Winthrop Fleet
Encyclopedia
The Winthrop Fleet was a group of eleven sailing ships under the leadership of John Winthrop
that carried approximately 700 Puritans plus livestock and provisions from England
to New England
over the summer of 1630.
, whose rituals they viewed as superstitions. An associated political movement attempted over many years to modify religious practice in England to conform to their views. King James
wished to suppress this growing rebellious movement. Nevertheless, the Puritans eventually gained a majority in Parliament
. James' son King Charles
came into the greatest possible conflict with the Parliament, and viewed them as a threat to his authority, temporarily dissolving parliament in 1626, and again the next year, and finally dissolving parliament permanently in March 1629. The King's imposition of Personal Rule
gave many Puritans a sense of hopelessness regarding their future in that country, and many prepared to leave it permanently for life in New England.
Motivated by these political events, a wealthy group of leaders obtained a Royal Charter
in March 1629 for a colony at Massachusetts Bay
.
A fleet of five ships departed within the month for New England that included approximately 300 colonists, led by Francis Higginson
. However, the colony leaders and the bulk of the colonists remained in England for the time being, to plan more thoroughly for the success of the new colony. Later that year, the group who remained in England elected John Winthrop
to be Governor of the Fleet and the Colony. Over the ensuing winter, the leaders recruited a large group of Puritan families, representing all manner of skilled labor, to ensure a robust colony.
on April 8. Seven hundred men, women, and children were distributed among the ships of the fleet. The voyage itself was rather uneventful, the direction and speed of the wind being the main topic in Winthrop's Journal, as it affected how much progress was made each day. There were a few days of severe weather, and every day was cold. The children were cold and bored, and there is a description of a game played with a rope that helped with both problems. Many were sick during the voyage, but nearly all survived it. The group landed at Salem, Massachusetts
on June 12 after nine weeks at sea. The passengers took up residence in Salem, Boston, and the nearby area.
During his voyage aboard the Arbella, Winthrop wrote his famous sermon, "A Model of Christian Charity," containing the often quoted phrase, "City upon a Hill
." This phrase is used to this day to symbolize certain essential characteristics of the American spirit.
The Winthrop Fleet was a well planned and financed expedition that formed the nucleus of the Massachusetts Bay Colony
. However they were not the first settlers of the area. There was an existing settlement at Salem, started in about 1626, populated by a few hundred Puritans, most of whom had arrived in 1629, and who were governed by John Endicott. Winthrop superseded Endicott as Governor of the Colony upon his arrival in 1630.
The flow of Puritans to New England continued for another ten years, during a period known as the Great Migration
.
Six other ships arrived at Massachusetts Bay in 1630, for a total of seventeen ships that year.
Other passengers of historical significance were:
A complete list of passengers is maintained by The Winthrop Society, a hereditary organization made up of the descendants those who arrived on the Winthrop Fleet or other Great Migration (Puritan)
ships before 1634.
John Winthrop
John Winthrop was a wealthy English Puritan lawyer, and one of the leading figures in the founding of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, the first major settlement in New England after Plymouth Colony. Winthrop led the first large wave of migrants from England in 1630, and served as governor for 12 of...
that carried approximately 700 Puritans plus livestock and provisions from 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...
to New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
over the summer of 1630.
Motivation
The Puritan population in England had been growing for many years leading up to this time. They disagreed with the practices of the Church of EnglandChurch of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
, whose rituals they viewed as superstitions. An associated political movement attempted over many years to modify religious practice in England to conform to their views. King James
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
wished to suppress this growing rebellious movement. Nevertheless, the Puritans eventually gained a majority in Parliament
Parliament of England
The Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England. In 1066, William of Normandy introduced a feudal system, by which he sought the advice of a council of tenants-in-chief and ecclesiastics before making laws...
. James' son King Charles
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
came into the greatest possible conflict with the Parliament, and viewed them as a threat to his authority, temporarily dissolving parliament in 1626, and again the next year, and finally dissolving parliament permanently in March 1629. The King's imposition of Personal Rule
Personal Rule
The Personal Rule was the period from 1629 to 1640, when King Charles I of England, Scotland and Ireland ruled without recourse to Parliament...
gave many Puritans a sense of hopelessness regarding their future in that country, and many prepared to leave it permanently for life in New England.
Motivated by these political events, a wealthy group of leaders obtained a Royal Charter
Royal Charter
A royal charter is a formal document issued by a monarch as letters patent, granting a right or power to an individual or a body corporate. They were, and are still, used to establish significant organizations such as cities or universities. Charters should be distinguished from warrants and...
in March 1629 for a colony at Massachusetts Bay
Massachusetts Bay Colony
The Massachusetts Bay Colony was an English settlement on the east coast of North America in the 17th century, in New England, situated around the present-day cities of Salem and Boston. The territory administered by the colony included much of present-day central New England, including portions...
