Pilgrim Era Discussion

Comment

Comment by maggie on August 26, 2009 at 10:49am

i have seen John howland house

Comment by Judy Brooks Truchon on August 24, 2009 at 9:23am

My Mayflower connection is with John Howland who is my ninth great grand uncle and Stephen Hopkins who is my 10th half great granduncle.

Comment by Judy Brooks Truchon on August 24, 2009 at 9:01am

May be of interest--William Bradford wrote a tribute to William Brewster which is reproduced
below:

William BRADFORD had this to say about William BREWSTER in his book
"Of Plymouth Plantation":

Anno Dom: 1643.

I AM to begine this year whith that which was a mater of great saddnes and mourning unto them all. Aboute the 18. of Aprill dyed their Reved Elder, and my dear and loving friend, Mr. William Brewster; a man that had done and suffered much for the Lord Jesus and the gospells sake, and had bore his parte in well and woe with this poore persecuted church above 36. years in England, Holand, and in this wildernes, and done the Lord and them faithfull service in his place and calling. And notwithstanding the many troubls and sorrows he passed throw, the Lord
upheld him to a great age. He was nere fourskore years of age (if not all out) when he dyed. He had this blesing added by the Lord to all the rest, to dye in his bed, in peace, amongst the mids of his freinds, who mourned and wepte over him, and ministered what help and comforte they could unto him, and he againe recomforted them whilst he could. His sicknes was not long, and till the last day therof he did not wholy keepe his bed. His speech continued till somewhat more then halfe a day, and then failed him; and aboute 9. or 10. a clock that evning he dyed, without any pangs at all. A few howers before, he drew his breath shorte, and some few minuts before his last, he drew his breath long, as a man falen into a sound slepe, without any pangs or gaspings, and so sweetly departed this life unto a better.628.

I would now demand of any, what he was the worse for any former sufferings? What doe I say, worse? Nay, sure he was the better, and they now added to his honour. It is a manifest token (saith the Apostle, 2. Thes:1. 5, 6, 7.) of the righ[t]eow judgmente of God that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdmne o f God, for which ye allso suffer; seing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you: and to you who are troubled, rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven, with his mighty angels. 1. Pet. 4.
14. I f you be reproached for the name of Christ, hapy are yes for the spirite o f glory and o f God resteth upon you. What though he wanted the riches and pleasurs of the world in this life, and pompous monuments at his funurall? yet the memoriall of the just shall be blessed, when the name of the wicked shall rott (with their marble monuments). Pro: 10. 7. 629.

I should say something of his life, if to say a litle were not worse then to be silent. But I cannot wholy forbear, though hapily more may be done hereafter. After he had attained some learning, viz. the knowledg of the Latine tongue, and some insight in the Greeke, and spent some small time tit Cambridge, and then being first seasoned with the seeds of grace and vertue, he went to the Courte, and served that religious and godly gentlman, Mr. Davison, diverse years, when he was Secretary of State; who found him so discreete and faithfull as he trusted him above
all other that were aboute him, and only imployed him in all matters of greatest trust and secretie. He esteemed him rather as a sonne then a servante, and for his wisdom and godlines (in private) he would converse with him more like a freind and familier then a maister. He attended his mr when he was sente in ambassage by the Queene into the Low-Countries, in the Earle of Leicesters time,as for other waighty affaires of state, so to, receive possession of the cautionary townes, and in token and signe therof the keyes of Flushing being delivered to him, in her matiname, he kepte them some time, and committed them to this his servante, who kept them under his pilow, on which he slepte the first night. And, at his returne, the Stateshonoured him with a gould chaine, and his maister committed it to him, and commanded him to wear it when they arrived in England, as they ridd thorow the country, till they came to the Courte. He afterwards remained with him till his troubles, that he was put from his place aboute the death of the Queene of Scots;and some good time after, doeing him manic faithfull offices of servise in the time of his troubles. Afterwards he wente and lived in the country, in good esteeme amongst his freinds and the gentle-men of
those parts, espetially the godly and religious. He did much good in the countrie wher he lived, in promoting and furthering religion, not only by his practiss and example, and provocking and incouraging of others, but by procuring of good preachers to the places theraboute, and drawing on of others to assiste and help forward in such a worse; he him selfe most comonly deepest in the charge, and some times above his abillitie. And in this state he continued many years, doeing the best good he could, and walking according to the light he saw, till the Lord reveiled further unto him. And in the end, by the tirrany of the bishops against godly preachers and people, in silenceing the one and persecuting the other, he and many more of those times begane to looke further into
things, and to see into the unlawfullnes of their callings, and the burthen of many anti-christian corruptions, which both he and they endeavored to cast of; as they allso did, as in the begining of this treatis is to be seene. After they were joyned togither in comunion, he was a spetiall stay and help unto them. They ordinarily mett at his house on the Lords day, (which was a manor of the bishops,)and with great love he entertained them when they came, making provission for them to his great charge. He was the cheefe of those that were taken at Boston, and suffered the greatest loss; and of the seven that were kept longst in prison, and after bound over to the assises. Affter he came
into Holland he suffered much hardship, after he had spente the most of his means, haveing a great charge, and many children; and, in regard of his former breeding and course of life, not so fitt for many imployments
as others were, espetally such as were toylesume and laborious. But yet he ever bore his condition with much cherfullnes and contentstion. Towards the later parts of those 12. years spente in Holland, his outward condition was mended, and he lived well and plentifully; for he fell into a way (by reason he had the Latine tongue) to teach many
students, who had a disire to lerne the English tongue, to teach them English; and by his method they quickly attained it with great facilitie; for he drew rules to lerne it by, after the Latine maner; and many gentlemen, both Danes and Germans, resorted to him, as they had time from other studies, some of them being great mens sonnes. He also had means to set up printing, (by the help of some freinds,) and so had imploymente inoughg, and by reason of many books which would not be slowed to be printed in England, they might have had more then they could doe.` But now removeing into this countrie, all these things were laid aside againe, and a new course of living must be framed unto; in which he was no way unwilling to take his parte, and to bear his burthen with the rest, living many times withoutbread, or corns, many months together, having many times: nothing but fish, and often wanting that
also; and drunker nothing but water for many years togeather, yea, till within' 5. or 6. years of his death. And yet he lived (by the blessing of God) in health till very old age. And besids that, he would labour with his hands in the feilds as long as he was able; yet when the church had no other minister, he taught twise every Saboth, and that both
powerfully and profitably, to the great contentment of the hearers, and their comfortable edification; yea, many were brought to God by his ministrie. He did more in this behalfe in a year, then many that have their hundreds a year doe in all their lives. For his personall abilities, he was qualified above many; he was wise and discreete and well spoken, having a grave and deliberate utterance, of a very cherfull spirite, very sociable and pleasante amongst his freinds, of an humble and modest mind, of a peaceable disposition, under vallewing him self and his owne abilities, and some time over valewing others; inoffencive and innocents in his life and conversation, which gained him the love of those without, as well as those within; yet he would tell them plainely of their faults and evills, both publickly and privatly, but in such a manes as usually was well taken from him. He was tender harted, and
compassionate of such as were in miserie, but espetialy of such as had been of good estate and ranke, and were fallen unto want and poverty, either for goodnes and religions sake, or by the injury and oppression of others; he would say, of all men these deserved to be pitied most. And none did more offend and displease him then such as would hautily and proudly carry and lift up themselves, being rise from nothing, and haveing litle els in them to comend them but a few fine cloaths, or a litle riches more then others. In teaching, he was very moving and
stirring of affections, also very plaine and distincte in what he taught; by which means he became the more profitable to the hearers. He had a singuler good gift in prayer, both publick and private, in ripping up the hart and conscience before God, in the humble confession of sinne, and begging the mercies of God in Christ for the pardon of the same. He always thought it were better for ministers to pray oftener, and devide their prears, then be longe and tedious in the same (excepts upon sollemne and spetiall occations, as in days of humiliation and the like). His reason was, that the harte and spirits of all, espetialy the weake, could hardly continue and stand bente (as it were) so long towards God, as they ought to doe in that duty, without flagging and falling of. For the govermente of the church, (which was most proper to his office,) he was carfull to preserve good order in the same, and to
preserve puritie, both in the doctrine and comunion of the same; and to supress any errour or contention that might begine to rise up amongst them; and accordingly God gave good success to his indeavors herein all his days, and he saw the fruite of his labours in that behalfe. But I must breake of, having only thus touched a few, as it were, heads of things.

