1329.Elder William Brewster. Born ca 1566 in Doncaster, Yorkshire.142 William died in Duxbury, MA on 10 Apr 1644.16 Occupation: printer.
(William Brewster of Jamestown, VA, was not a son of William Brewster of the Mayflower. See Mayflower Families in Progress, Brewster; also The Virginia magazine 75:407.)
Notes from Frances Jean Jones-Lory web page:
William Brewster, who came later to America, was for many years postmaster at Scrooby, a little village on the great North road about fifty miles from London. Nowadays a postmaster has mainly to do with letters and parcels and money orders, but three hundred years ago he had to do almost entirely with horses. Letters then posted were mainly governmental correspondence, sent by members of the Court. He did not live in a little house on a side street, but had a grand mansion called Scrooby Manor with a large brick stable and his duty was to supply horses to all travelers who desired to hire them. He was appointed by the government and had what 300 years ago was considered a handsome salary, namely 2 shillings a day, besides what travelers used to pay him if they stayed for a night or so at Scrooby Manor on their journey. He was also responsible for the relays of horses on the post road. He held the position of postmaster from 1590 to 1607.
About 1602 his neighbors began to assemble at the Manor house for worship, where Brewster, "did much good in promoting and furthering religion." He was opposed to the laxness and excess of the clergy, and favored greater strictness of morals and doctrine. He and his friends organized a branch of the Separatists, or those who preferred the congregational system, whereby each charge would be responsible to itself alone. In the face of persecution, in 1607 he with his friends chartered a Dutch boat to take them to Holland, but through the treachery of the Captain they were seized and imprisoned for a time. A year later they reached The Hague, where Brewster spent most of his means in providing for his family. At Leyden, in 1609, he was chosen ruling Elder of the Congregation. He remained in Holland twelve years, supporting himself by teaching English and by the use of the printing press. He was engaged in printing secretly religious books proscribed by the English government. In 1619 their types were seized, and his partner was arrested. Brewster, however, escaped and in the same year with Robert Cushman obtained in London on behalf of his associates a land patent from the Virginia Company. In 1620 he was selected to accompany the advance guard to the New World. The Pilgrims sailed from Delftshaven late in July, 1620, from Southampton on the 5th of August, and from Plymouth on the 6th of September, 1620. After a stormy voyage of ten weeks, they anchored in Plymouth Harbor, Nov. 21, 1620, and "there in the cabin of the Mayflower, Elder William Brewster drafted the first written Constitution in the history of the world, --- a marvel of clearness, brevity, and strength." At Plymouth he bore an important part in establishing the Pilgrim Republic, not shrinking from the severest manual labor, and "when the church had no other minister, he taught twice every Sabbath, both powerfully and profitably, to ye great contentment of ye hearers." He took a prominent part in the affairs of the colony, and served in the Indian Wars under Captain Myles Standish. Nearly every ship which came from England brought books to Brewster, and at his death his library inventoried 400 volumes, 62 of which were in Latin. There were 98 commentaries or translations of the Bible.
"He possessed that happy attitude of mind which could accustom itself to all circumstances; destitute of meat, of fish and bread, even with his single meal of clams would return thanks to the Lord that he could suck of the abundance of the seas and the treasures hid in the sands."
He was accompanied by his wife Mary, and two sons, Love and Wrestling; also, a boy called Richard More. The rest of his children came over afterward. (The Pilgrims purposely chose such names as peace, love, and patience, for their children, to emphasize their separation from the established church, which perpetuated the saints of the church calendar in naming children.)
During their first winter in America, the Pilgrims buried half their number, leveling the graves and sowing grain over them in the Spring, in order to conceal their misfortunes from the Indians. He enjoyed a healthy old age and was sick but one day, when he died on the 10th of April, 1644, 78 years of age. His wife, Mary, fourth signer of the Mayflower Compact, died April 17th, 1627. He survived all his daughters, leaving only two sons, Jonathan and Love.
Brewster Cousins by Carl M. Brewster (1937). -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Educated sometime at Cambridge in Latin and Greek; private secretary to Davison, sec. of State; appointed post-master at Scrooby; the Pilgrim Church met at his house generally, and he entertained them. Was a leader in the removal of Holland; one of those imprisoned at Boston, Lincolnshire. Ruling elder at Leyden. His printing press was a great help."
"He came in the Mayflower; signed the Compact. With him came his wife Mary and 2 sons, Love and Wrestling; the rest of his ch. were left behind and came over afterward. Wrestling died a young man. The daus. that came over were d. at 1650, but left sundry children."
"Pioneers of Massachusetts" by Charles Henry Pope (1900) Milford, MA -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Thus it became logical for young William Brewster, in 1589/90 to receive the appointment to the Post at Scrooby Manor, an important office at that time, and much sought after."
"As early as 1603, Elder William Brewster, though a member of the established Church, and filling the official position as manager of the Post at Scrooby, was having the Separatists meet in secret at the Manor House, which is located near "Sherwood Forest" ..."
"It is evident, however, that they were all Separatists, and had suffered much because of their beliefs, and were seeking a haven of refuge in the colonies."
"Mayflower Heads of Families (From Leyden, Holland) 4. Mr. William Brewster, b. Scrooby, Nottinghamshire, Eng., 1566-7, died New Plymouth, Apr. 26, 1644. He was the ruling Elder of the New Plymouth Church."
