, wife was Judith Vassal.
**
Peregrine White
Peregrine White ( 20 November 162020 July 1704) was the first
baby boy born on the Pilgrim ship the '' Mayflower'' in the harbour of Massachusetts, the second baby born on the ''Mayflower''s historic voyage, and the first known English child b ...
, son. Born on board the ''Mayflower'' in Cape Cod Harbor in late November 1620. First European born to the Pilgrims in America.
*Williams, Thomas
*
Winslow, Edward (
Droitwich
Droitwich Spa (often abbreviated to Droitwich ) is an historic spa town in the Wychavon district in northern Worcestershire, England, on the River Salwarpe. It is located approximately south-west of Birmingham and north-east of Worcester.
The ...
,
Worcestershire
Worcestershire ( , ; written abbreviation: Worcs) is a county in the West Midlands of England. The area that is now Worcestershire was absorbed into the unified Kingdom of England in 927, at which time it was constituted as a county (see His ...
).
**Elizabeth (Barker) Winslow, wife.
Servants of the Leiden Congregation
*
Butten, William* (possibly Nottingham), "a youth", indentured servant of Samuel Fuller, died during the voyage. He was the first passenger to die on November 16, three days before Cape Cod was sighted.
*____, Dorothy, teenager, maidservant of
John Carver.
*Hooke, John*, (probably Norwich, Norfolk) age 13, apprenticed to Isaac Allerton, died during the first winter.
*
Howland, John, (Fenstanton, Huntingdonshire), about 21, manservant and executive assistant for Governor John Carver.
*Latham, William, (possibly Lancashire), age 11, servant and apprentice to the John Carver family.
*Minter, Desire, (Norwich, Norfolk), a servant of John Carver whose parents died in Leiden.
*More, Ellen (Elinor)*, (Shipton,
Shropshire
Shropshire (; alternatively Salop; abbreviated in print only as Shrops; demonym Salopian ) is a landlocked historic county in the West Midlands region of England. It is bordered by Wales to the west and the English counties of Cheshire to th ...
),
[Caleb H. Johnson, ''The Mayflower and her passengers'' (Indiana: Xlibris Corp., 2006) p. 190] age 8, assigned as a servant of
Edward Winslow
Edward Winslow (18 October 15958 May 1655) was a Separatist and New England political leader who traveled on the ''Mayflower'' in 1620. He was one of several senior leaders on the ship and also later at Plymouth Colony. Both Edward Winslow and ...
. She died from illness sometime in November 1620 soon after the arrival of ''Mayflower'' in Cape Cod harbor and likely was buried ashore there in an unmarked grave.
[David Lindsay, ''Mayflower Bastard: A Stranger amongst the Pilgrims'' (New York: St. Martins Press, 2002) p. 27]
*More, Jasper*, (Shipton, Shropshire),
age 7, indentured to John Carver. He died from illness on board ''Mayflower'' on December 6, 1620, and likely was buried ashore on Cape Cod in an unmarked grave.
*
More, Richard, (Shipton, Shropshire),
age 6, indentured to William Brewster. He is buried in the Charter Street Burial Ground in Salem, Massachusetts. He is the only ''Mayflower'' passenger to have his gravestone still where it was originally placed sometime in the mid-1690s. Also buried nearby in the same cemetery were his wives Christian Hunter More and Jane (Crumpton) More.
*More, Mary*, (Shipton, Shropshire),
age 4, assigned as a servant of William Brewster. She died sometime in the winter of 1620/1621. She and her sister Ellen are recognized on the Pilgrim Memorial Tomb in Plymouth.
*
Soule, George, (possibly Bedfordshire), 21–25, servant or employee of Edward Winslow.
*Story, Elias*, age under 21, in the care of Edward Winslow.
*Wilder, Roger*, age under 21, servant in the John Carver family.
Passengers recruited by Thomas Weston, of London Merchant Adventurers
*
Billington, John (possibly
Lancashire
Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly.
The non-metropolitan county of Lancashi ...
).
