John HOWLAND

Other Events and Attributes:

• Fact: 03 Mar 1672, Inventory taken.
• Will: 29 May 1672

Notes:

Excerpt from Mayflower Increasing: In the Plymouth ChR 1:147, Rev. John Cotton said of him, " he was a good old disciple & had bin sometime a magistrate here, a plaine-hearted christian". Nathaniel Morton wrote, "The 23 February 1672 Mr John Howland Senr of the Towne of Plymouth Deceased hee was a Godly man and an ancient professor in the wayes of Christ hee lived untill hee attained above eighty yearaes in the world he was one of the first Comers into this land and proved a usefull Instrument of Good in his place & was the last man that was left of those that Came over in the ship Called the May Flower that lived in Pkymouth he was with honor intered at the Towne of Plymouth on the 25 February 1672."

Name:
American history legend from the voyage of the Mayflower and founding of Plymouth Rock in 1620. American children discover John Howland when they learn of the Pilgrims, Plymouth Rock, and the first Thanksgiving. The Pilgrims' leader Governor William Bradford wrote a first hand account of the Pilgrim history from 1620 to 1647. This account was first published in 1952, and is considered one of the best first hand accounts of any kind on American history. In Bradford's account of the voyage over on the Mayflower, he tells of how John Howland washed overboard in violent storm. Howland was 29 years of age at the time. Howland was able to grab some ropes from the sails and gradually pull himself back on board the ship. This event and Bradford's account of it made John Howland a legend. Howland's name and account has been published in hundreds of publications and in school history books. As myths can grow, the story had changed that he had died and was the first pilgrim to die, thus the oldest burial in the Plymouth cemetery, Burial Hill. In fact, he survived, married and had a number of children with Elizabeth Tilley Howland, and lived to 80 plus, according to his grave stone. His grave stone also states from Plymouth records that he was the last male to die from the original pilgrims of the Mayflower. (bio by: Bruce)


Inscription:
Here ended the Pilgrimage of JOHN HOWLAND who died February 23, 1672/3 aged above 80 years. He married Elizabeth daughter of JOHN TILLEY who came with him in the Mayflower Dec. 1620. From them are descended a numerous posterity. "Here was a godly man and an ancient professor in the ways of Christ. Hee was one of the first comers into this land and was the last man that was left of those that came over in the Shipp called the Mayflower that lived in Plymouth."

John married Elizabeth TILLEY on 25 Mar 1623 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts. Elizabeth (daughter of John TILLEY and Joan HURST) was born in Henlow, Bedfordshire, England; was christened on 30 Aug 1607 in Henlow, Bedfordshire, England; died on 22 Dec 1687 in Swansea, Bristol Co., Massachusetts; was buried in Brown Lot, Little Neck Cemetery, Riverside, Rhode Island. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Desire HOWLAND was born before 1625 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA; died on 13 Oct 1683 in Barnstable, Barnstaple Co.,, Massachusetts.
2. John Joseph HOWLAND was born on 24 Apr 1627 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA; died after 18 May 1699 in Barnstable, Barnstable Co., Massachusetts.
3. Hope HOWLAND was born on 30 Aug 1629 in Plymouth, Plymouth Co., Massachsetts; died on 08 Jan 1683/4 in Barnstable, Barnstable, Massachusetts.
4. Elizabeth HOWLAND was born before 1631; died in 1691 in Oyster Bay, Long Island, New York.
5. Lydia HOWLAND was born about 1633; died on 11 Jan 1710/1.
6. Hannah HOWLAND was born about 1637 in Maine; died in 1705 in Swansea, Bristol County, Massachusetts.
7. Joseph HOWLAND was born about 1640 in Kingston, Massachusetts; died in Jan 1703/4 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA.
8. Jabez HOWLAND was born in 1644 in Rocky Nook, Kingston, Plymouth, Massachusetts; died between 14 May 1708 and 6 Feb 1712 in Bristol, Bristol, Rhode Island.
9. Ruth HOWLAND was born about 1646 in Kingston, Massachusetts; died between 29 May 1672 and 16 Oct 1679.
10. Isaac HOWLAND was born on 15 Nov 1649 in Kingston, Massachusetts; died on 09 Mar 1723/4 in Middleboro, Massachusetts; was buried in The Green Cem..

Henry married Margaret ? on 26 Apr 1600 in Ely, Cambridge, Eng., (st. Mary). Margaret was born in 1567 in Fen Stanton, Huntingdonshire, England; died on 30 Jul 1629 in Fenny, Stanton, Hunts, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]