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Who Was William Brewster? Exploring the Legacy of a Mayflower Pilgrim
Elder William Brewster, a key figure among the Mayflower Pilgrims, holds a prominent place in early American history. As one of the most influential leaders of Plymouth Colony, his story reflects the Pilgrims’ determination for religious freedom and survival in the New World. This post dives into fascinating trivia about Brewster’s life, his legacy, and his lasting impact.
1. William Brewster: Senior Elder of Plymouth Colony
- Political and Diplomatic Experience: Brewster was unique among the Pilgrims for his prior experience in diplomacy and governance. Before joining the Mayflower voyage, he had served as an English official.
- A Place of Worship: In Scrooby, England, Brewster’s home became a meeting house for the Brownist church, a group of separatists seeking independence from the Church of England.
- Escape to Freedom: In 1608, Brewster fled England illegally, settling in Holland to practice his faith without persecution. Later, he relocated to Plymouth Colony to ensure religious freedom.
- Religious Publications: While in Holland, Brewster operated a clandestine printing press, producing religious texts smuggled into England. His efforts caused legal trouble for his associates, though Brewster managed to avoid capture by going into hiding.
- Spiritual Leadership: As the elder of the Plymouth church, Brewster oversaw the moral and spiritual welfare of the colony until the arrival of Pastor Ralph Smith in 1629. He later advised Governor William Bradford, who chronicled Brewster’s life in Of Plymouth Plantation.
2. William Brewster’s Personal Tragedy: Losses to Influenza
In 1634, Brewster faced a devastating personal loss when two of his grown daughters succumbed to an influenza outbreak:
- Fear Brewster Allerton, wife of Mayflower Compact signatory Isaac Allerton.
- Patience Brewster Prence, wife of Thomas Prence, Plymouth’s 4th Governor.
This outbreak, compounded by smallpox, ravaged both Native American and settler populations. It wasn’t until Edward Jenner’s smallpox vaccine in 1770 that immunity became possible.
3. 7 Places Named after William Brewster
Brewster’s legacy lives on through various landmarks in the United States, including:
- Boston Harbor Islands: Great Brewster, Little Brewster, Middle Brewster, and Outer Brewster.
- Brewster Gardens: A historic park in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
- Towns: Brewster, Massachusetts, and Brewster, Nebraska.
4. Famous Descendants of William Brewster
William Brewster’s lineage has produced many notable figures, including:
- Entertainment Icons: Bing Crosby, Katharine Hepburn, Julia Child, Glenn Close, Ashley Judd, Richard Gere, Ellen DeGeneres.
- Artists and Writers: Norman Rockwell, William Wadsworth Longfellow.
- Historical Figures: First Lady Mamie Eisenhower.
These connections highlight the vast reach of Brewster’s legacy, spanning centuries and industries.
5. My Connection to William Brewster (11th Great Grandfather)
As an 11th great-grandchild of William Brewster, I cherish this ancestral link and the stories passed down through generations. Tracing my lineage through family records and tools like Ancestry.com has been a rewarding journey.
Me
My mother
My grandmother
Hildred Julia Young & Charles Harry Connors [Pepper]
Ella Jane Maxson & Nelson Young
James S. Maxson & Julia Maria Manning
Phylomel Dayton & Benjamin C. Maxson
Tabitha Welton & Isaac Dayton
Ann Brewster & Daniel Welton
Samuel Brewster & Tabitha Baldwin
William Brewster & Patience Reed
Captain Benjamin Brewster & Anna Addis
Jonathan Brewster & Lucretia Oldham
Elder William Brewster
FURTHER READING ABOUT WILLIAM BREWSTER:
The Brewster Genealogy, 1566-1907 (archive.org)
Elder William Brewster, of the Mayflower: His Books and Autographs, with other notes (amazon)
Chief of the Pilgrims, Or, the Life and Time of William Brewster (amazon)
Continue the Conversation
Are you a descendant of Elder William Brewster? Share your connection in the comments, and let’s explore our shared history together. Don’t forget to check out Ancestry.com for a 14-day free trial and uncover your own family story.
