View source for Peregrine White

{{Short description|Baby born on the Mayflower}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| honorific_prefix = Captain
| name          = <!-- defaults to article title when left blank -->
| image         = <!-- filename only, no "File:" or "Image:" prefix, and no enclosing [[brackets]] -->
| alt           = <!-- descriptive text for use by speech synthesis (text-to-speech) software -->
| caption       = 
| birth_date    = {{circa}} {{Birth date|1620|11|20}}
| birth_place   = ''[[Mayflower]]'' (docked in [[Provincetown Harbor]])
| death_date    = {{Death date and age|1704|07|20|1620|11|20}}
| death_place   = [[Marshfield, Massachusetts|Marshfield]], [[Province of Massachusetts Bay]]
| burial_place = [[Winslow Cemetery]]
| other_names   = Peregrin
| occupation    = 
| years_active  = 
| known_for     = First baby born in Plymouth Colony
| notable_works = 
| spouse             = Sarah Bassett
| children           = Daniel White, Sylvanus White
| mother             = [[Susanna White (Mayflower passenger)|Susanna White]]
| father             = [[William White (Mayflower passenger)|William White]]
| relatives          = [[Resolved White]] (brother)
| family             = 
| signature          = Signature of Peregrine White (1620–1704).png
| signature_type     =
| signature_size     = 
| signature_alt      = Peregrine White
}}
[[File:Mayflower in Plymouth Harbor, by William Halsall.jpg|thumb|290px|[[William Halsall]], ''Mayflower in Plymouth Harbor'' (1882)]]
'''Peregrine White''' ({{born in|1620}} {{spaced ndash}} {{died in|1704|07|20}}) was the first boy born on the [[Pilgrims (Plymouth Colony)|Pilgrim]] ship the ''[[Mayflower]]'' in the harbour of [[Massachusetts]], the [[Oceanus Hopkins|second baby]] born on the ''Mayflower''{{'}}s historic voyage, and the first known [[English people|English]] child born to the [[Pilgrim Fathers|Pilgrims]] in [[Americas|America]].<ref>{{cite book|title=The Names of Cape Cod | first1 = Eugene | last1 = Green | first2 = William | last2 = Sachse | first3 = Brian | last3 = McCaulley | year = 2006 | publisher = Arcadia Press | isbn = 978-1-933212-84-5 | page = 206 }}</ref> His parents, [[William White (Mayflower passenger)|William White]] and his pregnant wife [[Susanna White (Mayflower passenger)|Susanna]], with their son [[Resolved White]] and two servants, came on the ''Mayflower'' in 1620. Peregrine White was born while the ''Mayflower'' lay at anchor in the harbor at [[Cape Cod]]. In later life, he became a person of note in [[Plymouth Colony]], active in both military and government affairs.<ref name="Johnson p. 247">Johnson 2006, p. 247.</ref><ref name="Stratton pp. 79, 365, 370, 406, 408">Stratton 1986, pp. 79, 365, 370, 406, 408.</ref><ref name="profile">[http://www.plimoth.org/media/pdf/white_william.pdf A genealogical profile of William White (Peregrine)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121101175011/http://www.plimoth.org/media/pdf/white_william.pdf |date=November 1, 2012 }}</ref>

== English origins ==
Peregrine White<ref>Peregrine comes from the proper Latin form ''Peregrinus''. This translates into English as Pilgrim.</ref> was the second son of ''Mayflower'' pilgrim [[William White (Mayflower passenger)|William White]] and his wife [[Susanna White (Mayflower passenger)|Susanna White]] Winslow. His mother Susanna was pregnant during the ''Mayflower'' voyage and gave birth to Peregrine in late November 1620 while the ship was anchored at [[Cape Cod]], now [[Provincetown Harbor]].<ref name="Johnson p. 247"/><ref name="profile"/><ref name="Stratton p. 21">Stratton 1986, p. 21.</ref>

