John Howland

M, #13864, b. 1592, d. 23 February 1672
Father*Henry Howland1 d. 17 May 1635
Mother*Margaret (?)1
ChartsBentley (maternal side) - Phoebe Meredith Frey
Note*  Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-33 JOHN HOWLAND ORIGIN: Fenstanton, Huntingdonshire MIGRATION: 1620 on Mayflower FIRST RESIDENCE: Plymouth FREEMAN: In the '1633' list of Plymouth freemen John Howland is near thehead of the list, among the councillors [PCR 1:3]. In the 6 March 1636/7list of Plymouth Colony freemen [PCR 1:52]. In the Plymouth section ofthe 1639, 1658 and 29 May 1670 lists of Plymouth Colony freemen [PCR5:274, 8:173, 197]. EDUCATION: His inventory included '1 great Bible and Annotations on the 5Books of Moses' valued at Ð1 and 'Mr. Tindall's Works, Mr. Wilson'sWorks, 7 more books' valued at Ð1. OFFICES: Plymouth Colony Assistant, 1 January 1632/3, 1 January 1633/4, 1January 1634/5 [PCR 1:5, 21, 32]. Deputy for Plymouth to General Court, 1June 1641, 28 October 1645, 1 June 1647, 7 June 1648, 8 June 1649, 4 June1650, 5 June 1651, 3 June 1652, 7 June 1653, 7 March 1653/4, 6 June 1654,1 August 1654, 8 June 1655, 3 June 1656, 1 June 1658, 4 June 1661, 1 June1663, 1 June 1666, 5 June 1667 [PCR 2:16, 94, 117, 123, 144, 154, 167,3:8, 31, 44, 49, 63, 79, 99, 135, 214, 4:37, 122, 148]. In charge of the fur trading post at Kennebec, 1634 [MD 2:10-11].Committe on the fur trade, 3 October 1659 [PCR 3:170]. In the Plymouthsection of the 1643 Plymouth Colony list of men able to bear arms (as'John Howland Sen.') [PCR 8:187]. ESTATE: In the 1623 Plymouth division of land John Howland received fouracres as a passenger on the Mayflower [PCR 12:4]. In the 1627 Plymouthdivision of cattle John Howland, his wife Elizabeth Howland, John HowlandJunior and Desire Howland were the first four persons in the fourthcompany [PCR 12:10]. In the Plymouth tax list of 25 March 1633 John Howland was assessed18s., and in the list of 27 March 1634 Ð1 4s. [PCR 1:9, 27]. John Howlandwas a Purchaser [PCR 2:177]. On 4 December 1637 'forty acres of land are granted to Mr. JohnHowland, lying at the Island Creeke Pond at the western end thereof, withthe marsh ground that he useth to mow there' [PCR 1:70]. On 5 November1638 the 'island called Spectacle, lying upon Green's Harbor, is grantedto Mr. John Howland' [PCR 1:102, 110, 168]. Granted six acres of meadow'at the North Meadow by Jones River' [PCR 2:49]. In his will, dated 29 May 1672 and proved 6 March 1672/3, 'JohnHowland Seni[o]r of the town of New Plymouth ... being now grown aged,having many infirmities of body upon me,' bequeathed to 'John Howland myeldest son besides what lands I have already given him, all my right andinterest to that one hundred acres of land granted me by the court lyingon the eastern side of Taunton River'; to 'my son Jabez Howland all thosemy upland and meadow that I now possess at Satuckett and Paomett'; to 'myson Jabez Howland all that my one piece of land that I have lying on thesouthside of the mill brook'; to 'Isaac Howland my youngest son all thosemy uplands and meadows ... in the town of Middlebery and in a tract ofland called the Major's Purchase near Namassakett Ponds which I havebought and purchased of William White of Marshfield'; to 'my said sonIsacke Howland the one half of my twelve acre lot of meadow that I nowhave at Winnatucsett River'; to 'my dear and loving wife ElizabethHowland the use and benefit of my now dwelling house in Rockey Nooke inthe township of Plymouth ... with the outhousing lands ... uplands andmeadow lands ... in the town of Plymouth ... excepting what meadow andupland I have before given to my sons Jabez and Isacke Howland during