.
A fleet of five ships departed within the month for New England that included approximately 300 colonists, led by Francis Higginson
Francis Higginson
Francis Higginson was an early Puritan minister in Colonial New England, and the first minister of Salem, Massachusetts.-Biography:...
. However, the colony leaders and the bulk of the colonists remained in England for the time being, to plan more thoroughly for the success of the new colony. Later that year, the group who remained in England elected John Winthrop
John Winthrop
John Winthrop was a wealthy English Puritan lawyer, and one of the leading figures in the founding of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, the first major settlement in New England after Plymouth Colony. Winthrop led the first large wave of migrants from England in 1630, and served as governor for 12 of...
to be Governor of the Fleet and the Colony. Over the ensuing winter, the leaders recruited a large group of Puritan families, representing all manner of skilled labor, to ensure a robust colony.
Voyage
The group departed Yarmouth, Isle of WightYarmouth, Isle of Wight
Yarmouth is a port and civil parish in the western part of the Isle of Wight, off the southern coast of mainland England. The town is named for its location at the mouth of the small Western Yar river...
on April 8. Seven hundred men, women, and children were distributed among the ships of the fleet. The voyage itself was rather uneventful, the direction and speed of the wind being the main topic in Winthrop's Journal, as it affected how much progress was made each day. There were a few days of severe weather, and every day was cold. The children were cold and bored, and there is a description of a game played with a rope that helped with both problems. Many were sick during the voyage, but nearly all survived it. The group landed at 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...
on June 12 after nine weeks at sea. The passengers took up residence in Salem, Boston, and the nearby area.
During his voyage aboard the Arbella, Winthrop wrote his famous sermon, "A Model of Christian Charity," containing the often quoted phrase, "City upon a Hill
City upon a Hill
A City Upon A Hill is a phrase from the parable of Salt and Light in Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew 5:14, he tells his listeners, "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden."-American usage:...
." This phrase is used to this day to symbolize certain essential characteristics of the American spirit.
The Winthrop Fleet was a well planned and financed expedition that formed the nucleus of the Massachusetts Bay Colony
Massachusetts Bay Colony
The Massachusetts Bay Colony was an English settlement on the east coast of North America in the 17th century, in New England, situated around the present-day cities of Salem and Boston. The territory administered by the colony included much of present-day central New England, including portions...
. However they were not the first settlers of the area. There was an existing settlement at Salem, started in about 1626, populated by a few hundred Puritans, most of whom had arrived in 1629, and who were governed by John Endicott. Winthrop superseded Endicott as Governor of the Colony upon his arrival in 1630.
The flow of Puritans to New England continued for another ten years, during a period known as the Great Migration
Great Migration (Puritan)
The Puritan migration to New England was marked in its effects in the two decades from 1620 to 1640, after which it declined sharply for a while. The term Great Migration usually refers to the migration in this period of English settlers, primarily Puritans to Massachusetts and the warm islands of...
.
Ships
Winthrop's Journal gives lists the eleven ships that were in his fleet:- ArbellaArbellaThe Arbella or Arabella 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...
: The flagship, designated 'Admiral' in the consortship; named for Lady Arbella, wife of Isaac Johnson (see below). - Talbot: Designated 'Vice Admiral'. Henry WinthropHenry WinthropHenry Winthrop was the second son of John Winthrop, founder and Governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. In addition to his taking part in his father's Great Migration to America in 1630, Henry is part of American history for being the first husband of Elizabeth Fones, who would later be a...
, John Winthrop's son, sailed on this ship. - Ambrose: Designated 'Rear Admiral'.
- Jewel: Designated a 'Captain'.
- Mayflower: A different ship than that of the Pilgrims.
- Whale
- Success
- Charles.
- William and Francis.
- Hopewell.
- Trial.
Six other ships arrived at Massachusetts Bay in 1630, for a total of seventeen ships that year.
Passengers
The following list the leading men who both applied for the charter for the Massachusetts Bay Colony and came to New England in Winthrop's Fleet.- Mr. John WinthropJohn WinthropJohn Winthrop was a wealthy English Puritan lawyer, and one of the leading figures in the founding of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, the first major settlement in New England after Plymouth Colony. Winthrop led the first large wave of migrants from England in 1630, and served as governor for 12 of...
