|
||||||
| Misc. Notes | ||||||
| Ship "Anne, 1623" | ||||||
| Spouses | ||||||
|
||||||
| Misc. Notes | ||||||
| MYLES STANDISH was born c.1585 and died Oct. 3,1656 at Duxbury, Mass. There is little positive proof of Myles Standish's background, however, there is quite some tradition; the following mostly from Abbott (1872). Myles was born about 1584 in Lancashire, England, possibly the legitamate heir to the Ormskirk House of Standish, estimated worth at $500,000 per year. During the Protestant Reformation the Catholic Standishes were of "Standish Hall" and the Protestant Standishes were of "Duxbury Hall" both near Chorley, Lancashire Co. Abbott repeats the American tradition that "it is probable that Miles Standish was the legal heir to all this property, and that, by gross injustice he was defrauded of it. - - - The Records were all readily deciphered, with the exception of the years 1584 and 1585; the very dates - - - Standish is supposed to have been born. The Parchment leaf, which contained the registers of births of these years was wholly illegible; - - - purposely done with pumice - - - to destroy evidence of Standish's parentage and his title to the estates therabout." Later searchers say that "leaf" is missing; that one claimed to have found it, with Standish's birth legible; but, the finder died before it was made public. - (the stuff of good mystery.) Myles Standish, by character and deed, created new tradition to pale the old. He was probably orphaned young, became a soldier of fortune, a lieutenant in Queen Elizabeth's forces that garrisoned the Netherlands. We have no assurance of his motive for uniting with the Pilgrims. He was not a church member (i.e. neither Puritan nor "Separatist"). That he was very highly esteemed and cordially welcomed by the Pilgrims is certain. He was a signator to The Compact. His military skill was invaluable to the new colony. To even abstract his activities in New England is beyond our scope; there are many good histories, beginning with Bradfords History of Plimouth Plantation. In addition to his military duties, Myles was Assistant from 1631 to 1650 and was Treasurer of the Colony for six years. According to Holmes (1923) he was the primary founder of Duxbury in 1638. Myles first wife, Rose Standish died between Jan. 29 and Feb. 8,1621 about a month after the Mayflower landing. She had no children. He married second, Barbara, (one tradition says she was a sister of Rose, another that she was Barbara Standish, cousin of Myles) soon after the "Anne" landed July 1623 and before April 3,1624. Barbara died (after ?) Oct.16,1659. One source says there were "four sons living in 1650, - all by Barbara" --; Mayflower Index lists two. | ||||||
|
||||||
|
||||||
| Last Modified 11 Jan 1998 | Created 10 Mar 1998 by Willy III, a Macintosh :-) |