Location: [unknown]
Surnames/tags: Puritan_Great_Migration Ships
Winthrop Fleet
The Winthrop Fleet was a group of eleven sailing ships under the leadership of John Winthrop that carried approximately 700 Puritans plus livestock and provisions from England to New England over the summer of 1630. (1)
Winthrop's Journal lists the eleven ships that were in his fleet: Arbella, The flagship, designated 'Admiral'; Talbot, Designated 'Vice Admiral'; Ambrose, Designated 'Rear Admiral'; Jewel, Designated a 'Captain'; Mayflower, A different ship than that of the Pilgrims; Whale; Success; Charles; William and Francis; Hopewell; Trial. Six other ships arrived at Massachusetts Bay in 1630, for a total of seventeen ships that year. The flow of Puritans to New England continued for another ten years, during a period known as the Great Migration.
Voyage
The initial group (Arbella and her three escorts) departed Yarmouth, Isle of Wight on April 8, the remainder following in two or three weeks. Seven hundred men, women, and children were distributed among the ships of the fleet. The voyage itself was rather uneventful, the direction and speed of the wind being the main topic in Winthrop's Journal, as it affected how much progress was made each day. There were a few days of severe weather, and every day was cold. The children were cold and bored, and there is a description of a game played with a rope that helped with both problems. The Winthrop Fleet was a well planned and financed expedition that formed the nucleus of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. However they were not the first settlers of the area. There was an existing settlement at Salem, started in about 1626, populated by a few hundred Puritans, most of whom had arrived in 1629, and who were governed by John Endicott. Winthrop superseded Endicott as Governor of the Colony upon his arrival in 1630.
Winthrop Fleet Passengers |
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These leading men both applied for the charter for the Massachusetts Bay Colony and came to New England in Winthrop's Fleet. |
Mr. John Winthrop, Governor, and three of his sons, including two minors and one adult son, Henry Winthrop |
Sir Richard Saltonstall, three sons and two daughters. |
Mr. Isaac Johnson Esq. and the Lady Arabella his wife and daughter of Thomas Clinton, 3rd Earl of Lincoln |
Mr. Charles Fiennes the said Earl's son |
Mr. Thomas Dudley, his wife, two sons, and four daughters |
Mr. William Coddington, the first Governor of Rhode Island, and his wife |
Mr. William Pynchon, and his wife and three daughters |
Mr. William Vassall, for whom Vassalboro, Maine was named, and his wife |
Mr. John Revell, merchant, who loaned the Plymouth Colony money, and who was chosen assistant to the Massachusetts Bay Colony. |
Other passengers of historical significance include: |
Allan Perley |
Robert Seeley |
Edward Convers |
Simon Bradstreet and his wife Anne Bradstreet |
Thomas Mayhew |
Captain John Underhill |
Robert Abell |
Jehu Burr Great Great Grandfather of Aaron Burr |
John Wilson, first minister of the Boston church |
A Complete List of Passengers |
