Wiki Thanksgiving Feast: The Massachusetts Bay Colony (consisting mainly of Puritan Christians) celebrated Thanksgiving for the first time in 1630, and frequently thereafter until about 1680, when it became an annual festival in that colony
Excerpt from book:
The history of Ufton Court: of the parish of Ufton, in the County of Berks, and of the Perkins family
which quotes heavily from the
Writings of John Winthrop in John Winthrop arrive on 8 April 1630. Four ships left the Isle of Wight, carrying Winthrop and other leaders of the colony. Winthrop sailed on the Arbella, accompanied by his two young sons, Samuel and Stephen.[55] The ships were part of a larger fleet, totalling 11 ships, that would carry about 700 migrants to the colony.[56] Winthrop's son Henry missed the Arbella's sailing, and ended up on the Talbot, which also sailed from Wight.[19][20] Winthrop wrote a sermon entitled A Modell of Christian Charity, whiThough rarely published and relatively unappreciated for his literary contribution during his time, Winthrop spent his life continually producing written accounts of historical events and religious manifestations. Winthrop's major contributions to the literary world were A Modell of Christian Charity (1630) and The History of New England (1630–1649; also known as The Journal of John Winthrop), which remained unpublished until the late 18th century.Book Excerpt:
A ROLL OF THE PIONEERS OF NEW ENGLAND OF THE NAME OF PERKINS.
The account here given of the early settlers in America of the name of Perkins, offshoots from families living in England at the beginning of the seventeenth century, has been supplied by Mr. D. W. Perkins, of Utica, New York; as collected from the following authorities:
1. James Savage's "Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England."
2. John Farmer's "Genealogical Register of the First Settlers of New England."
3. Dr. George A. Perkins' " Family of John Perkins of Ipswich, Massachusetts."
4. Augustus T. Perkins' "Private Proof of the Perkins Family."
5. Joseph B. Felt's " History of Ipswich, Essex, and Hamilton."
6. Miss F. M. Caulkins's " History of Norwich, Connecticut."
7. William B. Weeden's "Economic and Social History of New England."
8. E. De V. Vermont's "America Heraldica."
9. "The New England Historical and Genealogical Register."
10. "The Historical Publications of the Essex Institute, Salem, Massachusetts."
11. "The Records of the Governor and Company of the Massachusetts Bay."
12. "The Ipswich Antiquarian Papers."
13. "The Hammatt Papers."
14. James Savage's edition of John Winthrop's " History of New England."
Of the social status of the founders of New England, Mr. Vermont, in "America Heraldica," says : "The great emigration led by Winthrop included among its numbers a considerable proportion of gentry recognised as such prior to their departure from their early homes. The remainder were men of respectable position—yeomen, tradesmen, and mechanics, but most evidently not of the lowest class, for in those days colonists must have required a large sum of money to equip a vessel, or even to pay for a passage on so long a voyage, also to provide themselves with means of subsistence when arrived at their destination. A large majority of them, as witnessed by the early county records of New England, could read and write; they were capable of selfgovernment, and were prompt to devise satisfactory solutions for the problems presented by their new life."
Among these men of pluck and decision there were at least twenty bearing the name of Perkins, who settled in New England before the eighteenth century began, all of whom are believed to have been of English birth, not having been identified as belonging to any family already found in the colonies. They were probably adventurers from England; but once arrived in the New World they made it their home, became heads of families, and no doubt performed their part in establishing the struggling colonies, which in after years were destined to become a great nation.
Their names are here arranged in chronological order; that is, in the order in which they are mentioned in the colonial and other authentic records.
It is quite unlikely that this is the order of their arrival in New England. Of only two among them is it known when they arrived there; the others may have been in the colonies for months, or even years, before making a permanent home; for until they had done this it is hardly probable that their names would be found on record.
