In the early 1600s, many English men and women began to question some of the teachings of the Church of England that had been founded by Henry VIII in the previous century. Some of these individuals remained members of the church but tried to "purify" it from within, and were called "Puritans". One group of Puritans founded MA Bay Colony at Boston in 1630.

More radical individuals believed that the church was too contaminated by "error" to be salvaged, and these individuals separated from the church. The so-called "Separatists" were persecuted by the monarchy and to a lesser degree by the Puritans, and a few congregations of Separatists fled to Holland, where the Separatists' religious views were tolerated. Although James Chilton in the past was not thought to be a Separatist, later research discovered a record of James and his daughter Mary being attacked by a group of rock throwing boys in Leyden, Holland in 1619, and it therefore appears that he was a member of that group.

Although the Separatists were able to worship freely in Holland, they found that it was very difficult to make a living there. (Most of the Separatists had been farmers in England, and they had to learn new but lower paying job skills in urban Holland.) The Separatists also discovered that their children were slowly slipping away from the Separatist faith in easy going Holland, and in fact were becoming more Dutch than English.

Accordingly, the Separatists in Leyden entered into an agreement with a group of "Adventurers" (venture capitalists, really) in England pursuant to which the Adventurers would pay for the passage of some of the Separatists to America in return for a certain percentage of the fruits of their labors. The Adventurers also financed the passage of a number of passengers who came to America for purely economic reasons and who were called the "Strangers" by the Separatists. James, Susanna and Mary Chilton came to America with the first group of Separatists on the Mayflower in 1620. Congregationalist churches evolved from the Separatist congregations that came to America.

Either by accident or design, the Mayflower did not land as intended at Jamestown, VA Colony but instead arrived at Cape Cod in November. James Chilton was one of the oldest of the Mayflower passengers, and he died on 18 December 1620 while the Mayflower was still in Provincetown harbor and shortly after he signed the Mayflower Compact. There is no record regarding whether he was buried on land or at sea.

The Mayflower crossed Cape Cod Bay, and the passengers founded a new colony at Plymouth. According to tradition, Mary Chilton raced John Alden to the front of the launch bringing the Mayflower passengers to the shore and was the first woman to set foot on Plymouth Rock. The painting "The Landing of the Pilgrims" by Henry Bacon and exhibited in Pilgrim Hall in Plymouth, MA reflects this tradition.

During the first winter in America, almost half of the Mayflower passengers died during the First Sickness, including Susanna Furner on 21 January 1620/1621 (Old Style calendar). The thirteen year old Mary Chilton was left an orphan, and based upon a later division of land it is believed that she lived for the next few years with the family of either John Alden or Myles Standish.

Mary's husband John Winslow came to Plymouth on the Fortune in 1621. John was the brother of Edward Winslow, a Mayflower passenger and a Governor of Plymouth Colony.

Mary and John moved to Boston about 1655, where John became a successful merchant and shipowner. John died after 12 March 1673. Mary left the only will of a female passenger on the Mayflower, which is preserved at the Suffolk County Registry of Probate in Boston. They were buried in King's Chapel Burying Ground in Boston, where their tombstones still stand.

