Who Were the Pilgrims? Part I.

Happy Thanksgiving! Hope it's been wonderful! I'm glad to be back, I've been swamped.


I'll give you a hint about the Pilgrims: they're more interesting than you think, and they were a lot like us. Here's the rundown on the Mayflower passengers. Those surviving to partake in the first Thanksgiving are in bold.


By the way, whatever happened to The Mayflower? It was only intended to ever be a cargo ship. Its main cargo was wine, but its most famous cargo was people. It was built sometime before 1607, when it was bought by Christopher Jones. It was retired in March 1622, and was dismantled and sold in 1624. Pretty sad, but it was a piece of junk by the time the Pilgrims got hold of it anyway.

• John Alden, age 21. Born 1599. Barrel-maker, hired to stay in Plymouth for one year, but decided to stay. Married Priscilla Mullins, 10 kids. Arrested in Massachusetts Bay Colony because he witnessed a double murder. Pretty awesome guy. Died 1687, age 89.

• Isaac Allerton, age 34. Born 1586. Tailor. Married Mary Norris, Fear Brewster, Joanna Swinnerton. 7 kids. Was sent to England to negotiate the colony's debt, but used the opportunity for personal gain. Moved to New Haven where he was a prominent trader. Died 1658, age 72.

• Mary Norris Allerton, age 30. Born 1590. Married Isaac Allerton, 5 kids. Gave birth to stillborn son on Mayflower. Died 1621, age 31.

• Bartholomew Allerton, age 08. Born 1612. Married Margaret, Sarah Fairfax, 4 kids. Moved back to England. Died 1658, age 46.

• Remember Allerton, age 06. Born 1614. Married Moses Maverick, 7 kids. Died 1652-56, age 38-42.
• Mary Allerton, age 04. Born 1616. Married Thomas Cushman, 8 kids. Died 1699, age 83. Last surviving Mayflower passenger.

• John Allerton, age unknown. Birth date, unknown. Married, spouse unknown. 1 child, already dead. Died 1620, age unknown. Planned to return to Holland to help other Pilgrims come over, but died during first winter. Related to Isaac, relationship unknown.

• John Billington, age 40. Born 1580. Married Eleanor, 2 kids. Died 1630, age 50. Tried for contempt, 1621. Punishment was to have his head and heels tied together, but he apologized and was let off. 1624, involved in failed revolt against the church. Played dumb, never charged. 1630, shot and killed John Newcomen. Hanged for murder.

• Eleanor Billington, age 38. Born 1582. Married John Billington, Gregory Armstrong, 2 kids. Sentenced to sit in the stocks and a public whipping, 1636. Died 1642, age 50.

• John Billington, age 16. Born 1604. No wife, kids. 1621, wandered off and fell in with Indians on Cape Cod. They sent out a rescue party, but he was fine. Died 1627-30, age 23-26.

• Francis Billington, age 14. Born 1606. Married Christian Penn Eaton, 9 kids. Nearly blew up the Mayflower when he fired his dad's musket inside the cabin and sparks landed on an open keg of gunpowder. Died 1684, age 78.

• William Bradford, age 31. Married Dorothy May, Alice Carpenter Southworth, 4 kids. Governor of Plymouth. Died, 1657, age 68.

• Dorothy May Bradford, age 23. Married William Bradford, 1 child. Died December 1620, age 23. Fell off the Mayflower in Plymouth Harbor and drowned, 07 December 1620.

• William Brewster, age 54. Born 1566. Church Elder. Married Mary, 6 kids. Died 1644, age 78.

• Mary Brewster, age 51. Born 1569. Married William Brewster, 6 kids. Died 1627, age 58.

• Love Brewster, age 11. Born 1611. Married Sarah Collier, 4 kids. Died 1651, age 40.

• Wrestling Brewster, age 06. Born 1614. Never married. Died 1627-44, age 13-30. Why is he named Wrestling? I don't know. My best guess is that Papa Brewster had the Bible story of Jacob WRESTLING the angel in mind. But maybe he was just a fan of guys in spandex beating each other with chairs.

• John Britteridge, age 39. Born 1581. Married, unknown. Children, unknown. Not a servant. Died 1620, age 39. First to die once Mayflower reached Plymouth Harbor.

• Peter Browne, age 25. Born 1595. Married Martha Ford, Mary. 4 kids. Died 1633, age 38.

• William Button, age 15. Born 1605. Never married. Died 06 November 1620, age 15. The only passenger to die on the Mayflower, he died three days before land was sighted.

• Robert Carter, age 13-18. Born 1602-07. Never married. Died 1620, age 13-18.

• John Carver, age unknown. Married Marie de Lannoy, Katherine White Legatt. 2 children. First governor of Plymouth. Died 1621 of a sunstroke. Katherine died soon after of a broken heart.

• Katherine White Carver, age 50s. Married George Legatt, John Carver. 2 kids. Died of a broken heart (whatever that means) weeks after her husband died, in spring 1621.

Part 2 coming later tonight or tomorrow! (Whenever my internet is not so grouchy.)