"In May, 1609, Brewster appears to have been settled in Leyden with his family, or that portion of it still at home, and, no doubt, he was quite busy teaching, and perhaps had already entered into the business of printing and selling books, an occupation his son Edward in later years followed in London. ... it is known that Brewster had left Leyden and was residing in London in 1619, ..."
"Master William Brewster, teacher, printer, pioneer planter of a great state, soldier, diplomat and statesman, "dyed at Plymouth in New England the 10th of Aprill, 1644.""
'The Mayflower Planters', by Leon Clark Hills -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "He entered Peterhouse, Cambridge University, on 3 December 1580, but apparently did not graduate. He became an assistant to William Davison, one of Queen Elizabeth's Secretaries of State, and he went to Holland with Davison in 1585 on a diplomatic mission. When Davision was imprisoned by Queen Elizabeth as a scapegoat for the execution of Mary Queen of Scots, Brewster returned to Scrooby and subsequently was appointed to his father's old post there as postmaster, holding that position until 1607. He was imprisoned as the result of the betrayal of a ship's master when he was leading a group of Separatists fleeing England for Holland. On being released, he went to Holland, where he became ruling elder of the separatist church, supporting himself and his family by running a printing business. William Brewster arrived at Plymouth on the 1620 Mayflower accompanied by his wife Mary and their sons Love and Wrestling. He continued as ruling elder of the Plymouth Church until he died."
'Plymouth Colony, Its History & People, 1620-1691' --------------------------------------------------------------------------
Brewster was a fugitive from the King of England, because he had published a number of religious pamphlets while in Leyden which were critical or opposed the tenets of the Church of England. He had been a member of the Separatist church movement from its very beginning, and was the oldest Mayflower passenger to have participated at the First Thanksgiving, in his early fifties.
William Bradford wrote a lot about William Brewster in Of Plymouth Plantation, some of which follows:
"After he had attained some learning, viz. the knowledge of Latin tongue, and some insight in the Greek, and spent some small time at Cambridge, and then being first seasoned with the seeds of grace and virtue, he went to the court, and served that religious and godly gentleman, Mr. Davison, divers years, when he was Secretary of State; who found him so discreet and faithful as he trusted him above all other that were about him, and only employed him in all matters of greatest trust and secrecy . . . he attended his mr. when he was sent in ambassage by the Queen into the Low Countries . . . And, at his return, the States honored him with a gold chain, and his master committed it to him, and commanded him to wear it when they arrived in England, as they rid through the country, till they came to the court . . . Afterwards he went and lived in the country, in good esteem amongst his friends and the gentlemen of those parts, especially the Godly and religious. ßHe did much good in the country where he lived, in promoting and furthering religion not only by his practise and example, and provocating and encouraging of others, but by procuring of good preachers to the places thereabouts, and drawing on of others to assist and help forward in such work; he himself most commonly deepest in the charge, and sometimes above his ability. . . . They ordinarily met at this house on the Lord's day, (which was a manor of the bishops) and with great love he entertained them when they came, making provision for them to his great charge.
He was the chief of those that were taken at Boston, and suffered the greatest loss; and of the seven that were kept longest in prison, and after bound over ... After he came into Holland he suffered much hardship, after he had spent the most of his means, having a great charge, and many children; and, in regard of his former breeding and course of life, not so fit for many employments as others were, especially as were toilsome and laborious.
But yet he ever bore his condition with much cheerfulness and contention.
Towards the later part of those 12 years spent in Holland, his outward condition was mended, and he lived well and plentifully; for he fell into a way to teach many students, who had a desire to learn the English tongue, to teach them English; ... He also had means to set up printing, by the help of some friends ... and by reason of many books which would not be allowed to be printed in England, they might have had more then they could do. ... And besides that, he would labor with his hands in the fields as long as he was able; yet when the church had no other minister, he taught twice every Sabbath ... For his personal abilities, he was qualified above many; he was wise and discreet and well spoken, having a grave and deliberate utterance, of a very cheerful spirit, very sociable and pleasant amongst his friends, of an humble and modest mind, of a peaceable disposition, undervaluing himself and his own abilities ... inoffensive and innocent in his life and conversation ... he was tender-hearted, and compassionate of such as were in misery, but especially of such as had been of good estate and rank, and were fallen into want and poverty, either for goodness and religions sake, or by the injury and oppression of others; ... "
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION: The maiden name of William Brewster's wife has not been proven. The claim it was Mary Wentworth rests solely on the fact that Mary Wentworth happened to live somewhat close to William Brewster in Scrooby, Nottingham. That is very shaky evidence to say the least. Further, it has been proposed that William Brewster may have married Mary Wyrall, but the evidence is just as flimsy for that marriage. There are no fewer than seven marriages from 1590-1610 that have been located in parish registers showing a William Brewster marrying a Mary. All, however, have been satisfactorily eliminated as probable candidates for the William and Mary (Brewster) who came on the Mayflower. So at present, there is no evidence to document who William Brewster's wife Mary actually was. http://members.aol.com/calebj/brewster.html
There’s an article on William Brewster in The Great Migration Begins.16
William married Mary in England. Born ca 1569. Mary died in Plymouth, MA on 17 Apr 1627.