**Eleanor Billington, wife.
**John Billington, 16, son.
**Francis Billington, 14, son.
*Britteridge, Richard* (possibly Sussex).
*
Browne, Peter (
Dorking
Dorking () is a market town in Surrey in South East England, about south of London. It is in Mole Valley District and the council headquarters are to the east of the centre. The High Street runs roughly east–west, parallel to the Pipp Br ...
,
Surrey
Surrey () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South East England, bordering Greater London to the south west. Surrey has a large rural area, and several significant urban areas which form part of the Greater London Built-up Area. ...
).
*Clarke, Richard*
*
Eaton, Francis (Bristol, Gloucestershire/Somerset).
**Sarah Eaton*, wife.
**
Samuel Eaton
Samuel Eaton (1596?–1665) was an English independent divine.
Life
Eaton was the third son of Richard Eaton, vicar of Great Budworth, Cheshire, and was born in the hamlet of Crowley in Great Budworth. He was educated at Magdalene College, Cambr ...
, 1, son.
*Gardiner, Richard (
Harwich
Harwich is a town in Essex, England, and one of the Haven ports on the North Sea coast. It is in the Tendring district. Nearby places include Felixstowe to the north-east, Ipswich to the north-west, Colchester to the south-west and Clacton-on- ...
,
Essex
Essex () is a county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the River Thames to the south, and G ...
).
*
Hopkins, Stephen (
Upper Clatford
Upper Clatford is a village and civil parish in Hampshire, England. The village is in the valley of the River Anton, upstream from the point where it joins the River Test at the south.
Clatford is to the south from Andover town centre, the mos ...
,
Hampshire
Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants) is a ceremonial county, ceremonial and non-metropolitan county, non-metropolitan counties of England, county in western South East England on the coast of the English Channel. Home to two major English citi ...
).
**Elizabeth (Fisher) Hopkins, wife.
**Giles Hopkins, 12, son by first marriage (
Hursley
Hursley is a village and civil parish in Hampshire, England with a population of around 900 in 2011. It is located roughly midway between Romsey and Winchester on the A3090. Besides the village the parish includes the hamlets of Standon and ...
, Hampshire).
**
Constance Hopkins
Constance Hopkins (baptized May 11, 1606 – October 1677), also sometimes listed as Constanta, was a passenger on the ''Mayflower'' in 1620.
Biography
Hopkins was probably born in Hursley, England since her baptism record is there along wi ...
, 14, daughter by first marriage (Hursley, Hampshire).
**Damaris Hopkins, 1–2, daughter. (She died soon in Plymouth Colony and her parents later had another daughter with the same name.)
**
Oceanus Hopkins
Oceanus Hopkins (1620 – 1627) was the only child born on the ''Mayflower'' during its historic voyage which brought the English Pilgrims to America. Another boy, Peregrine White, was born on board, after arriving in America, as the ship lay at ...
, born on board the ''Mayflower'' while en route to the New World.
*Margesson, Edmund* (possibly Norfolk).
*
Martin, Christopher* 38 (
Great Burstead
Great Burstead is an urban settlement in Essex, England - it is contiguous with the town of Billericay.
History
By tradition, the origins of the church, St Mary Magdalene, at Great Burstead are linked to Saint Cedd (d.664). Cedd, a missionary m ...
, Essex). Mayflower Governor & Purchasing Agent.
**Mary (Prowe) Martin*, wife.
*
Mullins, William* (
Dorking
Dorking () is a market town in Surrey in South East England, about south of London. It is in Mole Valley District and the council headquarters are to the east of the centre. The High Street runs roughly east–west, parallel to the Pipp Br ...
, Surrey).
**Alice Mullins*, wife.
**
Priscilla Mullins
Priscilla Alden (, ) was a noted member of Massachusetts's Plymouth Colony of Pilgrims and the wife of fellow colonist John Alden (1687). They married in 1621 in Plymouth.
Biography
Priscilla was most likely born in Dorking in Surrey, the dau ...
, 18, daughter.
