John Endecott (or Endicott) was the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
Governor John Endicott
APuritan was a member of the religious group in the 16th and 17th centuries that advocated "purity" of worship and doctrine who believed in personal and group piety. Puritans were persecuted in England and came to America so they would be free to practice their religion.
Margery Collins Williams was born on November 6, 1633 in Stepney Parish, London, Middlesex County, England. Her parents were Henry and Ann Collins. She immigrated to America with her parents on the Abigail in 1635.
When she about 27, she married Isaac Williams about 1660 in Salem, Essex County, Massachusetts. Isaac was born in 1621. He was a cordwainer and constable.
The Williams family settled in Salem. Margery and Isaac's children included:
Deborah Williams Gray Holgate (married Joseph Gray and Dr. James Holgate who had been married to Magdalen Dwinnell),
Sarah Williams Lander (married John Lander),
Elizabeth Williams Mansfield (August 23, 1660, married Joseph Mansfield),
Isaac Williams, Jr. (December 20, 1662, married Mary Endicott the granddaughter of Governor John Endicott),
Deborah Williams Gray Holgrave,
Sarah Williams Lander,
Benjamin Williams (1666),
Jonathan Williams (1667),
Jonathan Williams (1669),
John Williams (1672), and
Ebenezer Williams (1674, married Elizabeth Trott).
Margery's daughter Deborah Williams Gray was Magdalen Dwinnell Holgate's husband, Dr. James Holgate's, first wife.
Isaac died in 1696 and Margery died in October, 1702 when she was 68 years old.
A cordwainer (or cordwinder) made shoes from fine, soft leather. There was a distinction between a cordwainer, who made shoes, and a cobbler who repaired them.
A Puritan woman's clothing consisted of underpants, stockings, linen, shift, petticoat, chemise (underblouse), bolster (a padded roll tied around the hips under the skirt), bodice, skirt, apron, coif (cap), outer gown and shoes.
A woman might wear a ruff or bow and an apron. Cloaks were worn instead of coats. Women carried a small cloth draw-string bag or reticule and perhaps wore a chatelaine.
Salem is in Essex County, Massachusetts and was a significant seaport in early America. John Endicott obtained a patent from England and arrived there in 1628. Salem originally included much of the North Shore, including Marblehead. Salem Village also included Peabody and parts of Beverly, Middleton, Topsfield, Wenham and Manchester-by-the-Sea.
Women played an essential role in American society as mothers and homemakers.
Europeans who made the voyage to America faced a difficult journey of several months.