hernatural life'; to 'my son Joseph Howland after the decease of my lovingwife Elizabeth Howland my aforesaid dwelling house at Rockey Nooke'; to'my daughter Desire Gorum 20s.'; to 'my daughter Hope Chipman 20s.'; to'my daughter Elizabeth Dickenson 20s.'; to 'my daughter Lydia Browne20s.'; to 'my daughter Hannah Bosworth 20s.'; to 'my daughter RuthCushman 20s.'; to 'my grandchild Elizabeth Howland the daughter of my sonJohn Howland 20s.'; 'these legacies given to my daughters [to] be paid bymy executrix'; to 'my loving wife Elizabeth Howland my debts and legaciesbeing first paid, my whole estate,' she to be executrix [MD 2:70-73,citing PCPR 3:1:49-50]. The inventory of 'Mr. John Howland lately deceased' was taken 3 March1672/3 and totalled Ð157 8s. 8d. [MD 2:73-77, citing PCPR 3:1:51-54].After the inventory, the appraisers noted that 'the testator diedpossessed of these several parcels of land following:' 'his dwellinghouse with the outhousing, uplands and meadow belonging thereunto lyingat Rockey Nooke in the town of New Plymouth,' 'a parcel of meadow atJones River meadow,' 'the one half of a house and a parcel of meadow andupland belonging thereunto lying and being at Colchester in the aforesaidtownship,' 'a parcel of meadow and upland belonging thereunto lying nearJones River bridge in the town of Duxburrow,' 'one house and 2 shares ofa tract of land and meadow that lyeth in the town of Middleberry that waspurchased by Captain Thomas Southworth of and from the Indian SachemJosias Wampatucke,' and '2 shares of a tract of land called the Major'sPurchase lying near Namassakett ponds' [MD 2:77, citing PCPR 3:1:54].(See also PCR 5:108, 110, 127.) In her will, dated 17 December 1686 and proved 10 January 1687/8,'Elizabeth Howland of Swanzey ... being seventy nine years of age'bequeathed to 'my eldest son John Howland the sum of Ð5 ... and my bookcalled Mr. Tindale's Works and also one pair of sheets & one pair ofpillowbeers and one pair of bedblankets'; to 'my son Joseph Howland mystilliards and also one pair of sheets and one pair of pillowbeers'; to'my son Jabez Howland my featherbed & bolster that is in his custody &also one rug & two blankets that belongeth to the said bed & also mygreat iron pot & pothooks'; to 'my son Isaack Howland my book calledWillson on the Romanes & one pair of sheets & one pair of pillowbeers &also my great brass kettle already in his possession'; to 'my son-in-lawMr. James Browne my great Bible'; to 'my daughter Lidia Browne my bestfeatherbed & boulster two pillows & three blankets & a green rug & mysmall cupboard one pair of andirons & my lesser brass kettle & my smallBible & my book of Mr. Robbinson's Works called Observations Divine &Moral & also my finest pair of sheets & my holland pillowbeers'; to 'mydaughter Elisabeth Dickenson one pair of sheets & one pair of pillowbeers& one chest'; to 'my daughter Hannah Bosworth one pair of sheets & onepair of pillowbeers'; to 'my granddaughter Elizabeth Bursley one pair ofsheets and one pair of pillowbeers'; to 'my grandson Nathanael Howland(the son of Joseph Howland) ... my lot of land with the meadow theretoadjoining ... in the township of Duxbury near Jones River Bridge'; to 'mygrandson James Browne one iron bar and one iron trammell now in hispossession'; to 'my grandson Jabez Browne one chest'; to 'mygranddaughter Dorothy Browne my best chest & my warming pan'; to 'mygranddaughter Desire Cushman four sheep'; 'my wearing clothes linen andwoollen' and the residue to 'my three daughters Elisabeth Dickenson,Lidia Browne and Hannah Bosworth to be equally divided amongst them'; 'myloving son-in-law James Browne and my loving son Jabez