**Joseph Mullins*, 14, son.
*Prowe, Solomon* (Billericay, Essex). Son of Mary Prowe
*Rigsdale, John* (possibly Lincolnshire).
**Alice Rigsdale*, wife.
*
Standish, Myles
Myles Standish (c. 1584 – October 3, 1656) was an English military officer and colonizer. He was hired as military adviser for Plymouth Colony in present-day Massachusetts, United States by the Pilgrims (Plymouth Colony), Pilgrims. Standish ...
(Standish, Wigan, Lancashire). Military Expert for Colony.
**Rose Standish*, wife.
*
Warren, Richard (
Hertford
Hertford ( ) is the county town of Hertfordshire, England, and is also a civil parish in the East Hertfordshire district of the county. The parish had a population of 26,783 at the 2011 census.
The town grew around a ford on the River Lea, ne ...
, England).
*Winslow, Gilbert (
Droitwich
Droitwich Spa (often abbreviated to Droitwich ) is an historic spa town in the Wychavon district in northern Worcestershire, England, on the River Salwarpe. It is located approximately south-west of Birmingham and north-east of Worcester.
The ...
,
Worcestershire
Worcestershire ( , ; written abbreviation: Worcs) is a county in the West Midlands of England. The area that is now Worcestershire was absorbed into the unified Kingdom of England in 927, at which time it was constituted as a county (see His ...
), brother to Pilgrim
Edward Winslow
Edward Winslow (18 October 15958 May 1655) was a Separatist and New England political leader who traveled on the ''Mayflower'' in 1620. He was one of several senior leaders on the ship and also later at Plymouth Colony. Both Edward Winslow and ...
but not known to have lived in Leiden.
Servants of Merchant Adventurers passengers
*Carter, Robert*, (possibly Surrey), teenager, servant or apprentice to William Mullins, shoemaker.
*
Doty, Edward, (possibly
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire (abbreviated Lincs.) is a county in the East Midlands of England, with a long coastline on the North Sea to the east. It borders Norfolk to the south-east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south-west, Leicestershire ...
) age probably about 21, servant to Stephen Hopkins.
*Holbeck, William*, age likely under 21, servant to William White.
*Langemore, John*, age under 21, servant to Christopher Martin.
*Leister, Edward also spelled Leitster, (possibly vicinity of London), aged over 21, servant to Stephen Hopkins.
*Thompson (or Thomson), Edward*, age under 21, in the care of the William White family, first passenger to die after the ''Mayflower'' reached
Cape Cod
Cape Cod is a peninsula extending into the Atlantic Ocean from the southeastern corner of mainland Massachusetts, in the northeastern United States. Its historic, maritime character and ample beaches attract heavy tourism during the summer mont ...
.
Passenger activities and care
Some families traveled together, while some men came alone, leaving families in England and Leiden. Two wives on board were pregnant;
Elizabeth Hopkins
Elizabeth or Elisabeth may refer to:
People
* Elizabeth (given name), a female given name (including people with that name)
* Elizabeth (biblical figure), mother of John the Baptist
Ships
* HMS ''Elizabeth'', several ships
* ''Elisabeth'' (sc ...
gave birth to son
Oceanus
In Greek mythology, Oceanus (; grc-gre, , Ancient Greek pronunciation: , also Ὠγενός , Ὤγενος , or Ὠγήν ) was a Titan son of Uranus and Gaia, the husband of his sister the Titan Tethys, and the father of the river gods a ...
while at sea, and
Susanna White
Susanna White (born 1960) is a British television and film director.
Early life
White was born in England in 1960. She first became interested in films at 8 years old, when she visited the set of the BBC children's TV show Crackerjack, and aske ...
gave birth to son
Peregrine in late November while the ship was anchored in Cape Cod Harbor. He is historically recognized as the first European child born in the New England area. One young man died during the voyage, and there was one stillbirth during the construction of the colony.
According to the ''Mayflower'' passenger list, just over a third of the passengers were
Puritan Separatists who sought to break away from the established
Church of England
The Church of England (C of E) is the established Christian church in England and the mother church of the international Anglican Communion. It traces its history to the Christian church recorded as existing in the Roman province of Britain ...
and create a society along the lines of their religious ideals.