More Posts to Read
- A Free Virtual Tour of SCROOBY, England [A to Z Challenge 2020]
- 5 Tips to Research and Discover What Your Family Names Mean
- 7 Essential Ancestry Questions Answered for an Exciting Genealogy Journey
- How to Best Use the Ancestry App on iOS: A Step-by-Step Guide
SHARING IS CARING
Yes we are related…joyful. I am related to 9 people on the Mayflower.
Now that’s interesting, even though I’ve never heard of him before. Thanks for sharing.
This is so interesting! I knew little of Elder William Brewster before your post! Your A-Z challenge sounds so cool!
Wow. It’s cool to share about your ancestry here! and this A-Z challenge, I admire you for keeping up. Continue to rock on. <3
Interesting post and I love the A-Z Challenge. We are learning something new every day and I look forward to learning about C :) – Knycx Journeying
thanks so much Knycx. I’ll have to check out your series too!
Must admit my knowledge about the pilgrims is lacking, but it’s cool your ancestor managed to make america and make it a successful trip
yes. very cool. i didn’t really know much either beside what we learn in elementary school and what i read in some fictional books.
Impressive family tree! We never could get that far back — but my husband has lists of ancestors on both sides that go back that far too.
that’s so cool your family has those lists. do you know if he’s related to the brewsters?
i love learning new things. how hard that must have been to lose both his daughters.
yes. he had a large family but to lose TWO daughters in the same influenza. that is terrible.
I have never heard of him before but this article gives me an interest to know more about my roots. Thank you!
sweet. i hope you have a good time researching your tree, Gervin!!
This is very interesting, Knowing one’s root always amaze people. Have fun getting more discovering. Thanks for sharing.
thanks Ana Rose. What a pretty name! i appreciate the support.
That’s quite a lineage. Looks like you’re getting lots of great info from your Ancestry.com trial. Weekends In Maine
i actually paid for a 3 month membership of Ancestry this time around.
Wow! This is amazing! I hope I can trace my ancestry too! Sounds so interesting!
i hope so too, emman! enjoy the hunt.
That was an interesting read. The part that I found most fascinating was the familial descent. I’ve always been a big fan of family trees and history.
do you have a family tree, bill? maybe one day we will find we are connected (although we all are, no?) :)
Great history of your ancestor. I looked at your list of names and the only one familiar to me is Reed. My great grandmother was a Reed and as far back as I’ve gotten with them is Pennsylvania. Still researching them. We have however traced another side of our geneology back to the Lairds of Scotland in the 1300’s. The Hunters :) Geneology is so fascinating!
My AtoZ link:
https://katytrailcreations.com/2020/04/02/bibs-bedding-burpcloths-letter-b/
We all eventually are connected, no? I am writing about “royalty” later on in the series and planning on talking about how pretty much every single person in europe is a descendant of Charlemagne.
That’s alot of ancestors. It’s amazing really that some families don’t survive that number of generations because of a disease like smallpox while others do.
Happy A to Zing
http://moondustwriter.com/2020/04/02/alzheimers-and-old-butcher-knives-part-2-atozchallenge-elderly
very interesting indeed. it’s nice to know though that even though Patience Brewster passed away due to the illness she still created a beautiful family with descendants like Bing Crosby to follow.
Interesting post. Sobering to think about influenza epidemics in the 1600s, but sadly worldwide viral infections are cyclical as we are now learning. So cool the you are tangentially related to Katherine Hepburn, Julia Child and Glenn Close among others. Please stop by for a visit during A to Z Challenge https://mollyscanopy.com/
I will happily stop by Molly. thanks for visiting. what is amazing back in the 1600s was that they couldn’t come up with a vaccine until approximately 150 years later. thankfully we’ve come a long way since.