Pilgrim Fathers
During the early 17th Century there was a great deal of religious persecution in England resulting in the birth of two main movements, the Puritans and Separatists, both of whom sought greater freedom of worship. From as early as 1607 some escaped to Holland, but a new phase began when the Mayflower carrying the Pilgrim Fathers landed at Cape Cod on Christmas day 1620. They were of course the first of many who left these shores to start a new life in America.
Rev John White (1575-1648) Dorchester
In Dorchester the Reverend John White (1575-1648), the rector of both Holy Trinity and St Peters, was inspired by this new adventure and started raising capital, enlisting the support of influential people and recruiting Puritans to move to New England. One of his many backers was the Reverend Edward Pele who had been appointed Vicar of Fordington on 23rd October 1617. We know Edward Pele was an active supporter as he is listed as an associate by the Reverend John White in an answer to the proceedings of the Court of Requests of Charles I dated 12th October 1634 concerning “the adventure from 1623 to 1628 in New England”.
Ships leave from Weymouth
The Rev John White was so successful he raised many recruits locally and, although not generally used to embark emigrants as much as other ports like London, Plymouth and Bristol, he also started to commission ships to leave from Weymouth. He, along with fellow residents of Dorchester, founded the ‘Dorchester Company’ which was originally concerned with fishing in New England, but when that failed some years after its inception, it was absorbed by the better known ‘Massachusetts Bay Company’ and the trade turned to emigrants. The Amity set sail from Weymouth in February 1625/6 followed by the Abigail on 26th June 1628 with many local emigrants bound for New England.
John Endicott (1588-1665) 1st Governor of Massachusetts
The
sailing of the Abigail was important as it
carried the new government for the London Plantation in Massachusetts
including the first governor John Endicott, one of the six original
founders of the Massachusetts Bay Company with the Rev John White.
John Endicott is said to have been born in Dorchester in 1588 where
the Rev John White was rector for 40 years from 1606. There is now
a memorial to John Endicott sited by the Ferry Terminal in Weymouth.
The story of his life can be read on line at “www.books.google.com”by
then entering “Memoir of John Endicott” in
the search engine.
Because there were no passenger lists it is difficult to know which pilgrims arrived on which ships but the three brothers, Ralph, Richard and William Sprague, John Meech, John Stickland, and other residents of Fordington had arrived no later than 1629. It is likely that these in particular went with John Endicott on the Abigail with some of their families following as a part of The Higginson fleet onboard the Lyons Whelp which sailed from Gravesend on 5th April 1629 arriving at Salem in June.
In 1630 the Rev John White organised another major emigration of 140 people from Somerset, Dorset , Devon, and specifically the towns of Dorchester, Bridport, Crewkerne and Exeter. They set sail from Plymouth on 20th March 1630 on board the Mary & John and arrived at Nantasket Point, (now called Dorchester) in Massachusetts. Family names said to have been included on this voyage and originating from Dorchester/Fordington were “ Dyer, Filer, Ford, Holman, Rockwell, Sandford, Terry, Upsall and Way”. A listing can be viewed at www.packrat-pro.com/ships/maryjohn1.htm.
In 1633 they were followed by Anthony Eames, Church Warden of Fordington who set sail with his family including his daughter Millicent, the betrothed wife of William Sprague. They left from Weymouth in the Recovery of London and there appear to have been 26 families on board carrying with them “household goods, clothing and provisions for themselves, their wives, children and servants”.
The importance of these groups, many originating from Dorchester and Fordington, cannot be overstated as they laid the foundations for Boston, Dorchester and Charlestown in particular. An article written by the Rev Arthur W Ackerman DD and published in 1929 by the Governor and Company of Massachusetts Bay in New England, lambastes Dorchester in England for not fully recognising the key role the Rev John White played and states that “he should be placed at the head of the list of the Founders of Massachusetts”.
[Note: viewable at www.dorchesteratheneum.org/page.php?id=917]
The Rev White's
house stood behind St Peter's church, in the middle of the town on
the north side of High West Street and he is buried in the church porch
and has a fitting inscription:
"In
this porch lies the body of the Revd. John White M.A. of New College,
Oxford. He was born at Christmas 1575. For about forty years he was
rector of this parish and also of Holy Trinity, Dorchester. He died
here 21st July 1648. A man of great godliness, good scholarship and
wonder- full ability and kindness he had a very strong sway in this
town. He greatly set forward the emigration to the Massachusetts
Bay Colony where his name lives in un-fading remembrance."
The story of Dorchester
in the 17th century is superbly portrayed in the book “Fire
from Heaven” written by David Underdown. It gives a very detailed
account of life in Dorchester and the people that lived there. It also
gives valuable information on the background to the Pilgrim emigration
and the work of the Reverend John White in particular.
Request for Fordington Biographies
There already exists many excellent websites that record the story of these early settlers in great detail. I am not qualified to comment on events in America or personal family histories. My intention here is only to draw attention to the people and families that were actually born or lived in Fordington and became involved in this migration as it forms such an important part of our social history.
Where I can contact a living descendant I am grateful if they can contribute a biography of the person or family that emigrated for our website. Below are details and links to the biographies which have already been contributed, if you would like to add your family please contact me using the link on the parish page?
Michael Russell OPC Fordington
The Sprague Family :
Embarked on 5 Apr 1629 at Thames Gravesend on ship Lyons Whelp for Salem
Family Members lived in Fordington 1623-1629:
Ralph Sprague [1599-1650]
Johannah Sprague nee Warren [1603-1679/80] wife of Ralph
Married Fordington 15 Aug 1623 - died Woburn Middlesex Massachusetts [MA]
John Sprague son [1624-1692]
Bap Fordington 24 May 1624 - died 25 Jun 1692 Malden [MA]
Jonathan Sprague son [1625-1651] Bap Fordington 27 Nov 1625 - died Dec 1650 Malden Middlesex [MA]
Richard Sprague [1605-1668]
Born Upwey Dorset brother of Ralph & William - died Charlestown [MA]
William Sprague [1609-1675] Born Upwey Dorset brother of Ralph & Richard - married Millicent Eames [See Eames family] betrothed before voyage - died Hingham [MA]
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Eames Family :
Embarked on 31 Mar 1634 at Weymouth on the ship Recovery of London for Charlestown
Family Members all born in Fordington Dorset England:
Anthony Eames [1595 -1686]
Churchwarden of St Georges Fordington - buried Marshfield [MA]
Millicent Eames nee Pierce [1599c - 1662]
wife of Anthony - buried Marshfield [MA]
Millicent Eames [1616c - 1695/6]
daughter - married William Sprague on arrival 26 May 1635 - buried Hingham [MA]
John Eames [1618/19 - 1641]
son - buried Hingham [MA]
Mark Eames [1620c - 1693]
son - buried Marshfield [MA]
Persis Eames [1621 - 1662]
daughter - buried Hingham [MA]
Hannah Rose/Eames [1622 - 1692 Lancaster MA]
either their daughter or daughter of Anthony’s sister Anne Eames by her husband Thomas Rose]
Elizabeth Eames [1624 - 1692]
daughter - buried Plymouth [MA]
Margery Eames [1630 - 1659]
daughter - buried Hingham [MA]
Abigail Eames [1632/34c - 1709/10]
daughter - buried Scituate Plymouth [MA]