They Came in Ships

Matthew Allen, son of George Allen and Katherine WHO, was born 1627 in Sommerset, England and died 6 Mar 1695 in Dartmouth, MA. In 1635 he arrived in America aboard the SPEEDWELL [pictured left]. On 6 Jun 1657 he married Sarah Kirby, daughter of Richard Kirby, in Sandwich, MA. She was born abt. 1637 in Sandwich, MA and died there 22 Mar 1711. [Family history not yet complete.]

William Beardsley and his wife Mary (Harvie) arrived in America 2 Apr 1635 aboard the PLANTER with their children Marie, John and Joseph [see "Family Histories" Generation 11]:

2n Aprilis, 1635. Theis under written names are to be transported to New England imbaqued in the Planter Nic's Trarice Mr bound thither the p'ties have brought Certificate from the Minsiter of St Albens in Hertfordshire, and Altestacon from the Justtices of peace according to the Lords Order.

Wm Beardsley A Mason 30
Marie Beardsley 26
Marie Beardsley 4
John Beardsley 2
Joseph Beardsley 6mo

On 25 Sep 1636, Albert Andriessen Bradt and his family, including daughter, Eva Albertse Bradst, departed Amsterdam for New Netherlands. After a very long and difficult trip they reached New Amsterdam on 4 Mar 1637 and sailed up river to Fort Orange/Rensselearswyck where it is likely Eva married Anthony Oct 1647. [See "Family Histories" Generation 12.]

Joris Brinkerhoff sailed for New Amsterdam with his wife Susanna and eight young children. Although it is not documented it is probable that they arrived 14 Aug 1641 aboard the OAK TREE. This ship had 41 passengers who were suppose to settle on Staten Island. On August 15, 1641 Joris Brinkerhoff was released from his contract. [See "Family Histories" Generation 12.]

Before me, Cornelis Van Tienhoven, Secretary of the New Netherlands appeared ............. the worth Cornelis Melyn, who disclosed to have set free from the obligations of the contract made in the city of Amsterdam, Joris Dircksen, annulling said contract at the same time for the following reasons: First, because a short time before the arrival here of the said Cornelis Melyn and Joris Dircksen some farmers upon Staten Island had been killed by savages which half-frightened the wife of Joris Dircksen so much that she will not live upon the island now. Secondly, because his wages are so small that he can not afford to keep house on Staten Island and on Manhattan Island. Date this 15th day of August 1641. Cornelis Melyn

Anthony De Hooges [Generation 12] departed from Amsterdam on the ship DEN CONINCK DAVID [aka the KING DAVID] on Jul 23 and then from Texel Island on the 30th. He kept a complete journal of the trip, which has been very helpful to historians. After a stop in Plymouth, England from Aug 19-30, and, with five other ships, The King David began its ocean crossing. The little fleet passed the Madeira Islands on Sep 17 and 18 and the Canary Islands on Sep 19 and 20. Now all alone except for a small galley, the ship began its passage. The trip was slow and The King David ran short of fresh water and detoured to the West Indies. They replenished their water supply and left the West Indies on Oct 23, heading for New Amsterdam. Contrary winds slowed the trip but, after briefly running aground at Sandy Hook, the ship finally anchored in the East River off the Coast of Manhattan Island on 29 Nov 1641. This late in the season the Hudson River was ice filled so De Hooges spent the winter in New Amsterdam and did not reach his new home in Rensselearswyck until 10 April 1642.

Jean DeWitte boarded the TRINACRIA [shown left] in London, England and sailed for America arriving in New York on 11 May 1880. With him was his wife Angela (WHO) and their children Charles, Carnelle, Lualee, Lionel and Alphonse. [See "Family Histories" Generation 4.]

Edmund Frost, son of John Frost, was born 28 Aug 1593 in Hartest, England and died 12 Jul 1672 in Cambridge, MA. He married Thomasine Clench, daughter of Robert Clench and Joan Webbe, 16 Apr 1634. She was born Oct 1608 in Bottisham, England and died 1653 in Cambridge, MA.They immigrated to America in 1635. [Family history not yet complete.]

Philip James was born abt. 1602 in Hingham, England and died Nov 1638 in Hingman, MA. He married Jane Davenport. She was born abt. 1606 in Hingham, England and died 22 Dec 1689 in Hingman, MA. They boarded the DILIGENT in Ipswich, England and sailed for America arriving in Boston Harbor 10 Aug 1638 with their daughter Jemima Joanna James and three other children. [Family history not yet complete.]
DILIGENT, of Ipswich, John Martin, Master. She sailed from Ipswich, Suffolk, in June and arrived August 10 at Boston, with about one hundred passengers, principally from Hingham, Norfolk, destined for Hingham, Massachusetts (other sources have that the Diligent sailed from Gravesend on 26 Apr 1638).
PHILIP JAMES of Hingham, county Norfolk *
Mrs. Jane James
.......James
.......James
.......James
.......James
For more information on this family, see: "A New Look at the Family of Francis and Philip James of Hingham: Immigrant Ancestors" by Marya Myers and Donald W. James, Jr. in the January 1997 issue of the NEHGS Register. Jemima may be a distant cousin of T.S. Eliot and Roger Nash Baldwin (founder of the ACLU).