Other passengers were hired hands, servants, or farmers recruited by London merchants, all originally destined for the Colony of Virginia. Four of this latter group of passengers were small children given into the care of ''Mayflower'' pilgrims as
indentured servants
Indentured servitude is a form of labor in which a person is contracted to work without salary for a specific number of years. The contract, called an "indenture", may be entered "voluntarily" for purported eventual compensation or debt repayment, ...
. The
Virginia Company
The Virginia Company was an English trading company chartered by King James I on 10 April 1606 with the object of colonizing the eastern coast of America. The coast was named Virginia, after Elizabeth I, and it stretched from present-day Main ...
began the transportation of children in 1618. Until relatively recently, the children were thought to be orphans, foundlings, or involuntary child labor. At that time, children were routinely rounded up from the streets of London or taken from poor families receiving church relief to be used as laborers in the colonies. Any legal objections to the involuntary transportation of the children were overridden by the
Privy Council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a state, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the mon ...
. For instance it has been proven that the four
More children were sent to America because they were deemed
illegitimate
Legitimacy, in traditional Western common law, is the status of a child born to parents who are legally married to each other, and of a child conceived before the parents obtain a legal divorce. Conversely, ''illegitimacy'', also known as ''b ...
. Three of the four More children died in the first winter in the New World, but
Richard
Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from Frankish language, Old Frankish and is a Compound (linguistics), compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic language, Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' an ...
lived to be approximately 81, dying in Salem, probably in 1695 or 1696.
The passengers mostly slept and lived in the low-ceilinged great cabins and on the main deck, which was 75 by 20 feet large (23 m × 6 m) at most. The cabins were thin-walled and extremely cramped, and the total area was 25 ft by 15 ft (7.6 m × 4.5 m) at its largest. Below decks, any person over five feet (150 cm) tall would be unable to stand up straight. The maximum possible space for each person would have been slightly less than the size of a standard single bed.
[Caffrey, Kate. ''The Mayflower''. New York: Stein and Day, 1974]
Passengers would pass the time by reading by candlelight or playing cards and games such as
nine men's morris
Nine men's Morris is a strategy board game for two players dating at least to the Roman Empire. The game is also known as nine-man morris, mill, mills, the mill game, merels, merrills, merelles, marelles, morelles, and ninepenny marl in English. ...
.
[Hodgson, Godfrey. A Great and Godly Adventure. Public Affairs: New York, 2006] Meals on board were cooked by the
firebox
Firebox may refer to:
*Firebox (steam engine), the area where the fuel is burned in a steam engine
*Firebox (architecture), the part of a fireplace where fuel is combusted
*Firebox Records
Firebox Records was a Finnish record label based in S ...
, which was an iron tray with sand in it on which a fire was built. This was risky because it was kept in the waist of the ship. Passengers made their own meals from rations that were issued daily and food was cooked for a group at a time.
Upon arrival in America, the harsh climate and scarcity of fresh food were exacerbated by the shortness of provisions due to the delay in departure. Living in these extremely close and crowded quarters, several passengers developed
scurvy
Scurvy is a disease resulting from a lack of vitamin C (ascorbic acid). Early symptoms of deficiency include weakness, feeling tired and sore arms and legs. Without treatment, decreased red blood cells, gum disease, changes to hair, and bleeding ...
, a disease caused by a deficiency of
vitamin C
Vitamin C (also known as ascorbic acid and ascorbate) is a water-soluble vitamin found in citrus and other fruits and vegetables, also sold as a dietary supplement and as a topical 'serum' ingredient to treat melasma (dark pigment spots) an ...
. At the time the use of lemons or limes to counter this disease was unknown, and the usual dietary sources of vitamin C in fruits and vegetables had been depleted, since these fresh foods could not be stored for long periods without their becoming rotten. Passengers who developed scurvy experienced symptoms such as bleeding gums, teeth falling out, and stinking breath.
