John Howland, b. 1592; d. 22 Feb 1672; the thirteenth Signer of the Mayflo wer Compact made at Cape Cod, 11th November (O.S.), 1620; came from Esse x, England; Queen Elizabeth granted the Howlands their Coat Armor in 158 4, the family beginning with Bishop Howland, who performed the obsequies f or Mary Queen of Scots; on the voyage to American during a mighty storm Jo hn Howland was thrown into the sea but grasping the topsail haillards th at were thrown out to him by his friends he was safely drawn on board t he vessel; he was the last surviving passenger who died in Plymouth; to ok part in the "First Encounter" Great Meadow Creek, December, 1620; gover nor's Assistant, 1633-35; in command of the Kennebec Trading Post, 1634, D eputy to General Court, 1641, et seq; m. 1623, Elizabeth Tilley, b. cir ca 1609, in Holland, d. 12th December 1687, in Swanzey, age 80, dau. of Jo hn Tilley, one of the MAYFLOWER Pilgrims

From The John Howard Society Web Site--
John Howland was born in Fenstanton, Huntingdonshire, England, about 1592/ 3. He died at Plymouth Colony, Massachusetts, February 23, 1672/3. Plymou th Colony records state:

?The 23th of February Mr. John Howland Senir of the Towne of Plymouth Dece ased?Hee lived until hee attained about eighty yeaes in the world?and w as the last man that was left of those that Came over in the ship Called t he May flower, that lived in Plymouth hee was with honor Intered att the T owne of Plymouth on the 25 of February 1672.

On Burial Hill is a monument to John Howland erected in 1897 with funds ra ised by Mrs. Joseph Howland. This replaces a stone erected about 1836 by J ohn and Henry Howland of Providence, Rhode Island. The earlier stone was b uried under the new one. This earlier stone stated that John Howland?s wi fe was ?a daughter of Governor Carver?, but after the discovery in 18 56 of Governor William Bradford?s manuscript Of Plimoth Plantation, it w as known that he married Elizabeth Tilley, daughter of John and Joan Till ey who were also passengers of the Mayflower.

John Howland boarded the Mayflower in England in September 1620, arriv ed in Provincetown Harbor, November 21, 1620 and, although called a man-se rvant of Governor Carver, he was the thirteenth signer of the Mayflower Co mpact in Plymouth Harbor on December 21, 1620.

Within a few years he married Elizabeth Tilley, built a house on First Str eet and gradually as land was allotted to each family, he acquired four ac res on Watson?s Hill, Plymouth and considerable acreage in Duxbury. Februa ry 2, 1638/9 he bought from John Jenny the property called Rocky Nook (Kin gston). Some of this land is still owned by our Society.

He served in the General court of Plymouth as Committeeman in 1637, 1639-1 652 and as Deputy 1652, 1659, 1661-1668 and 1670.

He had two brothers, Arthur and Henry who arrived a few years later. Arthur Howland married Margaret Reed, settled in Marshfield and had five child ren. Sir Winston Churchill, an honorary member of the Pilgrim John Howla nd Society, was one of his descendants. Henry Howland married Mary (Newlan d) and lived in Duxbury. They had eight children. Both brothers joined t he Society of Friends. For many generations the descendants of these two m en remained Quakers, many settled around Dartmouth, MA where they became v ery prosperous.

TIMELINE

1620 - John Howland and Elizabeth arrive on the Mayflower.
1632 - They went to Maine.
1638/9 - Bought the Rocky Nook farm.
1670 - Jabez Howland bought the house at Plymouth. John and Elizabeth wint er there.
1672/3 - John Howland died in the Plymouth home of his son.
Circa 1675 - The Rocky Nook Farm house burned to the ground. Elizabeth mak es her home with Jabez' family.
1680/1 - Jabez sells the Plymouth house. Elizabeth signed the deed and mov ed to Swansea to live with her daughter, Lydia Brown.
1687 - Elizabeth Tilley Howland died and was buried in the Brown Family pl ot.