The names of the twenty emigrants, the places where they settled, and the first year in which their respective names appear on New England records, are as follow:
1631. John Perkins, of Ipswich, Massachusetts.
1632. William Perkins, of Topsfield, Massachusetts.
1633. William Perkins, of Roxbury, Massachusetts.
1637. Isaac Perkins, of Ipswich, Massachusetts.
1639. Abraham Perkins, of Hampton, New Hampshire, tss.
1639. Isaac Perkins, of Hampton, New Hampshire.
1650. Edward Perkins, of New Haven, Connecticut.
1662. William Perkins, of Dover, New Hampshire.
1665. Thomas Perkins, of Dover, New Hampshire.
1666. Luke Perkins, of Charlestown, Massachusetts.
1671. Jonathan Perkins, of Norwalk, Connecticut.
1674. Jacob Perkins, of Edgartown Massachusetts.
1675. Edmund Perkins, of Boston, Massachusetts.
1677. James Perkins, of Exeter, New Hampshire.
1678. Eleazer Perkins, of Hampton, New Hampshire.
1682. Daniel Perkins, of Norwich, Connecticut.
1684. Benjamin Perkins, of Newbury, Massachusetts.
1686. William Perkins, of Easthampton, Long Island, New York
1688. John Perkins, of New Haven, Connecticut.
1698. Joseph Perkins, of Norwich, Connecticut.
John Perkins, of Ipswich, Massachusetts.
He was the pioneer of the name in New England, and settled in Ipswich, in the colony of Massachusetts Bay, where he spent the remainder of his life.
Winthrop, in his Journal, mentions his arriving at Nantasket, February 5, 1630-31, on the ship Lyon. He says:
"The ship Lyon, Mr. William Peirce master, arrived at Nantasket She John Perbrought Mr. Williams (a godly minister), with his wife, Mr. Throgmorton, Kins, Of
Perkins, Ong, and others, with their wives and children, about Ipswich,
twenty passengers, and about two hundred tons of goods. She set sail from Mass. Bristol, December i."*
Deputy-Governor Dudley, in a letter to Lady Bridget, Countess of Lincoln, shows what was the state of feeling at home towards the Puritans of New England at the time of the departure of the Lyon, and also records some incidents of the ship's voyage, and what transpired on its arrival. He writes as follows:
"On the 5th of February arrived here Mr. Peirce with the ship Lyon, of Bristowe, with supplies of victuals from England, who had set forth from Bristowe the ist of December before. He had a stormy passage hither, and lost one of his sailors not far from our shore, who in a tempest having helped to take in the spritsail, lost his hold as he was coming down, and fell into the sea, where, after long swimming, he was drowned, to the great dolor of those in the ship, who beheld so lamentable a spectacle without being able to minister help to him, the sea was so high, and the ship drove so fast before the wind, though her sails were taken down.
"By this ship we understood of the fight of three of our ships and two English men-of-war coming out of the Straits, with fourteen Dunkirkers, upon the coast of England, as they returned from us in the end of the last summer.
"By this ship we understood the death of many of those who went from us the last year to Old England, as likewise of the mortality there.
"Also, to increase the heap of our sorrows, we received advertisement by
* Winthrop enumerates the passengers who arrived "with their wives and children" in the Lyon as " about twenty" but Dudley expressly states they numbered "twenty-six." It is improbable that the names of all the twenty-six will ever be known ; but, having followed up the clues to the four families mentioned in the text the following incomplete list has been made up; and it is believed to be correct, viz.:
Mr. Roger Williams.
Mrs. Mary Williams, wife of above.
Mr. John Throgmorton.
John Perkins.
Judith Perkins, wife of above.
John, Thomas, Elizabeth, Mary and Jacob Perkins, children of John and Judith.
Onge.
Frances Onge, wife of above.
Simon, aged 6, and Jacob Onge, children of and Frances Onge.
Thus accounting for fourteen out of the twenty-six.
It is unnecessary to mention any particulars concerning the Reverend Roger Williams, the founder of Rhode Island; they may be easily obtained elsewhere.
An account of Mr. John Throckmorton (or Throgmorton) can be found in J. O. Austin's Genealogical Dictionary of Rhode Island.
Henry Bond's History of Watertown, Massachusetts, contains an account of the Onge family. Savage says: "Mary Onge, aged 27, a passenger, in 1634, from Ipswich, county Suffolk, in the Francis, may have been sister or daughter of the above." On November 29, 1636, Edmund Peisley, citizen and grocer of London, brought an action for debt against Thomas Onge, of Bury St. Edmunds, in the county of Suffolk, grocer; according to Chancery Proceedings. Since Ipswich and Bury St. Edmunds are only about twenty miles apart it is reasonable to conclude that the Onge family was living at the latter place. Hence, it is doubtful if any relationship or connection existed between the Perkins and Onge families.
John Per- letters from our friends in England, and by the reports of those who came
Kins, Of hither in this ship to abide with us (who were about twenty-six), that they who
Ipswich, went discontentedly from us the last year, out of their evil affections towards
Mass. Us, have raised many false and scandalous reports against us, affirming us to
be Brownists in religion and ill-affected to our State at home, and that these
vile reports have won credit with some who formerly wished us well.
