| Notes |
- !SOURCE: A History of The Allerton Family in The United States, 1585 to 1 885, and A Genealogy of the Descendants of Isaac Allerton, "Mayflower Pil grim," Plymouth, Mass., 1620. By Walter S. Allerton, New York City, 1888 . Revised and Enlarged By Horace True Currier, Chicago. Published By Samu al Waters Allerton, Chicago. Illinois, 1900. p. 13-30 and Pages 115-118
!TEMPLE ORDINANCES: Patron Notification Form dated 4 Dec 1991
"ELDER WILLIAM BREWSTER, th progenitor of the family in America, was bor n during the last of 1566 or the first half of 1567. The date of his bir th is determined by an affidavit made in Leyden, Holland, June 25, 1609 , in which he, wife Mary, and son Jonathan, declare ages to be respective ly 42, 40, 16. Bradford says: (N. E. H. & G. Reg. Vol. 18, pp. 18 to 20. ) He was 'nere foreskore years of age (if not all out) when he dyed.' Th e statement agrees with the affidavit. He was born in Scrooby, Northampt onshire, England.
"His father, William Brewster, was appointed by Archbishop Sandys, Bis hop of York, in January, 1575-6, receiver of Scrooby and bailiff of the M anor House in that place, belonging to the Archbishop, and to have a lif e term of both offices. The Manor House was the same in which Cardinal W oolsey had made his last stop, Before reaching home, on his final journey , on compulsory retirement from Court, after banishment by King Henry VII , thirty years earlier.
"The parish register of Scrooby does not begin until 1695, and recor d of William Brewster's birth, baptism or marriage has been found. He ma triculated at Peterhouse, Cambridge, December 3, 1580, But it does not ap pear that he remained long enough to take his degree. He is next found a s a 'discreete and faithfull' assistant of William Davison, Secretary o f State to Queen Elizabeth--accompanying that gentleman on his embassy t o the Netherlands, in August, 1585, and serving him at Court, after his r eturn, until hes downfall in 1587.
"After the retirement of Davison, Brewster returned to Scrooby where h e lived 'in good esteeme amongst his friends and ye gentlemen of those pa rts, espetially the godly and religious, doing much good in promoting an d furthering religion.' In 1590, He was appointed to administer the esta te of his father, who died in the summer of that year, leaving a widow, P rudence.
"His father was postmaster of Scrooby at the time of his death, and i t is said, that his grandfather held the same office. "Sir John Stanh ope, who became Postmaster General in June, 1593, appointed one Samuel Be vercote to succeed the deceased Brewster. Through the influence of Davis on, however, the Postmaster's son William was soon appointed to the offic e, which he held until September 30, 1607. (o.s.)
"His residence at Scrooby was the old Manor House. There the member s of the Pilgrim church were accustomed to meet on the Lord's day, when B rewster 'with great love, entertained them when they came, making proviss ion for them, to his great charge.'
"The Pilgrims attempting to move to Holland, in the latter part of 160 7, were imprisoned at Boston, through the treachery of the Master of th e ship that was engaged to transport them. "Bradford says that Brewst er 'was ye cheefe of those that were taken at Boston, and suffered ye gre atest loss, and of ye seven that were kept longest in prison, and after b ound over to ye assises.'
"Through Bradfoed also, we learn that Brewster, after he reached Holla nd, suffered many hardships, and spent most of his means in providing fo r his 'many children.'
"He was not so well fitted as the other Pilgrims for the hard labor wh ich became their common lot, yet he bore his condition cheerfully.
"During the latter part of the twelve years spent in Holland he increa sed his income very much by teaching, and by the profits from a printin g press, which he--by the help of some friends--set up at Leyden. At th e end of that time, 'for sundrie, weightee and solid reasons,' which ar e duly set forth in Bradford's history, among which 'and which was not le ast,' was a true missionary spirit, the church at Leyden resolved to emig rate to Virginia. Brewster, the Elder of the Church, who had been chose n to that office during the Pilgrim stay at Leyden, was 'desired' by thos e chosen to go first, 'to goe with them,' while John Robinson, the Pastor , stayed with the majority, who should follow later. Thus it happens tha t we find Elder Brewster, His wife Mary, his two younger sons, the wife j of his son Jonathan, and her son William, among the passengers of tha t , now famous vessel -- the Mayflower -- which dropped anchor at Plymout h Harbor, December 11, 1620, (o.s.).
