The Pilgrim Story / Being largely a compilation from the documents of Governor Bradford and Governor Winslow, severally and in collaboration; together with a list of Mayflower passengers.

by William Franklin Atwood

Signers of the Compact

The earliest known list of the signers of the Compact is that contained in Morton’s “New-Englands Memoriall,” published in 1669. The names follow:

John Carver William Bradford Edward Winslow William Brewster Isaac Allerton Myles Standish John Alden John Turner Frances Eaton James Chilton John Crakston Degory Priest Thomas Williams Gilbert Winslow Edmund Margeson Peter Brown Richard Britterige George Soule Edward Tilley John Tilley Francis Cooke Thomas Rogers John Billington Moses Fletcher John Goodman Samuel Fuller Christopher Martin William Mullins William White Richard Warren John Howland Stephen Hopkins Thomas Tinker John Rigdale Edward Fuller Richard Clark Richard Gardiner John Allerton Thomas English Edward Doty Edward Leister

Signing the Compact

“After this they chose, or rather confirmed, Mr. John Carver (a man godly and well approved amongst them) their Governor for that year.”

This meeting, held in the cabin of the Mayflower, is generally accepted as the first New England town meeting, although on the 27th of February following, a meeting, later referred to, was held in the common house for the purpose of establishing a military guard at which Myles Standish was chosen captain.

On April 2nd another meeting was held on “common business” and at which laws “convenient for the common state” were passed.

From these first meetings evolved our present form of town meeting, held, and elections made, according to the will of the majority.