AMERICA THE GREAT MELTING POT

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INDEX OF INDIVIDUALS

FAMILY TREE WHITE

FAMILY TREE BROOKE

UNIDENTIFIED PHOTOS

WIFE

Elizabeth Tilley

CHILDREN

1. Desire Howland b. 1625

2. John Howland b. 24/April/1627

3. Hope Howland b. 30/Aug/1629

4. Elizabeth Howland b. 1631

5. Lydia Howland b. Feb/1634

6. Hannah Howland b. 1637

7. Joseph Howland b. 1640

8. Jabez Howland b. 1644

9. Ruth Howland b. 1646

10. Isaac Howland b. 15/Nov/1649

John Howland and Elizabeth Tilley came to American on the Mayflower in 1620. John was twenty eight and a servant or companion of John Carver, who became the first governor of the Colony. John Carver died within the first year. John Howland was one of the ten men chosen for the first expedition of the New World. "This expedition was composed of ten passengers plus the Mayflower's two pilots, John Clarke and Robert Coppin, along with the master gunner and three sailors from the crew. The passengers who participated were Miles Standish, the Pilgrim's military commander, John Carver and his servant John Howland, William Bradford, John Winslow, brothers Edward and John Tilley, Richard Warren, Stephen Hopkins and his servant Edward Dotey." In 1623, in allotting land to those who came in the Mayflower, to John Howland was allotted four acres. In 1633 his tax was 18 shillings, the same as that of Captain Miles Standish. In 1634 he had the chief management of the trading establishment on the Kennebec. John Howland did well in the New World.

While on the Mayflower, "In a mighty storm John Howland, a passenger, a stout young man, by a keel of ye ship was thrown into ye sea. But it pleased God, He caught hold of ye Topsail Halliards we hung overboard, and run out ye length, yet He kept his hold the several Fathoms under water, till He was drawn up by ye Rope to ye surface and by a Boat Hook and other means got into ye ship; and tho' somew't ill upon it, liv'd many years, and became a useful member both in church and Commonwealth."

He married Elizabeth Tilley three years after their arrival, one of the earliest weddings in the colony. Elizabeth had been orphaned at the age of 15. Her father, mother, uncle and aunt all died in that awful first winter. She was left with the care of her toddler cousin, Humility Cooper. Her cousin Henry Samson, 16 at the time of the voyage, also survived.

John lived to be eighty and had ten children. In 1638 they moved from Plymouth to what was called Rocky Nook, buying the home of John Jenny, built in 1628, where they lived until the death of John Howland in 1672. Elizabeth Tilley also lived to be eighty. She died at the home of her daughter, Lydia Brown, in Swanzey, Rhode Island.

Their daughter, Desire Howland, was married to John Gorum. In March 1656 John Gorum was fined forty shillings "for unseemly carriage towards Blanche Hull at an unseasonable time, being in the night." Blanche Hull was fined fifty shillings "for not crying out when she was assaulted by John Gorum." Adultery in those days was an offense punishable by either a whipping or a fine.

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Source: http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/users/deetz/Plymouth/howlandwill.html
 

The Last Will and Testament of mr John howland of Plymouth late Deceased, exhibited to the Court held att Plymouth the fift Day of March Anno Dom 1672 on the oathes of mr Samuell ffuller and mr William Crow as followeth

Know all men to whom these prsents shall Come That I John howland senir of the Towne of New Plymouth in the Collonie of New Plymouth in New England in America, this twenty ninth Day of May one thousand six hundred seaventy and two being of whole mind, and in Good and prfect memory and Remembrance praised be God; being now Grown aged; haveing many Infeirmities of body upon mee; and not Knowing how soon God will call mee out of this world, Doe make and ordaine these prsents to be my Testament Containing herein my last Will in manor and forme following;

Imp I Will and bequeath my body to the Dust and my soule to God that Gave it in hopes of a Joyfull Resurrection unto Glory; and as Concerning my temporall estate, I Dispose thereof as followeth;

