The Voyage
On September 6, 1620, the Mayflower departed Plymouth, England with 102 passengers and approximately 30 crew. The ship was a merchant vessel, about 100 feet long, not designed for passenger transport. The crossing took 66 days through autumn storms in the North Atlantic. Passengers were confined below decks in a space roughly 80 by 20 feet with 5-foot ceilings.
The Mayflower departs Plymouth, England with 102 passengers and approximately 30 crew. The ship is a merchant vessel, about 100 feet long — not designed for passenger transport.
66 days crossing the North Atlantic through autumn storms. Passengers confined below decks in a space roughly 80 by 20 feet with 5-foot ceilings.
William Butten, a servant of Samuel Fuller, dies at sea — the only death during the crossing.
Oceanus Hopkinsis born aboard the Mayflower — the only birth during the voyage.
The colonists reach Plymouth. They spend the first winter living mostly aboard the ship while building shelters on shore.
By spring, roughly half of the passengers and crew have died from disease, exposure, and malnutrition. Only 53 of the original 102 passengers survive.
The Compact
On November 11, 1620, before going ashore, 41 adult male passengers signed the Mayflower Compact in Provincetown Harbor. It was the first governing document of the Plymouth Colony and one of the foundations of American self-governance.
The signers agreed to create a government by consent of the governed — a radical idea in 1620, and a direct ancestor of the principles that would shape the American republic 156 years later.
The First Winter
The colonists did not reach Plymouth until December 1620. They spent the first winter living mostly aboard the ship while building shelters on shore. The conditions were brutal — disease, exposure, and malnutrition ravaged the colony.
Among the dead was Degory Priest, one of our documented Mayflower ancestors. He signed the Compact but did not live to see spring.
Our Connection
Our family has documented connections to at least four Mayflower passengers. These lines are detailed on the Mayflower Passengers line page.
Francis Cooke (~11th great-grandfather)
Sailed with his son John. John married Sarah Warren, daughter of fellow passenger Richard Warren, creating a double Mayflower connection. Reaches our line through the Hathaway and Peckham families.
Richard Warren (~11th great-grandfather)
The Warren surname appears again in our family’s photo collection — Rachel Warren, Papa’s mother. A potential connection through the Warren & Arden line. Research in progress.
Degory Priest (~11th great-grandfather — died first winter)
Signed the Compact but did not survive the winter. His daughter Mary married Phineas Pratt, and through the Coleman families this reaches us via Nantucket.
George Soule (~10th great-grandfather)
Came as a servant of Edward Winslow. Through his daughter Susannah and the Barber family, this reaches us via the Peckham line of Rhode Island.
The Legacy
The General Society of Mayflower Descendants (the Mayflower Society) is one of the oldest hereditary organizations in America, founded in 1897. Membership requires documented descent from one of the passengers who survived the first winter at Plymouth.
With four confirmed Mayflower passengers in our ancestry — Francis Cooke, Richard Warren, Degory Priest, and George Soule — our family has potential eligibility for membership. Active research is underway to complete the documentation required for a formal application.
Research Confidence
Historical narrative
The Mayflower crossing, the Compact, and the first winter are among the most thoroughly documented events in early American history. Primary sources include William Bradford’s Of Plymouth Plantation and Mourt’s Relation.
Cooke, Priest, Soule connections
Documented through FamilySearch with verified PIDs. Lines traced through Hathaway, Peckham, Coleman, and Barber families.
Richard Warren – Rachel Warren connection
The Warren surname discovered in the photo collection (Rachel Warren, Papa’s mother) suggests a possible link to the Mayflower passenger Richard Warren. This connection is under active research through the Warren & Arden line.
Mayflower Society eligibility
Eligibility is likely through multiple lines, but formal documentation for application has not yet been completed. Research in progress.