| 6. | John HOWLAND was born about 1599 in Fenstanton, Huntingdon, ENGLAND; was christened in Near, Newport, Essex, ENGLAND (son of Henry HOWLAND and Margaret UNKNOWN); died on 23 Feb 1673 in Plymouth, Plymouth, MA; was buried on 25 Feb 1672/73 in Burial Hill, Plymouth, Plymouth, MA. Other Events and Attributes:
Notes:
Note:
The traditional date that has been ascribed to John Howland's birth is 'about 1592', and this has never really been questioned. However, a birth about 1599 is clearly a better estimate for the following reasons:- John Howland is called a 'manservant' in William Bradford's passenger list. Servents were contracted out until the age of 25. Thus, Howland must have been under 25 in 1620, meaning he had to have been born after 1595. Since Howland signed the Mayflower Compact, he must have been born sometime before 1600 to have been legally old enough to sign. John Howland's wife was born in 1607, and it is most unlikely that he, at the age of 32, married a 17 year old girl as his first wife. Most men married about age 25, and since his marriage occurred about 1624, this would place his likely birth at 1599.- John Howland's last child was born in 1649. If the 1592 date were accepted, he would have fathered a child at the age of 57, a most unlikely circumstance. William Bradford writes in that John Howland was a 'lusty young man' in 1620. It is unlikely that Bradford would call a 28-yearold a 'young man'. The only other person Bradford called a 'young man' in 1620 was John Alden, who was born in 1599. John Howland came on the Mayflower as a servant to John Carver. He is best remembered for having fallen off the Mayflower during a mighty storm, as recorded by Bradford: 'In sundry of these storms the winds were so fierce and the seas so high, as they could not bear a know of sail, but were forced to hull for divers days together, And in one of them, as they thus lay at hull in a mighty storm, a lusty young man called John Howland, coming upon some occasion above the gratings was, with a seele of the ship, thrown into the sea; but it pleased God that he caught hold of the topsail halyards which hung overboard and ran out at length. Yet he held his hold (though he was sundry fathoms under water) till he was hauled up by the same rope to the brim of the water, and then with boat hook and other means got into the ship again and his live saved. And though he was something ill with it, yet he lived many years after and became a profitable member both in church and commonwealth.'
"John Howland was born about 1599, probably in Fenstanton, Huntington. He came on the Mayflower in 1620 as a manservant for Governor John Carver. During the Mayflower's voyage, Howland fell overboard during a storm, and was almost lost at sea--but luckily for his millions of descendants living today (including Presidents George Bush and George W. Bush, and Mrs. Theodore Roosevelt) he managed to grab ahold of the topsail halyards, giving the crew enough time to rescue him with a boathook.
It has been traditionally reported that John Howland was born about 1592, based on his reported age at death in the Plymouth Church Records. However, ages at death were often overstated, and that is clearly the case here. John Howland came as a servant for John Carver, which means he was under 25 years old at the time (i.e. he was born after 1595). William Bradford, in the falling-overboard incident, refers to Howland as a "lusty young man", a term that would not likely have applied to a 28-year old given that Bradford himself was only 30--Bradford did call 21-year old John Alden a "young man" though. Howland's wife Elizabeth was born in 1607: a 32-year old marrying a 17-year old is an unlikely circumstance. Howland's last child was born in 1649: a 57-year old Howland would be an unlikely father. All these taken together demonstrate that Howland's age was likely overstated by at least 5 years. Since he signed the Mayflower Compact, we can assume he was probably about 21 in 1620, so the best estimate for his birth would be about 1599.
John Howland had several brothers who also came to New England, namely Henry Howland (an ancestor to both Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford) and Arthur Howland (an ancestor to Winston Churchill). John Howland is an ancestor to Presidents George and George W. Bush as well as First Lady Edith (Carrow) Roosevelt (Mrs. Theodore Roosevelt).