Mayflower passengers John Howland and Elizabeth Tilley were married in 162 3/4. John was about thirty-one and Elizabeth was about sixteen. They spe nt their entire lives in Plymouth, and between them participated in eve ry aspect of the Pilgrim experience from its beginning in Leiden up to t he merger of the Bay and Plymouth colonies. This article is a retrospecti ve summary of their lives and their contribution to Plymouth.

John was born about 1592 to Henry and Margaret Howland of Fenstanton, ni ne miles northeast of Cambridge, England. Elizabeth Tilley was the younge st of several children born to John and Joan (Hurst) Tilley. She was bapti zed in 1607 in Henlow, Huntingdonshire, England. John Tilley and his famil y, and the family of his brother Edward Tilley and wife Ann (Cooper), we re members of John Robinson's congregation in Leiden.

John Howland, John and Joan and Elizabeth Tilley, and Edward and Ann Till ey were passengers on the Mayflower. John Howland had at least five siblin gs. Arthur (d. 1675), his older brother, arrived in Plymouth after 1627 wh ile Henry (d. 1671), his younger brother, arrived as early as 1633. Arth ur Howland soon moved to Marshfield where he became a major landholder. He nry Howland was one of the original settlers of Duxbury and was chosen con stable in 1635.

At age twenty-eight John Howland was recruited in England by John Carv er to join his household and be his assistant in moving the Leiden congregation to America. Also included in Carver's household were a servant-gi rl Desire Minter (age fifteen), a servant-lad, William Lantham, and sever al other servants. During a storm in the crossing, John Howland was pitch ed overboard, but luckily was able to catch hold of a halliard and was hau led back aboard the Mayflower. John was the thirteenth signer of the Compa ct. While in Cape Cod Harbor, John Howland, John and Edward Tilley and oth ers explored the New England coast for several days and chose Plymou th to begin a settlement.

Elizabeth Tilley's parents and aunt and uncle died in the winter of 1621. John Carver took Elizabeth in as one of his household. After John and Katherine Carver died in the spring of 1621, John Howland became the head of the household containing Elizabeth Tilley, Desire Minter, and William Lantham. The living arrangements for this household are unknown. After John married Elizabeth, he received four acres of land as the head of household in the 1623 Division of Land.

Desire Minter was the daughter of William and Sarah Minter, members of t he Leiden congregation. Desire's father died in 1618, and she joined John Carver's family. Her mother remarried in 1622, and her new parents esta blished an endowment that Desire would inherit at the age of twenty-one. A fter a few years in Plymouth, Desire returned to England to assume her inh eritance. John and Elizabeth Howland were very fond of Desire and named th eir first child Desire in her honor. They had ten children: Desire, Joh n, Hope, Elizabeth, Lydia, Hannah, Joseph, Jabez, Ruth and Isaac.

In 1625 John Howland accompanied Edward Winslow on an expedition of the Kennebec River in Maine to explore trading opportunities with the Indian s. In 1626 John was asked to be one of the "Undertakers" to buy out the co lony's debt to the "Merchant Adventurers" who had invested in the ventu re to establish Plymouth Colony.

In the 1627 division of Cattle agreement, John Howland acquired twenty acr es for each member of his household. In addition, the colonists were organ ized in "companies" of thirteen members each. The livestock of the colo ny was divided equally among the companies. Listed in John's "company" we re John and Elizabeth and their two children, John and Priscilla Alden a nd their two children, and five unattached men.

Isaac Allerton (1586-1658/9) negotiated a patent that granted Plymouth t he exclusive right to trade with the Indians and to establish a trading st ation on the Kennebec River. In 1627 Governor Bradford placed John Howla nd in charge. In 1628 a trading station was built at Cushnoc (now called A ugusta) on the east side of the Kennebec River. A year later, a permane nt log-house was built, and Howland, then Assistant Governor, was ask ed to manage the trading station. For approximately seven years John Howla nd was in charge of the station. It is not known if Elizabeth and their fa mily of three children lived at the station permanently or for short perio ds of time. During the time that John operated the station Elizabeth ga ve birth to three more children, but it is not known whether she gave bir th while she was living at the trading station or in Plymouth.