Howland' executors[MD 3:54-57, citing BrPR 1:13-14]. BIRTH: Say 1592, son of Henry and Margaret (_____) Howland of Fenstanton. DEATH: Plymouth 23 February 1672/3 'above eighty years' [PCR 8:34]. MARRIAGE: Plymouth by about 1624 Elizabeth Tilley, baptized Henlow,Bedfordshire, 30 August 1607, daughter of JOHN TILLEY. She died atSwansea 22 December 1687, aged eighty [SwVR 27]. CHILDREN: i DESIRE, b. say 1624; m. by 1644 John Gorham (eldest child b.Plymouth 2 April 1644 [MD 5:72]). ii JOHN, b. Plymouth 24 April 1627; m. Plymouth 26 October 1651Mary Lee [PCR 8:13]. iii HOPE, b. Plymouth 30 August 1629; m. by about 1646 JohnChipman. iv ELIZABETH, b. say 1631; m. (1) Plymouth 13 September 1649Ephraim Hicks [PCR 8:8]; m. (2) Plymouth 10 July 1651 John Dickerson [PCR8:13]. v LYDIA, b. say 1633; m. by about 1655 James Brown. vi HANNAH, b. say 1637; m. Swansea 6 July 1661 Jonathan Bosworth[SwVR 23]. vii JOSEPH, b. say 1640; m. Plymouth 7 December 1664 ElizabethSouthworth [PCR 8:25], daughter of THOMAS SOUTHWORTH. viii JABEZ, b. about 1644 (deposed on 19 July 1680 aged 36 years[SJC #1915]); m. by 1669 Bethiah Thatcher, daughter of Anthony Thatcher(eldest child b. Plymouth 15 November 1669 [PVR 668; NYGBR 42:154-57]). ix RUTH, b. say 1646; m. Plymouth 17 November 1664 Thomas Cushman[PCR 8:25], son of Thomas Cushman. x ISAAC, b. Plymouth 15 November 1649; m. by 1677 Elizabeth Vaughn,daughter of George Vaughn [TAG 23:24-26]. ASSOCIATIONS: Brother of HENRY HOWLAND and Arthur Howland. COMMENTS: In his list of passengers on the Mayflower Bradford tells usthat John Howland was one of the 'manservants' of JOHN CARVER [Bradford441]. During a particularly bad storm on the crossing John Howland(characterized by Bradford as 'a lusty young man') went above deck andwas swept overboard, but it pleased God that he caught hold of thetopsail halyards which hung overboard and ran out at length. Yet he heldhis hold (though he was sundry fathoms under water) till he was hauled upby the same rope to the brim of the water, and then with a boat hook andother means got into the ship again and his life saved. And though he wassomething ill with it, yet he lived many years after and became aprofitable member both in church & commonwealth [Bradford 59]. In his 1651 accounting on the family of John Carver, Bradford reportedthat '[h]is servant John Howland married the daughter of John Tilley,Elizabeth, and they are both now living, and their eldest daughter hathfour children; and their second daughter one, all living, and other oftheir children marriageable' [Bradford 444]. In an undated deposition we learn that in April 1634 John Hocking cameto Kennebec and challenged the rights of the Plymouth men to theirexclusive trade in that place. Mr. John Howland, in charge of the tradingpost, went out in their bark with several other men and warned Hockingoff, but was taunted and defied. Howland 'bid three of his men go cut hiscable [Hocking's anchor],' but the flow of the stream was too strong andHowland called them back and added Moses Talbot to the crew. Hocking,seeing that their intent was to cut the cable, 'presently put his peicealmost to Moyses Talbott's head, which Mr. Howland seeing called to himdesiring him not to shoot his man but take himself for his mark sayinghis men did but that which he commanded them and therefore desired himnot to hurt any of them, if any wrong was done it was himself that did itand therefore called again to him to take him for his mark saying hestood very fair, but Hocking would not hear nor look towards our bark,but presently shooteth Moyses in the head, and presently took up hispistol in his hand but the Lord stayed him from