Will:
The Last Will and Testament of mr John howland of Plymouth late Deceased, exhibited to the Court held att Plymouth the fift Day of March Anno Dom 1672 on the oathes of mr Samuell ffuller and mr William Crow as followeth
Know all men to whom these prsents shall Come That I John howland senir of the Towne of New Plymouth in the Collonie of New Plymouth in New England in America, this twenty ninth Day of May one thousand six hundred seaventy and two being of whole mind, and in Good and prfect memory and Remembrance praised be God; being now Grown aged; haveing many Infeirmities of body upon mee; and not Knowing how soon God will call mee out of this world, Doe make and ordaine these prsents to be my Testament Containing herein my last Will in manor and forme following;
Imp I Will and bequeath my body to the Dust and my soule to God that Gave it in hopes of a Joyfull Resurrection unto Glory; and as Concerning my temporall estate, I Dispose thereof as followeth;
Item I Doe give and bequeath unto John howland my eldest sonne besides what lands I have alreddy given him, all my Right and Interest To that one hundred acres of land graunted mee by the Court lying on the eastern side of Tauton River; between Teticutt and Taunton bounds and all the appurtenances and privilidges Therunto belonging, T belonge to him and his heirs and assignes for ever; and if that Tract should faile, then to have all my Right title and Interest by and in that Last Court graunt to mee in any other place, To belonge to him his heires and assignes for ever;
Item I give and bequeath unto my son Jabez howland all those my upland and Meadow That I now posesse at Satuckett and Pamet, and places adjacent, with all the appurtenances and privilidges, belonging therunto, and all my right title and Interest therin, To belonge to him his heires and assignes for ever,
Item I Give and bequeath unto my son Jabez howland all that my one peece of land that I have lying on the southsyde of the Mill brooke, in the Towne of Plymouth aforsaid; be it more or lesse; and is on the Northsyde of a feild that is now Gyles Rickards senir To belonge to the said Jabez his heirs and assignes for ever;
Item I give and bequeath unto Isacke howland my youngest sonne all those my uplands and meddows Devided and undivided with all the appurtenances and priviliges unto them belonging, lying and being in the Towne of Middlebery, and in a tract of Land Called the Majors Purchase near Namassakett Ponds; which I have bought and purchased of William White of Marshfeild in the Collonie of New Plymouth; which may or shall appeer by any Deed or writinges Together with the aformentioned prticulares To belonge to the said Isacke his heirs and assignes for ever;
Item I give and bequeath unto my said son Isacke howland the one halfe of my twelve acree lott of Meddow That I now have att Winnatucsett River within the Towne of Plymouth aforsaid To belonge to him and said Isacke howland his heires and assignes for ever;
Item I Will and bequeath unto my Deare and loveing wife Elizabeth howland the use and benifitt of my now Dwelling house in Rockey nooke in the Township of Plymouth aforsaid, with the outhousing lands, That is uplands uplands [sic] and meddow lands and all appurtenances and privilidges therunto belonging in the Towne of Plymouth and all other Lands housing and meddowes that I have in the said Towne of Plymouth excepting what meddow and upland I have before given To my sonnes Jabez and Isacke howland During her naturall life to Injoy make use of and Improve for her benifitt and Comfort;
Item I give and bequeath unto my son Joseph howland after the Decease of my loveing wife Elizabeth howland my aforsaid Dwelling house att Rockey nooke together with all the outhousing uplands and Medowes appurtenances and privilidges belonging therunto; and all other housing uplands and meddowes appurtenances and privilidges That I have within the aforsaid Towne of New Plymouth excepting what lands and meadowes I have before Given To my two sonnes Jabez and Isacke; To belong to him the said Joseph howland To him and his heires and assignes for ever;
Item I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Desire Gorum twenty shillings
Item I give and bequeath To my Daughter hope Chipman twenty shillings
Item I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Elizabeth Dickenson twenty shillings
Item I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Lydia Browne twenty shillings
Item I give & bequeath to my Daughter hannah Bosworth twenty shillings
Item I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Ruth Cushman twenty shillings
Item I give to my Grandchild Elizabeth howland The Daughter of my son John howland twenty shillings
Item my will is That these legacyes Given to my Daughters, be payed by my exequitrix in such species as shee thinketh meet;
Item I will and bequeath unto my loveing wife Elizabeth howland, my Debts and legacyes being first payed my whole estate: vis: lands houses goods Chattles; or any thing else that belongeth or appertaineth unto mee, undisposed of be it either in Plymouth Duxburrow or Middlbery or any other place whatsoever; I Doe freely and absolutly give and bequeath it all to my Deare and loveing wife Elizabeth howland whom I Doe by these prsents, make ordaine and Constitute to be the sole exequitrix of this my Last will and Testament to see the same truely and faithfully prformed according to the tenour therof; In witness whereof I the said John howland senir have heerunto sett my hand and seale the aforsaid twenty ninth Day of May, one thousand six hundred seaventy and two 1672
Signed and sealed in the
prsence of Samuel ffuller John Howland
William Crow And a seale
Died:
"The 23th of ffebruary 1672 Mr. John Howland Senior of the Towne of Plymouth deceased hee was a Godly man and an ancient professor in the ways of Christ hee lived untill hee attained above eighty yeares in the world hee was one of the first comers into this land and proved a faithful Instrument of God in his place and was the last man that was left of those that came over in the shipp Called the Mayfflower that lived in Plymouth hee was with honor interred in the Town of Plymouth on the 25 of ffebruary 1672."
Buried:
John Howlands grave is marked with a large purplish colored stone on which is carved the above extract from the old records, and at the top of which is cut of the ship Mayflower.
Find A Grave e-Memorial
John married Elizabeth TILLEY on 25 Mar 1623 in Plymouth, Plymouth, MA. Elizabeth (daughter of John TILLEY and Joan Hurst ROGERS) was christened on 30 Aug 1607 in Henlow, Bedford, ENGLAND; died on 21 Dec 1687 in Swansea, Bristol, MA; was buried in Little Neck Cemetery, East Providence, Providence, RI. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]
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1673 - 1747 (74 years)
