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Great Migration: Ships to New England 1633-1635
It an amazing story of Providence and the skill of English seamen that dozens of Atlantic ocean passages were made in little wooden ships bringing our Puritan ancestors to America almost without mishap in the 1630s; the unhappy exception being the harrowing story of the Angel Gabriel, 1635, which met a terrible storm and cast up on the coast of Maine with only a few survivors.
There were perhaps 30,000 emigrants from England to New England before the English Civil War. These people were mainly from the English middle-class, self-reliant and motivated to find a place where they might live, worship, and raise their families without government harassment. This movement of people is called The Great Migration.
The Susan and Ellen, 1635
Also known as the Suzan and Ellin, the captain ("Master") was Edward Payne. She set sail 11 March 1635 from London for New England, outfitted by Sir Richard Saltonstall, Lord Mayor of London. His son, Sir Richard, Jr., had already served as assistant Governor of Massachusetts and it was this son, his wife and nine-month-old daughter, who accompanied the 1635 voyagers and later settled in Ispwich, Massachusetts.
April 1635
In the Suzan and Ellin, Edward Payne Mr. for New England. Theis p'ties hereunder expressed have brought Certificate from the Minister and Justices of their Conformitie and that they are no Subsedy men.
- John Procter 40 Husb.
- Martha Procter 28
- John Procter 3
- Marie Procter 1
- Alice Street 28
- Walter Thornton 36 Husb.
- Joanna Thornton 44
- John North 20
- Mary Pynder 53
- ffrancis Pynder 20
- Marie Pynder 17
- Joanna Pynder 14
- Katherin Pinder 10
- Jo: Pynder 8
- Richard Skofield 22
- Edward Weeden 22
- George Wilby 16
- Richard Hawkins 15
- Tho: Parker 30
- Symon Burd 20
- Jo: Mansfield 34
- Clement Cole 30
- Jo: Jones 20
- Wm Burrow 19
- Phillip Atwood 13
- Wm Snowe 18
- Edward Lumus 24
- Richard Saltonstall 23 Husb.
- Merriall Saltonstall 22
- Merriall Saltonstall 9mo.
- Tho: Wells 30
- Peter Coop 28
- Wm Lambart 26
- Samvel Podd 25
- Jeremy Belcher 22
- Marie Clifford 25
- Jane Coe 30
- Marie Riddlesden 17
- Jo: Pellam 20
- Mathew Hitchcock 25
- Elizabeth Nicholls 25
- Tomazin Carpenter 35
- Ann ffowle 25
- Edmond Gorden 18
- Tho: Sydlie 22
- Margaret Leach 22
- Marie Smith 21
- Elizabeth Swayne 16
- Grace Bewlie 30
- Ann Wells 20
- Dyonis Tayler 48
- Hanna Smith 30
- Jo: Buckley 15 [son of Peter Bulkley, below]
- Wm Buttrick 18
viij Apr. 1635
Theis under written names are to be transported to New England imbarqued in the Suzan and Ellin Edward Payne Mr. The p';ties have brought Certificates from ye Ministers and Justices of the peace of they are no Subsedy men: and are conformable to ye orders and discipline of the Church of England.
First Name; Surname ; Years ; Occupation:
- Ralph Hudson 42 A drap.
- Marie Hudson 42 Uxor of Ralph
- Hanna Hudson 14 Child of Ralph
- Eliz: Hudson 5 Child of Ralph
- Jo: Hudson 12 Child of Ralph
- Tho: Briggham 32
- Ben: Thwing 16 Servant of Ralph Hudson
- Ann Gilson 34 Servant of Ralph Hudson
- Judith Kirk 18 Servant of Ralph Hudson
- Jo: More 41 Servant of Ralph Hudson
- Henry Knowles 25 Servant of Ralph Hudson
- Geo: Richardson 30
- Ben: Thomlins 18
- Edward Tomlins 30
- Barbara Fford 16
- Joan Boomer 13
- Richard Brooke 24 [same as Richard Brooke, below]
- Tho: Brooke 18 [same as Thomas Brooke, below]
- Symon Crosby 26 Husbanm:
- Ann Crosby 25 Uxor of Symon
- Tho: Crosby 8 wks. Child of Symon
- Rich: Rowton 36 Husbanm:
- Ann Rowton 36 Uxor of Rich:
- Edmond Rowton 6 Child of Rich:
- Percivall Greene 32 Husbanm:
- Ellin Green 32 Uxor of Percivall
- Jo: Trane 25 Servant of Percivall Greene
- Margaret Dix 18 Servant of Percivall Greene
- Jo: Atherson 24
- Ann Blason 27
- Ben: Buckley 11 [son of Peter Bulkley, below]
- Daniell Buckley 9 [son of Peter Bulkley, below]
- Jo: Corrington 33
- Mary Corrington 33
Nono die Maij, 1635
Theis under written names are to be transported to New England, imbarqued in ye Suzan and Ellin, Edward Payne Mr. The p'ties have brought Certificates from the minister of the p'ish of their conformitie to the Church of England, and that they are no Subsedy men: The p'ties have taken the oaths of Allegeance and Supremacie.
- Peter Bulkley 50
- Tho: Brooke 20 [same as Thomas Brooke, above]
- Precilla Jarman 10
- Richard Brooke 24 [same as Richard Brooke, above]
- Elizabeth Taylor 10
- Ann Lieford 13
Abbreviations
Common words in these lists are "uxor" meaning "wife", "mr" for "Master" (of the ship). Many names are abbreviated. A partial name with a colon after it was one of the ways people at the time indicated that they were omitting letters. Some of the abbreviated names on this list are:
Eliza: = Elizabeth
Eliz: = Elizabeth
ffra: = Ephraim
Geo. = George
Jo: = John
Kat: = Katherine
Margare: = Margaret
Nico: = Nicholas
Rich. = Richard
Rich: = Richard
Robt = Robert
Tho: = Thomas
Wm = William
Willm = William
Spelling
Also, spelling was very fluid at that time. People often spelled their own names - even their surnames - differently every time they wrote them. Partly this was because most people simply didn't write very often; and also spelling just was not standardized as it is today. An examples from this list is the Pinder/Pynder family group. Within the same family, all traveling together, their surnames were spelled both ways on this passenger list. When looking for an ancestor, be sure to check as many different spellings for their name as possible. Some spellings that were used in this list are below, with their current spellings:
Barnabie =Barnaby
Burd = Bird
Dyonis = Dennis
Ellin = Ellen
Hanna = Hannah
Katherin = Katherine, Catherine
Lambart = Lambert
Lumus = Loomis
Merriall = Muriel
Nathaniell =Nathaniel
Precilla = Priscilla
Percivall = Percival
Samvel = Samuel
Skofield = Schofield
Suzan =Susan
Symon = Simon
Thomazin=Thomasine or Thomasina