This list is from the excellent book: The Winthrop Fleet of 1630: An Account of the Vessels, the Voyage, the Passengers and their English Homes from Original Authorities by Charles Edward Banks (2). It is believed by Banks to be a complete list, gathered from many sources. |
Abbott, Daniel |
Abell, Robert |
Agar, William (Banks's listing conflates 3 people) |
Alcock, George, ____ |
Alcock, Thomas |
Aleworth, Francis |
Andrew, Thomas |
Archer, Samuel |
Aspinwall, William, Elizabeth, Edward |
Audley, (Odlin) John |
Baker, John, Charity |
Balston, William, Elizabeth |
Barsham, William |
Bartlett, Thomas |
Bateman, William |
Baxter, Gregory |
Beamsley, William, Anne |
Beecher, Thomas, Christian |
Belcher, Edward, Christian, Edward Jr. |
Bendall, Edward, Anne |
Benham, John |
Biggs, John, Mary |
Black, John |
Boggust, John |
Boswell, John |
Bosworth, Zaccheus |
Bourne, Garret |
Bowman, Nathaniel, Anna |
Bradstreet, Simon, Anne |
Brand, Benjamin |
Bratcher, Augustine |
Brease, ____ |
Brenton, William |
Brett, Isabel |
Bright, Henry |
Browne, Abraham, Lydia |
Browne, James |
Browne, Richard, Elizabeth, George, Richard Jr. |
Buckland, William |
Bugby, Richard, Judith |
Bulgar, Richard, ____ |
Burnell (Bunnell), William |
Burr, Jehu, ____, Jehu Jr. |
Burroughs, Robert |
Cable, John |
Cakebread, Thomas, Sarah |
Chadwick, Charles, Elizabeth |
Chambers, Anne or Annie |
Chase, William |
Chauner, Margery |
Cheesebrough, William, Ann (Stevenson), Sarah, Peter, Samuel, Nathaniel |
Child, Ephraim, Elizabeth |
Church, Richard |
Clarke, John |
Clarke, William, Elizabeth |
Clough (Cluffe), Richard |
Cobbett, ____ |
Coddington, William, Mary |
Colbron, William, Margery |
Colby, Anthony, Susanna (Haddon) |
Cole, John |
Cole, Rice, Arrold |
Cole, Robert |
Cole, Samuel, Anne |
Converse, Edward, Sarah, Phineas, John, Josiah, James |
Cooke, Margaret |
Cowlishaw, William, Anne |
Crabb, John |
Crafts, Griffin, Alice, Hannah |
Cranwell, John |
Cribb, Benjamin |
Crugott, James |
Dady, William, Dorothy |
Deekes (Dix), Edward, Jane |
Devereux, John |
Diffy, Richard |
Dillingham, John, Sarah (Caly), Sarah |
Dixon, William |
Doggett, John, ____, John Jr, Thomas |
Downing, James |
Dudley, Thomas, Dorothy (Yorke), Samuel, Anne, Patience, Sarah, Mercy, Thomas Jr. |
Dutton, ____ |
Edmunds, John, Mary |
Eggleston, Bigod |
Ellis, Arthur |
Elston, John |
Fayerweather, Thomas |
Feake, Robert |
Fiennes, Charles |
Finch, Abraham, Abraham Jr., Daniel, John |
Firman, John |
Firmin, Giles Jr., Martha (Doggett) |
Fitzrandolph, Edward |
Fox, Thomas |
Foxwell, Richard, ____, John |
Freeman, Samuel, Apphia (Quick), Henry |
French, Thomas, Susan (Riddlesdale), Thomas Jr., Alice, Dorcas, Susan, Anne, John, Mary |
Frothingham, William, Anne |
Gage, John, French-13078|Amy]] |
Gager, William |
____, ____ (servant to Dr. Gager name unknown) |
Garrett, Hugh |
Garrett, Richard, ____, Hannah, ____ |
Gibson, Christopher, Mary |
Gibson, Elizabeth |
Glover, Ralph |
Glover, John, Anne |
Goldthwaite, Thomas, Elizabeth |
Gosnall, Henry, Mary |
Gosse (Goffe), John, Sarah |
Goulworth, John |
Gridley, Richard, Grace, Joseph, Abraham |
Gyver, Bridget |
Haddon, Garrett, Margaret |
Hale, Robert, Joan |
Hall, John, Joan (Dove) |