doing any further hurt bya shot from our bark himself was presently struck dead being shot nearthe same place in the head where he had murderously shot Moyses' [MD2:10-11]. John Howland is called a 'manservant' in William Bradford's passengerlist. Servants were contracted out until the age of 25. Thus, Howlandmust have been under 25 in 1620, meaning he had to have been born after1595. Since Howland signed the Mayflower Compact, he must have been bornsometime before 1600 to have been legally old enough to sign. John Howland's wife was born in 1607, and it is most unlikely that he, atthe age of 32, married a 17 year old girl as his first wife. Most menmarried about age 25, and since his marriage occurred about 1624, thiswould place his likely birth at 1599. John Howland's last child was born in 1649. If the 1592 date wereaccepted, he would have fathered a child at the age of 57, a mostunlikely circumstance. William Bradford writes in that John Howland was a 'lusty young man' in1620. It is unlikely that Bradford would call a 28-year old a 'youngman'. The only other person Bradford called a 'young man' in 1620 wasJohn Alden, who was born in 1599. CHILDREN: NAME BIRTH DEATH MARRIAGE 1. Desire b.c1625, Plymouth d. 13 October 1683, Barnstable, MA m. JohnGorham, c1643 2. John b.24 April 1627, Plymouth d. after 1699 m. Mary Lee, 26 October1651, Plymouth 3. Hope b. 30 August 1629, Plymouth d. 8 January 1683/4, Barnstable m.John Chipman, c1647 4. Elizabeth b. c1631, possibly in Maine 1691, d. Oyster Bay, NY m. (1).Ephraim Hicks, 13 September 1649, Plymouth m. (2). John Dickinson, 10 July 1651, Plymouth 5. Lydia b. c1633, possibly in Maine d. aft. 11 January 1710/11 m. JamesBrown, c1654 6. Hannah b. c1637, possibly in Maine m. Jonathan Bosworth, probably on 6July 1661 7. Joseph b. c1640, Kingston, MA d. January 1703/4, Plymouth m. ElizabethSouthworth, 7 December 1664, Plymouth 8. Jabez b. c1644, Kingston, MA d. between 1708 and 1712 m. BethiahThacher, c1668 9. Ruth b. c1646, Kingston, MA d. between 1672 and 16 October 1679 m.Thomas Cushman, 17 November 1664, Plymouth 10. Isaac b. 15 November 1649, Kingston, MA d. 9 March 1723/4,Middleboro, MA m. Elizabeth Vaughan, c1676, probably at Marshfield, MA John Howland came on the Mayflower as a servant to John Carver. He isbest remembered for having fallen off the Mayflower during a mightystorm, as recorded by Bradford: In sundry of these storms the winds were so fierce and the seas so high,as they could not bear a knot of sail, but were forced to hull for diversdays together. And in one of them, as they thus lay at hull in a mightystorm, a lusty young man called John Howland, coming upon some occasionabove the gratings was, with a seele of the ship, thrown into the sea;but it pleased God that he caught hold of the topsail halyards which hungoverboard and ran out at length. Yet he held his hold (though he wassundry fathoms under water) till he was hauled up by the same rope to thebrim of the water, and then with boat hook and other means got into theship again and his life saved. And though he was something ill with it,yet he lived many years after and became a profitable member both inchurch and commonwealth.1 
Birth*1592 John Howland was born in 1592 at Fenstanton, England.1 
Marriage*1622 He married Elizabeth Tilley, daughter of John Tilley and Joan Rogers Hurst, in 1622 at Ply Mouth, Massachusetts.1 
Death*23 February 1672 John Howland died on 23 February 1672 at Rocky Nook, Kingston, Massachusetts.1 

Family

Elizabeth Tilley b. 30 Aug 1607, d. 21 Dec 1687
Child
Last Edited14 Jan 2004

Citations

  1. [S170] Gedcom file by Debora J Krauss Franklin (see her record for more).