The Whites are believed to have boarded the ''Mayflower'' as part of the London merchant group, and not as members of the Leiden Holland religious movement. Evidence of the William White family coming to the ''Mayflower'' from England and not Holland comes from William Bradford's ''Mayflower'' passenger list which has "Mr. William White" in his section for London merchants along with Christopher Martin, [[William Mullins (Mayflower passenger)|William Mullins]], [[Stephen Hopkins (Mayflower passenger)|Stephen Hopkins]], [[Richard Warren]] and [[John Billington]]. It is believed that if William White had been a member of the [[Leiden]] congregation, his name would have appeared in Bradford's work for that section, but it does not. There is no evidence to associate William White and his family with Leiden, [[Holland]].
And regarding the various White family ancestries which erroneously place the William White family in them, the Mayflower Society states that "Little is known about William White."<ref name="profile"/><ref name="Banks p. 94">Banks 2006, p. 94.</ref>

== ''Mayflower'' voyage ==
The White family, as recalled by [[William Bradford (Plymouth Colony governor)|William Bradford]] in 1651 consisted of, "Mr. William White, and Susana, his wife, and one son, called Resolved, and one borne a ship-bord, called Peregrine; and *2* servants, named [[List of Mayflower passengers|William Holbeck]] and [[List of Mayflower passengers|Edward Thomson]]."<ref name="Stratton p. 406">Stratton 1986, p. 406.</ref>

The ''[[Mayflower]]'' departed from [[Plymouth]], [[England]], on the 6/16 of September in 1620. The small, 100-foot ship had 102 passengers and a crew of about 30-40 in extremely cramped conditions. By the second month out the ship was being buffeted by strong westerly gales, causing the ship's timbers to be badly shaken with caulking failing to keep out sea water and with passengers, even in their berths, lying wet and ill. This, combined with a lack of proper rations and unsanitary conditions for several months, contributed to circumstances that would be fatal for many, especially the majority of women and children.  On the way there were two deaths, a crew member and a passenger, but the worst was yet to come after arriving at their destination when, in the space of several months, almost half the passengers perished in the cold, harsh, unfamiliar New England winter.<ref name="ReferenceA">Allison Lassieur, Peter McDonnall ''The voyage of the Mayflower'' (Pub. Capstone Press, ©2006 Mankato, Minnesota)</ref>

At some point along the journey, the first baby was born on the ''Mayflower'', [[Oceanus Hopkins]], to the passengers [[Stephen Hopkins (Mayflower passenger)|Stephen]] and Elizabeth Hopkins.

On 9/19 November 1620, after about 3 months at sea including a month of delays in England, they spotted land which was the Cape Cod Hook, now called [[Provincetown Harbor]]. After several days of trying to sail south to their planned destination of the [[Colony of Virginia]], strong winter seas forced them to return to the harbor at Cape Cod hook, where they anchored on 11/21 November 1620. The [[Mayflower Compact]] was signed that day.<ref name="ReferenceA"/><ref>Stratton 1986, p. 413.</ref><ref>Bowman 1920, photocopies of the 1622, 1646 and 1669 versions of the document.</ref>

== In Plymouth Colony ==
Peregrine White's father William White died on 21 February 1621. With her husband's death, [[Susanna White (Mayflower passenger)|Susanna]], with her newborn son Peregrine and five-year-old Resolved, became the only surviving widow out of the many families who perished that first winter. On 12 May 1621 Peregrine's mother [[Susanna White (Mayflower passenger)|Susanna]] married widower [[Edward Winslow]], a ''Mayflower'' and later a Plymouth colony notable with whom she had five children, one of whom was [[Josiah Winslow]], future Plymouth governor.<ref name="Johnson p. 247"/><ref name="profile"/><ref name="Philbrick pp. 89-90">Philbrick 2006, pp. 89-90.</ref><ref name="Families p. 5">Sherman 2006, p. 5.</ref>

In the 1627 Division of Cattle, both Resolved {{sic}} and his brother Peregrine were listed in the Third Lot under Capt. Standish in the family of Edward Winslow, his wife [[Susanna White (Mayflower passenger)|Susanna]] and their sons Edward and John Winslow.<ref name="Johnson p. 247"/><ref name="Stratton pp. 421-422">Stratton 1986, pp. 421-422.</ref>

