John Howland - Mayflower Passenger!

John Howland came to Plymouth on the 1620 Mayflower as a servant to John Carver. After the death of Carver, he rose rapidly as a leader in the colony. In 1627 he was the head of one of the twelve companies which divided the livestock, and he was one of the eight Plymouth Undertakers who assumed responsibility for the colony's debt to the Adventurers in return for certain monopoly trade privileges. He was on the 1633 Freeman list, and by 1633, if not earlier, was an Assistant, being reelected to this position in 1634 and 1635. In 1634 he was in charge of the colony trading outpost on the Kennebec River when Talbot and Hocking were killed. He receive a good number of land grants, was elected a deputy for Plymouth, served on numerous special committees, and was an important lay leader of the Plymouth Church.

In his will dated 29 May 1672, he mentioned his wife Elizabeth; oldest son John Howland; sons Jabez and Joseph; youngest son Isaac; daughters Desire Gorman, Hope Chipman, Elisabeth Dickenson, Lydia Browne, Hannah Bosworth, and Ruth Cushman; and granddaughter Elisabeth Howland, daughter of John. p. 311 HOWLAND: 53. John b. Fenstanton, England [about 9 mi. north of Cambridge], ca. 1592. A "hired hand on Mayflower who lived with John and Katherine Carver. 13th signer of the Compact m. Plymouth 1623 Elizabeth Tilley [who came on the Mayflower; see TILLEY] children: ten d. Rocky Nook, Kingston 23 Feb 1672 From The Hamlin Family, pg. 89.

John was born about 1592 in Fenstanton, Huntingdonshire, Eng. His parents were Henry and Margaret Howland. He died at over 80 years of age, the last survivor of the Mayflower. He is buried on Burial Hill in Plymouth, MA. He was married at Plymouth in about 1624-1625 to Elizabeth Tilley, also a Mayflower passenger. Later, John's brothers Henry, Jr and Arthur Howland arrived and settled at Plymouth.

"JOHN HOWLAND,1 came in the Mayflower, 1650, as servant of Gov. Carver. Until the discovery of Gov. Bradford's manuscript history of Plymouth Colony, it was supposed he married Elizabeth, dau. of Gov. Carver; but he married soon after their arrival. Elizabeth, only daughter of John Tilley and wife; all passengers in the Mayflower, her parents dying the first winter. He was signer of the Mayflower Compact, Nov. 21, 1620; being then 28 years of age."

"Bradford relates a brief sketch of an accident to him during the voyage saying; "In sundrie of these storms the winds were so feirce. & ye seas so high, as they could not heare a knote of saile, but were forced to hull, for diverce days togither. And in one of them, as they thus lay at hull, in a mighty storme, a lusty yonge man (called John Howland) coming upon some occasion above ye grattings, was, with a seele of ye shipe throwne into (ye) sea; but it pleased God yet he caught hold of ye top-saile halliards, which hung over board, & rane out at length; yet he held his hould (though he was sundrie fadomes under water) till he was hald up by ye same rope to ye brime of ye water, and then with a boat hooke & other means got into ye shipe againe. & his life saved; and though he was something ill with it, yet he lived many years after, and became a profitable member both in church and common wealthe."

He lived at Rocky Nook, Plymouth; an early freeman, and prominent in the affairs of the Colony; assessor 1633; juror, 1636; selectman, 1666; deputy at various times from 1652 to 1670; and served on important committees; assistant to the governor 1633-5. In 1634 he managed a trading post on the Kennebec river for the colony; called Cushmoc, probably at or near Augusta, Maine; but does not appear to have resided there.

John was member of Gov. Bradford's Council, which in 1635 was composed of; Mr. Thomas Prince. Mr. Edward Winslow. Mr. John Alden, Mr. Stephen Hopkins, Capt. Myles Standish, Mr. William Collier and Mr. John Howland He and his brothers Arthur and Henry, who came over to Plymouth together later, were mentioned in the will of one Humphrey Howland, draper, of London, Eng., dated May 28, 1646."