"Upon the 22nd of February we held a general day of Thanksgiving throughout the whole Colony for the safe arrival of the ship which came last with our provisions.
"The wheat we received by this last ship stands us in thirteen or fourteen shillings a strike [bushel], and the pease about eleven shillings a strike, besides the adventure, which is worth three or four shillings a strike; which is a higher price than I ever tasted bread of before.
"And everyone having warning to prepare for the ship's departure to-morrow, I am now, this 28th day of March, 1631, sealing my letter."
John Perkins, according to a family tradition, partly confirmed by known facts, was born in 1590, in Newent, Gloucestershire. His family at the time of his emigration consisted of his wife, Judith, and five children, viz.: John, aged sixteen; Thomas, fourteen; Elizabeth, twelve; Mary, ten; and Jacob, six.
He arrived in America at a comparatively early date in its history. Only 138 years had passed since its discovery by Columbus, n8 since Ponce de Leon had explored the coasts of Florida, and 107 since the Italian Verrazano entered what is now known as New York Bay.
The planting of the first permanent settlement at Jamestown, in the colony of Virginia, was effected in 1607, and it was two years later when Hudson sailed up the river that now bears his name. It was in 1615 that the Dutch established a trading post of a storehouse and fort, and four huts where New York City now is; and it was five years later that the Pilgrim Fathers sailed from England in the Mayflower; and a year had not elapsed since John Winthrop and his followers began the settlement of Boston.
On the 18th of May, John Perkins took the oath of freeman, which admitted him to all the civil rights of the colony. He resided in Boston during 1631-32, and his youngest child, Lydia, was born there, and baptized on June 3 in the latter year.
April 3, 1632. "It was ordered " by the General Court, "that noe j?son wtsoeuer shall shoote att fowle vpon Pullen Poynte or Noddles Ileland; but that the sd places shalbe reserved for John Perkins to take fowle wth netts."
November 7, 1632. He and three others were " appoincted by the Court to sett downe the bounds betwixte Dorchester and Rocksbury."
In 1633 he removed with his family to the new settlement (subsequently called Ipswich) then being founded by the younger Winthrop and twelve others. In 1634, 1635, 1636, and 1639 he was granted land in Ipswich, aggregating 171 acres; and in 1637 he sold 40 acres to Thomas Howlett.
In February, 1636, he was one of the seven men chosen to order town business for the three months following, and in the same year was Deputy to the General Court.
June 21, 1637. He and his son John signed a petition to the Governor and Council of Massachusetts, asking that John Winthrop, junior, be permitted to remain with the Ipswich colony; which document is still extant, and in the possession of the Essex Institute, Salem, Massachusetts.
In 1645 he was appraiser of the estate of Sarah Dillingham, and the inventory then taken (which is still extant) also bears his signature. In 1648, and again in 1652, he was on the Grand Jury. In March, 1650, "beingabove the age of sixty, he was freed from ordinary training by the Court."
On March 28th, 1654, "being at this tyme sick and weake in body," he made his will, and died a few months later.
He was a typical representative man: and his inventory shows how small were the values and how limited the range of the possessions then necessary to everyday life in his station. His house and barn were valued at £40, and his 8 acres of land about the house at ^12. Other lands, comprising 52 acres, were put down at ^77. He had cows, horses, pigs, and sheep, in all 33 animals, valued at ^93. His bed and furniture were put down at £4; his cash on hand at jQio; his utensils, farm and kitchen, at ^7; and his wearing apparel at £5. In all, there was a total of ^250, or $1,250.
A genealogy of his family has been published by Dr. George A. Perkins, of Salem, Massachusetts.
The children of John and Judith Perkins were:
1. John, born 1614; married, 1635, Elizabeth ;was a yeoman, innkeeper, and quartermaster; lived in Ipswich, Massachusetts, where he also died, December 14, 1686. His wife died September 27, 1684. Their children were:
John, born 1636, died 1659.
Abraham, born 1640, died April 27, 1722.
Jacob, born 1646, died November 26, 1719.
Luke, born 1649, died after 1694.
Isaac,* born 1650, died 1726.
Nathaniel, born 1652, died after 1703.
Samuel, born 1655, died 1700.
Thomas, born 16—, died after 1683.
Sarah, born 16—, died after 1683.