John Williams was born 12 August 1582 in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England to John Williams (c1560-) and Judith Short (c1560-) and died 1621 Onboard the Mayflower in Plymouth Harbor, Plymouth, Plymouth County, Massachusetts of unspecified causes.
Research Notes
Thomas Williams and his sister Elizabeth (who did not come on the Mayflower) are found in the records of Leiden, Holland, and belonged to the Pilgrims' church congregation there.
On 11 March 1616, Thomas witnessed his sister's marriage to fellow church member Roger Wilson, and in this record they are said to have originally come from Great Yarmouth, co. Norfolk, England. The parish registers of Great Yarmouth show Thomas' baptism on 12 August 1582, as well as his sister Elizabeth's on 9 January 1591/2.
Voyage of the Mayflower
Mayflower at Provincetown Harbor
The Mayflower, originating from London with a group of Adventurers bound for the New World rendezvoused on 22 July with the Speedwell just arriving from Holland with a group of religious refugees from Leiden. Originally intended to sail jointly to the English Colony in Virginia it soon became evident that Speedwell was not seaworthy. Passengers and cargo were combined onto Mayflower (with many left behind) for the journey, finally departing on September 9.
During the voyage fierce storms blew the ship off course, arriving at Cape Cod on the Eastern Massachusetts coastline on November 9th. For two days they attempted to sail south to Virginia but exhausting supplies and fierce storms caused them to abort this effort and drop anchor at what is now Provincetown Harbor. On November 11th, the group decided to settle here and start their own colony. They wrote a governmental contract called the Mayflower Compact, Thomas was the 30th of the 41 signers on this document.
Signing the Mayflower Compact 1620, a painting by Jean Leon Gerome Ferris 1899
About the middle of December 1620, the ship moved and dropped anchor in Plymouth Harbor. All the while the pilgrims were conducting several exploring missions of the area and negotiations with the local natives. Almost half of the passengers died, suffering from an outbreak of a contagious disease described as a mixture of scurvy, pneumonia and tuberculosis. In the spring, they built huts ashore, and on March 21, 1621, the surviving passengers disembarked from the Mayflower into their new settlement at Plymouth, Massachusetts.
Vital Records
Bradford's 1651 Journal
Moses died sometime in the winter of 1620-1621. William Bradford recorded his death and that of other male passengers traveling alone:
"Moyses Fletcher, Thomas Williams, Digerie Preist, John Goodman, Edmond Margeson, Richard Britterige, Richard Clarke. All these dyed sone after their arivall, in the generall sicknes that befell. But Digerie Preist had his wife and children sent hither afterwards, she being Mr. (John) Allerton's sister. But the rest left no posteritie here."
Cole's Hill Memorial
A large monument was erected in 1921 on Cole's Hill in Plymouth, Massachusetts to honor the many pilgrims who came to Plymouth Colony in the Mayflower but died during the first terrible winter and were buried here. This person is one of those person's listed thereon.
Pilgrim Monument
National Monument to the Forefathers, commemorates the Mayflower Pilgrims, (including this person) who came to Plymouth Colony in 1620 on the Mayflower. Dedicated on August 1, 1889, it is thought to be the world's largest solid granite monument. Located on an 11 acre hilltop site on Allerton Street in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
References
- Thomas Williams - Disambiguation page
- Thomas Williams - MayflowerHistory.com
- MainTour Plymouth Colony