Elizabeth Tilley facts for kids
Elizabeth Tilley was a young passenger on the famous Mayflower ship in 1620. She was also one of the people who took part in the first Thanksgiving celebration in the New World (America). Elizabeth was born in England around August 1607. She was the daughter of John Tilley and Joan Hurst, who were also Mayflower passengers. Even though she was their youngest child, she was the only one in her family who survived the difficult journey and the first winter in America. Later, she married another Mayflower passenger named John Howland. They had ten children and many grandchildren. Because they had so many children, Elizabeth and John have millions of descendants living today!
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Early Life in England and the Netherlands
Elizabeth Tilley was born in Henlow, Bedfordshire, England. She was baptized in August 1607. Church records show she was the youngest of five children born to her parents. She also had an older step-sister named Joan.
When Elizabeth was a little girl, her family likely moved to the Netherlands. Her parents and her uncle, Edward Tilley, were part of a religious group called Separatists in Leiden. This group wanted to separate from the Church of England.
The Journey on the Mayflower
William Bradford, who was a leader of the Pilgrims, wrote about the Tilley family on the Mayflower. He listed them as "John Tillie, and his wife; and Elizabeth, their daughter." Elizabeth was about 13 years old during this long trip.
The Mayflower left Plymouth, England, on September 6, 1620. This small ship was only about 100 feet long. It carried 102 passengers and about 30 to 40 crew members. Everyone was very cramped. After two months, strong storms hit the ship. The ship's wood creaked, and water leaked in. Passengers were often wet and sick, even in their beds. This, along with not enough food and dirty conditions, caused many people to get sick and die. Two people died during the journey.
On November 9, 1620, after about three months at sea, they finally saw land. It was the Cape Cod Hook, which is now Provincetown Harbor. They tried to sail south to their planned destination in Virginia, but strong winter seas forced them back. They anchored at Cape Cod Hook on November 11. On that day, the famous Mayflower Compact was signed. Elizabeth's father, John Tilley, signed it.
Life in the New World
When they arrived in the New World, Elizabeth's father, John Tilley, joined the first groups exploring the new land. He was there for the first meeting between the Pilgrims and the Native Americans. This event is now known as the First Encounter.
Sadly, Elizabeth's parents both died during the first winter in America. Her uncle, Edward Tilley, and her aunt, Ann, also died. This left Elizabeth as an orphan. She was then taken in by the Carver family. However, the elder Carvers also died about a year later. Part of their belongings went to their servant, John Howland. Elizabeth then became his ward, meaning he was responsible for her care.
Family and Descendants
Elizabeth married John Howland a few years after they arrived in the New World, around 1623 or 1624. They had ten children together, and all of them lived to become adults. They also had 86 grandchildren! Elizabeth lived 14 years longer than her husband. She was one of the few original Pilgrims who lived long enough to see King Philip's War, a major conflict in the colonies.
Notable Descendants
John and Elizabeth Howland started one of the three largest families from the Mayflower. Their descendants have been very important in American history. Many have been connected to famous families and universities.
Some of their direct descendants include well-known people like:
- U.S. presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt, George H. W. Bush, and George W. Bush
- U.S. first ladies Edith Roosevelt and Barbara Bush
- Governors like Sarah Palin (Alaska) and Jeb Bush (Florida)
- Famous poets such as Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
- Actors and actresses like Christopher Lloyd, Humphrey Bogart, Alec Baldwin, and Chevy Chase
- Religious leaders like Joseph Smith, who founded the Latter Day Saint movement, and Brigham Young
- Musicians like William Howland and Robert Spano
- Music video director Colin Tilley
Images for kids
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"The Landing of the Pilgrims" (1877) by Henry A. Bacon. This painting is in the Pilgrim Hall Museum, Plymouth, Massachusetts.