In 1636, the family, now numbering 6 - Edward and [[Susanna White (Mayflower passenger)|Susanna]], Resolved and Peregrine White, and the two children born to Edward and [[Susanna White (Mayflower passenger)|Susanna]], Josias and Elizabeth Winslow - moved to the new settlement of [[Marshfield, Massachusetts|Marshfield]], north of Plymouth.<ref name="Families p. 8">Sherman 2006, p. 8.</ref>

[[File:Thanksgiving-Brownscombe.jpg|thumb|''The First Thanksgiving at Plymouth'' (1914) By Jennie A. Brownscombe]]

Peregrine served in the militia at age 16 and continued to serve, first as a lieutenant and then a captain. He was also a farmer.  At some point he also served his community as a representative to the General Court.<ref name="pilgrimhall.org">Pilgrim Hall Museum Peregrine White ''[http://www.pilgrimhall.org/whitep.htm]'' {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120313113825/http://www.pilgrimhall.org/whitep.htm|date=March 13, 2012}}</ref>

On 23 October 1643, at Marshfield, Peregrine White sold to Mannasses Kempton of Plymouth, land at [[Eel River (Massachusetts)|Eel River]] that had been given to him the year before by his stepfather Edward Winslow.<ref name="Families p. 9">Sherman 2006, p. 9.</ref>

At the court on 6 March 1648/9, Peregrine White and Sarah his wife, both of Marshfield, were presented (fined) for fornication before marriage. Since records show their first child, Daniel, was born in 1649, they seemed to have married after Sarah had become pregnant.<ref name="Families p. 9"/><ref name="Stratton p. 193">Stratton 1986, p. 193.</ref>

Peregrine's in-laws, the Bassets, had a great deal of land in Marshfield and Peregrine and Sarah moved there, eventually buying several adjacent pieces of property as the years progressed.<ref name="pilgrimhall.org"/>

On 3 June 1651, Lt. Peregrine White was admitted as a [[Freeman (Colonial)|Freeman]].<ref name="Families p. 9"/>

On 3 June 1652, [[William Bassett (d. 1667)|William Bassett]] Sr. of Duxburrow gave his son-in-law Lt. Peregrine White 40 acres of upland.<ref name="Families p. 8"/>

In 1655, he was granted land as the "first of the English that was borne in these partes."<ref name="Stratton p. 371">Stratton 1986, p. 371.</ref>

On 16 June 1656, as written, William Bassett Sr. of Duxborrow {{sic}}, now living at Bridgewater, gave his lands in Scituate to his sons Peregrine White and Nathaniel Bassett.<ref name="Families p. 9"/>

On 2 October 1658, he was chosen as a member of the council of war.<ref name="Families p. 9"/>

On 3 June 1662, Peregrine was chosen to be deputy for Marshfield.<ref name="Families p. 9"/>

On 4 March 1673/4, Lt. Peregrine White was granted 100 acres at Titicut.<ref>Young 1842, p. 148.</ref><ref name="Families pp. 8, 9, 10">Sherman 2006, pp. 8, 9, 10.</ref>

On 19 August 1674, Peregrine White of Marshfield deeded to his son, Daniel White, in consideration of his intended marriage, various buildings and lands in Marshfield from the time of his death, except if he died before his wife Sarah and Daniel was to pay monies to sister Sarah and Mercy when they became or married.<ref name="Families pp. 8, 9, 10"/>

On 22 May 1696, Capt. Peregrine White "the first born Child of New England born November 1620" was admitted into the Marshfield Church in his 78th year.  At age 78, Peregrine officially joined the Marshfield church.<ref name="Families pp. 8, 9, 10"/>

