The women of the Mayflower and women of Plymouth colony

by Ethel J. R. C. Noyes

About this time, two girls of the Anne added to the procession of brides: Mary Warren marrying Robert Bartlett and Jane Cooke marrying Experience Mitchell.

Passengers and letters came on the ships continually, both to Plymouth and the other settlements that were growing likewise. Persons desiring to come to the New World, took what ship they could and landed where the ship took them. Plymouth having boats could always send for their own voyagers and mail whenever word was received that a ship had come from the other side, though not to their harbor. Thus, one day, a letter came to Humility Cooper, which changed the quiet current of her life as it seemed to be running in Plymouth. Relatives in England wanted her to return. This was a surprise to her and to her good friends, but, half wanting to stay and half wanting to go, Humility prepared for leave taking. Henry Sampson, her cousin, was now grown up—she need feel no special reluctance—but she was Elizabeth Howland’s last link with her childhood’s days. As Edward Winslow was sailing shortly for England, on business for the colony, Humility said farewell to the ten years of Mayflower and Plymouth association and went back under his care.

During her husband’s absence, Susanna Winslow’s brother, Doctor Fuller, was also from Plymouth. The new colonies of Salem and Massachusetts Bay, just starting, met with the same devastating illness that had befallen the Mayflower passengers, and, as they were so unfortunate as to lose their doctor among the first victims, they appealed to Plymouth—and no appeal to Plymouth was ever in vain. Doctor Fuller went to Salem and the Bay and had great success in curing many, though nearly exhausting his supply of medicines.

During this year, and the next, all the old friends still in Leyden, who had waited so long to come, were brought over at Plymouth’s expense and there was great satisfaction that distance no longer divided them. But the saintly Robinson was not among them. Five years earlier, the Pilgrim men and women grieved to learn that he would never come to them—his earthly labors having ceased. His wife and oldest son became his representatives in Plymouth.

Intercourse between Plymouth and the newly established colonial neighbors became frequent, leading to interchange of visits and even of residence. The newcomers were duly sensible of what they owed to the Plymouth settlers, who had blazed the way.

The opening of their second decade in the New World showed great contrasts to those Plymouth women who remembered what the first year and those immediately following had been. Now, they were able to see and hear of the experiences of others, close at hand, with much in common. The ships from England were no longer their only connection with the outside world nor their only source of supplies, other than food. Massachusetts Bay and Salem were glad to exchange commodities, as well as Manhattan, but, being so much nearer, grew more interlocked with the life and interests of Plymouth.

The ceremonial visit by the Governor and Assistants of Plymouth to the Governor of the Bay and his wife, with the return of like courtesies by Governor Winthrop to Governor and Mrs. Bradford were brilliant incidents. Soon fashions, not clothes, and luxuries, not necessities, for the home were frequent thoughts to the women, instead of almost forgotten or sternly repressed instincts. Though they had not fashion books, some sent for garments and hats from the old country and the fortunate possessors lent these new fashioned articles as models for their neighbors. A very taking way of introducing styles to the colonists was by dressed dolls, or “babies” as they were called, that displayed them in careful miniature. During recent seasons this idea has been re-introduced, as may be seen in some of the shop windows in our cities. We learn that, withal, there was sometimes a shortage of sugar, which strikes a responsive chord in the memory of housewives three hundred years later.

If the arrival of the first cows was a never-to-be forgotten joy to the women of the Mayflower and of the Anne, the entrance of horses into Plymouth life was elation. The pleasure of owning a horse while it was a novelty for their circumstances, must have aroused the same feeling as the acquirement of an automobile has in families of our day; when not an owner, to have a special object of ambition, if a possessor, then a willing recipient of neighborly admiration. The advantage of a horse to a woman, then, was to ride on a pillion behind a male member of the family to meeting or to visit (until carriages came, much later), or else, if quite accomplished, to ride alone, often with children, baskets, or even a spinning wheel, as well, on the back of the amiable friend of the family.

Ere long, life took on the virility and color we associate with that spectacular period known as Colonial. Naturally, Plymouth now began to overflow its first boundaries. As the children of the families and worldly possessions increased, many made summer homes where the cattle could have greater range and families more room. These new houses were built quite in the manner of bungalows, for occupancy between frosts. Winters saw the Plymouth residences occupied again. Gradually, however, the summer homes became permanent, being made habitable for winter also, and edifices for the religious services were erected. By another decade Plymouth Colony comprised several towns, outgrowths of the original. The new brides could make a wedding journey if they pleased, and some went away altogether to make their new homes. The governor’s wife was especially interested in two of the weddings at this time—that of her sister, Priscilla Carpenter and her niece, Patience Morton. The former was soon a widow, and, like her sisters, married again. Patience became the mother of Thomas Faunce—a link between two centuries—the identifier, in his old age, of Plymouth Rock, telling to his and other generations what his parents had told to him, having learned from the first comers.

Governor Bradford insisted that if the office he had held so long was an honor and satisfaction, others should share it, if it was a care and duty, others should experience its responsibilities also; his health had been somewhat undermined by the efforts he had given to guide the temporal affairs of the colony throughout the years since he succeeded Governor Carver, and he absolutely declined a reelection. Edward Winslow, having returned from England, was chosen.