Passengers of the ships Anne and Little James 1623 facts for kids

Also see: The ships Anne and Little James

Imagine traveling across the ocean in a small ship to start a new life! In 1623, two ships named the Anne and the Little James carried about 90 brave passengers from London, England, to Plymouth Colony in America. These people were heading to the new settlement to help it grow and thrive.

The journey was long and challenging, lasting about three months. The Anne was a larger supply ship, while the Little James was a smaller, newer ship built for military and fishing tasks. Both ships were funded by the same group of investors who had supported the famous  Mayflower voyage in 1620.

The Anne arrived in Plymouth on July 10, 1623, with the Little James following about a week later. After this important trip, the Anne went back to its usual job of carrying cargo. The Little James, however, stayed in the colony to help with fishing, transporting goods, and protecting the settlement.

Who Were the Passengers?

About 90 people traveled on these two ships. Around 60 of them were families – men, women, and children. Many of these families were English Separatists who had been living in Leiden, Holland, seeking religious freedom.

Another group of about 30 people traveled with a leader named John Oldham. This group had been promised their own separate living area in Plymouth.

We don't have separate lists for each ship. Instead, all the passengers were listed together under the Anne when land was divided in Plymouth in 1623. However, historians believe that the Little James carried about 14 people, including four men and their families. It's thought the Little James couldn't hold many more passengers because of its smaller size.

Many families were reunited in Plymouth. Eight wives came to join their husbands, and twelve children arrived with their parents. Among them were Patience and Fear Brewster, daughters of William and Mary Brewster, who had arrived earlier on the Mayflower.

Connections to the Mayflower

Many passengers on the Anne had special connections to the Mayflower passengers who arrived in 1620. Some women came to join their husbands or future husbands, like Hester Cooke, Bridget Fuller, and Elizabeth Warren. Alice (Carpenter) Southworth, a widow, came to marry Governor William Bradford. Barbara, who later married Myles Standish, also arrived on the Anne.

Other passengers married Mayflower colonists after they arrived. For example, Fear Brewster married Isaac Allerton, and Mary Becket married George Soule. These marriages helped strengthen the community in the new colony.

Life in the New Colony

Life in Plymouth Colony was very tough. William Bradford, the governor, noted that some new settlers were very helpful and became "good members" of the community. These often included wives and children joining their families.

However, Bradford also mentioned that some people were not ready for the challenges of colonial life. He wrote that some were "so bad" that the colony had to pay to send them back to England the next year.

A letter from Robert Cushman, a London agent, also showed concerns. He wrote that he was sad to see such a "weak company" sent over, meaning many were not prepared for the hardships. He explained that some people came without his approval because their friends pushed for them to be included.

These accounts help us understand why many early settlers didn't stay in Plymouth for long. The harsh environment and difficult work meant that many of the emigrants on the Anne and Little James eventually returned to England.

Passengers of the Anne

Here are some of the people who traveled on the Anne:

