Howland, John

Other Events and Attributes:

• Mayflower: # 19049
• Tombstone Photo: Plymouth, Plymouth Co., MA; Burial Hill

Notes:

From: The Pilgrim Republic, An Historical Review of the Colony of New Plymouth. 1920
"Still the storms continued, sometimes forcing the battered "Mayflower" to "lie to" for days. On one of thee occasions, John Howland, "a lusty young man", came on deck, when in a "seel" of the ship he was licked up by a wave and carried overboard. The coil of the topsail-halyards had also been washed over, and trailed in the sea. Howland being fortunate enough to catch this, though the waves rolled over him fathoms deep, kept his grip until hauled alongside, where he was safely fished up with a boat-hook. A short illness was the result; but John was reserved for many a year of noble to the Colony."

John, came in the Mayflower, as servant or steward of Mr. John Carver. Signed the compact; took an active part in the explorations of Mass. Settled at Plymouth. Town officer; a partner in the trading Co. of the colony; assistant or deputy almost continually. Prominent in the church, so that he" assisted in the imposition of hands" upon Rev. John Cotton, Jr. when he was ordained pastor June 30, 1669. He married Elizabeth, daughter of John Tillie.
He died 2-23-1672, " a profitable instrument of good; the last man that was left of those that came over with the ship called the Mayflower that arrived at Plymouth". He made will May 29, Pro. March 6, 1672. Grown aged; Bequeathed. to wife Elizabeth his house in Rockey Nook, in the Town of Plymouth and made her residuary legatee; Bequeathed. to sons John, Jabez, Issac, Joseph; to daughters, Desire Gorham, Hope Chipman, Elizabeth Dickerson, Lydia Browne, Hannah Boswoth, and Ruth Cushman; to. Grandchildren, Elizabeth Daughter. of his son John.
John Howland the 13 signer of the Mayflower compact made at Cape Cod, November11, 1620. Came from Essex, England; Queen Elizabeth granted the Howland's their Coat Armor in 1584, the family beginning with Bishop Howland, who performed the obsequies { funeral services} for Mary Queen of Scots. On the voyage to America during a mighty storm John Howland was thrown into the sea, but grasping the top sail halyards that were thrown out to him by his friends, he was safely drawn on the vessel. He was the last survivor of the Mayflower, and he took part in the { first encounter} great meadow creek, December 1620; Governors Assistant, 1633 to 1635. In command of the Kennebec Trading Post 1624. Deputy to General court 1641. Info Colonial Families of the United States of America.

Printed in Pennsylvania Political, Governmental, Military and Civil Biographical Volume 2 by Frederic A. Godcharles, pg 271. "The Howland family of our interest is probably of Essex origin, but the parentage of the immigrant ancestor of the line, John Howland, is unknown. The will of Humphrey Howland, a draper of St. Swithin's, London, dated 1646, mentioned his brothers, George, of St. Dunstan's in the eastern part of London, and Arthur, John and Henry. An Arthur and Henry Howland, known to have been brothers, came to Plymouth as early as 1625. Arthur Howland later removed to Marshfield, and Henry Howland to Duxbury. Humphrey Howland in his will mentioned a debt owed him by Mr. Ruch of New England, amounting to sixteen pounds, and divided it among his three brothers, Arthur, Henry and John.
(C.E. Banks: "English Ancestry and Homes of Pilgram Fathers," p. 65.)
(I) John Howland was born in 1594 and was one of that noteworthy company who sailed for New England on the "Mayflower" in 1620. Where he came from is not known. During a storm, while the "Mayflower" was crossing the Atlantic, John Howland was carried overboard by the waves. Governor Bradford describes the incident: "In a mightie storme a lustie yonge man called John Howland, coming upon some occasion above ye gratting, was with a seele of the ship throwne into ye se; but it pleased God yt he caught hold of ye top saile halliards which hunge overboard, and rane out at length; yet he held his hould till he was held up by ye same rope to ye brine of ye water, and then with a boat hooke and other means got into ye ship again and his life was saved; and though he was something ill with it, yet he lived many years after, and became a profitable member both in Church and commone wealth."
When the vessel reached Cape Cod, he was among the party of ten who were sent out to select the location of their new homes. They were driven by a storm into Plymouth Harbor, which they chose for the settlement. Prior to landing, the passengers drew up the Compact which became the basis for their government. John Howland, then aged twenty-eight, was the thirteenth singer.
He was frequently called to public office. From 1633 to 1636 he was a member of the governor's council, in 1633 and 1634 assessor, in 1636 served on the jury, and in 1666 was selectman of Plymouth. He represented the town as deputy from 1652 to 1656 and in 1658, 1661, 1663, 1667, and 1670. A few years after founding of their colony, the Pilgrams established a trading post on the Kennebec River in Maine, of which he was placed in charge. While there he was obliged to defend the post from the encroachment of John Hocking, who attempted to trade within the limits of the Plynouth patent and who killed Moses Talbot, one of Howland's men. The event caused considerable excitement at the time. his other public service, consisting of laying out land, settling disputes, constucting highways and serving on various town committees, made him a man of repute. He was appointed by the church ro join in the imposition of hands at the time of the ordination of John Cotton, Jr. His home was at Rocky Nook, Plymouth, but he acquired land in other townships, including one hundred acres on the east side of Taunton River, some upland and meadows in Middlebury, and at Satuckett and Paomett, as well as several grants at Plynmouth itself. He died April 23, 1672-73. His will is dated 1672 and was exhibited in court March 5, 1673. It is probable that his grave in on Burial Hill, where a headstone was placed by descendants in 1836. It is now in the possession of the Prilgram John Howland Society.
John Howland married, August 14, 1623, Elizabeth Tilley, daughter of John Tilley, who came over in the "Mayflower" with her father. Children: 1. Desire, of whom further. 2. John, married Mary Lee. 3. Jabez, married Bethiah Thatcher. 4. Hope, married Elder John Chipman. 5. Elizabeth, married (first) Ephraim Hicks; (second) John Dickarson. 6. Lydia, married James Brown. 7. Ruth, married Thomas Cushman. 8. Hannah, married Jonathan Bosworth. 9. Joseph, married, February 7, 1664, Elizabeth Southworth. 10. Issac
(F. Howland: "Genealical and Biographical History of Arthur, Henry and John Howland," pp 18, 315-323. Prilgram John Howland Society: "John Howland, a Mayflower Pilgram," pp. 31-34. Goodwin: "Pilgram Republic," p. 293)
(II) Desrie Howland, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Tilley) Howland, was born at Plymouth, Massachusetts. She married Captain John Gorham. (Gorham II.)
(The "Mayflower Descendent," Vol. I, pp 9, 11; Vol II, pp. 70-77; Vol III, pp. 181-83. A. Otis: "Genealogical Notes of Barnstable Families," Vol I, pp. 1569-65. F. Howland: "Howland Family in America," pp. 316-24.)"