[ Passengers consumed large amounts of alcohol such as beer with meals. This was known to be safer than water, which often came from polluted sources causing diseases. All food and drink was stored in barrels known as " hogsheads".][
No cattle or beasts of draft or burden were brought on the journey, but there were pigs, goats, and poultry. Some passengers brought family pets such as cats and birds. Peter Browne took his large bitch ]mastiff
A mastiff is a large and powerful type of dog. Mastiffs are among the largest dogs, and typically have a short coat, a long low-set tail and large feet; the skull is large and bulky, the muzzle broad and short (brachycephalic) and the ears dro ...
, and John Goodman brought along his spaniel
A spaniel is a type of gun dog. Spaniels were especially bred to flush game out of denser brush. By the late 17th century, spaniels had been specialized into water and land breeds. The extinct English Water Spaniel was used to retrieve water ...
.
The passenger William Mullins brought 126 pairs of shoes and 13 pairs of boots in his luggage. Other items included oiled leather and canvas suits, stuff gowns and leather and stuff breeches, shirts, jerkins, doublets, neckcloths, hats and caps, hose, stockings, belts, piece goods, and haberdashery. At his death, his estate consisted of extensive footwear and other items of clothing, and made his daughter Priscilla and her husband John Alden quite prosperous.
''Mayflower'' officers and crew
According to author Charles Edward Banks, the ''Mayflower'' had 14 officers consisting of the master, four mates, four quartermasters, surgeon, carpenter, cooper, cook, boatswain, and gunner, plus about 36 men before the mast for a total of 50. More recent authors estimate a crew of about 30. The entire crew stayed with the ''Mayflower'' in Plymouth through the winter of 1620–21, and about half of them died. The surviving crew returned to London on the ''Mayflower'' on April 5, 1621.
Crew members per various sources
Banks states that the crew totaled 36 men before the mast and 14 officers, making a total of 50. Nathaniel Philbrick estimates between 20 and 30 sailors in her crew whose names are unknown. Nick Bunker states that ''Mayflower'' had a crew of at least 17 and possibly as many as 30. Caleb Johnson states that the ship carried a crew of about 30 men, but the exact number is unknown.[Nathaniel Philbrick, ''Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community and War'', (Penguin Books 2006)][Bunker, Nick. ''Making Haste from Babylon: The ''Mayflower'' Pilgrims and their New World a History'', Knopf, New York (2011) ]
Officers and crew
* Captain: Christopher Jones. About age 50, of Harwich, a seaport in Essex, England, which was also the port of his ship ''Mayflower''. He and his ship were veterans of the European cargo business, often carrying wine to England, but neither had ever crossed the Atlantic. By June 1620, he and ''Mayflower'' had been hired for the Pilgrims voyage by their business agents in London, Thomas Weston of the Merchant Adventurers and Robert Cushman
Robert Cushman (1577–1625) was an important leader and organiser of the ''Mayflower'' voyage in 1620, serving as Chief Agent in London for the Leiden Separatist contingent from 1617 to 1620 and later for Plymouth Colony until his death in 1625 ...
.
* Masters Mate: John Clark (Clarke), Pilot. By age 45 in 1620, Clark already had greater adventures than most other mariners of that dangerous era. His piloting career began in England about 1609. In early 1611, he was pilot of a 300-ton ship on his first New World voyage, with a three-ship convoy sailing from London to the new settlement of Jamestown in Virginia. Two other ships were in that convoy, and the three ships brought 300 new settlers to Jamestown, going first to the Caribbean islands of Dominica
Dominica ( or ; Kalinago: ; french: Dominique; Dominican Creole French: ), officially the Commonwealth of Dominica, is an island country in the Caribbean. The capital, Roseau, is located on the western side of the island. It is geographically ...
and Nevis
Nevis is a small island in the Caribbean Sea that forms part of the inner arc of the Leeward Islands chain of the West Indies. Nevis and the neighbouring island of Saint Kitts constitute one country: the Federation of Saint Kitts and Ne ...
