Pilgrim Couple, John Howland and Elizabeth Tilley

So...we are back to the Pilgrims.  We will cover 4 of our ancestors that arrived on the Mayflower-John Howland and his wife Elizabeth Tilley and Elizabeth's parents John and Joan Hurst Tilley.  

From me, going backwards to the Mayflower, the line is  Me (1); Dad, Robert Wayne Wright 1927-1978 (2);  Grandpa, Robert Burns Wright 1898-1975, (3); Great Grandmother, Kate Pattison Wright 1856-1922, (4); Great Great Grandmother Josephine Cushman Pattison 1832-1885 (5); 3 Great Grandfather, Ira Harvey Cushman, 1799-1849 (6); 4 Great Grandfather, Clark Cushman 1759-1851 (7); 5 Great Grandfather, Paul Cushman 1741-1808; 6 Great Grandfather,  Joshua Cushman 1708-1764 (7); 7 Great Grandfather, Robert Cushman 1664-1757 (8); 8 Great Grandmother Ruth Howland Cushman  1637-1726 (9); 9 Great Grandparents John Howland 1593-1672 and Elizabeth Tilley Howland 1607-1686, (10); 10 Great Grand[parents John Tilley 1571-1621 and Joan Hurst Tilley 1568-1621 (11). 

John was born in Fenstanton, Huntingdonshire (part of Cambridgeshire) England.  He was Christened in 1603 at Holy Trinity, Ely, Cambridgeshire.  His parents were Henry and Margaret Howland; he had 2 brothers, Henry and Arthur who also journeyed to and settled in the New England area (Massachusetts Bay Colony) but they came later, not on the Mayflower.  John was listed as an Indentured servant to Governor John Carver.  He may or may not have been a member of the Separatist group although he was with them in Leiden, Holland.  He may not have come to the New World seeking religious freedom but rather because he was indentured to the Carvers.   John signed the Mayflower Compact in 1621 so he was most likely at least 18 at that time.  This would place his Birth year at about 1603 which was the year of his Christening.

John is probably best known as the Pilgrim who fell off the Mayflower during a storm.  He managed to grab hold of a trailing rope and fortunately for his more than 2 million descendants, was pulled to safety.  http://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/1884045/meet-john-howland-lucky-pilgrim-who-populated-america-2-million

Elizabeth Tilley Howland

Elizabeth Tilley journeyed on the Mayflower with her parents John Tilley and his wife Joan Hurst Tilley.  Also travelling with them were her Uncle Edward and Aunt Agnes Cooper Tilley. Both parents and the Uncle and Aunt died during the 1st Winter when approximately one half of all the Travelers died from illness and a combination of little food, the cold  and the difficult journey.  Elizabeth, about aged 13, was taken in by the Carver Family.  John Carver with whom John Howland also lived, died that Spring in 1621-his wife shortly after.  The Carvers had no legal heirs; their children had died in Holland while the Separatists were living in Leiden.  Quite possibly John Howland inherited the Carver Estate.  In this year, his Indenture ended and he was made a Freeman of Plymouth Colony.  John and Elizabeth Tilley married in 1624.  They had 10 children and 88 grandchildren, from whom have descended many well known people and many many lesser knowns.

Chart showing a few of the better known descendants of John Howland, in the middle and of his brothers, Arthur and Henry.  Our line, of course is not shown but we descend from the daughter of John and Elizabeth Tilley Howland, Ruth who married into the Cushman line.

John Howland and Elizabeth Tilley married in 1624, she was 16. They lived initially in Plymouth, moved to Duxbury for a time and then to Kingston.  Here they had a farm called Rocky Nook.  The Rocky Nook land is still owned and maintained by the Pilgrim John Howland Society, as is the Jabaz Howland House in Plymouth.  In 1672 John died and three years later, during King Phillip's War, Rocky Nook was burned to the ground.  From many years after, Elizabeth resided in the home of her son Jabez in Plymouth.  He sold this home in 1680 and Elizabeth spent the  last 7 years of her life living with her daughter Lydia Brown in Rhode Island.  John is most likely buried on Burial Hill in Plymouth while Elizabeth is buried in East Providence, Rhode Island.

Jabez Howland Home...looks like a nice big home until you realize that they had 10 children, 2 parents and the Husband's mother living there!

 The ninth known child of John and Elizabeth was Ruth Howland-she married Thomas Cushman, son of Thomas Cushman and Mary Allerton at Plymouth on 17 November 1664.  Source: Anderson's Great Migration Begins.

Thomas and Ruth Howland Cushman contributed 3 of the Howland's 88 Grandchildren-the eldest Robert was born 4 October 1664.  He and his 1st wife Persis Lewis would be my 7th Great Grandparents.