Plymouth Colony was the second permanent English settlement in America. The colonists who settled there became known as the Pilgrims because od their wanderings in search of religious freedom. In 1620, Colonists from England sailed across the Atlantic in the Mayflower and established their colony on the rocky western shores of Cape Cod Bay in southeastern Massachusetts. This region had been called Plimouth on John Smith's map of New England, drawn in 1614. Plymouth Colony remained independent until 1691, when it became part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
Most of the Pilgrims were "Separatists" (Puritans who had separated from the Church of England). The government of England had arrested and tried the Separatists because of their nonconformity (refusal to belong to the Church of England). In 1608, a group of the Separatists moved to the Netherlands. After a few years, some of them became dissatisfied, and felt things would be better in a new land. They secured financial backing in London, and in 1620, left the Netherlands in a small ship called the Speedwell. The ship stopped in England and and others joined along in the Mayflower. The Speedwell was not very seaworthy and twice the group returned to England. Finally in September 1620, the Mayflower sailed alone from Plymouth, England. The ship carried 102 passengers, including women and children.
William Bradford, second govenor of Plymouth, wrote a history of the Mayflower adventure, including this passenger list.
Mr. John Carver; Katherine, his wife, Desire Minter; & 2 man-servants, John Howland, Roger Wilder; William Latham, a boy; & a maid servant, & a child called Jasper More.
Mr. William Brewster; Mary, his wife; with 2 sons whose names were Love & Wrastling; and a boy with put to him called Richard More; and another of his brothers. The rest of his children were left behind & came over afterwards.
Mr. Edward Winslow, Elizabeth, his wife; and 2 men servants, called Georg Sowle and Elias Story; also a little girl was put to him, called Ellen, the sister of Richard More.
William Bradford, Dorothy, his wife; having but one child, a sone, left behind, who came afterward.
Mr. Issac Allerton, Mary his wife, with 3 children, Bartholmew, Remember, & Mary, and a servant by, John Hooke.
Mr. Samuel Fuller, and a servant, called William Butten. His wife was left behind, and a child, which came afterward.
John Crakston, and his sone, John Crakston.
Captain Myles Standish, and Rose, his wife.
Mr. Christopher Martin, his wife; and 2 servants, who were Salamon Prower and John Langemore.
Mr.William Mullines, and his wife, and 2 children, Joseph and Pricilla; and a servant, Robart Carter.
Mr. William White, and Susana, his wife; and one sone, called Resolved, and one borne a ship-board caled Perigriene; and 2 servants, named William Hilbeck & Edward Thomson.
Mr. Steven Hopkins, & Elizabeth, his wife; and 2 children, called Giles, and Constanta, a daughter, both by a former wife; and 2 more by this wife, called Damaris, & Oceanus; the last was borne at sea; and 2 servants, called Edward Doty and Edward Lister.
Mr. Richard Warren; but his wife and children were lefte behind, and came afterwards.
John Billinton, and Elen, his wife; and 2 sones, John & Francis.
Edward Tillie, and Ann, his wife; and 2 children that were cossens, Henery Samson and Humillity Coper.
John Tillie, and his wife;and Elizabeth, his daughter.
Francis Cooke, and his sone John. But his wife and other children came afterwards.
Thomas Rogers, and Jpseph, his sone. His other childre came afterwards.
Thomas Tinker,and his wife, and a sone.
John Rigdale, and Alice, his wife.
James Chilton, and his wife, Mary; their dougter. They had anothe dougter, yt was maried, came afterward.
Edward Fuller, and his wife, Samuell;, their sone.
John Turner, and 3 sones. He had a doughter came some years after to Salem, wher she is now living.
Francis Eaton, and Sarah, his wife; and Samuell, their sone, a young child.
Moyses Fletcher, John Goodman, Thomas Williams, Digerie Preist, Edmond Margeson, Peter Browne, Richard Britterige, Richard Clarke, Richard Gardenar, Gilbert Winslow.
John Alden was hired for a cooper, at Souht Hampton, wher the ship victuled; and being a hopeful young man, was much desired, but left ot his owne liking to go or stay when he came here; but he stayed, and maryed here.
John Allerton and Thomas Enlish were both hired, the later to goe mr (master) od a shalop here, and ye other was reputed as one of ye company, but was to go back (being a seaman) for the help of others behind. But they both dyed here, before the ship returned.
Ther were allso other 2 seaman hired to stay a year here in the country, William Trevoremad one Ely. But when their time was out, they both returned.
There, being about a hundred sowls, came over in this ship; and began this worke, which God of his goodnes hath hithertoo blesed; let his holy name have ye praise.
[Did you notice the spelling? Count how many men were named John. Hope they didn't need to call for John too many time on board the ship or in the colony as well. (Giggles)]
Although 102 Pligrims sailed from England, one died and another was born during the voyage. So 102 reached the harbor at Provincetown, Massachuettes. Four more died and one was born there. The group that landed at Plymouth consisted of 99 Pilgrims.
A rough passage of 64 days brought the Mayflower to Cape Cod on November 20. The sea-weary Pilgrims were anxious to learn more about the country. For almost a month, they explored the coast around Cape Cod Bay. They had to take refuge on an island in Plymouth harbor during a blinding snowstorm. On December 21, 1620, they landed at Plymouth. There they found a stream with clear pure water, some cleared land, and a hill that could be fortified. This site was once an Indian village, but a smallpox plague had wiped out all the Indians in 1617. The Pilgrims decided that this would be their new home. The Mayflower sailed across Cape Cod Bay and anchored in Plymouth harbor on December 26.
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