Jacob Blakeway was born circa 1585 in Shropshire, England .
The More Children on the Mayflower
Mayflower plaque in St. James Church in Shipton, Shropshire commemorating the More children baptism. courtesy of Phil Revell
Samuel More (c1585-) and Katherine More (1586-), were cousins in a wealthy Shropshire family matched in a prearranged marriage. They baptized four children at St. James Church in Shipton. But soon it became evident that all four were bastard children of an illicit affair between Katherine and her secret lover Jacob Blakeway (c1585-).
A bitter divorced erupted and Samuel signed over all four children to agents for the Mayflower company: John Carver (1565-1621), Robert Cushman (1577-1625), and Thomas Weston and thence assigned to senior Pilgrim families as indentured servants. In 1620 they traveled on the Mayflower to help settle Plymouth Colony in the New World.
Three of the four children died that first winter and are buried in an unmarked grave with other pilgrims that died on Cole's Hill and recognized on the Pilgrim Memorial Tomb in Plymouth.
Mayflower at Provincetown Harbor
- More, Ellen (Elinor) (1612-1621)*, sister, age 8, assigned as a servant of Edward Winslow (1595-1655). She died in November 1620 soon after the arrival of the Mayflower at Cape Cod Harbor.
- More, Jasper (1613-1620)* , brother, age 7, indentured to John Carver (1565-1621). He died onboard Mayflower in Cape Cod Harbor December 6, 1620. He was buried ashore in the Provincetown area.
- More, Richard (1614-1694), brother, age 5 (birthday in late Nov), indentured to William Brewster (1567-1644). The only child to survive to adulthood, he lived a long and exciting life, married twice, posterity, eventually passing away in Salem, Massachusetts just shortly after witnessing the hysteria of the Salem witch trials.
- More, Mary (1616-1621)*, sister, age 4, assigned as a servant of William Brewster (1567-1644). She died sometime in the winter of 1620/1621.
Children
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Ellen More (1612-1621) | 24 May 1612 baptism at St. James Church, Shipton, Shropshire, England | 1621 Plymouth Colony, Plymouth, Plymouth County, Massachusetts | |
| Jasper More (1613-1620) | 8 August 1613 Baptism at St James Church, Shipton, Shropshire, England | 6 December 1620 Onboard the Mayflower in Provincetown Harbor, Provincetown Harbor, Massachusetts | |
| Richard More (1614-c1694) | 13 November 1614 Baptism at St James Church, Shipton, Shropshire, England, United Kingdom | 1694 Salem, Essex County, Massachusetts, United States | Christian Hunter (1615-1676) Elizabeth Woolnough (1623-) Jane Crumpton (1621-1686) |
| Mary More (1616-1621) | 16 April 1616 baptism at St James Church, Shipton, Shropshire, England | 1621 Onboard the Mayflower in Plymouth Harbor, Plymouth, Plymouth County, Massachusetts | |
Siblings
References
- Mayflower Bastard - A Stranger Amoung the Pilgrims by David Lindsay - History of 5 year old Richard and his family and growing up in Plymouth Colony. 288 pages (Pulb 2007).
- More Family - MayflowerHistory.com
- Ellen More - FindAGrave Memorial #28972267
- Richare More Mayflower Passenger - Wikipedia