Colonial Governor John Endicott Was My 11th Great Grandparent

John Endicott was my 11th Great Grandfather. Hegoing. When the Colony sent its first ships to
was born in 1588 in the south of England andwhat would become the Massachusetts Bay
arrived in Salem, MA in September of 1628 as aColony, they were led by Governor John Endicott
passenger on the ship Abigail along with his friendwho had helped lead the Dorchester Bay
Ralph Sprague and Ralph's two siblings, RichardCompany's settlement earlier on Cape Anne,
and William. William Sprague is still another GreatMassachusetts in the 1620s.
Grandfather of mine. They all had left theAppointed "chief-in-command" and commissioned
Dorchester, England area via Weymouth, seekingto prepare the way for more colonists, Endicott
a new life in the new world.arrived at Salem in September 1628. Under his
They had also been influenced by the Rev. Johndirectorship Salem became a Puritan community in
White who was a puritan divine and often calledNew England. He sent two brothers who
the "Patriarch of Dorchester". When in 1606 Johncontinued using the Anglican Prayer Book back to
the Patriarch was appointed Rector of HolyEngland and had the cross of St. George
Trinity, Dorchester was one of the largest townsremoved from Salem's militia flag. Endecott and
located on one of the busiest intersections inthe settlers wintered with the remainder of the
Dorset. There is no doubt that he continued toDorchester Colony in Salem. Then in June and July
preach, this time from his own pulpit, with asof 1630, they welcomed eleven ships bringing
Wood put it, "great gravity and presence" and heover 1,000 better-equipped Puritan settlers.
quickly gained respect not only from the localTogether the settlers set off with the Colony's
community but the puritan movement as a whole.new leader, John Winthrop, who had arrived with
The good preacher not only administered to thethem.
souls of his parishioners but actively sought toThough Endecott was replaced by Winthrop, he
bring about a new social order. He was the drivinghad earned the respect of the colonists who
force behind the governors of Dorchester thatbenefited from his knowledge and strong
rapidly became known as a puritan town and wholeadership during that first winter. He remained an
actively sought to create a sober, godly, givingactive voice in the Colony's politics. Over a decade
society there. Dorchester reformers also showedlater, he would be elected Governor again, serving
a striking concern for relieving the deserving poor;almost continuously from 1644 to his death on
for feeding, clothing, and educating their children;March 24, 1665 in Boston, Massachusetts. He was
for providing shelter for the elderly and fuel forburied in the N.W. corner of Granary Burying
the indigent. These things were as much a part ofGround in Boston.
godly reformation as the fining of drunkards, theThe Lineage to my g-grandfather Endicott is as
stocking of those who swore, or the flogging offollows; Gov John Endicott> Dr Zerubbabel>
the idle and vagrant. All these actions stemmedElizabeth Endicott> Elizabeth Gilbert> Hannah
from the vision that had been inspired by theHersey> Abigail Lewis> Abigail Hersey>
preaching of John WhiteMargaret H Smith> Lorena Morgan>
John Endicott became interested in colonizationAugusta Madonna Cushing> Norman Philip
through the influence of John White, the PuritanSprague> and down to me.
clergyman. Endicott was included among the sixWith some genealogical research, you may also
patentees of the New England Company becausediscover that you have some influential or
he was willing to emigrate as the former directornoteworthy grandparents, too. Endicott and other
of the Cape Ann settlement. Unlike the Pilgrimspast leaders have many more ancestors that
who didn't know what to expect in the Newdon't yet realize that they are genetic branches
World, the first Governor of the Massachusettsfrom the tree of famous individuals in our past.
Bay Colony had a good idea of where he wasYou may be one of them.