October 29, 2014
Take pride in your Mayflowerheritage—just like Jack Howland did.
According to Howland’s obituary:
His Mayflower heritage was something that he was immensely proud of. He served as historian and archivist for the Pilgrim John Howland Society for many years. This role allowed him to communicate with fellow descendants from across the country and around the world. Jack was also captain of the Maine Mayflower Society. Annual trips to Plymouth were something that he always enjoyed.
His Mayflower heritage was such a part of him that after high school, when he joined the Navy, he served on the USS Plymouth Rock (LSD-29).
His obituary went on to say that:
He took particular pleasure in recreating the journey of his ancestor, John Howland, back to Plymouth in 2003 aboard the shallop Elizabeth Tilley. In 2010 he was awarded the Lura Sellew Medal, the highest honor that the Pilgrim John Howland Society bestows for service to the organization and the memory of the pilgrim John Howland.
The Pilgrim John Howland Society is an organization of descendants of John and Elizabeth (Tilley) Howland who were passengers on the Mayflower.
Remarkably, the home that John and Elizabeth (Tilley) Howland lived in during their old age is still standing. It was the home of their son, Jabez Howland.
According to Wikipedia they both lived in this home:
…after their own house burned. John Howland died in 1674 and Elizabeth lived there until the house was sold in 1680 and Jabez Howland moved to Rhode Island. Elizabeth moved to the home of her daughter, Lydia (Howland) Browne, in Swansea, where she died in 1687.
Take the time to research and document all of the descendants of your Mayflower ancestors.
Search out and read their stories and share them.
You can read Jack’s obituary in the Eagle Tribune (Lawrence, Massachusetts) 2 November 2011.
Related Mayflower Ancestry Articles & Resources: