The Pilgrim Within

Early in September of the year 1620 a small three-masted ship of 180 tons sailed from Plymouth, England for the New World. The trip took more than two months at sea. Early in the month of November this small ship called the “Mayflower” reached the tip of Cape Cod, now in Massachusetts.

Before landing the male passengers drew up a written agreement by which they planned to govern themselves. Forty-one men signed this agreement which was called the “Mayflower Compact”. This was the first written democratic agreement signed in North America.

Ye Compacte
Signed in Ye Cabin of Ye Mayflower
Ye 11 of November
Anno Dominie 1620

In ye name of God Amen· We whose names are vnderwriten, the loyall subjects of our dread soueraigne Lord King James by ye grace of God, of great Britaine, franc, & Ireland king, defender of ye faith, &c

Haueing vndertaken, for ye glorie of God, and aduancemente of ye christian faith and honour of our king & countrie, a voyage to plant ye first colonie in ye Northerne parts of Virginia· doe by these presents solemnly & mutualy in ye presence of God, and one of another, couenant, & combine our selues togeather into a ciuill body politick; for ye our better ordering, & preseruation & furtherance of ye ends aforesaid; and by vertue hearof, to enacte, constitute, and frame shuch just & equall lawes, ordinances, Acts, constitutions, & offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meete & conuenient for ye generall good of ye colonie: vnto which we promise all due submission and obedience. In witnes wherof we haue herevnder subscribed our names at Cap Codd ye ·11· of Nouember, in ye year of ye raigne of our soueraigne Lord king James of England, france, & Ireland ye eighteenth and of Scotland ye fiftie fourth. Ano: Dom ·1620·

John Carver * Edward Winflow * Isaac Allerton * John Alden * Chriftopher Martin * William Martin * John Howland * Edward Tilley * Francif Cooke * Thomas Tinker * Mofes Fletcher * Degory Prift * John Cracfton * Peter Brown * George Soule * Gilbert Winflow * Thomas Englifh * William Bradford * Richard Gardiner * Myles Standish * Samuel Fuller * William Brewfter * Richard Warren * Stephen Hopkins * William Mullins * Thomas Rogers * John Rigdale * John Tilley * James Chilton * John Billington * John Turner * Thomas Williams * Edward Marefon * Richard Britterige * Richard Clark * John Allerton * Edward Doty * Edward Leifter

In the middle of a cold December, Miles Standish, William Bradford and a small group searched for a safe place to settle. Their choice was where Plymouth, Massachusetts stands today.

There were 104 passengers including men women and children. Twenty-four were heads of families. Two of them left only one daughter each. This left a total of twenty-two from which all descents are traced. There are two lines of descent for our family. Frederic C. Holmes is descended from George Soule [Generation 10] and Katherine L. Spinney is descended from John Alden [Generation 12]. Since John Alden married Pricilla Mullins everyone descended from John Alden is also descended from William Mullins.

September 5, 1993
Rev. June 4, 2002