(From The Hamlin Family, pp.89-90) John and Elizabeth had 10 children.

WILL OF JOHN HOWLAND. The last Will and Testament of Mr. John Howland of Plymouth, late deceased, exhibited to the Court held att Plymouth the fifth day of March, Anno. Dom. 1672, on the oath of Mr. Samuel Fuller and Mr. William Crow as followeth: Know all men to whom these presents shall come that I. John Howland, Senior, of the town of New Plymouth in New England in America, this twenty ninth day of May, one thousand six hundred seventy and two, being of whole mind and in Good and Perfect Memory, and Remembrance, praised be God; being now Grown aged; having many infirmities of body upon mee; and not Knowing how soon God will call mee out of this world, doe make and ordain these presents to be my Testament containing heerin my last Will in manor and forme followeth: Imp. I will and bequeathe my body to the dust, and my soule to God that gaue it, in hopes of a joyful Resurrection unto glory, and concerning my temporal estate.

I dispose thereof as followeth: Item. I doe give and bequeath unto John Howland, my eldest sonne, besides what lands I have already given him, all my Right and interest to that one hundred acres of land granted mee by the Court, lying on the eastern side of Taunton River, between Titicutt and Taunton bounds and all the appurtenantes and privileges therevnto belonging, to belonge to him and his heires and assigns forever; and if that tract should faile, then to have all my Right, title and Interest by and in that Last Court graunt to me, in any other place, to belong to him, his heires and assigns forever. Item.

I give and bequeath unto my son Jabez Howland, all those my vplands and Meadows that I now possesse att Satuckett, and places adjacent, with all the appurtenances and privilidges belonging therevnto, and all my right title and interest therein, to belonge to him, his heirs and assignes forever. Item.

I give and bequeath unto my son. Jabez Howland, all that my one peece of land that I haue lying on the south syde of the Mill-brook in the towne of Plymouth, aforesaid, be it more or lesse; and is on the north side of a tract that is now Gyles Richards, sen.; to belonge to the said Jabez his heirs and assigns forever. Item.

I give and bequeath unto Isack Howland, my youngest sonne, all those my vplands and meddowes devided and undivided with all the appertenances and priviliges unto them, belonging, lying and being in the towne of Middlebery; and in a tract of Land called the Major's purchase, neare Namassakett Ponds; which I haue bought and puchased of William White, of Marshfield, in the colonie of New Plymouth; which may or shall appear by any deed or writing that is Giuen vnder the said White's hand, all such deeds or writinges; together with the aforemensioned peticular & and to belonge to the said Isack, his beirs and assigns forever. Item.

I give and bequeath unto my son, Isack Howland the one half of my twelve acree lott of meddow that I now haue at Winnetussett River, within the towne of Plymouth, aforesaid; to belonge to him the said Isack Howland his heirs and assigns forever. Item,

I Will and bequath unto my deare and loving wif Elizabeth Howland, the use and benefitt of my now dwelling house in Rocky Nook in the township of Plymouth aforesaid, with the outhousing lands, that is vplands and meddow lands, and all appurtanances and privilidges there unto belonging, in the towne of Plymouth; and all other lands housings and meddows. xxx The 23th of February, 1672[/73], Mr John Howland, Senior, of the towne of Plymouth, deceased. Hee was a godly man and an ancient professor in the wayes of Christ; hee lived untill hee attained above eighty yeares in the world. Hee was one of the first comers into this land, and proved a usefull instrument of good in his place, & was the last man that was left of those that came over in the ship called the May Flower, that lived in Plymouth; hee was with honor intered at the towne of Plymouth on the 25 of February, 1672.

Family history says that John Howland jumped overboard to retrieve the Bible dropped by Captain Miles Standish. At Plymouth, MA, the story is told of John just falling overboard; but catching the ropes and being hauled back into the boat.

John was mentioned in his brother Humphrey's will written in London 28 May 1646 and proved 10 July 1646 by his second wife, Anne.