{"id":61715,"date":"2020-09-18T12:15:52","date_gmt":"2020-09-18T16:15:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.genealogybank.com\/?p=61715"},"modified":"2026-02-18T13:11:52","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T18:11:52","slug":"the-first-families-of-america-no-blue-bloods-on-the-mayflower-part-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/the-first-families-of-america-no-blue-bloods-on-the-mayflower-part-2.html","title":{"rendered":"The First Families of America: No Blue Bloods on the Mayflower (Part 2)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction:<\/em><\/strong> In this article, Melissa Davenport Berry continues her story about the working-class background of the Mayflower Pilgrims \u2013 and the Blue Bloods of Boston.\u00a0<\/em>Melissa is a genealogist who has a website, americana-archives.com<\/a><\/em>, and a Facebook group, New England Family Genealogy and History<\/a><\/em>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Cleveland Amory, social historian, published an article in the Boston American<\/em> newspaper on America\u2019s first families. Amory asserted that many historians failed to do justice to the Mayflower<\/em> Pilgrims because they were considered \u201ccommoners.\u201d Amory defended the \u201cPilgrims who were, as a group, perhaps the greatest of all this country\u2019s heroes.\u201d He explained that the Mayflower<\/em> passengers and their descendants were hard-working men and women who aspired to be of service to their community as they enhanced their lot in life.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Boston American (Boston, Massachusetts), 28 September 1958, page 9<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Amory interviewed Bradford Smith, descendant of perhaps the greatest of the Pilgrim fathers, William Bradford. Smith noted that the Pilgrims were all working men and said:<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2026the chief distinction of the Pilgrims and their claim to our continual veneration is that they established a caste-free government of free men, making no attempt to duplicate the system of degree and station which existed in England and by which the leaders, if they had been smaller men, might well have hoped to advance themselves in the New World.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Smith said he was proud of his ancestor, who distinguished himself as \u201ca self-made man in age of privilege.\u201d<\/p>\n

A similar view was presented to Amory from Walter Merriam Pratt, the governor-general of the General Society of Mayflower Descendants, who said:<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Mayflower Society is not interested in the wealth of its members, or their social standing, or their politics. The Pilgrims believed in the equality of all men.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I found an article in the Milwaukee Journal<\/em> which provided a list of the Mayflower<\/em> passengers who called themselves \u201csaints,\u201d and their occupations.<\/p>\n

\"Illustration:<\/a>
Illustration: \u201cAt the Church Door: A Puritan Thanksgiving,\u201d drawn by W. H. Low for an 1882 issue of Harper\u2019s Weekly. Published in the Milwaukee Journal (Milwaukee, Wisconsin), 27 November 1957, page 8<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"An<\/a>
Milwaukee Journal (Milwaukee, Wisconsin), 27 November 1957, page 8<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Here is that list of the \u201cSaints\u201d and their occupations.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Milwaukee Journal (Milwaukee, Wisconsin), 27 November 1957, page 8<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Mayflower Society member Ruthie Stearns of Nebraska descends from passengers Richard Warren, Francis Cooke, Priscilla Mullins, and John Alden. Of this group, only Francis Cooke was a \u201csaint.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Photo:<\/a>
Photo: Ruthie Stearns with her sisters, father Rev. Howard Oliver Stearns, and mother Barbara Dorcas Holmes Stearns, descendants of Richard Warren, Francis Cooke, John Alden and Pricilla Mullins, at their home in Danvers, Massachusetts, 1966. Credit: Ruthie Stearns, private collection.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Like their first Mayflower<\/em> ancestors, Ruthie\u2019s family performed \u201chands on\u201d labor and served their community. She has letters and photographs of the family; her genealogy is listed below. One is innholder John Bartlett of Plymouth, son of Robert Bartlett and Sarah Cooke, grandson of Robert Bartlett and Mary Warren.<\/p>\n

