The"Mary and John"
After the "Mayflower" there was a big influx of immigration to the
New World. The Winthrop "cruise line" started sailing in 1630. The
"Mary and John" vessel might have been among that fleet; however I
believe it was part of the Dorchester Colony.
The "Mary and John" sailed from Plymouth, England, on 20 March 1630
under the command of Captian Squeb. The "Mary and John" landed at
Nantasket Beach, in Boston Harbor on 30 May 1630. Nantasket, now Hull, is twelve
miles southeast of Boston.
Aboard the vessel were Rev. John Maverich from Devonshire, and Rev. John Warham
from Exeter. Both men were leading the puritains to land of free worship. Also
aboard were many of the Greene ancestors and 140 other Pilgrams, from
Dorchester, Dorsetshire, and Somerset in England looking to enjoy greater
religious and civil privileges.
After searching for a good place to settle on the coast of Massachusetts, the
passengers picked a spot which they chose to name as Dorchester, Mass. (after
the English home of most of the settlers. Dorchester is now known as
"Dorchester Neck" or South Boston. Civil government was rapidly
established. The first meeting of the Governor and Assistants was held 2
September 1630; the first General Court was on 29 October 1630. In addition to
the tweleve original freeman-settlers, others were admitted, but the freemanship
was restricted to church members only.
Many Greene ancestors who were on the "Mary and John" passenger list
were John Bidwell and his father, Thomas Ford and his wife and children, William
Phelps and his wife and six children, John Porter and his wife and eight
children, John Strong and his wife and two children, William Gaylord and his
brother and Walter Woodward, who was a bachelor.
John Bidwell and his father were living at Devonshire before they left from
Plymouth, England. The Bidwells settled at Dorchester for six years, and in
October 1635, they were amoung the sixty men who set out for a settlement that
the Indians called - Suckiage. Today this area is known as Hartford, Ct.
Thomas Ford, his wife Elizabeth and their children came aboard the ship
"Mary and John", with John Strong and the famous Dorchester Company.
Abigail Ford was eleven years old when she emigrated from England, with her
parents.
William Phelps, Elizabeth and their six children left their large estate at
Staffordshire to sail to New England..
John Porter's father, John Porter, 2nd was born in England about 1620 and was
baptized at Essexshire. Grandfather John Porter was a member of the Windsor
Church, which was organized at Plymouth, England by people of Devon, Dorset,
Warwick and Somerset counties in March 1630 under the guidance of Maverick and
Warham. John Porter's grandparents and eight of their children left Essexshire
on the ship "Mary and John". Their oldest child, Anna, was about
eleven years old. John Porter, 2nd was nine years old, and their youngest child
was four at the time they sailed. The Porters first settled at Dorchester, along
with the first settlers including Rev. Maverick and John Warham.
William Gaylord, was born at Pitminster, Somersetshire, England, about 1585. He
resided at Crewkerne from 1619 to 1624 and at Chilthorne Domer (near Yeovil),
Somersetshire in 1627. He and his brother - John, left from Devonshire, England,
aboard the ship - "Mary & John".
John Strong was born at Taunton, Somersetshire, England in 1605. He moved to
London and then to Plymouth, England. Having strong Puritan sympathies, John
Strong, his wife and their two children sailed from Plymouth for New England
aboard the "Mary and John". John's sister, Eleanor Strong accompanied
them on their voyage to America. They first settled at Dorchester, Mass.
Walter [Woodward] Woodworth was born about 1610. He left Kentshire, England on
20 March 1630 aborad the "Mary and John". Walter Woodward was a
bachelor.
The "Mary and John" made more voyages across the Atlantic ferring
other Greene ancestors from England to the New Land.