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Richard More (16141694/1696) was born in Corvedale, Shropshire, England and was baptised at St. James parish church in Shipton, Shropshire on 13 November 1614.〔Shipton Parish Register, ''Shropshire Archive''.〕 Richard and his three siblings were at the center of a mystery in early 17th century England that caused early genealogists to wonder why the More children's father, believing him to be Samuel More, would send his very young children away to the New World on the ''Mayflower'' in the care of others. It was in 1959, that the mystery was explained. Jasper More, a descendant of Samuel More prompted by his genealogist friend, Sir Anthony Wagner, searched and found in his attic a 1622 document, which detailed the legal disputes between Katherine More and Samuel More and what actually happened to the More children. It is clear from these events that Samuel did not believe the children to be his offspring.〔Anthony R. Wagner. ''The Origin of the Mayflower Children: Jasper, Richard and Ellen More'', (Boston: The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, July 1960), vol. 114, p. 163-168〕 To rid himself of the children, he arranged for them to be sent to the Colony of Virginia.〔Donald F Harris, PhD., ''The More Children of the Mayflower'', Part III, The Mayflower Descendant, vol. 44, no. 2 (July 1994), p. 20〕 Due to bad weather, the ''Mayflower'' finally anchored in Cape Cod Harbor in November 1620 where one of the More children died soon after; another died in early December and yet another died later in the first winter. Only Richard survived, and even thrived, in the perilous environment of early colonial America, going on to lead a very full life.〔William Bradford, ''History of Plymouth Plantation by William Bradford, the second Governor of Plymouth'' (Boston: 1856), pp. 450, 451, 447 (Mary was referred to as a boy)〕 Richard became a well known sea captain who helped deliver supplies to various colonies which were vital to their survival, travelled over Atlantic and West Indies trade routes and fought in various early naval sea battles. He and other ''Mayflower'' survivors were referred to in their time, as "First Comers", who lived in the perilous times of what was called "The Ancient Beginnings" of the New World adventure.〔David Lindsay, ''Mayflower Bastard: A Stranger amongst the Pilgrims'' (New York: St. Martins Press, 2002), pp. 45, 151〕 Richard More lived through a significant part of early American history of which there is still very little known. == The More family == Much of what is known about Richard's early childhood is through legal documents, more specifically the aforementioned document written in 1622, in response to a petition of Richard More's mother Katherine More, (sometimes spelled Katharine, hereafter spelled Katherine) to Lord Chief Justice Sir James Ley, at which time she demands to know what has become of her children.〔 Katherine's father, Jasper More, was master of Larden, a 1000-acre estate between Much Wenlock and Ludlow. Samuel's father, Richard More, was master of Linley, an estate near Bishop's Castle, close to the Welsh border.〔〔Donald F Harris, PhD., ''The More Children of the Mayflower'', Part III, The Mayflower Descendant, vol. 44, no. 2 (July 1994), p. 12〕 Both estates are in Shropshire, England. Jasper's sons died leaving no male heir.〔David Lindsay, ''Mayflower Bastard: A Stranger amongst the Pilgrims'' (New York: St. Martins Press, 2002), p. 2〕 The estates were held in an entail whereby inheritance was restricted to male heirs and Samuel's father, but Richard, in the marriage settlement, paid £600 to Jasper More, so there must have been clear title.〔Donald F. Harris PhD., ''The More Children of the Mayflower'', Part I, The Mayflower Descendant, vol. 43 no. 1, (July 1993), p. 130〕 It was arranged that Katherine would marry her cousin and indeed, in 4 February 1610, (old date style) Katherine, 25, married her cousin, seventeen-year-old Samuel More.〔Edwin A. Hill, PhD., ''The English Ancestry of Richard More of the Mayflower'', The New York genealogical and biographical record, (July 1905), vol 36, p. 214〕〔Shipton Parish Register ''Shropshire archive''.〕 At some point Samuel began working in London as secretary to Lord Edward Zouche, privy councillor, diplomat and courtier.〔''Acts of the Privy Council of England'', APC Col. p. 38, show Samuel More in Zouche's service as a private secretary as noted in David Lindsay, Mayflower Bastard: A Stranger amongst the Pilgrims (New York: St. Martins Press, 2002), p.221.〕 Over the next four years, Katherine bore four children: Elinor, Jasper, Richard, Mary. All were baptised at St. James parish church in Shipton, Shropshire with Samuel More as their father.〔Anthony R. Wagner, ''The Origin of the Mayflower Children: Jasper, Richard and Ellen More'', (Boston: The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, July 1960), vol. 114, p. 164: Parish Record of the Shipton Shropshire Register Society.〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Richard More (Mayflower passenger)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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