Hammond, Philippa |
Harding, Robert |
Harris, Thomas, Elizabeth |
Harwood, Henry, Elizabeth |
Hawke, ____ |
Hawkins, John |
Hawthorne, William |
Hesselden, Franceis |
Hoames, Margaret |
Hoffe, ____ |
Hopwood, Edward |
Horne, John |
Hosier, Samuel |
Howlett, Thomas |
Hudson, William, Susan, Francis, William Jr. |
Hulbirt, William |
Hutchins, Richard |
Hutchinson, George, Margaret |
Hutchinson, Thomas |
Ijons (Irons), Matthias, Anne |
James, Edmond, Reana |
James, Thomas, Elizabeth |
James, William, Elizabeth |
Jarvis, John |
Johnson, Davy |
Johnson, Francis, Joan |
Johnson, Isaac, Arbella |
Johnson, John, Margaret |
Johnson, Richard, Alice |
Jones, Bethia |
Jones, Edward |
Kidby, Lewis, ____, ____, Edward |
Kingsbury, Henry, Margaret, Henry Jr. |
Kingsbury, Thomas |
Knapp, Nicholas, Elinor |
Knapp, William, ____, John, Anne, Judith, Mary, James, John, William Jr. |
Knower, George |
Knower, Thomas |
Lamb, Edward |
Lamb, Thomas, Elizabeth, Thomas Jr., John, Samuel |
Lamb, Roger |
Lawson, Henry |
Learned, William, Judith |
Leatherland, William |
Legge, John |
Lockwood, Edmond, Elizabeth, ____ |
Lockwood, Robert |
Lynton, Richard, ____, Anna, Lydia |
Lynn, Henry, Sarah |
Masters, John, Jane, Sarah, Lydia, Elizabeth, Nathaniel, Abraham |
Matson, Thomas, Amy (or Ann) |
Mayhew, Thomas, ____, Thomas Jr. |
Miller, ____ |
Millett, Richard |
Mills, John, Susan, Joy, Mary, John Jr., Susanna, Recompense |
Morey, Roger |
Morley, Ralph, Catherine |
Morris, Richard, Lenora |
Morris, Thomas, Sarah |
Morton, Mary |
Moulton, Thomas, Jane |
Mousall, Ralph, Alice |
Munt, Thomas, Dorothy |
Nash, Gregory, ____ |
Needham, Ann |
Nicolls, ____ |
Nowell, Increase, Parnell (Gray) Parker |
Odlin, John (See Audley) |
Page, John, Phebe (Paine), John, Daniel |
Painter, Thomas, Katherine |
Palmer, Abraham, Grace |
Palsford, Edward |
Palsgrave, Richard, Anne, John, Anna, Mary, Sarah |
Parke, Robert, Martha (Chaplin), Thomas, ____, ____, ____ |
Parker, Robert |
Patrick, Captain Daniel, ____ |
Pelham, William |
Pemberton, James, Alice |
Pemberton, John, Elizabeth |
Penn, James, Katherine |
Penn, William |
Penniman, James, Lydia |
Perry, Isaac |
Peters (Pettit), Anne |
Phillips, Rev. George, ____, Samuel, Abigail, Elizabeth |
Phillips, John, Joan |
Phillips, John |
Pickering, John, Esther, George, John Jr., Joan |
Pickworth, John |
Pierce, John, Parnell, Experience, Mercy, Samuel |
Plaistow, Josiah |
Pollard, Mrs. Anne |
Pond, John |
Pond, Robert, Mary |
Porter, John, Margaret, ____, ____, ____, ____, |
Pratt, Dr. Abraham, Jane |
Pynchon, William, Agnes, John, Anne, Mary, Margaret |
Rainsford, Edward, ____ |
Ratcliffe, Philip |
Rawlins, Thomas, Mary, Thomas Jr., Nathaniel, John, Joan, Mary |
Reade, Thomas, Priscilla |
Reading, Joseph |
Reading, Miles |
Reeder, ____ |
Revell, John |
Reynolds, Robert, Mary, Nathaniel, Ruth, Tabitha, Sarah |
Richardson, Ezekiel, Susanna |
Royse (Ryse), Robert, Elizabeth |
Ruggles, John, Frances, ____ |
Ruggles, Jeffrey, Margaret |
Sales, John, ____, Phebe |
Saltonstall, Sir Richard, Richard Jr, Samuel, Robert, Rosamond, Grace |
Sampson, Robert |
Sanford, John |
Saxton, Rev. Giles |
Scott, Robert |
Seaman, John |
Seely, Robert |
Sergeant, ____ |