"His residence at Scrooby was the old Manor House. There the member s of the Pilgrim church were accustomed to meet on the Lord's day, when B rewster 'with great love, entertained them when they came, making proviss ion for them, to his great charge.'
"The Pilgrims attempting to move to Holland, in the latter part of 160 7, were imprisoned at Boston, through the treachery of the Master of th e ship that was engaged to transport them. "Bradford says that Brewst er 'was ye cheefe of those that were taken at Boston, and suffered ye gre atest loss, and of ye seven that were kept longest in prison, and after b ound over to ye assises.'
"Through Bradford also, we learn that Brewster, after he reached Holla nd, suffered many hardships, and spent most of his means in providing fo r his 'many children.'
"He was not so well fitted as the other Pilgrims for the hard labor wh ich became their common lot, yet he bore his condition cheerfully.
"During the latter part of the twelve years spent in Holland he increa sed his income very much by teaching, and by the profits from a printin g press, which he--by the help of some friends--set up at Leyden. At th e end of that time, 'for sundrie, weightee and solid reasons,' which ar e duly set forth in Bradford's history, among which 'and which was not le ast,' was a true missionary spirit, the church at Leyden resolved to emig rate to Virginia. Brewster, the Elder of the Church, who had been chose n to that office during the Pilgrim stay at Leyden, was 'desired' by thos e chosen to go first, 'to goe with them,' while John Robinson, the Pastor , stayed with the majority, who should follow later. Thus it happens tha t we find Elder Brewster, His wife Mary, his two younger sons, the wife o f his son Jonathan, and her son William, among the passengers of that , n ow famous vessel -- the Mayflower -- which dropped anchor at Plymouth Har bor, December 11, 1620, (o.s.).
"At Plymouth, Brewster took an important part in establishing the Pilg rim Republic, not shrinking from even the most severe manual labor, and ' when the church had no other minister, he taught twise every Saboth, an d yt at both powerfully and profitably to ye great contentment of ye hear ers.'
"His wife Mary, Whose maiden name has not been discovered, 'dyed at Pl ymouth, in New England, the 17th of April 1627.' (From the 'Brewster Boo k,' a very old manuscript, containing a record of the Brewster family, an d now (1899) in possession of george Ernest Brown, Esq., of Boston, Secre tary Genearl, Society of Mayflower Descendants). Bradford says: that thou gh she dyed 'long before her husband, yet she dyed aged,' but by her affi davit of 1609, she was less than sixty years of age, and it is probable t hat her 'great and continual labours, with other crosses and sorrows, has tened it (i. e. old age) before ye time'
"Elder Brewster survived his wife Many years, and 'dyed at Plymouth, i n New England, the 10th of April, 1644.' (This record is from the 'Brews ter Book,' in which the entry was made by the eldest son, Jonathan, proba bly in the year 1644, and certainly before 1651, and it is doubtless corr ect).
"He left a library of about 400 volumes, valued at 42 pounds 19s 11d . 'August 20, 1645, a final division of the Elders's estate was made by B radford, Winslow, Prence and Standish, between Jonathan and Love his onel y children remayneing.'
"Governor Bradford pays tribute to the character of his 'dear and lovi ng friend,' Elder William Brewster, in the following words:-- 'He was wis e and discreete and well spoken, having a grave and deliberate utterance , of a very cheerful spirite, very sociable and pleasante amongst his fre inds, of and humble and modest mind of a peaceable disposition, under val lewing him self and his owne abilities, and sometimes over valweing other s. Inoffencive and innocent in his life and converstion.' * * * 'tende r harted and compassionate of such as were in miserie,' * * * 'In teachin g he was very moving and starting of affections, also very plaine and dis tincte in what he taught, by which means he became ye more profitabel t o ye hearers.' * * * 'for the government of ye church * * * 'he was carfu l to preserve good order in ye same,' * * * 'and accordingly God gave goo d success to his endeavers here , in all his days, and he saw ye fruite o f his labours in that behalfe."
Exerpt taken from: Above mentioned book. p. 13-30 and p. 115-118
>LDS Baptism note: Scan Number: 317-917721-100
>LDS Endowment note: Scan Number: 317-917721-100
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1535 - 1590 (55 years)