The trading station in Cushnoc was very successful. The Pilgrims traded co rn and manufactured goods with the Indians for beaver, otter and other fur s. The proceeds of this trade enabled the Undertakers to settle their deb ts with the Merchant Adventurers. In 1643 a colony in Piscataqua at the mo uth of the Kennebec River under the control of London investors attempt ed to trade with Indians on the Kennebec River. Howland and men from Plymo uth told the Piscataqua men under the command of John Hocking to leave sin ce they were trespassing and the patent granted Plymouth exclusive tradi ng rights. The Piscataqua men refused to pull up anchor and leave, and Jo hn Hocking shot and killed one of Howland's men. One of Howland's men retu rned fire and killed John Hocking. A meeting called by the General Cour ts of Plymouth and Bay Colony established that the Piscataqua men were tre spassers and that Hocking's killing was justified. Following this, the t wo colonies agreed to honor each other?s patents and to curtail the activi ties of settlements poaching on these patents. It was feared that if the i ssue was not resolved satisfactorily, Parliament might appoint a single go vernor of all New England, which none of the colonies wanted.

In 1633 John (age forty-one) was admitted a freeman in Plymouth. John a nd Elizabeth acquired land and in time became major landholders in Plymou th and the surrounding towns. For nearly forty years, John Howland was act ively involved in the governance of Plymouth through elected or appoint ed positions, viz. one of the seven Plymouth Assistant Governors-1632-3 5, 1638-39; one of the four Plymouth Deputies to the General Court for nea rly thirty years-1641, 1645, 1647-56, 1658, 1659, 1661-68, 1670; one of t he five selectmen of Plymouth-1665-66; one of the Plymouth Assessors-164 1, 1644, 1647-51; committee on fur trading-1659; surveyor of highways-1650 .

In 1637 John received forty acres of land, and in 1639 he was given a choi ce of additional land for himself or his heirs around Yarmouth, Dartmou th and Rehoboth. Part of the land he chose was in Yarmouth, which he ga ve to his son John and daughters Desire and hope and their respective fami lies. In 1639 John purchased land and a house in Rocky Nook, where he spe nt the rest of his life. Also living in Rocky Nook were Thomas and Mary (A llerton) Cushman and their family.

Quaker missionaries arrived in Plymouth between 1655 and 1662 and attract ed a considerable number of converts. Quakers opposed Puritan authority a nd religious beliefs and practices. They refused to attend church service s, would not recognize ministers and magistrates or fidelity oaths, and wo uld not support the church financially. They criticized Puritan beliefs a nd practices publicly and in such scathing terms as to anger the General C ourt. Governor Bradford had died in 1657 and was succeeded by Thomas Pren ce (1600-73), who would not tolerate Quaker criticism and took unusually s trong measures to suppress Quaker activities, through fines, whipping, exc ommunication and expulsion from the colony. In the Bay Colony punishment w as more severe, and included hangings.

Quakers wished to separate themselves from the prevailing religious belie fs and practices, just as the Pilgrims had done some fifty years earli er in England. Thus, the Quakers were to Plymouth what the Separatists we re to England, except that now the Pilgrims were on the receiving end. Gov ernor Prence and the General Court punished Plymouth residents who attend ed Quaker services or gave them support and protection.

The families of John Howland's brothers, Arthur and Henry, were two Plymou th families most identified as practicing Quakers. The families ceased att ending Plymouth religious services and allowed their homes for the condu ct of Quaker meetings. Arthur, Henry and Henry's son Zoeth were called bef ore the General Court in 1657 and fined for using their homes for Quaker m eetings. In 1660 Henry was again fined. In 1659 Arthur Jr.'s freeman stat us was revoked and in 1684 he was imprisoned in Plymouth. Throughout his l ife, John Howland remained faithful to Separatist belief and practice, b ut his compassion for Quakers is not known.

John and Elizabeth were highly respected citizens of Plymouth. In 1657 a nd again in 1664, serious issues concerning members of John Howland's fami ly came before the Court of Governor's Assistants that resulted in judici al sanctions. John Howland was only a deputy for Plymouth to the General C ourt, and while he did not have to act on these cases personally, the re is not way his standing in Plymouth could avoid being affected.