Sources: Stratton and MF Chilton

16 April 1597 Droitwich, Worcestershire, Eng. - bef 21 May 1674 Boston, Suffolk Co., MA


In the name of God Amen the twelveth day of March in the yeare of our Lord according to the Computacon of the Church of England one thousand six hundred seaventy and three Annoq Regni Regis Car: Secundi Anglia &c xxvj I John Winslow Senr of Boston in the Countie of Suffolke in New England Merchant being weake of Body but of Sound and perfect memory praysed be Almighty God for the same Knowing the uncertainety of this prsent life and being desirous to settle that outward Estate that the lord hath lent me I doe make this my last Will and testament in manner and forme following (that is to say) 
ffirst and principally I comend my soule to almighty God my Creator hopeing to receive full pardon and remission of all my sins and salvation through the merritts of Jesus Christ my Redeemer: And my body to the Earth to be decently buryed with such charges as to the Overseers of this my last Will and Testament hereafter named shall be thought meet and convenient And as touching such worldly Estate as the lord hath Lent me my Will and meaneing is the same shall be imployed and bestowed as hereafter in and by this my Will is Exprest
Inprimis I Doe revoake renounce and make voide all Wills by me formerly made and declaire & appoint this my last Will and Testament:
Item I Will that all the Debts that I justly owe at the time of my decease to any person or persons whatsoever shall be well and truely contented and paid in convenient time after my decease by my Executor or overseers hereafter named. Item I give and bequeath unto my Deare and well beloved wife Mary Winslow the use of my now dwelling house with the gardens and yards thereunto belonging for and during the tearme of her naturall life Item I give and bequeath unto my said wife the use of all my househould goods for her to dispose of as she shall thinke meet Item I give unto my said wife the sume of ffoure hundred pounds in lawfull mony of New England to be paid unto her by my Executor or Overseers hereafter named in convenient time after my decease: 
Item after the death of my said wife I give and bequeath my said. dwelling house with all the Land belonging to the same unto my sone John Winslow and to his heires for ever he or they paying when they come to possesse & enjoy the same the sume of ffifty pounds of Lawfull mony of New England unto William Payne the sone of my Daughter Sarah Meddlecott. 
And also to Parnell Winslow Daughter to my Son Isaack Winslow the full sume of ffifty pounds of like Lawfull mony: And my Will is that both the said sums be paid into the hands of my Overseers to be improved for them untill they come to age or the day of Marriage with the full profitt that they make of the same And in case either of the said Children dye before they come of age or to marriage as afforesaid: My will is that the survivor of them shall then enjoy both the said sums: But in case both of them should dye before they come to age: My Will is that then the said sums shall be Equally divided amongst the Daughters of my Daughter Latham to be paid unto them as they come to age or marriage as afforesaid 
Item my Will is that my Katch Speedwell (whereof I am the sole owner) and the produce of the Cargo that I sent out in her: be (at her returne to Boston) disposed of by my Overseers hereafter named and the neate produce thereof be Equally divided amongst my Children my sone John Winslow onely Excepted and to have no part thereof: Item I give and bequeath unto my sone Benjamin the full sume of one hundred pounds to be paid him by my Executor or overseers hereafter named when he shall attaine the Age of twenty one yeares Item my Will is that if my sone Edward Winslow shall see cause to relinquish his sd prt and intrest in the sd Katch, Speedwell and her proceeds: then my Will is that he shall have one quarter part of my Katch John's Adventure unto his owne proper use: And then the said Katch and Cargo to be Equally divided among my other Children: my son John Excepted as afforesaid together with my sone Edward from haveing any part in the afforesaid Katch or Cargo
Item I give and bequeath unto my grandchild Susanna Latham the sume of thirty pounds in mony to be paid her at the day of her marriage And to the rest of my Daughter Latham's Children I give and bequeath unto Each of them five pound pr peece to be paid unto them as they shall come to age or the day of marriage Item I give and bequeath unto my sone Edward Winslows Children the sume of five pounds pr peece to be paid unto them as they shall come to age or the day of Marriage Item I give and bequeath unto my sone Edward Grey his children that he had by my Daughter Mary Grey the sume of twenty pounds pr peece to be paid unto them when they come to age or the day of their respective marriages Item I give unto my sone Joseph Winslow's two Children five pounds pr peece to be paid unto them as afforesaid Item I give unto my Grandchild Mercy Harris her two Children five pounds apeece to be paid unto them as afforesaid Item I give and bequeath unto my Kinsman Josiah Winslow now Governor of New Plimoth the sume of twenty pounds to be paid unto him by my overseers in Goods: Item I give unto my Brother Josiah Winslow the sume of twenty pounds to be paid unto him by my overseers in Goods: both in convenient time after my decease Item I give unto my kinswoman Eleanor Baker the Daughter of my Brother Kenelem Winslow five pounds to be paid her in goods by my overseers in convenient time after my decease Item my will is that what my Estate shall amount unto more then will pay funerall Charges My Debts and Legacyes in this my will given and bequeathed it shall be divided (after the Decease of my said wife) among my seaven Children in Equall proportions Except any one of my said Children shall have any Extraordinary providence befall them by way of any Eminent Losse then that part of my Estate that shall remaine as afforesaid shall be divided & distributed according to the prudence and discression of my overseers hereafter named or any two of them: Item my will is that in case any of my now children shall dye before my said wife that then his or their proportion of the said remaineing Estate shall be disposed to his or their Children if they have any: if not, then that part or parts shall be equally divided amongst the survivors of my said Children:
Item I give to Mr Paddyes Widdow five pounds as a token of my love 
Item my will is that my Negro Girle Jane (after she hath served twenty yeares from the date hereof) shall be free: and that she shall serve my wife during her live and after my wifes decease she shall be disposed of according to the discression of my overseers hereafter named or any two of them: 
Item I doe nominate and appoint my sone John Winslow the sole Executor of this my last Will and testament. 
Item I doe hereby nominate & appoint my loveing ffriends Mr Thomas Brattle Mr William Tailer and Mr John Winsley my Overseers to see this my will performed so farr as they can: And I doe hereby give unto my said Overseers five pounds apeece in mony as a token of my love Item my will is that my said Overseers or any two of them shall & hereby have full power to make saile of any part of any of my vessell or vessells that I have not hereby disposed of: And also any other goods wares and merchandize for the best advantage of my afforesaid Children: And better paymt of other Legacyes by me hereby given & bequeathed: 
Item my will is that during the absence of my said Executor my Overseers above named or any two of them have full power to act in all matters and things respecting this my will as if he was personally prsent: 
And farther my Will is that my said Executor shall not act in any matter or thing respecting this my Will with out the advice and consent of my said overseers or two of them And that my Executor shall not under any pretence whatsoever claime any more of my Estate then I have hereby bequeathed him 
In Witnesse whereof I the said John Winslow Senr have hereunto set my hand & seale the day and yeare first above written 
Signed sealed & published by John winslow (seal)
John Winslow Senr as his last will 
& Testamt in the prsence of us
John Joyliffe 
John Hayward scr: 
Mayflower Families Through 5 Generations Vol 2 Pgs 6-8 