Sharp, Robert |
Sharpe, Thomas, ____, ____, Thomas |
Shut, ____ |
Simpson, ____ |
Smead, ____, Judith, William |
Smith, ____, ____, ____, ____ |
Smyth, Francis, ____ |
Squire, Thomas |
Stearns, Isaac, Mary (Barker), John, Abigail, Elizabeth, Hannah, Mary |
Stileman, Elias, Judith (Adams), Elias Jr. |
Stoughton, Israel, Elizabeth |
Stoughton, Thomas, ____ |
Sumner, William, Mary (West), William Jr. |
Swaddon, Philip |
Swanson, Anna |
Talmadge, William, ____ |
Taylor, Gregory, Achsah |
Taylor, John, ____, ____ |
Timewell, William |
Tomlins, Edward |
Turner, Nathaniel |
Turner, Robert |
Tyndal, Arthur |
Underhill, John, Helen |
Vassall, William, Anne, Judith, Frances, John, Anne |
Wade, (Thomas) |
Walker, Robert, Sarah |
Wall, ____, ____ |
____, ____ (Servant of Mr. Wall) |
Ward, Thomas |
Warren, John, Margaret |
Waterbury, William, Alice |
Waters, John, Frances, Mary, ____, ____ |
Weaver, ____ |
Webb, Richard, Elizabeth |
Weed, Jonas |
Weillust, Joist |
Weldon, Robert, Elizabeth |
Weston, Francis, Margaret, Lucy |
Wilbore, Samuel, Anne |
Wilkinson, Prudence, Sarah, John, Elizabeth |
Williams, Thomas |
Williams, Thomas (alias Harris, may be same as preceding), Robert |
Wilsby, ____ |
Wilson, John |
Wilton, David |
Wing, Elizabeth |
Winthrop, John, Henry, Stephen, Samuel |
____, ____ (x8) -- Winthrop had eight servants, names unknown |
Woods, William |
Woolrich, John, Sarah |
Wormewood, ____ |
Wright, Richard, Margaret, Eleanor |
Wright, Robert |
Additional Research
- The Winthrop Fleet of 1630, by The Winthrop Society, a hereditary organization of descendants of the Winthrop Fleet.
- Winthrop, John (1853). The History of New England from 1630 to 1649. New York: Little, Brown and co.. Retrieved 2008-12-11. Second publication of the original text of John Winthrop's journal.
- Bartlett, J. Gardner. "Leaders in the Winthrop Fleet, 1630", in N.E.H.G.R, Vol. 75 no. 3 (July 1921), p. 236. The list of names is transcribed from the document abstracted in Calendar of State Papers Colonial, America and West Indies: Volume 1, 1574-1660, pp. 108-112, #78. Note there is a discrepancy between Bartlett and the Calendar in the number of Pynchon's daughters, and a discrepancy between Bartlett and Richardson in the names of Saltonstall's sons.
- Robert Charles Anderson's, Winthrop Fleet: Massachusetts Bay Company Immigrants to New England, 1629–1630, Boston: 2012, 833 pp.
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Of five Winthrop Fleet passenger listings with which I'm especially familiar, three contain errors; this does not bode well for the error ratio overall.
"CHEESEBROUGH, WILLIAM, ANN (STEVENSON), SARAH, PETER, SAMUEL, NATHANIEL" Anderson, a towering figure in colonial New England genealogy, mentions a Sarah Cheesborough, not as William’s daughter but as having been "admitted to Boston church as member #78, which would be during the winter of 1630–1 [BChR 13]; she may have been a relative of William Cheeseborough" (_The Winthrop Fleet: Massachusetts Bay Company Immigrants to New England, 1629–1630_ [Boston, 2012], 181–188, at 185). At no less than 16 years of age at that time, she was too old to have been William's daughter.
