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Servants of the Mayflower
From Bradford's History of Plymouth Plantation (Of Plymouth Plantation), 1606-1646
© 2018 James LaFond
FEB/5/18
According to one account there were more servants than these 20 on the Mayflower, but these were all I could find. Some were orphans “put to” families as child servants to be freed when they reach the age of majority, marking New England as a much nicer place to be a slave than Virginia and Maryland, where child slaves were typically held until age 31, to be released when worn out. Fatalities among the servants were worse than among their owners or foster parents, with 12 to15 [for the 3 unnamed servants do not reappear in the record] of 20 dying in the first year. However, one of the unnamed maidservants is suspected of having become a passenger’s second wife.
Statements in quotation marks come from Bradford.
-William Button
A boy servant to Samuel Fuller, died as "they drew near the coast."
-Robert Carter
Servant of William Mullens. "died the first winter."
-William Holbeck
Servant to William White and died soon after landing.
-John Hooke
Died at Plymouth, early in 1621. A servant boy to Isaac Allerton.
-John Howland Of Fenstanton,
A "lusty young man" and manservant to John Carver. He was nearly swept to his death during a severe storm on the passage.
-John Langmore
Servant to Christopher Martin. Died during the first sickness.
-William Latham,
Servant to John Carver and after twenty years, according to Bradford went to England and from there to the Bahamas where he and others starved for want of food. Since he was a slave for 20 years there is no record of a marriage or children during his term in the colony.
-Edward Leister
Servant to Stephen Hopkins. According to Bradford, after his liberty, he went to Virginia, and there died.
The four bastard Children of Samuel Moore
- Ellen More "A litle girle." died
- Jasper More, died
"A litle boy." Died on the Mayflower, at Cape Cod Harbor, 16 December, 1620. “Put to the Carver family”
-Richard More
The only surviving Mayflower More child. Died in Salem by April 20, 1696. One of his sons died during the Indian War of 1676.
-Mary More
Died at Plymouth, early in 1621, after 11 January.
-Solomon Prower
Died at Plymouth during the first winter. As he came with the family of Chistopher and Mary Prower Martin, it has been speculated that he was related to her in some way.
-Elias Story
servant to John Winslow, died soon after arrival
-Edward Thompson
servant to William White, died soon after landing
-Roger Wilder
A servant to John Carver. "mr Carver and his wife, dyed the first year, he in ye spring, she in ye somer; also his man Roger . . ."
-Unnamed maidservant of John Carver
-John Howland “Man-servant”
-Unnamed boy servant to William Latham
-Unnamed maid servant to William Latham
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