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Howland, John

Howland, John

Male 1593 - 1673  (~ 81 years)

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  • Name Howland, John  [1
    Birth Between 1592 and 1593  Fenstanton, Huntingdonshire, England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Mayflower # 19049 
    Tombstone Photo Plymouth, Plymouth Co., MA Find all individuals with events at this location  [2
    Burial Hill 
    Death 23 Feb 1673  Plymouth, Plymouth Co., MA Find all individuals with events at this location  [2
    Burial 25 Feb 1673  Plymouth, Plymouth Co., MA Find all individuals with events at this location  [2
    Person ID i41561  My Damon Genealogy
    Last Modified 3 Mar 2014 

    Father Howland, Henry,   b. 1564, Fenstanton, Huntingdonshire, England Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 17 May 1635, Fenstanton, Huntingdonshire, England Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 71 years) 
    Relationship Natural 
    Mother Aires, Anne Margaret,   b. Abt 1567, Fenstanton, Hants, England Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 30 Jul 1629, Fenstanton, Huntingdonshire, England Find all individuals with events at this location (Age ~ 62 years) 
    Relationship Unknown 
    Marriage 26 Apr 1600  Ely, Cambridge, England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Notes 
    • They were married in Ely Cathedral, St. Mary's Church.
    Family ID F8895  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Howland, John,   b. Between 1592 and 1593, Fenstanton, Huntingdonshire, England Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 23 Feb 1673, Plymouth, Plymouth Co., MA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age ~ 81 years) 
    Marriage 14 Sep 1623  [3
    Children 
     1. Howland, Desire,   b. 13 Oct 1625, Plymouth, Plymouth Co., MA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 13 Oct 1683, Yarmouth, Barnstable Co., MA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 58 years)  [Father: Natural]  [Mother: Natural]
     2. Howland, John Jr.,   b. 24 Feb 1627, Plymouth, Plymouth Co., MA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1702, Barnstable, Barnstable Co., MA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 74 years)  [Father: Unknown]  [Mother: Unknown]
     3. Howland, Hope,   b. 30 Aug 1629, Plymouth, Plymouth Co., MA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 08 Jan 1683, Barnstable, Barnstable Co., MA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 53 years)  [Father: Unknown]  [Mother: Natural]
     4. Howland, Deborah,   b. Bef 1630, England Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 16 Oct 1665, Probably Dartmouth, Bristol Co., MA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age > 35 years)  [Father: Natural]  [Mother: Natural]
     5. Howland, Elizabeth,   b. Abt 1631, Possibly Maine Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1691, Oyster Bay, Nassau Co., NY Find all individuals with events at this location (Age ~ 60 years)  [Father: Natural]  [Mother: Natural]
     6. Howland, Lydia,   b. Feb 1634, Possibly Maine Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Aft 11 Jan 1711 (Age ~ 77 years)  [Father: Natural]  [Mother: Unknown]
     7. Howland, Hannah,   b. Abt 1637, Possibly Maine Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1705, Swansea, Bristol Co., MA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age ~ 68 years)  [Father: Unknown]  [Mother: Natural]
     8. Howland, Ruth,   b. 16 Sep 1637, Rocky Nook, Plymouth Co., MA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Bef 16 Oct 1675, Plympton, Plymouth Co., MA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age < 38 years)  [Father: Natural]  [Mother: Unknown]
     9. Howland, Captain Joseph,   b. Abt 1640, Rocky Nook, Plymouth Co., MA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 01 Jan 1704, Plymouth, Plymouth Co., MA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age ~ 64 years)  [Father: Unknown]  [Mother: Natural]
     10. Howland, Lt. Jabez,   b. Abt 1644, Kingston, Plymouth Co., MA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Bef 06 Feb 1712, Bristol, MA now RI Find all individuals with events at this location (Age ~ 68 years)
     11. Howland, Isaac,   b. 15 Nov 1649, Rocky Nook, Plymouth Co., MA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 09 Mar 1723, Middleborough, Plymouth Co., MA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 73 years)  [Father: Unknown]  [Mother: Natural]
    Family ID F16473  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 3 Mar 2014 

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBirth - Between 1592 and 1593 - Fenstanton, Huntingdonshire, England Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsTombstone Photo - Burial Hill - - Plymouth, Plymouth Co., MA Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDeath - 23 Feb 1673 - Plymouth, Plymouth Co., MA Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBurial - 25 Feb 1673 - Plymouth, Plymouth Co., MA Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 
    Pin Legend  : Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  • Headstones
    Howland Children - Tombstone Memorial
    Howland Children - Tombstone Memorial
    Howland, John
    Howland, John
    Howland, John
    Howland, John

  • 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.)"

  • Sources 
    1. [S531] Brøderbund Software, Inc., World Family Tree Vol. 7, Ed. 1, (Name: Release date: October 17, 1996;), Tree #2867.
      Date of Import: 21 Oct 1997

    2. [S902] Burial Hill, (Plymouth, Plymouth County, Massachusetts; in the center of Plymouth between School and Russell Sts, behind the First Parish Church), John Howland marker.

    3. [S404] Frederic A. Godcharles, Litt. D., Pennsylvania Political, Governmental, Military and Civil Biographical Volume 2, (Name: The American Historical Society, Inc., New York;), pg 271.