John Saunders of Weymouth

Summery

John Saunders of Weymouth was historically important for his failed attempt to colonize Weymouth in winter of 1622/3. However, his family if any is completely unknown at this time.

Biography

"JOHN SANDERS was one of the men who came in Thomas Weston's Company to Wessagusset in July, 1622, in the Charity or Swan. He was overseer of the plantation while Weston sailed to Virginia in the Charity. June, 1622, the colonial records of the Plymouth Colony note: "Came into our harbor two ships of Mr. Weston's, the Charity, 100 tons; the Swan, 30 tons; with letters of April 10, and fifty or sixty men, sent at his own charge, under Capt. John Sanders, overseer, to settle a plantation in the Massachusetts bay, for which he has procured a patent." The colony settled at Weymouth in the fall of the year. After suffering privation and hardships, their enterprise was abandoned, and in the Colonial Records of London, under date of May 23, 1623, we read: "Captain Sanders and Company arrived at Southampton." Thus ended the disaster of the Weymouth Plantation. Captain John Sanders seems to have been undaunted by his failure in 1623, to establish the Weymouth Colony. During the following five or six years, he made several voyages to the Mass. Bay Colony, generally in command of his ship. He is the man upon whom Weston was disposed to place the blame for the failure of the company to withstand the perils of the winter of 1622-23 when Gorges met him at Plymouth late in the year 1623. "[1]

"John Sanders was part of the company sent to Massachusetts Bay in 1622 by THOMAS WESTON, and was left in charge for the winter of 1622/3. Winslow adds a little to our knowledge of this man, telling us that after sending (the recently posted) letter to Bradford he went to Monhegan, presumably to seek relief for the men under his care"[2]

Adams discusses this episode in detail, and adds some speculation on Sanders's further activities in 1623. [Three Episodes 62, 66-69, 76, 91, 96, 146]."[3]

Some authors have posited that this John Saunders was the same man as John Saunders of Weekes who married Alice Coles and was the father of John Saunders of Salem (who married Elizabeth Grafton) and Sarah Saunders of Salisbury (who married Major Roger Pike). However, there is absolutely no evidence to link these two men other than there names. There were several other men named John Saunders (see links below) but he was too old to have been any of these other men. Until other evidence is uncovered he can not be connected with any of these families. We know nothing more about his than his ill fated attempt to colonize Weymouth.

Sources

• 1 The Great Migration Begins", page 1625.
• 2 Good News 327, 330, 332 Charles Francis
• 3 Weymouth History 4:610-11

See also

Lt John Sanders of Cape Porpoise, Maine

John Saunders of Salisbury

John Saunders of Weeks

John Saunders of Salem

John Saunders The famous Quaker

John Saunders of Weymouth