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William Mullins (c.1572 – 1621) William Mullins 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. He perished in the first winter in the New World, with his wife and son dying soon after.〔Eugene Aubrey Stratton, ''Plymouth Colony: Its History and People, 1620-1691,'' (Salt Lake City: Ancestry Publishing, 1986), p. 331〕〔Caleb H. Johnson, ''The Mayflower and Her Passengers'' (Indiana: Xlibris Corp., 2006), p. 193〕〔Pilgrim Hall Museum William Museum ''()''〕 == Early life in England == William Mullins was born about 1572 in Dorking, co. Surrey, England, 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. The Dorking Register shows baptisms, marriages and burials of persons with the name of “Mullyns” between 1571 and 1585 and then a gap in those names of about twenty-five years until more names of this family appear.〔〔 The first mention of William Mullins in Dorking records was on October 4, 1595, when he was fined, at about age 23, two pence by the manorial court for non-attendance at that year’s session. That record states that he was then residing in the Chippingborough district of Dorking. Records note a William Mullins named on a 1596 muster list for Stoke, near Guildford, co. Surrey, where it is believed he was living at that time, and returning to Dorking about 1604.〔 While in Guildford it is believed that Mullins married for a first time, name of wife unknown. During that time, it is also believed that his first wife gave birth to at least one daughter, name Elizabeth, with baptism recorded at Holy Trinity Church, Guildford on December 11, 1598. Elizabeth may have died young. Authors Caleb Johnson and Charles Edward Banks have indicated that this unnamed wife may have given birth to a son and daughter prior to the 1598 birth of Elizabeth.〔〔Charles Edward Banks, ''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: Genealogical Publishing Company, 2006), p. 74〕 Records for Dorking dated October 5, 1604, again name William Mullins, then residing in the Eastborough district there where he was the head of a “frankpledge” – a group of ten families bonded to the king for their good behavior. And if one member of the group was fined or punished, all members would be punished, which is what happened on September 19, 1605 when Mullins and his frankpledge were fined for an unknown transgression.〔 Dorking records exist for several dates in 1612 for William Mullins: On March 30, 1612 – William Mullins witnessed the will of John Wood. On December 20, 1612 – Mullins was named the overseer of the will of Jane Hammon. That document, for the first time, states Mullins occupation as shoemaker. On December 28, 1612 – Mullins purchased a tenement on West Street in Dorking. This house still exists and is often a stopping place for tourists. Banks refers to this house as the “Manor of Dorking.”〔Charles Edward Banks, ''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: Genealogical Publishing Company, 2006), p. 73〕〔Caleb H. Johnson, ''The Mayflower and Her Passengers'' (Indiana: Xlibris Corp., 2006), p. 194〕 In August (Banks says April 29) 1616 William Mullins was called before the Lordships of the Privy Council and held for an unknown reason for a period of time. On May 1 he appeared before the Privy Council and was technically continued in their custody “untill by their Honours’ order hee be dismissed.” It has been speculated that this may have involved matters of a religious nature which may have forced Mullins to consider emigrating.〔〔 In May 1619 Mullins sold his Dorking Manor holdings to Ephraim Bothell/Bothall for 280 pounds, which may have been a precursor of his preparations for the ''Mayflower'' voyage. It appears he made a good living as a shoemaker as his was one of the larger investments in the Merchant Adventurers group, of which he was a member, which was investing in the Pilgrim venture. His will shows he had nine shares of stock in the Merchant Adventurers and that his estate consisted primarily of boots and shoes.〔〔Charles Edward Banks, ''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: Genealogical Publishing Company, 2006), pp. 73-74〕 The London businessmen known as the Merchant Adventurers, under the direction of Thomas Weston, invested in the ''Mayflower'' voyage from the very beginning. The documents drawn up, and approved by members of the Leiden church, imposed certain restrictions on the Pilgrims work week, to which they agreed. But as the time to depart England drew near, the Adventurers wanted the restrictions tightened which would have caused the Pilgrims to work almost 7 days a week, in an effect to increase profits, without such as due time for religious activities. The Pilgrims balked at this and refused to agree to the new terms. William Mullins played a part in these deliberations, probably because he had a large investment and needed to ensure a satisfactory return on it, as an Adventurers member. And although Robert Cushman, who had been the Leiden agent for ''Mayflower'' voyage preparations, came to Plymouth in November 1621 to try to settle the rift between the Pilgrims and the Adventurers, it was never resolved. Eventually the Pilgrims bought out the Adventurers and formed their own investment company.〔〔Nathaniel Philbrick, ''Mayflower: A story of Courage, Community and War'' (New York: Viking, 2006), p. 40〕 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「William Mullins (Mayflower passenger)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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