John Carver
Encyclopedia
John Carver was a Pilgrim leader
. He was the first governor of Plymouth Colony
and his is the first signature on the Mayflower Compact
.
. Carver was a wealthy London
merchant, but he left nglan
The first definitive record of the Carver's involvement in the Leiden Separatist community appears in 1616, where he served as deacon of the church. He was very much welcome in the group because of his willingness to bear the financial expenses. He donated much of his personal estate to the Pilgrim congregation and to the Mayflower
voyage.
In 1617, he became the agent for the Pilgrims in securing a charter and financial support for the establishment of a colony in America
.
Carver chartered the Mayflower and was chosen as governor of the ship. With 101 other colonists, he set sail from Plymouth
, England, in September 1620.
He traveled with his wife, Catherine, and with one servant, Jasper More, a child of seven years of age. Jasper's three brothers and sisters were given into the care of other senior members of the company. Until relatively recently the children were thought to be orphans or foundlings, but, in the 1990's, it was conclusively shown that they were sent to America because they were illegitimate, and the source of great controversy in England. It is not known whether Carver knew anything about Jasper's's background. Jasper died in the winter of 1620/21.
Massasoit
of the Wampanoag tribe. This was one of America's most successful Indian treaties, lasting for over half a century
Carver died suddenly one month later after falling ill while working in the fields. William Bradford
was named his successor.
The town of Carver, Massachusetts
, just west of Plymouth, was named for him.
Leadership
Leadership has been described as the “process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task". Other in-depth definitions of leadership have also emerged.-Theories:...
. He was the first governor of Plymouth Colony
Plymouth Colony
Plymouth Colony was an English colonial venture in North America from 1620 to 1691. The first settlement of the Plymouth Colony was at New Plymouth, a location previously surveyed and named by Captain John Smith. The settlement, which served as the capital of the colony, is today the modern town...
and his is the first signature on the Mayflower Compact
Mayflower Compact
The Mayflower Compact was the first governing document of Plymouth Colony. It was written by the colonists, later together known to history as the Pilgrims, who crossed the Atlantic aboard the Mayflower...
.
Mayflower
Little is known about his early life, however he was probably born in EnglandEngland
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...
. Carver was a wealthy London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
merchant, but he left nglan
The first definitive record of the Carver's involvement in the Leiden Separatist community appears in 1616, where he served as deacon of the church. He was very much welcome in the group because of his willingness to bear the financial expenses. He donated much of his personal estate to the Pilgrim congregation and to the Mayflower
Mayflower
The Mayflower was the ship that transported the English Separatists, better known as the Pilgrims, from a site near the Mayflower Steps in Plymouth, England, to Plymouth, Massachusetts, , in 1620...
voyage.
In 1617, he became the agent for the Pilgrims in securing a charter and financial support for the establishment of a colony in America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
.
Carver chartered the Mayflower and was chosen as governor of the ship. With 101 other colonists, he set sail from Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
, England, in September 1620.
He traveled with his wife, Catherine, and with one servant, Jasper More, a child of seven years of age. Jasper's three brothers and sisters were given into the care of other senior members of the company. Until relatively recently the children were thought to be orphans or foundlings, but, in the 1990's, it was conclusively shown that they were sent to America because they were illegitimate, and the source of great controversy in England. It is not known whether Carver knew anything about Jasper's's background. Jasper died in the winter of 1620/21.
In America
Carver signed the Mayflower Compact on November 11, 1620, and on the same day was elected governor of the colony. He was regarded as "a gentleman of singular piety." In March 1621, Carver established a peace treaty with ChiefTribal chief
A tribal chief is the leader of a tribal society or chiefdom. Tribal societies with social stratification under a single leader emerged in the Neolithic period out of earlier tribal structures with little stratification, and they remained prevalent throughout the Iron Age.In the case of ...
Massasoit
Massasoit
Massasoit Sachem or Ousamequin ,was the sachem, or leader, of the Pokanoket, and "Massasoit" of the Wampanoag Confederacy. The term Massasoit means Great Sachem.-Early years:...
of the Wampanoag tribe. This was one of America's most successful Indian treaties, lasting for over half a century
Carver died suddenly one month later after falling ill while working in the fields. William Bradford
William Bradford (1590-1657)
William Bradford was an English leader of the settlers of the Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts, and served as governor for over 30 years after John Carver died. His journal was published as Of Plymouth Plantation...
was named his successor.
The town of Carver, Massachusetts
Carver, Massachusetts
Carver is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 11,163 at the 2000 census, with an estimated 2008 population of 11,574. It is named for John Carver, the first governor of the Plymouth Colony.- Demographics :...
, just west of Plymouth, was named for him.
See also
- List of passengers on the Mayflower
- List of Mayflower passengers who died in the winter of 1620–1621
- ColonyColonyIn politics and history, a colony is a territory under the immediate political control of a state. For colonies in antiquity, city-states would often found their own colonies. Some colonies were historically countries, while others were territories without definite statehood from their inception....
- Katherine More and the More childrenKatherine MoreKatherine More was the centre of a seventeenth century controversy in England.Katherine was the youngest daughter of an ancient Shropshire family...