Edward (Leister) Litster (bef. 1598 - aft. 1623)

Born before 1598 in England

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Edward (Leister) Litster was a passenger on the Mayflower. Join: Mayflower Project Discuss: mayflower

Biography

Edward Litster and Edward Doty, passengers on the Mayflower in 1620, were servants of passenger Stephen Hopkins (1581-1644).^[1]

Edward Liester / Leister / Leiscester signed the Mayflower Compact 11 Nov 1620.^[2]

Plymouth Colony Duel 18 June 1621, Hopkins' two servants committed the second offense in the colony, "the first Duell fought in New England, upon a Challenge at single Combat with Sword & Dagger between Edward Doty and Edward Leister ... Both being wounded, the one in the hand the other in the Thigh." They were sentenced by the Company to have their head and feet tied together for 24 hours, but the sentence was commuted after an hour due to their apparent suffering and the plea of their master Stephen Hopkins for their release.^[3]

Two men named Edward, without surnames, following the name of Stephen Hopkins, were enumerated in the 1623 Land Division. No doubt the two servants of Hopkins. Edward was not listed in the 1627 division of cattle.^[4]

Move to Virginia William Bradford in his history of the colony wrote: "Litster, after he was at liberty, went to Virginia & ther dyed."^[1] His name does not appear, however, in either of the two lists of Virginia inhabitants compiled in February 1623/4 and February 1624/5.^[5]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Bradford, William. History of Plymouth Plantation. (Boston:, 1856) p. 448, 455.
2. ↑ Morton, Nathaniel. New England's memorial. (Boston: Congregational board of publication, 1855) Originally published 1669.p. 26 Note: The original compact is gone. Morton furnished the earliest known list 1669 facsimile
3. ↑ Prince, Thomas. A Chronological History of New-England in the Form of Annals : Being a Summary and Exact Account of the Most Material Transactions and Occurrences Relating to this Country, in the Order of Time Wherein They Happened, From the Discovery by Capt. Gosnold in 1602, to the Arrival of Governor Belcher, in 1730 : With an Introduction, Containing a Brief Epitome of ... Events Abroad, from the Creation, Including ... the Gradual Discoveries of America, and the Progress of the Reformation to the Discovery of New-England (Boston : N.E., Printed by Kneeland & Green for S. Gerrish, 1736) p. 105
4. ↑ Shurtleff, Nathaniel Bradstreet (ed.) Records of the colony of New Plymouth, in New England. (Boston : Press of W. White 1855) Vol. 12 Deeds, &c. Vol. 1 1620-1651 & Book of Indian Records for their lands p. 4; pp 9-13
5. ↑ Robert Charles Anderson, The Piligrim Migration: Immigrants to Plymouth Colony 1620-1633, Boston, New England Historic Genelogical Society 2004 p 304 - 305

See Also:

• Pilgrim Village Families Sketch: Edward Leister
• Robert C. Anderson. The Great Migration Begins. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1995.
• Robert C. Anderson. The Pilgrim Migration. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2004.
• Bradford, William, 1590-1657. Of Plimoth Plantation: manuscript, 1630-1650. State Library of Massachusetts "List of Mayflower Passengers." In Bradford's Hand.
• Mayflower Society - Passengers Who Died With No Known Descent

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