Katherine More
Encyclopedia
Katherine More (1586-?) was the centre of a seventeenth century controversy in England
.
Katherine was the youngest daughter of an ancient Shropshire
family. In 1616 her four children were taken from her; four years later they were transported to America on board the Pilgrim Fathers ship the Mayflower
.
) Katherine married Samuel More
, a cousin. Samuel’s father, Richard More, was master of Linley
, an estate near Bishop’s Castle, close to the Welsh border. Katherine’s father, Jasper More, was master of Larden, a 1000-acre estate between Much Wenlock
and Ludlow
. Both estates are in Shropshire
, England
.
According to the marriage contract, the newly married couple were to live at Larden, with Katherine’s parents. Over the next four years she bore four children: Eleanor (May 1612), Jasper (August 1613), Richard (November 1614) and Mary (April 1616). All were baptised at Shipton church in Corvedale.
In 1616 Samuel More removed all four children to his father’s estate near Linley, about twenty miles distant from Larden. In a later statement, Samuel More wrote that the reason was the ‘apparent likeness & resemblance … to Jacob Blakeway’. The removal seems to have occurred in late April or May, because the youngest child had only just been baptised, on April 16 at Shipton.
, which would have made her later marriage invalid. The dispute dragged through the courts for the next four years, but Katherine eventually lost her final appeal, which was heard over eight months in St. Paul’s Cathedral in London
, with judgement given on July 8, 1620.
“great grief of such a spurious brood,”
The children were despatched to America in order to:
“provide for the educacon & maintenance of these children in a place remote from these parts where these great blotts and blemishes may fall upon them.”
The choice of the Mayflower may have been because of the connection between Samuel More and Lord Zouche
; Zouche was an early supporter of the Virginia Company
. The children were passed to a man called Philomen Powell in a transfer arranged by Richard More’s lawyer. Powell was a close associate of Thomas Weston, who was involved with the financing of the Mayflower voyage.
At the time of the Mayflower sailing in September 1620 the children were aged between four and eight. A number of colonists travelled as paying passengers on the Mayflower. The children were amongst this group. Exactly what explanation was given for their presence is not known. Three of the Mayflower pilgrims took responsibility for the children:
Richard More is buried in Salem
. There is documentary evidence that he was alive in 1694 and dead in 1696. His gravestone gives an age of 84, but it is more likely that Richard was unsure of his birth date, for simple arithmetic suggests that he was eighty-one when he died, probably in 1696. The gravestone in the old Salem burial ground gives a date of 1692. But the date, and additional words ’a Mayflower pilgrim’, were added at some point between 1901 and 1919, and provoked some outraged reaction in the local press.
If the 1696 date is correct, Richard More was the last surviving male passenger of the Mayflower.
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...
.
Katherine was the youngest daughter of an ancient Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a 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. It borders Wales to the west...
family. In 1616 her four children were taken from her; four years later they were transported to America on board the Pilgrim Fathers ship 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...
.
Marriage and Scandal
In February 1610 (old date styleOld Style and New Style dates
Old Style and New Style are used in English language historical studies either to indicate that the start of the Julian year has been adjusted to start on 1 January even though documents written at the time use a different start of year ; or to indicate that a date conforms to the Julian...
) Katherine married Samuel More
Samuel More
Samuel More was at the centre of two separate controversies in seventeenth century England.- The Mayflower controversy :Samuel More married his cousin Katherine More at Shipton in Corvedale on February 4, 1610 . Katherine’s father, Jasper More, was master of Larden, a 1000-acre estate between Much...
, a cousin. Samuel’s father, Richard More, was master of Linley
Linley, Shropshire
Linley is a small village in Shropshire, England, on the West Onny river close to Linley Hall.It is located circa 2 miles east of the A488, and 2 miles north of the larger village of Lydham, and 3.5 miles north of Bishops Castle....
, an estate near Bishop’s Castle, close to the Welsh border. Katherine’s father, Jasper More, was master of Larden, a 1000-acre estate between Much Wenlock
Much Wenlock
Much Wenlock, earlier known as Wenlock, is a small town in central Shropshire, England. It is situated on the A458 road between Shrewsbury and Bridgnorth. Nearby, to the northeast, is the Ironbridge Gorge, and the new town of Telford...
and Ludlow
Ludlow
Ludlow is a market town in Shropshire, England close to the Welsh border and in the Welsh Marches. It lies within a bend of the River Teme, on its eastern bank, forming an area of and centred on a small hill. Atop this hill is the site of Ludlow Castle and the market place...
. Both estates are in Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a 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. It borders Wales to the west...
, 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...
.