== Family ==
Peregrine White married before 6 March 1648/9 Sarah Bassett, daughter of [[William Bassett (d. 1667)|William]] and Elizabeth/Elisabeth Bassett.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.pilgrimhallmuseum.org/pdf/Peregrine_White_17th_Century_Documents.pdf|title=Peregrine White in the Records of Plymouth Colony|last=Pilgrim Hall Museum|website=www.pilgrimhallmuseum.org|access-date=January 19, 2018|archive-date=August 9, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160809230641/http://www.pilgrimhallmuseum.org/pdf/Peregrine_White_17th_Century_Documents.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> William Bassett came to Plymouth in 1621 on the ''Fortune'' as a single man, but by the 1623 division was allotted two acres showing he had married before that date. Bassett's name as "Wm Bassett, Sen" appears on the 1643 Able to Bear Arms list for Duxborrow {{sic}}. William Bassett became a Plymouth Colony person of historic note.<ref name="profile"/><ref name="Banks p. 106">Banks 2006, p. 106.</ref><ref name="Stratton pp. 439, 441, 442">Stratton 1986, pp. 439, 441, 442.</ref>

Sarah Bassett was born in Plymouth c.1630 and died in Marshfield on 22 January 1711. They had seven children between c.1649 and c.1670:<ref name="Families p. 8"/><ref name="Stratton p. 370">Stratton 1986, p. 370.</ref>

*  Daniel White, born c.1649 and died in Marshfield on 6 May 1724, noted in records as being either 70 or 75. In Marshfield, on 19 August 1674, he married Hannah Hunt, who was last known to be living on 15 May 1721. They had seven children.<ref name="Families p. 14">Sherman 2006, p. 14.</ref>
*   (child) White, born c.1650/1.<ref name="Families p. 10">Sherman 2006, p. 10.</ref>
*  Jonathan White, born in Marshfield on 4 June 1658. He died in Yarmouth between 14 July 1736 and 22 February 1737.<ref name="Families p. 16">Sherman 2006, p. 16.</ref>  Whites Brook in [[Yarmouth, Massachusetts]], is named after him since he lived nearby.{{sfn|Green|Sachse|McCaulley|2006|p=206}}
:Jonathan White married twice: 
<ol type="a">
:<li>Hester Nickerson, daughter of Nicholas and Mary Nickerson; she married Jonathan in Yarmouth on 2 February 1682/3. She was born in Yarmouth in the last week of October 1656 and died there on 8 February 1702/3. They had seven children.</li>
:<li>Margaret Elizabeth Alexander'''***''', married in 1708. She died in Yarmouth on 12 April 1718.    '''***'''Please note this information is based on the publication of Roscoe Ross White called ''White family records: descendants of Peregrine White, son of William and Susanna (Fuller) White, 1620 to 1939''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=White |first=Roscoe Ross |date=1939 |title=White family records : descendants of Peregrine White, son of William and Susanna (Fuller) White, 1620 to 1939 |url=https://archive.org/details/whitefamilyrecor00whit/page/n1/mode/2up |archive-date= |access-date= |website=Internet Archive}}</ref>  He claims, in part, that the listing in ''Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001''<ref>{{Cite web |last=Secretary of the Commonwealth, Boston |first=Massachusetts |title=Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001 |url=https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-9979-9XRQ?wc=Q4DW-7MD%3A353349701%2C353437801%2C353437802%26cc%3D2061550&cc=2061550&lang=en&i=150 |website=www.FamilySearch.org}}</ref>  recording the death of Elizabeth White 2nd wife of Jonathan White in Yarmouth on 12 April 1718 is that of Margaret Elizabeth Alexander. While Jonathan White was recorded to have a second wife named Elizabeth, her maiden name was never given, she is just listed as '''Elizabeth''' '''WHITE''' wife of Jonathan. Roscoe submitted this work to the [[Mayflower Society]], they thoroughly researched it and rejected these claims based on lack of supporting evidence. </li>
</ol>
In 1704 - The will of Peregrine White (which is owned by and displayed at Pilgrim Hall in Plymouth), dated July 14, 1704, and proved August 14 of the same year states:  ''Peregrine White of Marshfield…..Being aged and under many Weaknesses and Bodily Infirmities devised to his wife Sarah everything not otherwise disposed of by the will to his eldest son Daniel …personal items and land .. as well as various personal items and land to daughters Sarah and Mercy and sons Jonathan and Peregrine.'' His will was signed with the initials PW "The mark of Peregrine White" who was then aged almost 84 years.<ref>Sherman 2006, p. 13.</ref><ref>Pilgrim Hall Museum Wills and personal items index  ''[http://www.pilgrimhallmuseum.org/bio_will_inventory_doc.htm] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130603050545/http://www.pilgrimhallmuseum.org/bio_will_inventory_doc.htm |date=June 3, 2013 }}''</ref>

