Cassandra Burnell Southwick
Encyclopedia
Cassandra Burnell Southwick (c. 1600-1660) was an early immigrant to the American colonies and a devout Quaker (member of the Religious Society of Friends), who was persecuted for her beliefs.
Cassandra Burnell was the daughter of Humphrey and Margaret Burnell. She was born in Kingswinford
, Staffordshire
, England
. She married Lawrence Southwick
on 25 January 1623/4 in Kingswinford. They migrated to America around 1637-1639 with four of their six children. They settled in Salem, Massachusetts
. They were continually persecuted by the Puritans and eventually escaped to Shelter Island, New York.
In 1657 the Southwicks were put in jail for hosting two visiting Quaker preachers, John Copeland and Christopher Holder
. Lawrence Southwick was found to be a member of the First Church of Salem and was released to be dealt with by the leaders of that church. Cassandra remained in jail for seven weeks and was fined forty shillings for possessing a paper written by their two visitors. The paper was considered heretical by Governor John Endicott and others.
In 1658 the Southwicks and their son Josiah were put in jail for twenty weeks for being Quakers.
In 1659, two of the Southwick children, a daughter named Provided and a son named Daniel, were sentenced to be sold as slaves in the Barbadoes for unpaid fines--fines related to their being Quakers. The sentence was not carried out, however. The entire family went to Shelter Island, New York together.
The story of the Southwick children is told dramatically--though not completely accurately--in a poem by John Greenleaf Whittier
entitled "Cassandra Southwick." He used the mother's name in place of the daughter's and did not mention the son at all. Nevertheless, his poem preserves for posterity a bit of the history of persecution by the Puritans in Massachusetts.
In 1660 Lawrence and his wife Cassandra died within three days of each other on Shelter Island.
They have thousands of living descendants in the United States today. Among their descendants were Winston Churchill
and Richard Nixon
.
"Cassandra Southwick" the poem:
Cassandra Burnell was the daughter of Humphrey and Margaret Burnell. She was born in Kingswinford
Kingswinford
Kingswinford is a suburban area in the West Midlands.Historically within Staffordshire, the area is mentioned in the Domesday Book its name relates to a ford for the King's swine - Latin Swinford Regis. The current significance is probably in tourism, education and housing...
, Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. She married Lawrence Southwick
Lawrence Southwick
Lawrence Southwick was an early immigrant to the American colonies and a devout Quaker , who was persecuted for his beliefs....
on 25 January 1623/4 in Kingswinford. They migrated to America around 1637-1639 with four of their six children. They settled in Salem, Massachusetts
Salem, Massachusetts
Salem is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,407 at the 2000 census. It and Lawrence are the county seats of Essex County...
. They were continually persecuted by the Puritans and eventually escaped to Shelter Island, New York.
In 1657 the Southwicks were put in jail for hosting two visiting Quaker preachers, John Copeland and Christopher Holder
Christopher Holder
Christopher Holder was an Anglo-American Quaker minister who was persecuted in the Massachusetts Bay Colony for his beliefs.-Early life:...
. Lawrence Southwick was found to be a member of the First Church of Salem and was released to be dealt with by the leaders of that church. Cassandra remained in jail for seven weeks and was fined forty shillings for possessing a paper written by their two visitors. The paper was considered heretical by Governor John Endicott and others.
In 1658 the Southwicks and their son Josiah were put in jail for twenty weeks for being Quakers.
In 1659, two of the Southwick children, a daughter named Provided and a son named Daniel, were sentenced to be sold as slaves in the Barbadoes for unpaid fines--fines related to their being Quakers. The sentence was not carried out, however. The entire family went to Shelter Island, New York together.
The story of the Southwick children is told dramatically--though not completely accurately--in a poem by John Greenleaf Whittier
John Greenleaf Whittier
John Greenleaf Whittier was an influential American Quaker poet and ardent advocate of the abolition of slavery in the United States. He is usually listed as one of the Fireside Poets...
entitled "Cassandra Southwick." He used the mother's name in place of the daughter's and did not mention the son at all. Nevertheless, his poem preserves for posterity a bit of the history of persecution by the Puritans in Massachusetts.
In 1660 Lawrence and his wife Cassandra died within three days of each other on Shelter Island.
They have thousands of living descendants in the United States today. Among their descendants were Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
and Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
.
Sources
- The American Genealogist, 71:193, 1996.
- Savage, James, Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England, vol. IV, p. 91.
- Southwick, Neal S., The English Ancestry and American Posterity of Joseph Southwick 1703-1980.
External links
Lawrence and Cassandra Southwick:- http://members.tripod.com/~ntgen/bw/south_index.html
"Cassandra Southwick" the poem:
- http://www.kimopress.com/whittier2.html#Cassandra