. While in Jamestown, Clark piloted ships in the area carrying various stores. During that time, he was taken prisoner in a confrontation with the Spanish; he was taken to Havana and held for two years, then transferred to Spain where he was in custody for five years. In 1616, he was finally freed in a prisoner exchange with England. In 1618, he was back in Jamestown as pilot of the ship ''Falcon''. Shortly after his return to England, he was hired as pilot for ''Mayflower'' in 1620.[Charles Edward Banks, ''The English Ancestry and Homes of the Pilgrim Fathers: who came to Plymouth on the "Mayflower" in 1620, the "Fortune" in 1621, and the "Anne" and the "Little James" in 1623'' (Baltimore, MD.:Genealogical Publishing Co., 2006) p. 19][
* Masters Mate: Robert Coppin, Pilot. Coppin had prior New World experience; he previously hunted whales in Newfoundland and sailed the coast of New England.] He was an early investor in the Virginia Company, being named in the Second Virginia Charter of 1609. He was possibly from Harwich in Essex, the hometown of Captain Jones.
* Masters Mate: Andrew Williamson
* Masters Mate: John Parker
* Surgeon: Doctor Giles Heale. The surgeon on board ''Mayflower'' was never mentioned by Bradford, but his identity was well established. He was essential in providing comfort to all who died or were made ill that first winter. He was a young man from Drury Lane in the parish of St. Giles in the Field, London who had completed his apprenticeship with the Barber-Surgeons in the previous year. On February 21, 1621, he was a witness to the death-bed will of William Mullins. He survived the first winter and returned to London on ''Mayflower'' in April 1621, where he began his medical practice and worked as a surgeon until his death in 1653.[
* ]Cooper
Cooper, Cooper's, Coopers and similar may refer to:
* Cooper (profession), a maker of wooden casks and other staved vessels
Arts and entertainment
* Cooper (producers), alias of Dutch producers Klubbheads
* Cooper (video game character), in ...
: John Alden
John Alden (c. 1598 - September 12, 1687) was a crew member on the historic 1620 voyage of the ''Mayflower'' which brought the English settlers commonly known as Pilgrims to Plymouth Colony in present-day Massachusetts, US. He was hired in Sou ...
. Alden was a 21-year-old from Harwich in Essex and a distant relative of Captain Jones. He hired on apparently while ''Mayflower'' was anchored at Southampton Waters. He was responsible for maintaining the ship's barrels, known as hogsheads, which were critical to the passengers' survival and held the only source of food and drink while at sea; tending them was a job which required a crew member's attention. Bradford noted that Alden was "left to his own liking to go or stay" in Plymouth rather than return with the ship to England. He decided to remain.
* Quartermaster: (names unknown), 4 men. These men were in charge of maintaining the ship's cargo hold, as well as the crew's hours for standing watch. Some of the “ before the mast" crewmen may also have been in this section. These quartermasters were also responsible for fishing and maintaining all fishing supplies and harpoons. The names of the quartermasters are unknown, but it is known that three of the four men died the first winter.
* Cook: (Gorge Hurst). He was responsible for preparing the crew's meals and maintaining all food supplies and the cook room, which was typically located in the ship's forecastle (front end). The unnamed cook died the first winter.
* Master Gunner: (name unknown). He was in charge of the ship's guns, ammunition, and powder. Some of those "before the mast" were likely in his charge. He is recorded as going on an exploration on December 6, 1620, and was "sick unto death and so remained all that day, and the next night". He died later that winter.
* Boatswain: (name unknown). He was the person in charge of the ship's rigging and sails, the anchors, and the ship's longboat. The majority of the crew members "before the mast" were most likely under his supervision, working the sails and rigging. The operation of the ship's shallop
Shallop is a name used for several types of boats and small ships (French ''chaloupe'') used for coastal navigation from the seventeenth century. Originally smaller boats based on the chalupa, the watercraft named this ranged from small boats a l ...
was also probably under his control, a light open boat with oars or sails (see seaman Thomas English). William Bradford made this comment about the boatswain: "the boatswain... was a proud young man, who would often curse and scoff at the passengers, but when he grew weak they had compassion on him and helped him." But despite such assistance, the unnamed boatswain died the first winter.