Governor Prence's actions toward Quakers took an ironic twist that can be appreciated by parents today. In 1657 Arthur Howland Jr., an arde nt Quaker, was brought before the court. Thomas Prince's daughter and Arth ur Howland Jr., fell in love. The relationship blossomed and matrimony see med inevitable. However, it was illegal and punishable by court sanction f or couples to marry without parental consent. Thomas Prence urged Elizabe th to break off the relationship, but to no avail. He then used powers ava ilable to him as Governor. Arthur Howland, Jr., was brought before the Gen eral Court and fined five pounds for "inveigling of Mistris Elizabeth Pren ce and making motion of marriage to her, and prosecuting the same contra ry to her parents likeing, and without theire mind and will...[and] in spe ciall that hee desist from the use of any meanes to obtaine or retaine h er affections as aforesaid." On July 2, 1667 Arthur Howland, Jr., was brou ght before the General Court again where he "did sollemly and seriously en gage before the Court, that he will wholly desist and never apply himse lf for the future as formerly he hath done, to Mistris Elizabeth Pren ce in reference unto marriage." Guess what happened! They were marri ed on December 9, 1667 and in time had a daughter and four sons. Thus a re luctant Thomas Prence acquired a Quaker son-in-law, Quaker grandchildren a nd innumerable Quaker in-laws of Henry Howland.

The second case involving John Howland's family occurred in 1664 when Ru th Howland (b. 1646), his youngest daughter, was the subject of a morals c ase brought before the Court of Governor's Assistants. Sexual mores, inclu ding chastity before marriage, were issues about which were strict cod es of conduct. Ruth Howland fell in love with Thomas Cushman, Jr. (1637-17 26), the first son of Plymouth's Ruling Elder Thomas Cushman (1607-91), a nd Mary (Allerton) Cushman (1616-1699), a Mayflower passenger. In 1664/5 T homas Jr. was fined five ponds by the Court for carnal behavior "before ma rriage, but after contract." Once again John Howland was Deputy to the Gen eral Court for Plymouth and not involved personally in sentencing. Twenty- five years earlier punishment could have been severe, e.g. excommunicatio n, fines, stocks for women and whipping for men. However, in 1664 harsh ph ysical sentencing had been relaxed, and the social meeting of the parti es became a factor in sentencing. In 1664 Thomas Jr. and Ruth were marrie d. In addition to John Howland's embarrassment, Thomas Cushman, Jr. squand ered the opportunity to be considered to succeed his father as Ruling Elde r. In 1694, Thomas' younger brother Isaac was chosen to succeed his fath er as Ruling Elder. Thomas Jr. and Ruth remained in Plymouth. Ruth di ed as a young woman sometime after 1672, and Thomas Jr. married Abigail Fu ller in 1679

John Howland died either in his home at Rocky Nook or at his son Jabez' ho use on February 23, 1672/3 at the age of eighty. He was buried in an unmar ked grave in Burial Hill. In 1897, a headstone was erected on Burial Hi ll by the Howland Society. Elizabeth Howland spent her declining years a nd died on December 21, 1687 at the age of eighty in the home of her daugh ter Lydia Brown, in Swansea. Elizabeth is buried in East Providence, Rho de Island, with a memorial marker.

While not political leaders of Plymouth, John and Elizabeth were pilla rs of the community and played a major part in the colony's governance a nd development. They lived through every aspect of the Pilgrim experien ce beginning in Leiden-the Mayflower, the harsh first winter, the Undertak ers, the trading station in Maine, the Quakers, King Philip's War-up to t he merger of the Bay and Plymouth colonies. Descendants of John, Henry a nd Arthur Howland multiplied in number and influence to become one of N ew England's famous pioneer families.

Bibliography
Bradford, W., Of Plymouth Plantation 1620-1647. Modern Library College Edi tions, New York, 1981.
White, E.P., John Howland of the Mayflower vol. 1, Picton Press, Rockpor t, Maine, 3rd printing, 1999
Stratton, E.A., Plymouth Colony, Its History & People 1620-1691, Ancest ry Publishing, Salt Lake City, UT, 1986
Howland, F., A Brief Genealogical and Biographical History of Arthur, Henry and John Howland and Descendants of the United States and Canada, publi shed by F. Howland, New Bedford, MA, 1885.

