History
Remembering the Unsung Pilgrims
Everyone knows the famous Pilgrims, but what about all the other, lesser-known Pilgrims? Here’s the scoop on a few of our B-list forefathers and mothers.
By Ken Sheldon|Nov 09 2015|
Photo Credit: Mark Brewer
Remembering the Unsung Pilgrims
Isaac ‘Insider’ Allerton
The original wheeler-dealer, Allerton was among those responsible for repaying the Pilgrims’ debt to the investors who had financed their trip. Instead, he embezzled from those funds and was banished from the colony. A true survivor, Allerton nevertheless succeeded in business and ended up with houses in both New Haven and lower Manhattan, near where Wall Street stands today—which figures.Francis ‘Boom-Boom’ Billington
While the Mayflower was still in Plymouth Harbor, young Francis—an “active” child if ever there was one—got hold of his father’s musket and fired it off, showering sparks near an open barrel of gunpowder, which could easily have blown up the ship. Later, members of the Billington family were found guilty of sedition, scandal, slander, and even murder. They were the family you didn’t want to live next door to.Mary Brewster
Wife of William Brewster, the Pilgrims’ religious leader, Mary was one of only five adult women to survive the first winter at Plymouth and make it to the first Thanksgiving—which she had to help cook, of course. No big surprise that one of Mary’s many descendants was Julia Child.Stephen Hopkins
The Mayflower voyage was Hopkins’s second trip to the New World. His first ship, headed to Jamestown, Virginia, was wrecked off Bermuda. There Hopkins mutinied and narrowly escaped being hanged. He eventually returned to England and came back to the Americas aboard the Mayflower. In Plymouth, he established the first tavern, where he was fined several times for serving liquor on the Lord’s Day, overcharging for spirits, and allowing drunkenness in his establishment. The local Chamber of Commerce at the time voted him “Most Likely to End Up in the Stocks.”Edward ‘Temper, Temper’ Doty
The “honor” of fighting the first duel in the New World goes to Edward Doty and Edward Leister, servants of Stephen Hopkins. No one knows what the dueling Eds were arguing about, but their punishment was to be tied together hand and foot for 24 hours. Doty spent the rest of his life in Plymouth, where he was known for his quick temper, appearing in court numerous times and managing to avoid public service of any kind—which is probably just as well.Goodman & Browne
Working in the woods one day, John Goodman and Peter Browne took a lunch break and went for a walk with their dogs. The dogs saw a deer and chased it, so the men went after them. They got lost in the process and spent the night pacing beneath a tree—and ready to climb it—because they heard what they thought were “two lions roaring exceedingly.” No truth to the rumor that descendants of Browne and Goodman founded AAA.Alice Mullins
This unsung heroine was married to shoemaker William Mullins, who brought 250 shoes and 13 pairs of boots with him on the Mayflower. (“But did you remember the sunscreen? No.”) Sadly, Alice died soon after arriving at Plymouth, but she nevertheless had a vast number of descendants, one of whom was Marilyn Monroe, who also had a lot of shoes.Susanna ‘Me First’ White
A fortunate survivor of that first winter, Susanna had some notable firsts to her credit: first baby born in the new colony (while the ship was still in the harbor); first bride, a few months after her first husband died; and first person to say of Plymouth Rock, “That’s it?”
Just wondering where the Kenyon name is, don’t see it here.
I’m a descendant of Edward Doty…. now Is see where my brother gets his personality from.
It’s an honor to be descended from the first recorded European duel fighter in America. Thanks for the genetic blessing of a hot temper Grandpa Doty!
The Kenyons didn’t come w/the Mayflower. I believe they came after 1630 with the Winthrop Fleet or the Hull Company.
I’m descended from Richard Warren, Francis Cooke, Isaac Allerton, Francis Eaton, the children of Francis Billington & Christian Penn Eaton, Thomas Rogers, George Soule, Francis Eaton and John & Priscilla Mullins 🙂 So far… I still have 2 more family lines I’ve barely delved into yet. All of these people are connected to one another so more discoveries are always possible. 🙂
We must be related!! My grandfather was Ernest Billington! My mom Alice E Billington Woodacre????
Sharon, Richard Warren ‘s grandson,James married Mercy Otis Warren!
While starting my genealogy trek, the dear sweet librarian at my nearby Family History Center explained to me, “I have been able to trace my family allllll the way back — to the first person who was hanged in the colonies.” Behind every Mayflower passenger (and all subsequent sea sick immigrants), lurk a few tales for future Thanksgiving tables. God Bless their sinister little hearts! ‘Tis the stuff family lore is built upon.
Not all the passengers were Pilgrims. Myles Standish was the security. I am a descendant of many of the families on both mother’s and father’s families. Many of these families went to Nova Scotia (like Sally Field’s) after revolution war.
Under Goodman and Browne, I believe you were referring to AA, not AAA.
Loved reading about the B listers. I am a descendant of the Billington family, of the Mayflower. My mother’s father was Ernest Billington of New Bedford, Ma. My mother traced the lineage, many yrs ago. Loved visiting Plymouth Plantation, where the Ol’ drunkard Billington would be lying under a tree asleep. We all have our “ those relatives”, don’t we? Thank you Yankee magazine!
I don’t see the Soule family listed.
My forefather, named Hill, was one of Mayflower carpenters
You don’t mention John Howland and Elizabeth Tilley. John, like John Alden , was a “stranger”, meaning that he was not a pilgrim, but was hired by the company to be a laborer or pursue a trade. Both men did sign the Mayflower Compact. John Howland married Elizabeth Tilley who was orphaned in the first winter, as was Priscilla Mullins. She, Elizabeth, was only 14 years old, so I don’t know when they married.
My wife’s family is descended from both John Alden and John Howland, and so are my children.
This was interesting to read. I am a direct descendant down from William Brewster, but many of the others I have that daughters married into my Hurlbut line.
John Howland was another interesting young Pilgrim who was an “indentured servant” to John Carver. He fell overboard in rough water but, thankfully for our family, was rescued and pulled safely back onboard the Mayflower! He married Elizabeth Tilley and they had 10 children…John was a signer of the Mayflower Compact.
My ancestor, Experience Mitchell married Francis Cooks daughter, Jane.
Experience was the first Mitchell to come to this country.