== Death and burial ==
Peregrine White died on July 20, 1704 ([[Old Style and New Style dates|Old Style]]), in Marshfield, Massachusetts at age 83 years and 8 months. He was buried in [[Winslow Cemetery]] in [[Marshfield, Massachusetts]]. He was the last surviving [[Pilgrim Father]], though the last Mayflower passenger, [[Mary Allerton]], died in 1699. His wife Sarah died on January 22, 1711, and was also buried in Winslow Cemetery. Additionally, Peregrine's elder brother Resolved White, his wife Judith and their mother [[Susanna White (Mayflower passenger)|Susanna]] were all buried in Winslow Cemetery. Winslow Cemetery has a substantial stone monument to "The Early Settlers of Green Harbor Marshfield" naming, among others, Resolved and Peregrine White, their wives and mother [[Susanna White (Mayflower passenger)|Susanna]] as well as her second husband Edward Winslow.<ref name="profile"/><ref name="Families p. 8"/><ref name="Stratton p. 370"/><ref>[https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/13799591 Memorial for Peregrine White]</ref>

== Obituary ==
Marshfield vital records note the death of "Capt. Peregrine White" on "July ye 20:1704" and the 'Boston Newsletter' of Monday July 31, 1704, gives the following obituary: "Marshfield, July, 22 Capt. Peregrine White of this town, Aged Eighty three years, and Eight Months; died the 20th Instant. He was vigorous and of a comly Aspect to the last; Was the Son of Mr. William White and [[Susanna White (Mayflower passenger)|Susanna]] his Wife;' born on board the ''Mayflower'', Capt. Jones Commander, in Cape Cod Harbour. Altho' he was in the former part of his Life extravagant; yet was much Reform'd in his last years; and died hopefully."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://mayflowerhistory.com/white-peregrine/|title=White-Peregrine|website=MayflowerHistory.com|language=en-US|access-date=January 19, 2018}}</ref>

== Notes ==
{{Reflist}}

== References ==
*Banks, Charles Edward (2006). ''The English Ancestry and Homes of the Pilgrim Fathers: who came to Plymouth on the ''Mayflower'' in 1620, the ''Fortune'' in 1621, and the ''Anne'' and the ''Little James'' in 1623''. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co.
*Bowman, George Ernest (1920). ''The Mayflower Compact and its signers''. Boston: Massachusetts Society of Mayflower Descendants.
*Johnson, Caleb H. (2006). ''The Mayflower and Her Passengers''. Indiana: Xlibris Corp.{{Self-published inline|certain=yes|date=December 2017}}
*Philbrick, Nathaniel (2006). ''Mayflower: A story of Courage, Community and War''. New York: Viking.
*Sherman, Ruth Wilder, CG, [[FASG]] and Robert Moody Sherman, CG, [[FASG]]. Re-edited by Robert S. Wakefield, [[FASG]], ''Mayflower Families through Five Generations: Descendants of the Pilgrims who landed at Plymouth, Mass. December 1620. Vol. 13: Family of William White''. Pub. General Society of Mayflower Descendants 2006 3rd Ed.
*Stratton, Eugene Aubrey (1986). ''Plymouth Colony: Its History and People, 1620-1691''. Salt Lake City: Ancestry Publishing.
*Young, Alexander (1842). ''Chronicles of the Pilgrim Fathers of the Colony of Plymouth from 1620-95''. Boston: Charles C. Little and James Brown.

{{Mayflower passengers and related topics}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:White, Peregrine}}
[[Category:1620 births]]
[[Category:1704 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Plymouth, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Mayflower passengers]]
[[Category:Burials at Winslow Cemetery]]