In 2019, my New Year’s resolution was to prove lineage to the Mayflower in anticipation of a 2020 trip to Plymouth for the 400th Anniversary. Of course, that trip didn’t happen due to the COVID-19 pandemic. And sadly, the familial connection didn’t happen either!
William Halsall, “Mayflower in Plymouth Harbor,” 1882; Wikimedia Commons, database with images (https://commons.wikimedia.org : accessed 7 Mar 2021), search for Mayflower.
Week 10: Name’s the Same
When I initially made that 2019 resolution, I truly thought it would be a snap to find a direct line from myself to a Mayflower passenger. There’s one branch of my father’s family that has very deep American roots around the Massachusetts Bay Colony area. I was absolutely certain that someone in that cluster of the tree must have been one of the lucky pilgrims to make that “maiden” voyage.
And not once, but twice, I thought I had made the discovery! There were several other “cousins” who had blindly accepted these lines tracing back to the Mayflower. But upon further scrutiny, they were both examples of a man’s identity being meshed with another’s of the same name. Somewhat ironically, these examples were father and son in both cases! Without taking into account the men’s “senior” and “junior” distinctions, they were merging these guys into a single person.
Now, I know what you’re thinking! If one can trace his lineage up to the Mayflower, so can the other, because they’re father and son! Well, take a moment to think about that again. And, more importantly, I’m trying to prove my own lineage back to the Mayflower, so stop and think about all of the possibilities here.
I’ll use Jonathan Bosworth as my case study. During my research, I discovered I was descended from Jonathan Bosworth.
Jonathan married Hannah Howland. For those Mayflower or history buffs out there, your eyes may be widening upon seeing the surname Howland. That’s because the Howlands are quite well known for their Mayflower journey; John Howland being the passenger who fell overboard in a severe storm during the passage and miraculously survived. He later married Elizabeth Tilley, who also made the voyage with her parents (they did not survive). John and Elizabeth Tilley were Hannah’s parents!
Mike Haywood, “Pilgrim overboard,” John Howland painting, date unknown; “Marine Art from Mike Haywood,” online collection and store (https://mikehaywoodart.uk : accessed 7 Mar 2021), 2020, Liskeard, Cornwall, United Kingdom.
When I saw that Bosworth had unlocked not one, but four Mayflower relations for me, I was blown away! But frustratingly, the dates just weren’t making sense. Something didn’t compute. There was a generational link that wasn’t physically possible. And that’s when I realized that others were naively referring to Jonathan Bosworth Junior rather than Jonathan Bosworth Senior. Junior is who married Hannah Howland. But I’m descended from Senior!
At this point, you may be thinking, “Oh, well if you’re related to Senior, then you’re also a blood relation to Junior.” And yes, you’re not wrong.
But, my goal was to prove direct descent from a Mayflower passenger. I’m not descended from Junior, and certainly not descended from his bride, Hannah Howland, who actually has the Mayflower lineage. I’m descended from Jonathan Jr’s sister, Elizabeth Bosworth. And Elizabeth has no tie to the Mayflower, because Jonathan Bosworth Senior has no tie to the Mayflower, except by his daughter-in-law, Hannah Howland.
So, do I have a connection to the Mayflower? Sure. The wife of my 8th great grand-uncle, Jonathan Bosworth Junior, was the daughter of two very famous Mayflower passengers.
But, can I prove direct lineage to the Mayflower? Not at this time I can’t. Because those darn occurrences where the name’s the same!
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