14972. Elder William Brewster
(504)
(273) was born about 1567 in probably Doncaster, Yorkshire. He died
on Apr 10 1644 in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Elder William Brewster was, second
only to Governor William Bradford, the most influential Pilgrim to sail on the
Mayflower for the New World. His birth place is not known for sure, but parents
moved to Scrooby, Nottinghamshire, in 1571, when he was four years old. He matriculated
at Peterhouse College, Cambridge, in December 1580, but does not appear to have
taken a degree. It was there, according to Brewster, that he first acquired Separatist
ideas.
He joined the household of William Davison, Secretary of State to Elizabeth I,
and soon became one of his most trusted assistants. He accompanied Davison on
missions to the Netherlands in 1584 and 1585/6. Davison took the fall for the
execution of Mary, Queen of Scots, and retired from Court, but Brewster remained
with him until his Brewster's father took ill and he returned to Scrooby. On
his father's death he succeeded to his offices as Postmaster and Bailiff of the
Manor of Scrooby, positions which provided him with a considerable income.
He also became the leader of a small group of Puritans that met in Scrooby.
This group, after being investigated by the High Commission of York, although
not persecuted, decided to emigrate to Holland, settling in Leyden in 1609. Brewster
had had to give up his offices in order to accompany them, and in Leyden he earned
his living by running a printing press, producing Puritan books which were sold
in England.
In 1617 the group began forming plans to emigrate to America and Brewster took
a leading role in the arrangements. It was decided that one group, the larger,
would remain in Leyden for a while with John Robinson, the minister to the Pilgrims,
while the smaller group would go to the New World in the Mayflower, led by Brewster.
Brewster was not a minister, and therefore could not "preach," or give
the sacraments. But he was, none the less, the most important theological force
among the Pilgrims at Plymouth in the early years of the colony, running the
services of "prayer and praise" every Sunday. The colony would have
no minister until 1629.
He left a library of over 400 books, a vast number for that time and place. In
a fine case of historical detective work, most of the titles are known (the number
was given in the inventory of his estate). They were heavily weighted towards
history, philosophy, and religious poetry. He was married to Mary ----------.
14973. Mary ----------
(42)(273) died on Apr 17 1627
in Plymouth, Massachusetts. She was born about 1669. Mary Brewster's surname
is not known, despite a great deal of genealogical investigation. The theory
that she was a Wentworth, and thus a descendant of King Edward III, has been
largely discredited for lack of evidence. Her origins remain one of the greatest
mysteries of New England genealogy. Children were:
7486 i.
Jonathan Brewster.
ii.
Patience Brewster died in 1634 in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
iii.
Fear Brewster died on Dec 12 1634 in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
iv.
Unnamed Brewster died on Jun 20 1609 in Leyden, Holland.
v.
Love Brewster died before Mar 4 1650/51 in Duxbury, Massachusetts.
vi.
Wrestling Brewster died after May 22 1627 in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
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