John married Tilley, Elizabeth on 14 Sep 1623. Elizabeth was born in 1596 in Henlow, Bedford, England; died on 13 Dec 1687 in Swansea, Bristol Co., MA; was buried in Swansea, Bristol Co., MA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Howland, Desire was born on 13 Oct 1625 in Plymouth, Plymouth Co., MA; died on 13 Oct 1683 in Yarmouth, Barnstable Co., MA.
2. Howland, John Jr. was born on 24 Feb 1627 in Plymouth, Plymouth Co., MA; died in 1702 in Barnstable, Barnstable Co., MA.
3. Howland, Hope was born on 30 Aug 1629 in Plymouth, Plymouth Co., MA; died on 08 Jan 1683 in Barnstable, Barnstable Co., MA; was buried in Barnstable, Barnstable Co., MA.
4. Howland, Deborah was born before 1630 in England; died on 16 Oct 1665 in Probably Dartmouth, Bristol Co., MA.
5. Howland, Elizabeth was born about 1631 in Possibly Maine; died in 1691 in Oyster Bay, Nassau Co., NY.
6. Howland, Lydia was born in Feb 1634 in Possibly Maine; died after 11 Jan 1711.
7. Howland, Hannah was born about 1637 in Possibly Maine; died in 1705 in Swansea, Bristol Co., MA.
8. Howland, Ruth was born on 16 Sep 1637 in Rocky Nook, Plymouth Co., MA; died before 16 Oct 1675 in Plympton, Plymouth Co., MA.
9. Howland, Captain Joseph was born about 1640 in Rocky Nook, Plymouth Co., MA; died on 01 Jan 1704 in Plymouth, Plymouth Co., MA.
10. Howland, Lt. Jabez was born about 1644 in Kingston, Plymouth Co., MA; died before 06 Feb 1712 in Bristol, MA now RI.
11. Howland, Isaac was born on 15 Nov 1649 in Rocky Nook, Plymouth Co., MA; died on 09 Mar 1723 in Middleborough, Plymouth Co., MA; was buried .

Notes:

He was buried 19 May, 1635.

Henry Howland was a yeoman, a farmer who cultivates his own land. Their children included sons Arthur, John, Humphrey, George, Simon and Henry, and daughter Margaret. Their sons Humphrey, George, and Simon were merchants in London; and Arthur, John, and Henry went to America. Margaret married Richard Phillips of Fen Stanton.

Henry married Aires, Anne Margaret on 26 Apr 1600 in Ely, Cambridge, England. Anne was born about 1567 in Fenstanton, Hants, England; died on 30 Jul 1629 in Fenstanton, Huntingdonshire, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Fenstanton, Huntingdonshire, ENGLAND, Margaret was buried there 31
July 1629.

Notes:

They were married in Ely Cathedral, St. Mary's Church.

Notes:

He died in St. Mary, Whitechapel.

John married Revell, Emma about 1560 in Essex, England. Emma (daughter of Revell, Nicholas and Revell, Blank) was born about 1542 in Essex, England; died in 1614 in Middlesex, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Also Known As: The Elder

John married Greenway, Agnes. Agnes was born about 1515 in Essex, England; died in 1586 in St. Peter le Poor, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Nicholas married Revell, Blank about 1538 in England. Blank was born about 1513 in Middlesex, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]