* Carpenter
Carpentry is a skilled trade and a craft in which the primary work performed is the cutting, shaping and installation of building materials during the construction of buildings, Shipbuilding, ships, timber bridges, concrete formwork, etc. ...
: (name unknown). He was responsible for making sure that the hull was well-caulked and the masts were in good order. He was the person responsible for maintaining all areas of the ship in good condition and being a general repairman. He also maintained the tools and all necessary items to perform his carpentry tasks. His name is unknown, but his tasks were quite important to the safety and seaworthiness of the ship.
* Swabber: (various crewmen). This was the lowliest position on the ship, responsible for cleaning (swabbing) the decks. The swabber usually had an assistant who was responsible for cleaning the ship's beakhead (extreme front end), which was also the crew's toilet.
Known ''Mayflower'' seamen
* John Allerton: A ''Mayflower'' seaman who was hired by the company as labor to help in the Colony during the first year, then to return to Leiden to help other church members seeking to travel to America. He signed the Mayflower Compact
The Mayflower Compact, originally titled Agreement Between the Settlers of New Plymouth, was the first governing document of Plymouth Colony. It was written by the men aboard the ''Mayflower,'' consisting of separatist Puritans, adventurers, an ...
. He was a seaman on ship's shallop with Thomas English on exploration of December 6, 1620, and died sometime before ''Mayflower'' returned to England in April 1621.
* ____ Ely: A ''Mayflower'' seaman who was contracted to stay for a year, which he did. He returned to England with fellow crewman William Trevor on the Fortune in December 1621. Genealogist Jeremy Bangs believes that his name was either John or Christopher Ely (or Ellis), both of whom are documented in Leiden, Holland.
* Thomas English: A ''Mayflower'' seaman who was hired to be the master of the shallop (see Boatswain) and to be part of the company. He signed the Mayflower Compact. He was a seaman on the ship's shallop with John Allerton on exploration of December 6, 1620, and died sometime before the departure of ''Mayflower'' for England in April 1621. He appeared in Leiden records as "Thomas England".[Eugene Aubrey Stratton. ''Plymouth Colony: Its History and People, 1620–1691,'' (Ancestry Publishing, Salt Lake City, UT, 1986) p. 289]
* William Trevore (Trevor): A ''Mayflower'' seaman who was hired to remain in Plymouth for one year. One reason for his hiring was his prior New World experience. He was one of those seamen to crew the shallop used in coastal trading. He returned to England with _____ Ely and others on the Fortune in December 1621. In 1623, Robert Cushman noted that Trevor reported to the Adventurers about what he saw in the New World. He did at some time return as master of a ship and was recorded living in Massachusetts Bay Colony in April 1650.
Unidentified passenger
* "Master" Leaver: Another passenger not mentioned by Bradford is a person called "Master" Leaver. He was named in Mourt's Relation
The booklet ''Mourt's Relation'' (full title: ''A Relation or Journal of the Beginning and Proceedings of the English Plantation Settled at Plimoth in New England'') was written between November 1620 and November 1621, and describes in detail wh ...
(London, 1622), under a date of January 12, 1621, as a leader of an expedition to rescue Pilgrims lost in the forest for several days while searching for housing-roof thatch. It is unknown in what capacity he came to ''Mayflower'' and his given name is unknown. The title of "Master" indicates that he was a person of some authority and prominence in the company. He may have been a principal officer of ''Mayflower''. No more is known of him; he may have returned to England on ''Mayflower''s April 1621 voyage or died of the illnesses that affected so many that first winter.
Known crew members
* Christopher Jones – Captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
*John Clarke – First Mate and Pilot
*Robert Coppin – Second Mate and Pilot
*Giles Heale – ship's surgeon, identified with the Separatists. He is not counted as one of the 102 passengers.