I found an ad in the Boston Gazette<\/em> dated 10 January 1757 announcing that Thomas Foster Jr. was taking over the \u201cShip Tavern\u201d owned by John Bartlett.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Boston Gazette (Boston, Massachusetts), 10 January 1757, page 4<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Ruthie\u2019s great grandfather, Russell Freeman Hazard, was employed at the famous Moldenke Castle in Watching, New Jersey, as a carpenter. A letter of recommendation written by Richard Moldenke dated 9 October 1905 noted that Russell had been with Moldenke for four years and was \u201cfully competent to perform every duty connected with House Carpentering, and has built my extensive Castle from the laying of the foundations to the finest interior finish.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Photo:<\/a>
Photo: letter from Richard Moldenke recommending Russell Hazard, 9 October 1905. Credit: Ruthie Stearns, private collection.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Moldenke praised Russell as \u201centirely reliable, sober, industrious and a good citizen\u201d and described his work as \u201cfirst-class service.\u201d Sounds like a Mayflower<\/em> working lad to me!<\/p>\n

\"Photo:<\/a>
Photo: (left) Ruthie Stearns\u2019s Great Grandfather Russell Fremont Hazard (1858-1930) reading a book; (right) wedding of Genevieve Sayre Hazard to Charles Elmer Holmes 22 June 1920 in Plainfield, New Jersey, labeled: \u201cMrs. Moran, Dorcas Mustgrave Hazard Cooper, Charles Elmer Holmes, Genevieve Sayre Hazard Holmes, Bertie Edmund Holmes (brother of Charles), and Russell Fremont Hazard. Credit: Ruthie Stearns, private collection.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Russell\u2019s daughter, Genevieve Sayre Hazard, was a teacher at the Boyton School in Benton Harbor, Michigan. Her husband, Charles Elmer Holmes, served his country in World War I in the Marine Corps, and after his discharge worked with the Red Cross to place veterans in homes.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:<\/a>
Photo: (left) Ruthie Stearns\u2019s Grandfather Charles Elmer Holmes; (middle) Grandmother Genevieve Sayre Hazard Homes; (right) Great grandfather Russell Fremont Hazard (1858-1930) and Ella Sayre Hazard (1857-1904) with daughters Genevieve, Dorcas and Russella. Credit: Ruthie Stearns, private collection.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Ruthie has a letter written to Genevieve from her cousin\u00a0Hazel June (Hazard) Church. The letter offered some history on her Mayflower<\/em> descendant Harriet Bacon Hazard. The letter reads:<\/p>\n

\u201cShe [Grandma Hazard] was a hardworking and loving mother. She spent long hours weaving carpets and caring for the sick.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"Photo:<\/a>
Photo: letter from Hazel June (Hazard) Church to Genevieve Sayre Hazard, 25 October 1951. Credit: Ruthie Stearns, private collection.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I found Harriet in the 1880 census in GenealogyBank<\/a>, which lists her as a weaver, and her husband Jonathan as a carpenter. Sounds like their ancestors in Plymouth Plantation!<\/p>\n

\"Photo:<\/a>
Photo: record of the Hazard family in the 1880 U.S. Census.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A daughter born to Genevieve and Charles, Barbara Dorcas Holmes \u2013 Ruthie\u2019s mother \u2013 married clergymen and human rights activist Rev. Howard Oliver Stearns. I found their marriage announcement in the Roanoke Times<\/em>, which revealed more on the family.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>
Roanoke Times (Roanoke, Virginia), 1 April 1952, page 10<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Ruthie\u2019s mother was a teacher and taught Bible school. While the family resided in Danvers, Massachusetts, Ruthie\u2019s mother was a Brownie leader and ran a religious forum at Lake Winnipesaukee, New Hampshire. Her father transcribed the sermons of Reverend Samuel Parris, connected to the Salem Witch trials. That story will come in a future blog article.<\/p>\n

Note:<\/em><\/strong> Just as an online collection of newspapers, such as GenealogyBank\u2019s Historical Newspaper Archives<\/a>, told the stories of Ruthie Stearns\u2019s Mayflower<\/em> ancestors and their descendants, they can tell you stories about your ancestors that can\u2019t be found anywhere else. Come look today and see what you can discover!<\/p>\n

Create a free account<\/a> at GenealogyBank for 7 days to start your journey and discover the stories your ancestors left behind.<\/p>\n

Further Reading:<\/strong><\/p>\n