In 1620, the English Separatists, better known as the Pilgrims, departed their homeland in search of religious freedom. After 66 grueling days at sea, their ship arrived in the New World. The rest, as they say, is history.
These people did not intend to make their marks in the annals of time; instead, they were just searching for a place to call home.
My spouse’s family owes their very existence to these people. For that, we express our own thanksgiving to these ancestors (names in bold were passengers on the Mayflower):
William Mullins (1578 – 1621) and Alice (Atwood) Mullins (1574 – 1621), my spouse’s 11th great-grandparents through mother’s paternal line, whose daughter Priscilla Mullins (1602 – 1688) married John Alden (1599 – 1687):
Joseph Alden (1627 – 1696), son of John and Priscilla,
Sarah Alden (1665 – 1713), daughter of Joseph,
Joseph Crossman (1690 – 1776), son of Sarah,
James Crossman (1721 – ), son of Joseph,
Asa Croasman (1765 – 1828), son of James,
Asa Croasman (1794 – 1864), son of Asa,
Mary Crossman (1822 – 1904), daughter of Asa,
Matilda “Janie” Jane Robinson (1857 – 1929), daughter of Mary,
Albert Barton Harwick (1886 – 1964), son of Matilda Jane,
Max Clinton Harwick (1907 – 1998), son of Albert Barton and my spouse’s grandfather
George Soule (1593 – 1679) and Mary (Beckett) Soule (1590 – 1676), my spouse’s 10th great-grandparents through mother’s paternal line:
Nathaniel Soule (1637 – 1699), son of George and Mary,
Susannah Soule (1685 – 1733), daughter of Nathaniel,
Joseph Oliver (1706 – 1790), son of Susannah,
Joseph Oliver (1739 – 1790), son of Joseph,
Patience Oliver (1766 – 1828), daughter of Joseph,
Asa Croasman (1794 – 1864), son of Patience,
Mary Crossman (1822 – 1904), daughter of Asa,
Matilda “Janie” Jane Robinson (1857 – 1929), daughter of Mary,
Albert Barton Harwick (1886 – 1964), son of Matilda Jane,
Max Clinton Harwick (1907 – 1998), son of Albert Barton and my spouse’s grandfather
There is also a very distinct possibility that my Watts-Stark family descends from four Mayflower passengers, specifically:
John Tilley (1571 – 1621) and Joan (Hurst) Tilley (1567 – 1621), my probable 13th great-grandparents, whose daughter Elizabeth Tilley (1607 – 1687) married John Howland (1592 – 1673), my probable 12th great-grandparents.
This supposed line of descent comes down through Desire Howland (1623 – 1683), daughter of John and Elizabeth,
Desire Gorham (1644 – 1700), daughter of Desire,
Elizabeth Hawes (1662 – 1733), daughter of Desire,
Elizabeth Daggett (1690 – 1753), daughter of Elizabeth,
Keziah Butler (1708 – 1768), daughter of Elizabeth
Quite a few books and websites have contended that this Keziah Butler married Jacob King (1696 – 1730). However, until I have discovered definitive source documentation, I cannot claim with absolute certainty that these two specific people were, in fact, wedded. If this marriage can be confirmed, then my line of descent would continue as such:
Charles King (1730 – 1789), son of Keziah,
Mary King (1759 – 1831), daughter of Charles,
James Benjamin Stark (1775 – 1852), son of Mary,
Charles Stark (1802 – 1882), son of James Benjamin,
John Daniel Stark (1856 – 1912), son of Charles,
Osa Irene Stark (1900 – 1975), daughter of John Daniel,
Cletis Leroy Watts (1924 – 1963), son of Osa Irene and my grandfather
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Hi Mary. Welcome to my site.
Although several books indicate that the Keziah Butler who married Jacob King was same as the one descended from John Howland and Elizabeth Tilley, I still have not found their marriage license or other solid source to prove the connection. I shall keep digging though….
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Hi. Since this was written in 2011 have you found proof of Keziah Butler’s marriage to Charles King? My line is through his daughter, Charity King.
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I didn’t know that our family has Mayflower connections! Pretty cool!
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