JOHN HOWLAND'S WILL AND INVENTORY.
Transcribed from the original records,
BY GEORGE ERNEST BOWMAN

John Howland died at Plymouth, on the twenty third of February 1672 - 3 and his will and inventory were recorded in the Plymouth Colony Wills and Inventories, Volume III, Part I, pages 49 to 54.

[p. 49] The Last Will and Testament of mr John howland of Plymouth late Deceased, exhibited to the Court held att Plymouth the fift Day of March Anno Dom 1672 on the oathes of mr Samuell ffuller and mr Willam Crow as followeth
Know all men to whom these prsents shall Come That I John howland senir of the Towne of New Plymouth in the Collonie of New Plymouth in New England in America, this twenty ninth Day of May one thousand six hundred seaventy and two being of whole mind, and in Good and prfect memory and Remembrance praised be God; being now Grown aged; haveing many Infeirmities of body upon mee; and not Knowing how soon God will call mee out of this world, Doe make and ordaine these prsents to be my Testament Containing herein my last Will in manor and forme following;
Imp I Will and bequeath my body to the Dust and my soule to God that Gave it in hopes of a Joyfull Resurrection unto Glory; and as Concerning my temporall estate, I Dispose therof as followeth;

Item I Doe give and bequeath unto John howland my eldest sonne besides what lands I have already given him, all my Right and Interest To that one hundred acrees of land graunted mee by the Court lying on the eastern side of Taunton River; between Teticutt and Taunton bounds and all the appurtenances and privilidges Therunto belonging, I belonge to him and his heires and assignes for ever; and if that Tract should faile, then to have all my Right title and Interest by and in that Last Court graunt to mee in any other place, To belonge to him his heires and assignes for ever;

Item I give and bequeath unto my son Jabez howland all those my upland and Meddow That I now posesse at Satuckett and Paomett, and places adjacent, with all the appurtenances and privilidges, belonging therunto, and all my right title and Interest therin, To belonge to him his heires and assignes for ever,

Item I Give and bequeath unto my son Jabez howland all that my one peece of land that I have lying on the southsyde of the Mill brooke, in the Towne of Plymouth aforsaid; be it more or lesse; and is on the Northsyde of a feild that is now Gyles Rickards senir To belonge to the said Jabez his heires and assignes for ever;

Item I give and bequeath into Isacke howland my youngest sonne all those my uplands and meddowes Devided and undivided with all the appurtenances and priviliges unto them belonging, lying and being in the Towne of Middlebery, and in a tract of Land Called the Majors Purchase neare Namassakett Ponds; which I have bought and purchased of Willam White of Marshfeild in the Collonie of New Plymouth; which may or shall appeer by any Deed or writing that is Given under the said Whites hand all such Deeds or writinges Together with the aformensioned prticulares To belonge to the said Isacke his heires and assignes for ever;

Item I give and bequeath unto my said son Isacke howland the one halfe of my twelve acree lott of Meddow That I now have att Winnatucsett River within the Towne of Plymouth aforsaid To belonge to him the said Isacke howland his heires and assignes for ever,

Item I Will and bequeath unto my Deare and loveing wife Elizabeth howland the use and benifitt of my now Dwelling house in Rockey nooke in the Township of Plymouth aforsaid, with the outhousing lands, That is uplands [p. 50] uplands and meadow lands and all appurtenances and privilidges therunto belonging in the Towne of Plymouth and all other Lands housing and meddowes that I have in the said Towne of Plymouth excepting what meadow and upland I have before given To my sonnes Jabez and Isacke howland During her naturall life to Injoy make use of and Improve for her benifitt and Comfort;

