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Edward Winslow- Mayflower Pilgrim Father

EDWARD WINSLOW was born in Droitwich on the 18th October 1595. the first of eight sons born to prosperous Droitwich Salt Manufacturer Edward and wife Magdalene, (probably a Droitwich girl). He was Baptised in St. Peter’s Church, Droitwich. Educated at King’s School, Worcester, Edward later became a printer in London. In 1617 he travelled to Leiden, Holland. He became a prominent member of the local English puritan Church and married sixteen year old Elizabeth Barker, of Chettisham, Cambs, there in May 1618. In July 1620 Edward and his wife joined Leiden Puritans setting off on their epic voyage to Virginia in the Speedwell.. In Plymouth they transferred to the Mayflower and were joined by Edward’s brother Gilbert; leaving on the 16th September. The passage was a miserable one, buffeted by huge waves causing fractures of timber. The passengers had suffered agonizing delays, shortages of food and other supplies. Land was sighted on the 19th November, not Virginia as planned but Cape Cod, two hundred miles to the north. There had already been two deaths and before the decision to stay three more people died. This was only a precursor of what was to happen with almost half the company, including Edward’s wife (March 1621), dying of a mixture of scurvy, pneumonia and tuberculosis, before the last of the surviving passengers disembarked from the Mayflower on 31st March 1621. In May 1621 Edward married Susanna White, widow and mother of Peregrine White the first child born among the New England Colonists. Josiah was the only one of their three sons to survive infancy. On November 11th 1620 Winslow and his brother (although not quite 21) signed the ‘Mayflower Compact’. The Compact was drafted by Governor William Bradford as an instrument to maintain unity and discipline in the new land, but over time it has become one of the most iconic documents in American history. “It was thought good there should be an association and agreement, that we should combine together in one body, and to submit to such government and governors as we should by common consent agree to make and chose”. This is seen by many as the birth of America’s democratic system of government. Edward was delegated by his associates to deal with the Indians in the vicinity and succeeded in winning the friendship of their chief, Massasoit after saving his life with ‘modern medicines’. In 1621 Edward was joined by another brother John. Later he would be joined by two more brothers; Josiah in 1631 and Kenelm in 1633. In 1623 Edward sailed back to England, on the first of many occasions, to represent the interests of the new colony. Later this would include the interests of the Massachusetts Bay colonies. During one of these visits, in 1635, a discontented colonist accused him to Archbishop Laud of preaching and celebrating marriages in church as a layman. He was committed to Fleet Prison. Thomas Coventry, formerly M.P. for Droitwich, secured his release. In 1624 he became a member of the governor’s council serving until 1647, except for three years, 1633-34,1636-37,1644-45, when he was governor of the colony. In 1643 he became a commissioner of the United Colonies of New England. In October 1646 Edward left on his last mission as agent and spent nine years in England where he held minor offices under Oliver Cromwell. In 1654 Winslow was chief of the three commissioners that Cromwell sent on his expedition against the West Indies, but he died of Yellow fever onboard ship between Hispaniola and Jamaica and was buried at sea on the 8th May 1655. Over the spot the Fleet fired a salute of 42 guns. JOSIAH WINSLOW. Edward ‘s son was born c.1629 in Plymouth Colony. He died Dec. 18th 1680. After attending Harvard College, Josiah joined his father in England in 1651. He returned to Plymouth the next year and was appointed militia commander of Marshfield. He was elected governor of Plymouth in 1673 and established the first public school in the colony. When King Philip's War erupted in 1675 he became commander-in-chief of the forces of the New England Confederate. He defeated the rebellious Indians but was obliged, by ill health, to relinquish his command in February 1676. However he continued as governor of Plymouth. PILGRIM FATHERS: The first settlers, initially referred to as the ‘Old Comers‘ and later as the ‘Forefathers,’ did not become known as the Pilgrim Fathers until almost two centuries after their arrival. They formed the first permanent colony in New England. Of the 102 colonists, 35 were members of the English Separatist Church (radical faction of Puritanism). The Separatists negotiated with a London stock company to finance a pilgrimage to America. Approximately two-thirds of those making the trip aboard the Mayflower were non-Separatists, hired to protect the company’s interests

Edward Winslow
Edward Winslow