The 1626 Adventurers and Purchasers

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The settlement at Plymouth had been financed by a group of merchants called the "Adventurers." In say 1626, 53 Plymouth planters, together with five London men, agreed to acquire the interests of the Adventurers in a particular payment scheme.^[1] As a group, the planters and London men (so, 58 names) are referred to as the "Purchasers."^[2] Give or take a year later, a smaller group of twelve persons--referred to as the "Undertakers"--replaced the interests of the Purchasers.^[3][4] In 1986, Eugene Aubrey Stratton wrote, "the list of Purchasers continued to be an important one for, in general, these people were privileged above others in future land grants in the colony."^[5]

A transcription of the 1626 compact, together with the names of the Adventurers, from William Bradford (1590-1657), Governor William Bradford's Letter Book (Boston: Massachusetts Society of Mayflower Descendants, 1906), p. 24-26; digital images, Hathi Trust.

To all christian people to whom this present writing indented

shall come greeting,

Whereas at a meeting the 26 of October last past, divers

and sundry persons, whose names to the one part of these

presents are subscribed in a schedule hereunto annexed, adven-

turers to New-Plymouth in New England in America, were

contented and agreed (in consideration of the sum of one

thousand and eight hundred pounds sterling to be paid unto

the said adventurers, in manner and form foll[ow]ing) to sell and

make sale of all and every the stocks, shares, lands, merchan-

dize, and chattles, whatsoever, to the said adventurers, and other

their fellow adventurers to New Plymouth aforesaid, accruing

or belonging to the generality of the said adventurers afore-

said; as well by reason of any sum or sums of money, or

merchandize, at any time heretofore adventured by them or

otherwise howsoever; for the better expression and setting

forth of which said agreement, the parties to these presents

subscribing, do for themselves severally, and as much as in

them is, grant, bargain, alien, sell, and transfer all and every

the said shares, goods, lands, merchandize, and chattles to them

belonging as aforesaid, unto Isaac Allerton, one of the planters

resident at New Plymouth aforesaid, assigned, and sent over

as agent for the rest of the planters residing there, and unto

such other planters at New Plymouth aforesaid, as the said

Isaac Allerton, his heirs, or assigns, at his or their arrival,

shall by writing or otherwise think fit to join, or partake in the

premises, their and every of their heirs, and assigns, in as large

and ample and beneficial manner and form, to all intents and

purposes, as the said subscribing adventurers here could

or may do, or perform; all which stocks, shares, lands, &c. to

the said adventurers, in severalty alloted, apportioned, or be-

longing; the said adventurers do warrant and defend unto the

said Isaac Allerton, his heirs and assigns, against them, their

heirs and assigns, by these presents : And therefore the said

Isaac Allerton for him, his heirs and assigns, covenant,

promise, and grant to and with the adventurers, whose

names are hereunto subscribed, their heirs, &c. well and truly

to pay, or cause to be paid, unto the said adventurers or five

of them which were, at that meeting aforesaid, nominated and

deputed, viz, John Pocock, John Beauchamp, Robert Keane,

Edward Base, and James Shirley, their heirs, &c. to, and for

the use of the generality of them, the sum of eighteen hundred

pounds of lawful money of England, at the place appointed

for the receipts of money, on the west side of the Royal Ex-

change in London, by two hundred pounds yearly, and every

year, on the feast day of St. Michael, which shall be in the

year 1628 : And the said Isaac Allerton, for him, his heirs, &c.

doth covenant and grant to, and with the said adventurers,

their heirs, &c. To do his, and their good endeavours, to pro-

cure, obtain, and get of, and from all the planters, at New

Plymouth aforesaid, or so many of them as he or they by per-

suasion and entreaty can or may, security by several obliga-

tions, or writings obligatory, to make payment of the said sum

of eighteen hundred pounds, in form aforesaid, according to

the true meaning of these presents. In testimony whereof, to

this part of these presents, remaining with the said Isaac Aller-

ton, the said subscribing adventurers, have set to their names,

&c. And to the other part of these presents remaining with

the said adventurers, the said Isaac Allerton hath subscribed

his name, the 15th of November, Anno 1626, and in the second

year of our sovereign Lord, King Charles, by the

grace of God, King of England, &c. Subscribed thus as fol-

loweth:

-----------------------------In all [The Adventurers totaled] forty-two

The Purchasers' names, as below, from Nathaniel B. Shurtleff, ed., Records of the Colony of New Plymouth in New England, 12 vols. in 10, 2:177; digital images, Hathi Trust.

The above 53 names were all considered planters. The Purchasers also included five London men:

Mr James Sherley

Mr Beauchampe,

Mr Andrewes

Mr Hatherley

Mr Wm Thomas

-----------------------------In all [the Purchasers totaled] 58.

See also Eugene Aubrey Stratton, Plymouth Colony: Its History and People, 1620-1691 (Salt Lake City: Ancestry Publishing, 1986), Appendix F (p. 419+), "The 1626 Purchasers" for greater explanation and comment that, "The list ... was obviously compiled after the 1626 agreement, for Richard Warren died in 1628, and his wife['s name is listed], and John Billington was hanged in 1630, [... only his surname appears on the list]."

Sources

1. ↑ William Bradford (1590-1657), Governor William Bradford's Letter Book (Boston: Massachusetts Society of Mayflower Descendants, 1906), p. 24-26; digital images, Hathi Trust.
2. ↑ Nathaniel B. Shurtleff, ed., Records of the Colony of New Plymouth in New England, 12 vols. in 10, 2:177; digital images, Hathi Trust.
3. ↑ Roland G Usher, The Pilgrims and their History (New York: MacMillan Co, 1918), 95, 152-3, "July 1627 Undertakers"; digital images, InternetArchive.
4. ↑ Eugene Aubrey Stratton, Plymouth Colony: Its History and People, 1620-1691 (Salt Lake City:Ancestry Publishing 1986), Appendix F, p. 419.
5. ↑ Eugene Aubrey Stratton, Plymouth Colony: Its History and People, 1620-1691 (Salt Lake City:Ancestry Publishing 1986), Appendix F, p. 419.