Mayflower Ancestors Pt. 2: William and Mary Brewster

William Brewster (ca 1567-1644) came on the Mayflower with his wife Mary and their sons Wrestling and Love (children Jonathan, Patience and Fear would join them later). He was from Scrooby, Nottingham. He attended Cambridge and was among the most well educated Pilgrims (his inventory included over 400 books, some written in Latin). In Scrooby he served as Post Master and other Separatists came to worship at his home. He was briefly imprisoned for his actions. 

 

William was an integral figure in the Pilgrims removal to Leiden, Holland, where he was an elder and teacher in the Separatist church. He also printed religious pamphlets that were critical of the Church of England, making him a wanted man in England and resulting in the arrest of his partner. As the Pilgrims were without a minister when they came to Plymouth, William served as the ruling Elder. William and Mary lived first at Plymouth (where the current Plymouth Post Office stands, commemorated by a plaque) and then removed to Duxbury. 

The Brewster Chair from the Pilgrim Hall Museum

My line from William Brewster that has been approved by the Mayflower Society:

 1             William Brewster 1567 - 1644

+Mary     - 1627

2      Patience Brewster        1600 - 1634

+Thomas Prence    1600 - 1673

3      Mercy Prence                1631 - 1711

+John Freeman     1627 - 1719

4      Thomas Freeman          1653 - 1715/16

+Rebecca Sparrow 1655 - 1739/40

5      Thomas Freeman          1676 - 1716/17

+Mary Smith         1685 - 1766

6      Thomas Freeman          1708 - 1766

+Dorothy Cole       1712 - 1782

7      Thomas Freeman          1731 - 1800

+Esther Ryder        1731 - 1802

8      Dorothy Freeman          1752 - 1825

+Elnathan Eldredge              1746/47 - 1837

9      Nehemiah Eldredge      1775 - 1839

+Ruth Harding     

10    James Harding Eldredge              1797 - 1873

+Rosanna Wixon  1789 - 1868

11    Rosana S. Eldredge       1826 - 1911

+Valentine Kelley                1828 - 1882

12    Mary Ann Kelley          1855 - 1941

+David Howes Kelley            1842 - 1925

13    Ethel Florence Kelley   1890 - 1981

+Wallace Cedric Booth        1887 - 1970

14    Mildred Louise Booth  1917 – 1999

+Arthur Elmer Washburn Davis 1913 - 1976

15    my parents

16    me

Line through my Grandfather, Arthur Washburn Davis. Cousin Jane Weston had this line approved through generation 12:

2      Love Brewster               1611 - 1650

+Sarah Collier      1616 - 1691

3      William Brewster         1645 - 1723

+Lydia Partridge   1660 - 1742/43

4      Joshua Brewster           1698 - 1776

+Deborah Jackson                1703/04 - 1769

5      Sarah Brewster             1726/27 - 1812

+Joseph Wright    1721 - 1804

6      Deborah Wright            1749 - 1812

+Seth Washburn   1738 - 1826

7      Ephraim Washburn      1794 - 1870

+Mary Lucas          1792 - 1860

Generations 8-16 same as above

Brewster Memorial Stone, Burial Hill

Famous ancestors of William Brewster: President Zachary Taylor, Sarah Palin, Bing Crosby, Cokie Roberts. (Source Notable Kin by Gary Boyd Roberts)

 For information on the Elder William Brewster Society: http://www.brewsterfamily.org/Brewster_Society/Welcome.html

I neglected to include this is my list of useful sites pertaining to Mayflower research:  http://www.sail1620.org/