French Family Association
Mara French, P.O. Box 1109, Sutter Creek, CA
95685-1109. 209-267-0649
marafrench@mindspring.com
Puritan Migration, Governor John Winthrop, Massachusetts Bay Colony, Leader of the Winthrop Fleet.
French History
ÒThe Winthrop FleetÓ
Last updated by Mara French
on 4/6/08. Send corrections or
additions to Mara French. Numbers in brackets [ ] refer to the bibliography at
the end of this chart.
Contents
The Winthrop Fleet of 1630, 700 passengers
Passenger Thomas French and Family, FFA Chart #1
Background
The Winthrop Fleet of 1630 (an early part of the Great Migration) was the largest fleet ever assembled to carry Englishmen overseas to a new homeland. It was a well planned and financed expedition comprising eleven ships that carried 700 immigrants from England to the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The group, led by Governor John Winthrop, sailed from April to July of 1630. The fleet landed at Salem. Of the 700 on board, 200 died during the voyage, and 100 returned to England soon after arrival. Some of the 400 remaining settlers stayed in Salem, but many moved on to Boston, Watertown, or other settlements.
The Arbella was the flagship of the Winthrop Fleet on which, between April 8 and June 12, 1630, Governor John Winthrop, other members of the Company and Puritan emigrants transported themselves and the Charter of the Massachusetts Bay Company from England to Salem, thereby giving legal birth to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. John Winthrop is reputed to have given the famous 'City upon a Hill' sermon aboard the ship, though research indicates that the sermon may actually have been delivered previously in England.
1630, THE WINTHROP FLEET: Eleven vessels brought Òthe Great
EmigrationÓ.
|
ARBELLA the flagship, shown above. |
|
|
AMBROSE |
WILLIAM AND FRANCIS |
|
TALBOT |
HOPEWELL |
|
JEWEL |
WHALE |
|
CHARLES |
SUCCESS |
|
MAYFLOWER |
TRIAL |
The first five ships sailed April 8 from Yarmouth, Isle of Wight, and arrived at Salem June 13 and following days. The other half of the fleet sailed in May and arrived in July at various dates. Altogether they brought about seven hundred passengers of whom the French family of Assington, Suffolk, England, are presumed to have been on one of these ships. Thomas French is of FFA Chart #1.
THOMAS FRENCH
of Assington, Suffolk
Boston and Ipswich
Mrs. Susan French
Thomas French, Jr.
Alice French
Dorcas French
Susan French
Anne French
John French
Mary French