Item I Give and bequeath unto my son Joseph howland after the Decease of my loveing wife Elizabeth howland my aforsaid Dwelling house att Rockey nooke together with all the outhousing uplands and Meddowes appurtenances and privilidges belonging therunto; and all other housing uplands and meddowes appurtenances and privilidges That I have within the aforsaid Towne of New Plymouth excepting what lands and meadowes I have before Given To my two sonnes Jabez and Isacke; To belong to him the said Joseph howland To him and his heires and assignes for ever;
Item I Give and bequeath unto my Daughter Desire Gorum twenty shillings
Item I Give and bequeath To my Daughter hope Chipman twenty shillings
Item I Give and bequeath unto my Daughter Elizabeth Dickenson twenty shillings
Item I Give and bequeath unto my Daughter Lydia Browne twenty shillings
Item I Give & bequeath to my Daughter hannah Bosworth twenty shillings
Item I Give and bequeath unto my Daughter Ruth Cushman twenty shillings
Item I Give to my Grandchild Elizabeth howland The Daughter of my son John howland twenty shillings
Item my will is That these legacyes Given to my Daughters, be payed by my exequitrix in such species as shee thinketh meet; Item I will and bequeath unto my loveing wife Elizabeth howland, my Debts and legacyes being first payed, my whole estate: viz: lands houses goods Chattles; or any thinge else that belongeth or appertaineth unto mee, undisposed of be it either in Plymouth Duxburrow or Middlbery or any other place whatsoever; I Doe freely and absolutly give and bequeath it all to my Deare and loveing wife Elizabeth howland whom I Doe by these prsents, make ordaine and Constitute to be the sole exequitrix of this my Last will and Testament to see the same truely and faithfully prformed according to the tenour therof; In witnes wherof the said John howland senir have heerunto sett my hand and seale the aforsaid twenty ninth Day of May, one thousand six hundred seaventy and two 1672

Signed and sealed in the John howland prsence of Samuell ffuller And a seale Willam Crow

John Howland Will

JOHN HOWLAND'S WILL AND INVENTORY.
Transcribed from the original records,
BY GEORGE ERNEST BOWMAN

John Howland died at Plymouth, on the twenty third of February 1672 - 3 and his will and inventory were recorded in the Plymouth Colony Wills and Inventories, Volume III, Part I, pages 49 to 54.

[p. 49] The Last Will and Testament of mr John howland of Plymouth late Deceased, exhibited to the Court held att Plymouth the fift Day of March Anno Dom 1672 on the oathes of mr Samuell ffuller and mr Willam Crow as followeth
Know all men to whom these prsents shall Come That I John howland senir of the Towne of New Plymouth in the Collonie of New Plymouth in New England in America, this twenty ninth Day of May one thousand six hundred seaventy and two being of whole mind, and in Good and prfect memory and Remembrance praised be God; being now Grown aged; haveing many Infeirmities of body upon mee; and not Knowing how soon God will call mee out of this world, Doe make and ordaine these prsents to be my Testament Containing herein my last Will in manor and forme following;
Imp I Will and bequeath my body to the Dust and my soule to God that Gave it in hopes of a Joyfull Resurrection unto Glory; and as Concerning my temporall estate, I Dispose therof as followeth;

Item I Doe give and bequeath unto John howland my eldest sonne besides what lands I have already given him, all my Right and Interest To that one hundred acrees of land graunted mee by the Court lying on the eastern side of Taunton River; between Teticutt and Taunton bounds and all the appurtenances and privilidges Therunto belonging, I belonge to him and his heires and assignes for ever; and if that Tract should faile, then to have all my Right title and Interest by and in that Last Court graunt to mee in any other place, To belonge to him his heires and assignes for ever;

Item I give and bequeath unto my son Jabez howland all those my upland and Meddow That I now posesse at Satuckett and Paomett, and places adjacent, with all the appurtenances and privilidges, belonging therunto, and all my right title and Interest therin, To belonge to him his heires and assignes for ever,

Item I Give and bequeath unto my son Jabez howland all that my one peece of land that I have lying on the southsyde of the Mill brooke, in the Towne of Plymouth aforsaid; be it more or lesse; and is on the Northsyde of a feild that is now Gyles Rickards senir To belonge to the said Jabez his heires and assignes for ever;

Item I give and bequeath into Isacke howland my youngest sonne all those my uplands and meddowes Devided and undivided with all the appurtenances and priviliges unto them belonging, lying and being in the Towne of Middlebery, and in a tract of Land Called the Majors Purchase neare Namassakett Ponds; which I have bought and purchased of Willam White of Marshfeild in the Collonie of New Plymouth; which may or shall appeer by any Deed or writing that is Given under the said Whites hand all such Deeds or writinges Together with the aformensioned prticulares To belonge to the said Isacke his heires and assignes for ever;

