The First Colonists

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The First Colonists: The Survivors

	(Stratton) One hundred and two passengers sailed from England on the Mayflower. One died at sea (William Butten), four died at Provincetown Harbor (Dorothy Bradford, James Chilton, Jasper More, and Edward Thompson), one was born at sea (Oceanus Hopkins), and one was born at Provincetown Harbor (Peregrine White), and thus there arrived at Plymouth ninety-nine of those we say "stayed." These included John Alden, a cooper who signed on the Mayflower at Southampton, and who accepted an offer to stay as part of the company, and four seamen. Two of the seamen (William Trevor and _____ Ely) were hired to stay for one year, and two others (John Allerton and Thomas English) were hired to be part of the company, but the latter two died before the Mayflower sailed again. The entire crew stayed throughout the severe winter of 1620\21, and about half died. The surviving crew members returned to England when the Mayflower set sail on 5 April 1621. Of the settlers, only fifty-two, including Trevor and Ely, were still alive when the Fortune, the next ship, arrived in November 1621.12
	An earlier abstract demonstrates just how humble were these early beginnings: "On 28 December 1620 after the common house had been completed except for the thatching, "we took notice how many families there were...single men...to join with some family...that we might build fewer houses...and we reduced them to nineteen families". Each of these nineteen received a parcel of land about fifty feet deep. Frontage was proportional to the number in the family, about eight feet per person. Francis Cooke's lot was on the south side of the street, with Isaac Allerton and Edward Winslow on his east and west.
	THE PRESENT ESTATE OF NEW-PLIMOTH" IN 1624*

George Ernest Bowman:

THE following account of Plymouth, in 1624, is reprinted from Capt. John Smith's "The General Historie of Virginia, New-England, and the Summer Isles .... to this present 1626." the copy from which the present transcript has been made was printed in London, in 1627, and is now in the Boston, Mass., Public Library. It was formerly the property of Rev. Thomas Prince of Boston; and the marginal notes in his hand prove that it was used by Prince in writing his "Chronological History of New-England" published in 1736. His marginal notes on this description of Plymouth are here printed as footnotes.
This account of Plymouth is found at page 2247 of "The Generall Historie" and on the right-hand margin, opposite the first line, was printed: "The present estate of the plantation at New-Plimoth. 1624."

The present estate of New-Plimoth.
AT New-Plimoth there is about 180 persons, some cattell and goats, but many swine and poultry, 32 dwelling houses, whereof 7 were burnt the last winter, and the value of five hundred pounds in other goods; the Towne is impaired about halfe a mile compasse. In the towne upon a high Mount they have a Fort well built with wood, lome, and stone, where is planted their Ordnance: Also a faire Watch-tower, partly framed for the Sentinell,

the place it seems is healthfull, for in these last three yeeres, notwithstanding their great want of most necessaries, there hath not one died of the first planters, they have made a saltworke*, and with that salt preserve the fish they take, and this yeare hath fraughted a ship of 180. tunnes.

The Governour is one Mr. William Bradford, their Captaine Miles Standish, a bred Souldier in Holland; the chiefe men for their assistance is Master Isaak Alderton, and divers others as occasion serveth; their Preachers are Master William Bruster and Master John Layford

The most of them live together as one family or houshold, yet every man followeth his trade and profession both by sea and land, and all for a generall stocke, out of which they have all their maintenance, Untill there be a divident betwixt the Planters and the Adventurers. Those Planters are not servants to the Adventurers here, but have only councells of directions from them, but no injunctions or command, and all the masters of families are partners in land or whatsoever, setting their labours against the stocke, till certaine yeeres be expired for the division;

they have young men and boles for their Apprentises and servants, and some of them speciall families, as Ship-carpenters, Saltmakers, Fish-masters, yet as servants upon great wages. The Adventurers which raised the stocke to begin and supply this Plantation were about 70. some Gentlemen, some Merchants, some handy-crafts men, some adventuring great summes, some small, as their estates and affection served. The generall stocke already imploded is about 7000 . Ł . by reason of which charge and many crosses, many of them would adventure no more, but others that knowes, so great a designe cannot bee effected without both charge, losse and crosses, are resolved to goe forward with it to their powers; which deserve no small commendations and encouragement.

These dwell most about London, they are not a corporation, but knit together by a voluntary combination in a society without constraint or penalty, aiming to doe good & to plant Religion; they have a President & Treasurer, every yeere newly chosen by the most voices, who ordereth the affaires of their Courts and meetings, and with the assent of the most of them, undertaketh all ordinary businesses, but in more weighty affaires, the assent of the whole Company is required.

There hath beene a fishing this yeere upon the Coast about 50. English ships: and by Cape Anne, there is a Plantation a beginning by the Dorchester men, which they hold of those of New—Plimoth, who also by them have set up a fishing worke; some talke there is some other pretended Plantations, all whose good proceedings the eternal God protect and preserve.

* "This article was originally printed in the third volume of "Pilgrim Notes and Queries", a monthly magazine published by the Massachusetts Society of Mayflower Descendants, from 1913 to 1917, inclusive, but discontinued on account of the World War. We here reprint the article because about two-thirds of the present members of the Society have been elected since it first appeared, and have not, therefore, had an opportunity to read this contemporary account of Plymouth Plantation.—Editor. A marginal note in the hand of Rev. Thomas Prince reads: "Govr Bradford mentions but 4 or 5 burnt ye last winter. But with ye 2 Burnt in 1621 Capt Smith might Say yr had been 7 Burnt in all." EDITOR. "