John Mayo (died 1676) was a

Puritan The Puritans were English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries who sought to purify the Church of England of Catholic Church, Roman Catholic practices, maintaining that the Church of England had not been fully reformed and should become m ...

minister in pre-revolutionary Boston, Massachusetts. He was the first minister of

Old North Church Old North Church (officially, Christ Church in the City of Boston), at 193 Salem Street, in the North End, Boston, is the location from which the famous "One if by land, two if by sea" signal is said to have been sent. This phrase is related ...

, also known as Second Church or Paul Revere's Church. This is the Old North Church that was in

North Square ''North Square'' is a British television drama series written and created by Peter Moffat, and broadcast by Channel 4 from 18 October to 20 December 2000. Starring an ensemble cast, including Phil Davis, Rupert Penry-Jones, Helen McCrory and ...

(across the street from what became Paul Revere's house) until the church was dismantled and used by the British for firewood during the occupation of Boston during the Revolutionary War.

Biography

Early life

John Mayo was born in England and educated at

Magdalen College, Oxford Magdalen College (, ) is a constituent college of the University of Oxford. It was founded in 1458 by William of Waynflete. Today, it is the fourth wealthiest college, with a financial endowment of £332.1 million as of 2019 and one of the s ...

. While in England he was banned by the authorities from preaching publicly and was employed as a chaplain by

William Fiennes, 1st Viscount Saye and Sele William Fiennes, 1st Viscount Saye and Sele (28 June 158214 April 1662) was an English nobleman and politician, known also for his involvement in several companies for setting up overseas colonies. Early life He was born at the family home of B ...

. He married his wife Tamisen Brike in England and had five children: Samuel, Hannah, Elizabeth, Nathaniel and John. The family came to New England in 1638 or 1639. He became a teacher at a church at Barnstable in Plymouth Colony, and was admitted a freeman on March 3, 1639-40 by the General Court in Plymouth. He moved to Eastham, Plymouth Colony around 1644, becoming the minister at a church that was gathered in that town. There he remained until 1655 when he was called to become pastor of the

in Boston.

Old North Meeting House (the Second Church of Boston)

Reverend Mayo was installed November 9, 1655. He preached the election sermon before the

General Court of Massachusetts The Massachusetts General Court (formally styled the General Court of Massachusetts) is the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The name "General Court" is a hold-over from the earliest days of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, ...

in 1658. He also served as an Overseer of

Harvard College Harvard College is the undergraduate college of Harvard University, an Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636, Harvard College is the original school of Harvard University, the oldest institution of higher lea ...

and the

Boston Latin School The Boston Latin School is a public exam school in Boston, Massachusetts. It was established on April 23, 1635, making it both the oldest public school in the British America and the oldest existing school in the United States. Its curriculum f ...

. Already well advanced in years when he assumed the pastorate, Mayo grew very infirm later in his service and the congregation had difficulty hearing his sermons. He served until 1673 when

Increase Mather Increase Mather (; June 21, 1639 Old Style – August 23, 1723 Old Style) was a New England Puritan clergyman in the Massachusetts Bay Colony and president of Harvard College for twenty years (1681–1701). He was influential in the administ ...

took over. Mayo lived in a brick house on Hanover Street which was later occupied by

Cotton Mather Cotton Mather (; February 12, 1663 – February 13, 1728) was a New England Puritan clergyman and a prolific writer. Educated at Harvard College, in 1685 he joined his father Increase as minister of the Congregationalist Old North Meeting H ...

Later life

After retiring, Mayo went to his daughter's home and died in 1676 in Yarmouth, Massachusetts. His widow Tamisen died February 3, 1682.

Notable descendants

George H. W. Bush George Herbert Walker BushSince around 2000, he has been usually called George H. W. Bush, Bush Senior, Bush 41 or Bush the Elder to distinguish him from his eldest son, George W. Bush, who served as the 43rd president from 2001 to 2009; pr ...

- 41st President of the United States *

George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...

- 43rd President of the United States

References

External links

Mayo Family
website

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mayo, John People from colonial Boston 1676 deaths Year of birth missing People from North End, Boston 17th-century New England Puritan ministers 17th century in Boston