• Anthony Annable: He married Jane Momford in England. He received land in 1623. He was part of an investment group in 1626. He died in 1674.
  • Jane Annable (wife): She died in 1643.
  • Hannah Annable (daughter)
  • Sarah Annable (daughter)
• Edward Bangs: He was a shipbuilder. He received land in 1623. He was also part of the 1626 investment group. He married Lydia Hicks after 1627. He died in 1677.
• Robert Bartlett: He was a barrel maker. He married Mary Warren, another Anne passenger, around 1629. He died in 1676.
• Mary Buckett: She was a single woman who married Mayflower passenger George Soule before 1627.
• Fear Brewster: Daughter of Elder William Brewster. She married Mayflower passenger Isaac Allerton in 1625. She died in 1634.
• Patience Brewster: Daughter of Elder William Brewster. She married Thomas Prence, who later became the colony's governor.
• Thomas Clarke: He came as a young, unmarried man. He was part of the 1626 investment group. He married Susanna Ring and had many children. He died in 1697 or 1698.
• Christopher Conant: He was the brother of Roger Conant, who founded Salem, Massachusetts. Christopher likely returned to England later.
• Hester (Mayhieu) Cooke: She was the wife of Mayflower passenger Francis Cooke. She arrived with her family.
  • Jacob Cooke (son)
  • Jane Cooke (daughter)
• Anthony Dix (Dixe): He was a sailor. He received land in 1623. He later moved to Salem and was lost at sea in 1639.
• John Faunce: He was part of the 1626 investment group. He married Patience Morton, a passenger from the Little James. He died in 1654.
• Elizabeth Flavell: Wife of Thomas Flavell, who arrived earlier. She received land in 1623.
• Edmund Flood: He received land in 1623 but may have died or left the colony later.
• Bridget (Lee) Fuller: She was the third wife of Samuel Fuller, the colony's doctor and a Mayflower passenger.
• Godbert Godbertson (also known as Cuthbert Cuthbertson): He was a hat maker from Holland. His wife, Sarah, was the sister of Mayflower passenger Isaac Allerton. Both he and his wife died in an epidemic in 1633.
  • Sarah Godbertson (wife): She died in 1633.
  • Samuel Godbertson (son)
• Timothy Hatherley: A London merchant. He visited Plymouth in 1623 and returned to England. He came back as a settler in 1632. He died in 1666.
• William Heard: He received land in 1623 but no further records are found.
• Lydia Hicks: Daughter of Robert and Margaret Hicks. She arrived with her mother. She later married Edward Bangs, another Anne passenger.
• Margaret Hicks (Hix): Wife of Robert Hicks. She arrived with her children Samuel and Lydia to join her husband.
  • Samuel Hicks (son)
• Mrs. Hilton: Wife of William Hilton, who arrived earlier. She and her children received land in 1623 but left Plymouth soon after.
  • Mary Hilton (daughter)
  • William Hilton (jr) (son)
• Edward Holman: He was a single man who received land in 1623 and 1627. He was part of the 1626 investment group.
• Manassah (Manasseh) Kempton: He was part of the 1626 investment group. He married Juliana (Carpenter) Morton, a Little James passenger, who was a widow with five children. He died in 1664 or 1665.
• Robert Long: He shared land with the Brewster sisters in 1623. He may have died or left the colony.
• Experience Mitchell: He was part of the 1626 investment group. He married Jane Cooke, daughter of Mayflower passenger Francis Cooke. He died before 1689.
• Thomas Morton Junior: Nephew of George Morton, a Little James passenger. He likely stayed in the colony.
• Ellen (Elinor) Newton: A young widow who arrived in 1623. She later married John Adams and then Kenelm Winslow. She died in 1681 at age 83.
• John Oldham: He arrived with his family and a group of his own settlers. He was killed in an Indian attack in 1636.
  • Mrs. John Oldham (wife)
  • Mary Oldham (daughter): She married William Bridges, a Little James passenger.
  • Lucretia Oldham (sister): She married Jonathan Brewster, son of Elder William Brewster.
• Frances Palmer: Wife of William Palmer, who arrived earlier. She received land in 1623.
• Christian Penn: She married Mayflower passenger Francis Eaton before 1627. After his death, she married another Mayflower passenger, Francis Billington.
• Abraham Pierce (or Peirce): He was named with two servants in 1623. He was part of the 1626 investment group. He died around 1633.
• Joshua Pratt: Brother of Phineas Pratt. He received land in 1623 and 1627. He was part of the 1626 investment group. He died around 1656.
• Mary Priest: Step-daughter of Godbert Godbertson and daughter of Mayflower passenger Degory Priest. She later married Phineas Pratt.
• Sarah Priest: Step-daughter of Godbert Godbertson and daughter of Mayflower passenger Degory Priest. She later married John Coombs.
• James Rande (Rand): He received land in 1623 but no further records are found.
• Robert Ratcliffe (Rattlife): He received land for himself and his wife in 1623 but no further records are found.
• Nicolas (Nicholas) Snow: He married Mayflower passenger Constance Hopkins, daughter of Stephen Hopkins, before 1627. He was part of the 1626 investment group.
• Alice (Carpenter) Southworth: She was a widow who married Governor William Bradford a few weeks after arriving in 1623. Her sister Juliann was on the Little James.
• Francis Sprague: He received land in 1623. He was part of the 1626 investment group. He died around 1670.
  • Anna Sprague (wife or daughter)
  • Mercy Sprague (daughter)
• Thomas Tilden: He received land for himself, a wife, and a child in 1623. He may have returned to England.
• Stephen Tracey (Tracy): He was a sailor and cloth-weaver from Leiden. He arrived with his wife and daughter. He was part of the 1626 investment group. He returned to England around 1654.
  • Tryphosa Tracy (wife)
  • Sarah Tracy (daughter)
• Ralph Wallen: He arrived with his wife Joyce. He was part of the 1626 investment group. He died around 1643.
  • Joyce Wallen (wife)
• Elizabeth Warren: Wife of Mayflower passenger Richard Warren. She arrived with her five daughters. After her husband's death, she became part of the 1626 investment group. She died in 1673 at age 90.
  • Abigail Warren (daughter): She later married Anthony Snow.
  • Ann (Anna) Warren (daughter): She later married Thomas Little.
  • Elizabeth Warren (jr) (daughter): She later married Richard Church.
  • Mary Warren (daughter): She later married Robert Bartlett, an Anne passenger.
  • Sarah Warren (daughter): She later married Mayflower passenger John Cooke.
• Barbara (unknown): She became the second wife of Myles Standish, the colony's military leader. She had all his known children.

Known Passengers on Board the Little James

Here are some of the people who traveled on the Little James:

• William Bridges: He was the son-in-law of John Oldham, an Anne passenger. He married Oldham's daughter Mary.
• Edward Burcher: He was an older passenger. The ship's captain noted that he and his wife were as "hearty as the youngest." He received land for himself and his wife in 1623.
  • Mrs. Burcher (wife)
• John Jenney: He was a barrel maker and the ship's cooper (someone who makes and repairs barrels). He arrived with his wife Sarah and children. His son Samuel was born on the ship during the voyage! He was part of the 1626 investment group. He died after 1643.
  • Sarah Jenney (wife)
  • Abigail Jenney (daughter)
  • Samuel Jenney (son): Born on the Little James.
  • Sarah Jenney (daughter)
• George Morton: He is famous for possibly writing parts of "Mourt's Relations," a book about the early days of Plymouth Colony. He married Juliann Carpenter. His sister-in-law, Alice Carpenter, was on the Anne. George Morton died in June 1624, about a year after arriving.
  • Juliann (Carpenter) Morton: She was George Morton's wife. After his death, she married Manasseh Kempton, an Anne passenger. She died in Plymouth in 1664.
    • Nathaniel Morton (age 10): He later became the Secretary of the Plymouth General Court.
    • Patience Morton (age 8): She married John Faunce, an Anne passenger.
    • John Morton (son) aged 6.
    • Sarah Morton (age 3): She married William Dennis in 1644.
    • Ephraim Morton (infant): He married Ann Cooper.

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