Reverend Domine Johannes Theodorous Polhemus petitioned in 1635 to be sent to the West Indies and left the following year with an expeditionary force fro Brazil. They landed at Pernambuco on 23 Jan 1637. For the next seventeen years he served the Reform Dutch Church in Brazil on the Island of Itamarca. It is most probable this is where he met and married Katherine Van Werven.

By 1647 through lack of support from the Netherlands, the colony in Brazil became weak and in time the Portuguese took the colony back. A choice was given to the colonists to become Portuguese subjects and Catholics or be deported. Over the next few years sixteen Dutch ships left the harbor in Brazil bound for Holland. One of these ships carried Mrs. Polhemus and her children. Domine remained until all the refugees were gone. He then sailed from Brazil on a vessel of Jewish Portuguese merchants. The ship had hardly left the harbor when it was captured by a Spanish privateer. This was in turn captured by a French Man-of War, the “St. Charles”. The ship finally arrived in the New Netherlands Colony on 3 Sep 1654.

With the consent of Governor Stuyvesant, Domine went to Midwout, Long Island (Flatbush) to organize a congregation of the Dutch and Huguenot settlers. Katherine and their children set sail from Texel on 14 Jun 1656 aboard the GOLDEN OTTER and arrived in New Amsterdam on 3 Sep. For a time their situation was difficult. The congregation was unable to make adequate provisions for his salary or their shelter. A letter written by Governor Peter Stuyvesant to the village Magistrates explains the problems. [See "Family Histories" Generation 12.]

The said Domine Polhemus complains of the uninhabitable state of his dwelling house, which has neither ceiling or wainscoating, so that he and his family are compelled to sleep on the floor. We sent you 100 hemlock planks. I am informed that the said boards have been disposed of by the Commissionaires according to their pleasure. For instance 24 have been given to the hired man of Jan Eversen, 17 given to Jan Snedicor. We command that the boards be brought together again and be put to the proper use and no other. If you fail therein, we shall take the proper measures; whereupon relying we commend you all to God’s protection and remain, P. Stuyvesant.

John Randall was born 28 May 1629 in Bath, England and died 1684 in Westerly, RI. He married Elizabeth Morton 1665 in London, England. She was born 10 Sep 1631 in Clerkenwell, England and died 1685 in Westerly, RI. They immigrated to America in 1666. [Family history not yet complete.]

Daniel Scofield immigrated to America in 1635 aboard the SUSAN & ELLEN. [See "Family Histories" Generation 11.]

Richard "Bull" Smith, son of Richard Smith, was born 1613 in Bradford, England and died 5 Mar 1692. He immigrated to America in 1635 aboard the JOHN OF LONDON. In 1645 he married Sarah Hammond, daughter of Johathan Hammond, in Watertown, MA. [Family history not yet complete.]

Thomas Stanton left his native England in 1635 and sailed to America aboard the BONAVENTURE and landed in Virginia. He stayed in Virginia only a short time and then left for Boston, probably by land. He talked with the Indians along the way and became knowledgeable in their language and customs. When he arrived in Boston this knowledge was put to use by John Winthrop and other government agents. The next year he was selected by the Boston authorities to accompany Fenwick and Peters as an interpreter on a mission to Saybrook, Connecticut to hold a conference with the Pequot Indians about the murder of Captain Stone. At the completion of the conference Thomas went up to Hartford, Connecticut and built a home. It was probably about this time that he married Ann Lord, who had also immigrated from England.

Thomas Stanton’s knowledge of the language and character of the Indians made him a prominent member of the Connecticut Colony. He was made a public officer and was retained at £10 per year to attend court on all occasions. He became a special friend of Governor Winthrop of Connecticut and acted as his interpreter in his dealings with the Indians. [See "Family Histories" Generation 12.]

Nathaniel Tilden, son of Thomas Tilden and Alys Biggs, was baptised 28 Jul 1583 in Tenterden, England and died 24 Jul 1641 in Scituate, MA. He married Lydia Huckstep, daughter of Stephen Huckstep and Winifred Hatch, abt. 1602 in Tinterden, England. She was born 11 Feb 1587 in Tenterden, England and died 31 Jul 1672 in Scituate, MA. They immigrated to America 25 Mar 1634 aboard the HERCULES. With them were 7 children and 7 servants. [Family history not yet complete.]

Certificates from Mr. Jno. Gee, Vicar of Tenterden, 26 Feb. 1634, Jno. Austin, Mayor of Tenderden, and Fregift Stall, jurat, 4 Mar 1634.

"Hercules of Sandwich, John Witherly, Master, sailed in the Spring of this year, and is probably the Hercules 'of Dover' mentioned by Winthrop as being here in the Summer."