According to the marriage contract, the newly married couple were to live at Larden, with Katherine’s parents. Over the next four years she bore four children: Eleanor (May 1612), Jasper (August 1613), Richard (November 1614) and Mary (April 1616). All were baptised at Shipton church in Corvedale.
In 1616 Samuel More removed all four children to his father’s estate near Linley, about twenty miles distant from Larden. In a later statement, Samuel More wrote that the reason was the ‘apparent likeness & resemblance … to Jacob Blakeway’. The removal seems to have occurred in late April or May, because the youngest child had only just been baptised, on April 16 at Shipton.
Court action
Katherine did not deny the accusation, claiming a pre-contract with Jacob BlakewayJacob Blakeway
- Background :Jacob Blakeway was born in July 1583 and baptised at Stanton Long in Corvedale, Shropshire. His father was a yeoman, and farmed approximately thirty acres of land as a leaseholder, though it is possible that the Blakeways held other land. Blakeway was, and is, a common name in...
, which would have made her later marriage invalid. The dispute dragged through the courts for the next four years, but Katherine eventually lost her final appeal, which was heard over eight months in St. Paul’s Cathedral in 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...
, with judgement given on July 8, 1620.
The More Children and the Mayflower
Immediately following the court action, the four More children were transferred to the Mayflower. In Samuel More’s statement, he wrote that he took this action because of the:“great grief of such a spurious brood,”
The children were despatched to America in order to:
“provide for the educacon & maintenance of these children in a place remote from these parts where these great blotts and blemishes may fall upon them.”
The choice of the Mayflower may have been because of the connection between Samuel More and Lord Zouche
Edward la Zouche, 11th Baron Zouche
Edward la Zouche, 11th Baron Zouche, 12th Baron St Maur was an English diplomat.-Early Life:Zouche was the son of George la Zouche, 10th Baron Zouche and his wife Margaret, née Welby....
; Zouche was an early supporter of the Virginia Company
Virginia Company
The Virginia Company refers collectively to a pair of English joint stock companies chartered by James I on 10 April1606 with the purposes of establishing settlements on the coast of North America...
. The children were passed to a man called Philomen Powell in a transfer arranged by Richard More’s lawyer. Powell was a close associate of Thomas Weston, who was involved with the financing of the Mayflower voyage.
At the time of the Mayflower sailing in September 1620 the children were aged between four and eight. A number of colonists travelled as paying passengers on the Mayflower. The children were amongst this group. Exactly what explanation was given for their presence is not known. Three of the Mayflower pilgrims took responsibility for the children:
- Ellen More was under the care of Edward WinslowEdward WinslowEdward Winslow was an English Pilgrim leader on the Mayflower. He served as the governor of Plymouth Colony in 1633, 1636, and finally in 1644...
. She died in the winter of 1621 - Jasper More was under the care of John CarverJohn CarverJohn Carver was a Pilgrim leader. He was the first governor of Plymouth Colony and his is the first signature on the Mayflower Compact.-Mayflower:...
and died in the winter of 1621 - Mary More was under the care of William BrewsterWilliam BrewsterWilliam Brewster may refer to:*William Brewster , Pilgrim and Mayflower passenger*William Brewster , ornithologist*William K. Brewster, Democratic politician and a retired U.S. Congressman from Oklahoma...
and died in the winter of 1621 - Richard MoreRichard More (Mayflower passenger)Richard More was a passenger on the Pilgrim Fathers's ship, the Mayflower. Richard More was born in Corvedale, Shropshire and baptised at Shipton church on November 13, 1614. As a child, Richard More was at the centre of a seventeenth century controversy in England...
was also under the care of William Brewster and lived a long life in the New World
Richard More is buried in Salem
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...
. There is documentary evidence that he was alive in 1694 and dead in 1696. His gravestone gives an age of 84, but it is more likely that Richard was unsure of his birth date, for simple arithmetic suggests that he was eighty-one when he died, probably in 1696. The gravestone in the old Salem burial ground gives a date of 1692. But the date, and additional words ’a Mayflower pilgrim’, were added at some point between 1901 and 1919, and provoked some outraged reaction in the local press.
If the 1696 date is correct, Richard More was the last surviving male passenger of the Mayflower.
Later life
After the Mayflower sailed Katherine made another attempt to challenge the decision through the courts, and it was this legal action which led to the statement from Samuel which provided the main historical evidence for the story. This action seems to have been settled out of court, and after this point there does not appear to be any trace of Katherine in the historical record.Books
'A Spurious Brood' - a fiction based on fact novel based on these events was published in 2011.External links
- 'A Spurious Brood' - the History, sets out a factual account of the events.