Item I Doe give and bequeath unto John howland my eldest sonne besides what lands I have alreddy given him, all my Right and Interest To that one hundred acres of land graunted mee by the Court lying on the eastern side of Tauton River; between Teticutt and Taunton bounds and all the appurtenances and privilidges Therunto belonging, T belonge to him and his heirs and assignes for ever; and if that Tract should faile, then to have all my Right title and Interest by and in that Last Court graunt to mee in any other place, To belonge to him his heires and assignes for ever;

Item I give and bequeath unto my son Jabez howland all those my upland and Meadow That I now posesse at Satuckett and Paomett, and places adjacent, with all the appurtenances and privilidges, belonging therunto, and all my right title and Interest therin, To belonge to him his heires and assignes for ever,

Item I Give and bequeath unto my son Jabez howland all that my one peece of land that I have lying on the southsyde of the Mill brooke, in the Towne of Plymouth aforsaid; be it more or lesse; and is on the Northsyde of a feild that is now Gyles Rickards senir To belonge to the said Jabez his heirs and assignes for ever;

Item I give and bequeath unto Isacke howland my youngest sonne all those my uplands and meddows Devided and undivided with all the appurtenances and priviliges unto them belonging, lying and being in the Towne of Middlebery, and in a tract of Land Called the Majors Purchase near Namassakett Ponds; which I have bought and purchased of William White of Marshfeild in the Collonie of New Plymouth; which may or shall appeer by any Deed or writinges Together with the aformentioned prticulares To belonge to the said Isacke his heirs and assignes for ever;

Item I give and bequeath unto my said son Isacke howland the one halfe of my twelve acree lott of Meddow That I now have att Winnatucsett River within the Towne of Plymouth aforsaid To belonge to him and said Isacke howland his heires and assignes for ever,

Item I Will and bequeath unto my Deare and loveing wife Elizabeth howland the use and benifitt of my now Dwelling house in Rockey nooke in the Township of Plymouth aforsaid, with the outhousing lands, That is uplands uplands [sic] and meddow lands and all appurtenances and privilidges therunto belonging in the Towne of Plymouth and all other Lands housing and meddowes that I have in the said Towne of Plymouth excepting what meddow and upland I have before given To my sonnes Jabez and Isacke howland During her naturall life to Injoy make use of and Improve for her benifitt and Comfort;

Item I give and bequeath unto my son Joseph howland after the Decease of my loveing wife Elizabeth howland my aforsaid Dwelling house att Rockey nooke together with all the outhousing uplands and Medowes appurtenances and privilidges belonging therunto; and all other housing uplands and meddowes appurtenances and privilidges That I have within the aforsaid Towne of New Plymouth excepting what lands and meadowes I have before Given To my two sonnes Jabez and Isacke; To belong to him the said Joseph howland To him and his heires and assignes for ever;

Item I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Desire Gorum twenty shillings

Item I give and bequeath To my Daughter hope Chipman twenty shillings

Item I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Elizabeth Dickenson twenty shillings

Item I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Lydia Browne twenty shillings

Item I give & bequeath to my Daughter hannah Bosworth twenty shillings

Item I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Ruth Cushman twenty shillings

Item I give to my Grandchild Elizabeth howland The Daughter of my son John howland twenty shillings

Item my will is That these legacyes Given to my Daughters, be payed by my exequitrix in such species as shee thinketh meet;

Item I will and bequeath unto my loveing wife Elizabeth howland, my Debts and legacyes being first payed my whole estate: vis: lands houses goods Chattles; or any thing else that belongeth or appertaineth unto mee, undisposed of be it either in Plymouth Duxburrow or Middlbery or any other place whatsoever; I Doe freely and absolutly give and bequeath it all to my Deare and loveing wife Elizabeth howland whom I Doe by these prsents, make ordaine and Constitute to be the sole exequitrix of this my Last will and Testament to see the same truely and faithfully prformed according to the tenour therof; In witness whereof I the said John howland senir have heerunto sett my hand and seale the aforsaid twenty ninth Day of May, one thousand six hundred seaventy and two 1672

Signed and sealed in the

prsence of Samuel ffuller John Howland

William Crow And a seale

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