William Chesebrough married Ann Stevenson on 15 December 1620; their children were baptized (in the last case, born) as follows: i. Mary, bp. 2 May 1622. ii. Martha, bp. 18 Sept. 1623. iii. David (twin), bp. 9 Sept. 1624. iv. Jonathan (twin), bp. 9 Sept. 1624. v. Samuel, 1 April 1627. vi. Andronicus (twin), bp. 6 Feb. 1628/9. vii. ______ (stillborn) (twin) 6 Feb. 1628/9. viii. Nathaniel, bp. 25 Feb. 1629/30. ix. John, bp. 11 Nov. 1632. x. Jabez, bp. 3 May 1635. xi. Elisha, bp. 4 June 1637. xii. Joseph, b. 18 July 1640. No Sarah, no Peter. And where, in any case, would one fit them, particularly among the children baptized prior to mid-1630? The first three children died in 1622, 1623, and 1624, respectively; there is no further record of the fourth; and the sixth and seventh children died in 1628/9. That leaves only Samuel and Nathaniel as the children who accompanied their parents from England to Boston.
"HALL, JOHN, JOAN (DOVE)" No evidence has been found that identifies John Hall of the Winthrop Fleet as the laborer of Mile End who, at St. Dunstan’s Stepney 26 August 1618, married Joane Dove of Bethnal Green (all locations in East London). To the contrary, Charlestown church records clearly and convincingly establish that the former man’s wife was named Bethia(h): On 2 November 1632, "John, Bethiah Haule" were admitted to the First Church of Charlestown as founding members; the same volume records that "John Haul the son of John Haul and of Bethia his wife” was baptized in 1638, and that “Shebar Haul the son of John Haul and of Bethia his wiffe” was baptized in 1639/40 (_Records of the First Church in Charlestown, 1632-1789_, 7, 47, 48 [most online copies omit p. 7; use Google Books]). (John Hall had been admitted to the Boston church as member #19, which would have been in late August or early September 1630. On 14 August 1632 he and others were dismissed from the Boston church to participate in establishing the new church at Charlestown [_Records of the First Church in Boston: Volume I_, 12–13, 15–16].)
Near the end of his John Hall sketch, Anderson (_Winthrop Fleet_, 357) says this: "COMMENTS: Savage suggested that this John Hall came from Coventry in England, but there is no evidence for this proposed origin [Savage 2:333]. Banks offered St. Mary Whitechapel, London, as an origin for this man but cites only 'Banks Mss.,' so not much weight should be put on this claim without further exploration [Topo Dict 102]. . . . Both Savage and Pope muddled this John Hall and one or two others. Savage combined the records of this John Hall with those of a second man of the same name at Charlestown, whereas Pope distributed the records of two John Halls and one Samuel Hall across two entries under the name of John Hall [Savage 2:333–34; Pope 208]. Jacobus sorted out the confusion in a long note published in 1948 [Brainerd Anc 142–43]; the critical point is to watch for the name Bethia as wife of John. . . . BIBLIOGRAPHIC NOTE: . . . In 1948 Donald Lines Jacobus published a brief account of the family of this immigrant with a line of descent through his son John; Jacobus appended an analytic note distinguishing this John Hall from another man of the same name who also resided at Charlestown [Brainerd Anc 141–43]."
The earliest record indicating that John and Bethiah Hall were married is that of their admission to the Charlestown church on 2 November 1632. This raises the distinct possibility that Hall had arrived in Boston a single man, in which case no wife should be mentioned as accompanying him from England. But in any case, Joan Dove is out of the question.
"JOHNSON, JOHN, MARGARET" While forenames Margaret and Margery were often used interchangeably, John Johnson’s second wife was recorded only as Margery (Roxbury Land and Church Records, 79 [church admission], 176 [burial]).
Robert Charles Anderson's _Winthrop Fleet: Massachusetts Bay Company Immigrants to New England, 1629–1630_ (Boston, 2012), 833 pp., is the definitive work on the Winthrop migration, its roots, structure, ships, and passengers. All other accounts—including Banks's _Winthrop Fleet in 1630_—pale in comparison.
edited by Gene Zubrinsky FASG