*Andrew Williamson – Seaman
*John Parker – Seaman
*Master Leaver – Seaman
Ship crewmen hired to stay one year
*John Alden
John Alden (c. 1598 - September 12, 1687) was a crew member on the historic 1620 voyage of the ''Mayflower'' which brought the English settlers commonly known as Pilgrims to Plymouth Colony in present-day Massachusetts, US. He was hired in Sou ...
– A 21-year-old from Harwich, Essex, the ship's cooper; he was given the choice of remaining in the colony or returning to England and decided to remain.
*John Allerton* – A ''Mayflower'' seaman hired as colony labor for one year who was then to return to Leiden to assist church members with travel to America. He died some time before the ''Mayflower'' departed for England on April 5, 1621.
*____ Ely – A ''Mayflower'' seaman contracted to stay for one year. He returned to England on the ''Fortune'' in December 1621 along with William Trevor. Jeremy Bangs believes that his name was either John or Christopher Ely, or Ellis, who are documented in Leiden records.
*Thomas English* – A ''Mayflower'' seaman hired to be master of the ship's shallop
Shallop is a name used for several types of boats and small ships (French ''chaloupe'') used for coastal navigation from the seventeenth century. Originally smaller boats based on the chalupa, the watercraft named this ranged from small boats a l ...
. He died sometime before the departure of the ''Mayflower'' for England on April 5, 1621.
*William Trevore – A ''Mayflower'' seaman with prior New World experience hired to work in the colony for one year. He returned to England on the ''Fortune'' in December 1621 along with Ely and others. By 1650, he had returned to New England.
Note: ''Asterisk on any name indicates those who died in the winter of 1620–21''.
Animals on board
Two dogs are known to have participated in settling Plymouth. In ''Mourt's Relation
The booklet ''Mourt's Relation'' (full title: ''A Relation or Journal of the Beginning and Proceedings of the English Plantation Settled at Plimoth in New England'') was written between November 1620 and November 1621, and describes in detail wh ...
'', Edward Winslow
Edward Winslow (18 October 15958 May 1655) was a Separatist and New England political leader who traveled on the ''Mayflower'' in 1620. He was one of several senior leaders on the ship and also later at Plymouth Colony. Both Edward Winslow and ...
writes that a female English Mastiff
The English Mastiff, or simply the Mastiff, is a British dog breed of very large size. Likely descended from the ancient Alaunt and Pugnaces Britanniae, with a significant input from the Alpine Mastiff in the 19th century. Distinguished by its e ...
and a small English Springer Spaniel
The English Springer is a breed of gun dog in the Spaniel group traditionally used for flushing and retrieving game. It is an affectionate, excitable breed with a typical lifespan of twelve to fourteen years. They are very similar to the Wels ...
came ashore on the first explorations of Provincetown
Provincetown is a New England town located at the extreme tip of Cape Cod in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, in the United States. A small coastal resort town with a year-round population of 3,664 as of the 2020 United States Census, Provincet ...
. The ship was probably also carrying small domestic animals such as goats, pigs, and chickens. Larger domestic animals came later, such as cows and sheep.
See also
*Mayflower Compact
The Mayflower Compact, originally titled Agreement Between the Settlers of New Plymouth, was the first governing document of Plymouth Colony. It was written by the men aboard the ''Mayflower,'' consisting of separatist Puritans, adventurers, an ...
* Mayflower Compact signatories
* List of ''Mayflower'' passengers who died at sea November/December 1620
* List of ''Mayflower'' passengers who died in the winter of 1620–21
*The Mayflower Society
The General Society of ''Mayflower'' Descendants — commonly called the Mayflower Society — is a hereditary organization of individuals who have documented their descent from at least one of the 102 passengers who arrived on the ''Mayflower'' ...
References
Sources
''Mayflower'' passengers
from William Bradford's ''Of Plymouth Plantation
''Of Plymouth Plantation'' is a journal that was written over a period of years by William Bradford, the leader of the Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts. It is regarded as the most authoritative account of the Pilgrims and the early years of the ...
'', 1650.
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