John Tilley (Mayflower passenger) facts for kids
John Tilley was a passenger on the famous ship, the Mayflower, in 1620. He traveled with his wife and daughter. John Tilley signed an important agreement called the Mayflower Compact. Sadly, he and his wife died during their first winter in the New World.
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Life in England: John Tilley's Early Years
John Tilley was born around 1571 in Henlow, England. He was the oldest child of Robert and Elizabeth Tilley. John had a younger brother named Edward. Edward also sailed on the Mayflower with his wife. Both John and Edward, along with their wives, died during that first difficult winter in the New World.
Not much is known about John Tilley's early life in England. We know that in 1617, John Tilley arranged for his son, Robert, to become an apprentice to a tailor in Bedford. This means Robert would learn the tailoring trade for eight years.
Some people think John Tilley might have moved to Leiden, Netherlands, with the Pilgrims before 1620. However, the record of his son's apprenticeship in England in 1617 makes this less certain. It's possible John traveled back to England to arrange it.
His brother, Edward Tilley, did agree to take on an apprentice in Leiden in 1618. If John Tilley was not with the Pilgrims in Leiden, he would have been one of the "strangers" who joined the journey in Southampton, England. The Mayflower met another ship, the Speedwell, there. The Speedwell had brought Pilgrims from Leiden. However, the Speedwell had many leaks and could not make the long ocean journey. So, all passengers transferred to the Mayflower.
The Mayflower Journey and Arrival
William Bradford, who later became the governor of Plymouth Colony, wrote about the Tilley family on the Mayflower. He noted: "John Tillie, and his wife; and Elizabeth, their daughter."
The Mayflower left Plymouth, England, on September 6, 1620. The ship was about 100 feet long. It carried 102 passengers and 30 to 40 crew members. Conditions on board were very crowded. After two months, strong storms hit the ship. Water leaked in, and passengers were often wet and sick. Poor food and unsanitary conditions made many people ill. Sadly, almost half the passengers died during the cold, harsh winter after they arrived.
On November 9, 1620, after about three months at sea, they finally saw land. It was Cape Cod, which is now in Massachusetts. They tried to sail south to their planned destination in Virginia. But strong winter seas forced them back to Cape Cod. They anchored there on November 11. On that day, John Tilley and his brother Edward both signed the Mayflower Compact. This was an important agreement for how they would govern themselves in the new land.
Life in the New World
Both John Tilley and his brother Edward took part in early explorations of the Cape Cod area. These trips happened in November and December 1620. The weather was freezing, and they were not dressed warmly enough. This harsh weather may have caused their deaths.
One important exploration started on December 6, 1620. It was very cold. They used a small boat from the ship called a shallop. John and Edward Tilley were part of this group. Other important people like John Howland, Stephen Hopkins, and William Bradford were also there. Fewer people joined this trip because many were already sick.
During this exploration, the English had their first encounter with Native Americans. The Native Americans used fast-firing arrows, which were hard to defend against with slow-firing muskets. This event became known as the "First Encounter."
John Tilley and his wife Joan both died during that first winter of 1620-1621. His brother Edward and his wife Ann also died. The only Tilley family member to survive from the Mayflower was John's thirteen-year-old daughter, Elizabeth Tilley. Elizabeth later married John Howland and had a large family.
John Tilley's Family
John Tilley married Joan (Hurst) Rogers on September 20, 1596, in Henlow, England. Joan was a widow and had a daughter named Joan from her first marriage.
Children of John and Joan Tilley (all born in Henlow, England):
- Rose Tilley (born 1597)
- John Tilley (born 1599)
- Rose Tilley (born 1602)
- Robert Tilley (born 1604)
- Elizabeth Tilley (born 1607)
Of their children, only Elizabeth survived the journey and the first winter in the New World. She was baptized on August 30, 1607.
Their son, Robert Tilley, became a tailor's apprentice in Bedford, England. He married Mary Hawkins in 1632 and had a daughter named Mary. Robert died in England in 1639.
Elizabeth Tilley married John Howland in Plymouth Colony around 1624. They had ten children. William Bradford wrote that Elizabeth and John Howland were still alive later and had ten children. He also noted that their oldest daughter had four children, showing how their family grew. Elizabeth Tilley Howland died in 1687.
Death and Memorial
William Bradford wrote about John and Joan Tilley's deaths: "John Tillie and his wife both dyed a little after they came ashore."
John and Joan Tilley died in the winter of 1620-1621. They were likely buried in unmarked graves at Cole's Hill Burial Ground in Plymouth. Many people who died that first winter were buried there. Their names, along with others who died, are remembered on the Pilgrim Memorial Tomb on Cole's Hill.