Comment by Rosemary Taylor on August 11, 2009 at 9:43pm

I have BARFORD/BAREFOOT, and GREENLAND in early Massachusetts. They have an interesting history as they were thrown out of the Colony, so they removed themselves to New Jersey as pioneer settlers. They were not Pilgrims.

I think it is very possible my DUDLEY MERRILL's ancestors came from New England, but I have not found the connection with proof. Dudley was born 1838 in London, Middlesex, Ontario, Canada to JOHN MERRILL and MARY REED (b. VT). I hope there are other Merrill descendants who will help me connect. My Dudley Merrill (a popular name) resided in Furnas County, Nebraska in 1880, and Decatur County, Kansas until just before 1900 when he disappeared. Great-grandmother said he made a trip back east to visit his family, and died. He is a mystery man.

It is likely that I have other lines to New England, but I do not have proof of descent as yet.

Comment by Vera Moore on August 7, 2009 at 12:31pm

I am descended from the Elder William Brewster via daughter Patience m. Thomas Prence via daugther Mercy m John Freeman......

Comment by Ada Nelson on July 17, 2009 at 9:03pm

I'm searching for the parents of John Jones, who was born about 1726 in Hebron, CT, and died 1 April 1821 in Hartford, CT. He married Amy Phelps 24 March 1747 in Hebron, CT, and they had 3 daughters and 5 sons. One possible set of parents are Ralph Jones and Thankful Jones who were cousins and descendants of Edward Fuller. I'm trying to locate sources for that time period.

Comment by Cheryle Hoover Davis on July 15, 2009 at 5:34am

I am descended from John Billington and Elinor's son, Nicholas. The name changed to Bullington. This was my grandmother's maiden name.

Comment by Guy G. Hawkins on July 14, 2009 at 9:11pm

Hi, Like Caren I am a descendent of John Howland and Elizabeth Tilley. I also believe there are Mayflower ancestors on the Hawkins side of my family down through the Holcombs.

Comment by Diane Mason Gray on July 13, 2009 at 8:51pm

My husband's ancestor, Edward Gray, married Mary Winslow, sister to the governor of the Plymouth Colony. Edward and Mary's descendants subsequently settled in Rhode Island. My husband's line went to New York, then Wisconsin, then Kansas. I'm interested in learning more about the descendants as well as the English immigrants from Stapleford Tawney, England.

Comment by Katrina Haney on July 13, 2009 at 5:58pm

Hi everyone, I try to add you all as a friend as you join, but sometimes I moss someone. If I do, please request friends to me and I will respond. Thanks!

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