In the name of God Amen the thirty first day of July in the yeare of our Lord one thousand Six hundred seventy and Six I Mary Winslow of Boston in New England Widdow being weake of Body but of Sound and perfect memory praysed be almighty God for the same Knowing the uncertainty of this present life and being desirous to settle that outward Estate the Lord hath Lent me. I doe make this my last Will and Testamt in manner and forme following (that is to say) First and principally I comend my Soule into the hands of Almighty God my Creator hopeing to receive full pardon and remission of all my sins; and Salvation through the alone merrits of Jesus Christ my redeemer: And my body to th eEArth to be buried in Such Decent manner as to my Executor hereafter named shall be thought meet and convenient and as touching such worldly Estate as the Lord hath Lent me my Will and meaneing is the same shall be imployed and bestowed as hereafter in and by this my Will is Exprest.

Imps I doe hereby revoake renounce and make voide all Wills by me formerly made and declaire and apoint this my Last Will and Testamt Item I will that all the Debts that I Justly owe to any manner of person or persons whatsoever shall be well and truely paid or ordained to be paid in convenient time after my decease by my Executor hereafter named--Item I give and bequeath unto my Sone John Winslow my great Square table Item I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Sarah Middlecott my Best gowne and Pettecoat and my Silver beare bowle and to each of her children a Silver Cup with an handle: Also I give unto my grandchild William Paine my Great silver tankard: Item I give unto my Daughter Susanna Latham my long Table: Six Joyned Stooles and my great Cupboard: a beadstead Bedd and furniture there unto belonging that is in the Chamber over the roome where I now Lye; my small silver Tankard: Six Silver Spoones, a case of Bottles with all my wearing apparell: (except onely what I have hereby bequeathed unto my Daughter Meddlecott & my Grandchild Susanna Latham:) Item I give and bequeath unto my Grandchild Ann Gray that trunke of Linning that I have alreddy delivered to her and is in her possession and also one Bedstead, Bedd Boulster and Pillows that re in the Chamber over the Hall: Also the sume of ten pounds in mony to be paid unto her within Six months next after my decease: Also my will is that my Executor shall pay foure pounds in mony pr ann for three yeares unto Mrs Tappin out of the Intrest of my mony now in Goodman Cleares hands for and towards the maintenance of the said Ann Gray according to my agreemt with Mrs Tappin: Item I give and bequeath unto Mary Winslow Daughter of my sone Edward Winslow my largest Silver Cupp with two handles: and unto Sarah Daughter of the said Edward my lesser Silver cupp with two handles: Also I give unto my Said Sone Edwards Children Six Silver Spoones to be divided between them: Item I give and bequeath unto my grandchild Parnell Winslow the Sume of five pounds in mony to be improved by my Executor untill he come of age: and then paid to him with the improvemt. Item my will is that the rest of my spoones be divided among my grandchildren according to the discression of My Daughter Middlecott: Item I give unto my Grandchild Mercy Harris my White Rugg: Item I give unto my Grandchild Mary Pollard forty shillings in mony. Item I give unto my grandchild Susanna Latham my Petty Coate with the silke Lace: Item I give unto Mary Winslow Daughter of my Sone Joseph Winslow the Sume of twenty pounds in mony to be paid out of the sume of my said Sone Joseph now owes to be improved by my Executor for the said Mary and paid unto her when She Shall attaine the Age of eighteene yeares or day of Marriage which of them shall first happen Item I give and bequeath the full remainder of my Estate whatsoever it is or wheresoever it may be found unto my children Namely John Winslow Edward Winslow Joseph Winslow Samuel Winslow: Susanna Latham and Sarah Middlecott to be equally divided betweene them Item I doe hereby nominate constitute authorize and appoint my trusty friend Mr William Tailer of Boston aforesd merchant the Sole Executor of this my last Will and testamt: In Witness whereof I the said Mary Winslow have hereunto set my hand and Seale the daye and yeare first above written

Memorandum I do hereby also Give and bequeath unto Mr. Thomas Thacher paster of the third Church in Boston the Sume of five pounds in mony to be pd convenient time after my decease by my Executr.

Mary Winslow

M

her marke

Signed Sealed and Published by the above named Mary Winslow as her Last Will & testamt in the presence of us after the adding of foure lines as part of her will

John Ilands

Ffrancis Hacker

her H marke

John Hayward scr

Mr Wm Tailer nominatd. Execr appeard in Court pr May: 1679 and renounced his Executorship to this will.

attests. Jsa: Addington Cler.