William Mullins, "Mayflower" Passenger

William Mullins (c. 1572 – 1621) and his family traveled as passengers on the historic 1620 voyage to America on the Pilgrim ship Mayflower. He was a signatory to the Mayflower Compact. Mullins perished in the pilgrims' first winter in the New World, with his wife and son dying soon after.

Family

From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Mullins_(Mayflower_passenger)_ retrieved 14 October 2019

The William Mullins family is from noted Mayflower researcher and biographer Caleb Johnson. An article appeared in the March 2012 Mayflower Quarterly.

• Parents: probably the son of John Mullins and Joan/Joane (Bridger) of Dorking parish, located about 21 miles south of London. John Mullins died in February 1583/84 and William's mother Joane married secondly Vincent Benham on November 1, 1585.
• William Mullins probably married firstly Elizabeth Wood in Stoke, near Guildford, co. Surrey, England sometime prior to December 1598 – possibly in the early 1590s. She was the daughter of John and Joan (Taylor) Wood. She died sometime prior to 1604. Children believed of that first marriage:
  • 1. William Mullins Jr., possibly born about 1593 and died in 1674 in New England, coming there sometime after his father's death. Records for the 1643 Able to Bear Arms List for "Duxborrow" (Duxbury) note a "Wm Mullens." Married 1) unknown, one daughter 2) Ann (_) Bell in Boston on May 7, 1656 as her second husband
  • 2. Sarah Mullins, born possibly late 1590s. She married _ Blunden by 1621 and remained in England. She was named the estate administrator in her father's will and was awarded administration in July 1621. No further information.
  • 3. Elizabeth Mullins, baptized December 11, 1598 at Holy Trinity Church, Guildford, co. Surrey. She may have died young.
  • 4. Priscilla Mullins was born about 1603 and died between 1651 and September 12, 1687, the date of her husband's death. She had been a passenger on the Mayflower with her parents and her brother Joseph, and only she survived after their deaths in 1621. She married Mayflower cooper John Alden before 1623 and had eleven children. The only proven descendants of William Mullins living today are descended from Priscilla.
• William Mullins married secondly Alice _ possibly ca 1605. Her ancestry is unrecorded. She may have been the widow of two possible men with the surname Browne. She died in Plymouth in the winter of 1620/1. Child believed of his second marriage:
  • 5. Joseph Mullins, born about 1606. He was a passenger on the Mayflower with his parents and sister Priscilla. He died after the first winter in Plymouth – sometime in 1621 between April 5 and mid-November, date unknown. His corrected birth year per Johnson.

Biography

From https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/28971892

William Mullins was born about 1572. The possible parents were John and Joan (Bridger) Mullins of Dorking, Surrey, England. He married Alice,her maiden name has not been proven.

William came on the Mayflower with his family, his wife Alice and two children, Priscilla and a son,Joseph.One source said that he brought over 250 shoes and 13 pairs of boots.He was a shoe and boot maker by trade.
He died the first winter,21 February 1621.His wife and son also died the first winter. His will was written shortly before his death. He mentions his wife in the will and children Priscilla and Joseph, and his children back in Dorking, William Mullins and Sarah Blunden.

He is buried on the hillside above Water St.just overlooking Plymouth Rock...A sarcophagus is situated there with many people that died the first winter. William, Alice, his wife, and their son are buried in that memorial. The Pilgrims buried their dead at night in shallow graves so that the Indians would not know how many of them had died that first winter. Later the monument was built and the remains of the first winters dead were placed there on the hillside. I have been to the grave in Plymouth on a cold, windy day and it is very sobering to think of what they endured as they settled in this new land.

Will

In the name of God Amen: I comit my soule to God that gave it and my bodie to the earth from whence it came. Alsoe I give my goodes as followeth That fforty poundes in the hand of goodman Woodes I give my wife tenn poundes, my sonne Joseph tenn poundes, my daughter Priscilla tenn poundes, and my eldest sonne tenn poundes Also I give to my eldest sonne all my debtes, bonds, bills (onelye yt forty poundes excepted in the handes of goodman Wood) given as aforsaid wth all the stock in his owne handes. To my eldest daughter I give ten shillings to be paied out of my sonnes stock Furthermore that goodes I have in Virginia as followeth To my wife Alice halfe my goodes & to Joseph and Priscilla the other halfe equallie to be devided betweene them. Alsoe I have xxj dozen of shoes, and thirteene paire of bootes wch I give into the Companies handes for forty poundes at seaven years and if thy like them at that rate. If it be thought to deare as my Overseers shall thinck good And if they like them at that rate at the divident I shall have nyne shares whereof I give as followeth twoe to my wife, twoe to my sonne William, twoe to my sonne Joseph, twoe to my daugher Priscilla, and one to the Companie. Allsoe if my sonne William will come to Virginia I give him my share of land furdermore I give to my twoe Overseers Mr John Carver and Mr Williamson, twentye shillinges apeece to see this my will performed desiringe them that he would have an eye over my wife and children to be as fathers and freindes to them; Allsoe to have a speciall eye to my man Robert wch hathe not so approved himselfe as I would he should have done. This is a Coppye of Mr Mullens his Will of all particulars he hathe given. In witnes whereof I have sett my hande John Carver, Giles Heale, Christopher Joanes.

Vicesimo tertio : die mensis Julii Anno Domini Millesimo sexcentesimo vicesimo primo Emanavit Commissio Sare Blunden als Mullins filie naturali et legitime dicti defuncti ad administrand bona iura et credita eiusdem defuncti iuxta tenorem et effectum testamenti suprascripti eo quod nullum in eodem testamento nominavit executorem de bene ect Jurat. 68, Dale.

[Translation of the Latin]: In the month of July Anno Domini 1621. On the 23rd day issued a commission to Sarah Blunden, formerly Mullins, natural and legitimate daughter of William Mullins, late of Dorking in the County of Surrey, but deceased in parts beyond the seas, seized &c., for administering the goods, rights and credits of the said deceased, according to the tenor and effect of the will of the said deceased because in that will he named no executor. In due form &c. swears.

References

• http://mayflowerhistory.com/mullins-william
• Mayflower Descendant 1:231-232, “The Will of William Mullins”
• Mayflower Descendant 7:37,179, “The Estates of William(2) Mullins,” byGeorge Bowman
• Mayflower Descendant 44:39-44, “The Mullins Family,”by Alicia Crane Williams
• Mayflower Quarterly 39:83, “William Mullin’s Grandchildren in England,” by Robert S. Wakefield
• Alicia Crane Williams, Families of Pilgrims: John Alden and William Mullins, Mass. Soc. of Mayf. Desc., 1986
• http://www.flmayflower.com/colonies/mullins/
• The Mayflower Compact
• Mayflower Increasings [database on-line]. AncestryImage
• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/28971892
• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Mullins-5