Update on our Mayflower connection

In a previous post - https://descenddance.blogspot.com/2018/01/mayflower.html - I outlined our Mayflower ancestry through my mother's maternal line. John Howland and Elizabeth Tilley are my 8th great grandparents. 

I knew there were other Mayflower passengers in my family tree, but have not been able to confirm. Then, along came this information from Matt, my cousin and fellow family researcher... Not only am I descended directly from John Howland on my mother's side, but am connected to him through marriage on my FATHER's side!!! Already I knew that my mother's and father's ancestors crossed paths and bloodlines several times in colonial days. (This topic will be another whole blog post in itself).

From Matt:

So, these are the most evident connections to the Mayflower, although I assume that there are likely to be several more within the groups these ancestors moved within.

First an Indirect Connection but Interesting (A Connection to the Direct Connection)
John Howland - his grandson Charles Dickinson married Phillip [sic] Green,* daughter of Major John Greene of Rhode Island and sister of Richard Greene (1660-1811) who married Elinor Sayles (1664-1714) their daughter Mary Greene (1706-1757) married Captain John Godfrey (1704-1756) who was the father of Captain Samuel Godfrey (1743-1831). So this connection is not direct. But:

Second the Direct Connection
Stephen Hopkins - his grandaughter Waitstill Snow married Joseph Sabin. Waitstill and Joseph's great-granddaughter was Patience Sabin (1751-1786) married Captain Samuel Godfrey (1743-1831) on 30 July 1769 in Providence, RI. Their daughter Elizabeth (Betsy) Godfrey (1779-1864) married Thomas Whitfield (1780-1830), and their daughter Sarah Gale (Sally) Whitfield (1811-1882) married John L. Abbott (1810-1898 in New York City on 11 Oct 1836. Of course, their son was Whitfield Barry Abbott (1844-1889).

This has given me a lot to chew on! I had Stephen Hopkins in my tree many years ago - I even bought a book about him - but deleted him when some of the genealogical evidence seemed sketchy. 

I will give it a second look.

*Phillip - could be Phillis or Phillipa. 

Found the Holy Grail!

The genealogical Holy Grail for any Caucasian in America is to prove a claim as a Mayflower descendant.  I've been burned once - I thought I'd found a connection but had to delete it because I was unable to verify the facts with 100% certainty.  But with so many of our ancestors living in prominent colonial settlements, I was sure that we must have a Mayflower ancestor somewhere!  I have been very careful about my sources this time.  Finally, I've discovered a connection in my mother's maternal line to several Mayflower passengers!

John Howland m. Elizabeth Tilley (both Mayflower passengers) > Ichabod Bosworth > Benjamin Bosworth > Benajah Bosworth > Joseph Bucklin Bosworth > Orlando M. Bosworth > Eva L. Bosworth > Teresa/Ethelyn Allen > Virginia M. Crofford > Teresa Zaun Austin

John Howland

I traced our line back through the Bosworths and found John Howland, who is my 8th great grandfather and an original signer of the Mayflower Compact.  He came over as a manservant to Governor John Carver.  We are descended from John through his daughter Hannah.

The official history can be found here:  http://mayflowerhistory.com/howland/

"Howland Overboard," a painting by maritime artist Mike Haywood.  

A painting called Howland Overboard depicts a famous event in which John fell overboard and clung to a halyard until the sailors were able to rescue him with a boat-hook.

The presidents Bush and Mrs. Theodore Roosevelt are also descended from John Howland.



The Tilley Family

John Howland was married to Elizabeth "Bridget" Tilley, who was about twelve when she came over on the Mayflower with her parents, John Tilley and Joan Hurst Tilley.  John, also a signer of the Mayflower Compact, and Joan Tilley both died in their first winter in Plymouth, leaving Elizabeth an orphan.  She is buried in Ancient Little Neck Cemetery in Providence, R.I.  The Hursts were originally from Holland... yet another line of descent from the Netherlands for my mother's line.