Item I give and bequeath unto my said son Isacke howland the one halfe of my twelve acree lott of Meddow That I now have att Winnatucsett River within the Towne of Plymouth aforsaid To belonge to him the said Isacke howland his heires and assignes for ever,

Item I Will and bequeath unto my Deare and loveing wife Elizabeth howland the use and benifitt of my now Dwelling house in Rockey nooke in the Township of Plymouth aforsaid, with the outhousing lands, That is uplands [p. 50] uplands and meadow lands and all appurtenances and privilidges therunto belonging in the Towne of Plymouth and all other Lands housing and meddowes that I have in the said Towne of Plymouth excepting what meadow and upland I have before given To my sonnes Jabez and Isacke howland During her naturall life to Injoy make use of and Improve for her benifitt and Comfort;

Item I Give and bequeath unto my son Joseph howland after the Decease of my loveing wife Elizabeth howland my aforsaid Dwelling house att Rockey nooke together with all the outhousing uplands and Meddowes appurtenances and privilidges belonging therunto; and all other housing uplands and meddowes appurtenances and privilidges That I have within the aforsaid Towne of New Plymouth excepting what lands and meadowes I have before Given To my two sonnes Jabez and Isacke; To belong to him the said Joseph howland To him and his heires and assignes for ever;

Item I Give and bequeath unto my Daughter Desire Gorum twenty shillings

Item I Give and bequeath To my Daughter hope Chipman twenty shillings

Item I Give and bequeath unto my Daughter Elizabeth Dickenson twenty shillings

Item I Give and bequeath unto my Daughter Lydia Browne twenty shillings

Item I Give & bequeath to my Daughter hannah Bosworth twenty shillings

Item I Give and bequeath unto my Daughter Ruth Cushman twenty shillings

Item I Give to my Grandchild Elizabeth howland The Daughter of my son John howland twenty shillings

Item my will is That these legacyes Given to my Daughters, be payed by my exequitrix in such species as shee thinketh meet; Item I will and bequeath unto my loveing wife Elizabeth howland, my Debts and legacyes being first payed, my whole estate: viz: lands houses goods Chattles; or any thinge else that belongeth or appertaineth unto mee, undisposed of be it either in Plymouth Duxburrow or Middlbery or any other place whatsoever; I Doe freely and absolutly give and bequeath it all to my Deare and loveing wife Elizabeth howland whom I Doe by these prsents, make ordaine and Constitute to be the sole exequitrix of this my Last will and Testament to see the same truely and faithfully prformed according to the tenour therof; In witnes wherof the said John howland senir have heerunto sett my hand and seale the aforsaid twenty ninth Day of May, one thousand six hundred seaventy and two 1672

Signed and sealed in the John howland prsence of Samuell ffuller And a seale Willam Crow

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passenger.html

* The traditional date that has been ascribed to John Howland's birth is
"B:1592" and has never really been questioned. However, a birth about
1599 is clearly better estimate for the following reasons:

! 1) John Howland is called a "manservant" in William Bradford's
passenger list...as a servant to John Carver. Servants were contracted
out until the age of 25. Thus, Howland must have been under 25 in 1620,
meaning he had to have been born after 1595. Since Howland signed the
Mayflower Compact, he must have been born sometime before 1600 to
have been legally old enough to sign.
2) John Howland's wife was born in 1607, and it is most unlikely
that he, at the age of 32, married a 17 year old girl as his first wife.
Most men married about age 25, and since his marriage occurred about
1624, this would place his likely birth at 1599.
3) John Howland's last child was born in 1649. If the 1592 date
were accepted, he would have fathered a child at the age of 57, a most
unlikely circumstance.
William Bradford writes in that John Howland was a "lusty young
man" in 1620. It is unlikely that Bradford would call a 28-year old a
"young man". The only other person Bradford called a "young man" in
1620 was John Alden, who was born in 1599.

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passenger.html