{"id":103125,"date":"2025-06-13T11:22:35","date_gmt":"2025-06-13T15:22:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.genealogybank.com\/?p=103125"},"modified":"2025-06-13T11:23:44","modified_gmt":"2025-06-13T15:23:44","slug":"in-memory-of-the-pilgrim-fathers-early-plymouth-history-part-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/in-memory-of-the-pilgrim-fathers-early-plymouth-history-part-3.html","title":{"rendered":"In Memory of the Pilgrim Fathers: Early Plymouth History (part 3)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction: In this article, Melissa Davenport Berry continues her new series about the Founding Fathers of Plymouth Colony, featuring William Brewster, William Bradford, and early Plymouth history. Melissa is a genealogist who has a website, americana-archives.com<\/a>, and a Facebook group, New England Family Genealogy and History<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Here is a photo of the Pilgrim Fathers Window, St Helena\u2019s Church, High St., Austerfield, Doncaster DN10 6QU, United Kingdom. The first panel of the window shows William Bradford, who was born in Austerfield, outside the church, with the inscription \u201cWilliam Bradford Baptised 1589 at Austerfield\u201d on the bottom. The second and third panels depict Bradford and others signing the Mayflower Compact, with the Mayflower<\/em> in the background of the second panel and the houses of Plymouth Colony in the background of the third panel. Two quotes from his history Of Plymouth Plantation<\/em>, \u201cWe knew that we were pilgrims\u201d and \u201cOne small candle,\u201d are above the window.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:
Photo: Pilgrim Fathers Window, St Helena\u2019s Church, Austerfield, United Kingdom. Credit: Sep Waugh, 1989. Glass Angel.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Today I continue with my series \u201cIn Memory of the Pilgrim Fathers,\u201d focusing on some of the early history of Plymouth Colony.<\/p>\n

I found an article in GenealogyBank\u2019s Historical Newspaper Archives<\/a> that caught my eye.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
San Francisco Chronicle (San Francisco, California), 26 November 2004, page 129<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Eugene \u201cGene\u201d Arthur Fortine, a 13th generation descendant of Mayflower<\/em> passenger Elder William Brewster, visited the Lake Cabot Elementary School in Castro Valley, California, in 2004 dressed in the fashion of his ancestors, to provide some history on the Pilgrims and their first Thanksgiving.<\/p>\n

In addition to the Mayflower Society, Mr. Fortine held memberships with several other hereditary societies, such as: the Jamestowne Society (for which he was former Councilor of the First California Company); Society of the Descendants of the Colonial Clergy (former Councilor); and Elder William Brewster Society.<\/p>\n

Below is a photo of Mr. Fortine along with his memorial bio<\/a> published by the Hereditary Society Community.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:
Photo: Eugene Arthur Fortine. Credit: Hereditary Society Community.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In the San Francisco Chronicle<\/em> article above, Fotine informs the reporter that accurately preserving history was of great significance to him and the Society of Mayflower Descendants, the genealogical organization he represented, where he previously held the position of governor general.<\/p>\n

According to a brochure published by the Society of Mayflower Descendants, a descendant\u2019s job is:<\/p>\n

\u201cto perpetuate to a remote posterity the memory of our Pilgrim Fathers and Mothers, [and] to maintain and defend the principle of civil and religious liberty as set forth in the Mayflower Compact.<\/a>\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The brochure also states that a descendant seeks:<\/p>\n

\u201cto cherish and maintain the ideals and institutions of American freedom, [and] to transmit the spirit, the purity of purpose and steadfastness of will of the Pilgrims to those who shall come after us.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Fortine references William Bradford, the second governor of the Plymouth Colony, as an example of a pioneer who contributed to the establishment of a new colony that emphasized democratic principles.<\/p>\n

Fortine says that the Pilgrims in the New World thrived under the refined leadership of Governor Bradford, who was both devout and intellectual. He possessed the ability to guide his people through the challenges of the New World while adeptly managing political affairs.<\/p>\n

Below is a photo of the frontal view of Gov. William Bradford\u2019s statue. To view all the statue\u2019s sides and inscriptions visit HMDB.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:
Photo: William Bradford statue, located on Water Street, Plymouth, Massachusetts. Credit: Sandra Hughes; Historic Marker Database.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The inscription on the base of the statue reads:<\/p>\n

William Bradford, Governor and Historian of the Plymouth Colony. Born in Austerfield, England, 1590. Died in Plymouth, New England, 1657.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Note:<\/em><\/strong> One of Bradford\u2019s publications, Of Plymouth Plantation<\/em><\/a>, provides a first-hand account of the voyage and the establishment of the Plymouth Colony.<\/p>\n

Despite his religious ideals, Bradford saw the world in complex shades. He collaborated with Elder William Brewster, an ex-member of Queen Elizabeth\u2019s staff and a Cambridge university attendee.<\/p>\n

In the newspaper article, Fortine says:<\/p>\n

\u201cBrewster became the religious leader, Bradford became the secular leader, and they didn\u2019t cross lines, though there was no intention of God being left out.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The article further reports:<\/p>\n

Bradford, Brewster and others of the group that later became known as the Pilgrims were religious separatists from the north of England who had to move their base to Holland because the king\u2019s men were after them.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Here is a photo of Scrooby Manor in Scrooby, Nottinghamshire, England, which was the home of William Brewster. It served as a meeting place for the early separatists.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:
Photo: Scrooby Manor in Scrooby, Nottinghamshire, England. Credit: Heather Wilkinson Rojo of Nutfield Genealogy while she was in Scrooby on a tour.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

They eventually hired two ships, one of which, the Mayflower, proved seaworthy, and set off for America with a mixed group that included fellow separatists fleeing the royal dictates of the Church of England, passengers brought along for their practical skills, and others traveling for various personal reasons.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Here is a photo of reenactors portraying the Pilgrims leaving Holland. It\u2019s from \u201cThe Pilgrim Spirit\u201d shown in the Pilgrim pageant staged at Plymouth, Massachusetts, July and August 1921.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:
Photo: reenactors portraying the Pilgrims leaving Holland. Credit: Joseph Dillaway Sawyer; Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Edmund Burke, an influential Anglo-Irish statesman and philosopher of the 18th century, made profound observations regarding the religious background and ethos of the American colonists and noted:<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing in the history of mankind is like the progress of the Pilgrims.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Stay tuned for the first Thanksgiving<\/a>: Fortine with the help of his friend of mixed Native American and Pilgrim descent present an accurate account.<\/p>\n

Explore over 330 years of newspapers and historical records in GenealogyBank. Discover your family story! Start a 7-Day Free Trial<\/a><\/p>\n

Note on the header image:<\/em><\/strong> \u201cMayflower in Plymouth Harbor,\u201d by William Halsall, 1882. Credit: Wikimedia Commons.<\/p>\n

Related Article:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n