, Governor, and three of his sons, including two minors and one adult son, Henry WinthropHenry WinthropHenry Winthrop was the second son of John Winthrop, founder and Governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. In addition to his taking part in his father's Great Migration to America in 1630, Henry is part of American history for being the first husband of Elizabeth Fones, who would later be a... - Sir Richard SaltonstallRichard SaltonstallSir Richard Saltonstall led a group of English settlers up the Charles River to settle in what is now Watertown, Massachusetts in 1630....
, three sons and two daughters. - Mr. Isaac JohnsonIsaac Johnson (colonist)Isaac Johnson was an English colonist in the New World, one of the founders of Massachusetts.-Life:He was a native of Clipsham, Rutlandshire. In 1630 he accompanied John Winthrop to America, arrived at Salem on 12 June, and was one of the four who founded the first church at Charlestown on 30 July...
Esq. and the Lady Arabella his wife and daughter of Thomas Clinton, 3rd Earl of Lincoln - Mr. Charles Fiennes the said Earl's son
- Mr. Thomas DudleyThomas DudleyThomas Dudley was a colonial magistrate who served several terms as governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Dudley was the chief founder of Newtowne, later Cambridge, Massachusetts, and built the town's first home...
, his wife, two sons, and four daughters - Mr. William CoddingtonWilliam CoddingtonWilliam Coddington was an early magistrate of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and later of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, serving as the Judge of Portsmouth, Judge of Newport, Governor of Portsmouth and Newport, Deputy Governor of the entire colony, and then Governor of the...
, the first Governor of Rhode Island, and his wife - Mr. William PynchonWilliam PynchonWilliam Pynchon was an English colonist in North America best known as the founder of Springfield, Massachusetts, United States. He was also a colonial treasurer, original patentee of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and the iconoclastic author of the New World's first banned book...
, and his wife and three daughters - Mr. William Vassall, for whom Vassalboro, MaineVassalboro, MaineVassalboro is a town in Kennebec County, Maine, United States. The population was 4,047 at the 2000 Census. Vassalboro includes the villages of South Vassalboro, North Vassalboro, and East Vassalboro, home to the town library and sports field.-History:...
was named, and his wife - Mr. John Revell, merchant, who loaned the Plymouth Colony money, and who was chosen assistant to the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
Other passengers of historical significance were:
- Allan Perley
- Robert SeeleyRobert SeeleyRobert Seeley, also Seely, Seelye, or Ciely, was an early Puritan settler in the Massachusetts Bay Colony who helped establish Watertown, Wethersfield, and New Haven. He also served as second-in-command to John Mason in the Pequot War.-Early life:Robert Seeley was born in Bluntisham-cum-Earith,...
- Edward ConversEdward ConversDeacon Edward Convers was an early Puritan settler in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and was one of the founders of Woburn, MA.He built the first house and first mill in Woburn. Convers was very active in town affairs, serving as one of its first selectmen...
- Simon BradstreetSimon BradstreetSimon Bradstreet was a colonial magistrate, businessman, diplomat, and the last governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Arriving in Massachusetts on the Winthrop Fleet in 1630, Bradstreet was almost constantly involved in the politics of the colony but became its governor only in 1679...
and his wife Anne BradstreetAnne BradstreetAnne Dudley Bradstreet was New England's first published poet. Her work met with a positive reception in both the Old World and the New World.-Biography:... - Thomas Mayhew
- Captain John UnderhillCaptain John UnderhillJohn Underhill was an early English settler and soldier in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, the Province of New Hampshire, the New Haven Colony, New Netherland, and later the Province of New York...
- William PhelpsWilliam Phelps (colonist)William Phelps was a Puritan Englishman who immigrated in 1630 to the American Colonies. He was one of the founders of both Dorchester, Massachusetts and Windsor, Connecticut, foreman of the first grand jury in New England, served most of his life in early colonial government, and played a key...
, wife Ann Dover and four sons - Robert AbellRobert AbellRobert Abell was born in about 1605 in Stapenhill, Derbyshire, England and died at Rehoboth, Massachusetts on 20 June 1663. He was among the early settlers of the Massachusetts Bay Colony and the first person with his surname to emigrate from England to the American colonies...
A complete list of passengers is maintained by The Winthrop Society, a hereditary organization made up of the descendants those who arrived on the Winthrop Fleet or other Great Migration (Puritan)
Great Migration (Puritan)
The Puritan migration to New England was marked in its effects in the two decades from 1620 to 1640, after which it declined sharply for a while. The term Great Migration usually refers to the migration in this period of English settlers, primarily Puritans to Massachusetts and the warm islands of...
ships before 1634.