May 27, 2020
Introduction: In this article – to celebrate 2020 being the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the Mayflower – Melissa Davenport Berry tells a wild story about two of the youngest passengers onboard that famous ship. Melissa is a genealogist who has a website, americana-archives.com, and a Facebook group, New England Family Genealogy and History.
This is the year of the Mayflower – and here is a little history about two of the youngsters who traveled to Plymouth’s shores. All in good humor!
In 1959 the witty reporter Hugh A. Mulligan gave readers across the country a humorous account of two young Mayflower passengers: John Jr. and Francis Billington. The story seemed fitting for the season as Thanksgiving was just around the corner.
According to Mulligan:
“The Mayflower, history shows, was a floating kindergarten, loaded to the gunwales with wailing small fry. Of the 104 passengers aboard, 33 were children. They came in all shapes, psyches and volumes, but none wilder or woolier than the Billington boys, John and Francis.”
Mulligan claimed “these two pint-sized Pilgrims… were America’s first juvenile delinquents.” Their antics must have taxed the nerves of every tired Pilgrim.
Even before the Mayflower landed ashore, Francis Billington almost blew up the ship and her crew! Mulligan recalled the incident from Mourt’s Relation, a journal written by William Bradford and Edward Winslow:
“The fifth day [of December, 1620] we through God’s mercy escaped a great danger by the foolishness of a boy, one Francis of Billington’s sonnes, who in his father’s absence had got gun powder and shot off a piece [musket] or two and made squibs [small fireworks], and there being a fowling piece charged in his father’s cabbin, shot her off in the cabbin. There being a little barrell of [gun] powder halfe full scattered in and about the cabbin, the fire [discharge] being within foure foote of the bed [bunk] betweene decks and many flints and iron things about and so many people about the fire. And yet by God’s mercy no harme was done.”
Within a few months brother John Billington Jr. showed up in the journal as missing in action. As Mulligan reported:
“‘About the latter end of this month (April, 1621),’ Bradford wrote, ‘one John Billington lost himself in the woodes and wandered up and downe some five days, living on berries and what he could finde.’”
The event created chaos and an aggravated Miles Standish (we can only assume this was not the first stunt pulled by little John) rounded up 10 men to locate the lost boy. John was found about 50 miles away from the Pilgrim settlement. He had been taken by the Nauset tribe of Cape Cod, and that posed a problem due to prior skirmishes over some ransacked corn taken by Pilgrim hunting parties.
Bradford stepped in and resolved the conflict. He promised to make good on the stolen corn and Chief Aspinet handed over John: “behung with beads and made his peace with us” (from Bradford’s journal). The whole ordeal must have roused them all, but John was saved – and as Mulligan speculated: “Perhaps the chief was glad to get the lad off his hands.”
Mulligan mentioned that juvenile behavior is an offshoot of parental delinquency. Yes, the apple does not fall far from the tree – which brings on the next story.
In an article published in the Richmond Times Dispatch in 1979, journalist Bill Ryan recorded his visit to Plymouth Plantation. We have more on the Billington’s, but this time it sheds light on the parents John Sr. and Eleanor “Nell” Bellington. All fault could not be pinned on the little tikes.
In his article, Ryan noted that children’s books portray the Plymouth Pilgrims as bland, dull, and pious – but he asserts that they were anything but. He saw the plantation members as a mixed potpourri of humanity. Just like today, some were more pious than others, but as Ryan noted:
“The Billingtons were not the kind of next-door neighbors you wanted in any century.”
Ryan reported that Nell was charged with being a common scold, but her husband topped her (and sons) in the criminal department. The Bellington boys were the first juveniles, but Daddy Billington was the first among the adults to commit murder. He was hanged 10 years after the Mayflower landed.
There are debates on how the squabble went down between him and his victim John Newcomen; you can find more information in the sources listed below.
Despite the bad rap on the first Billington line to come to America, the family can boast of famous kin, including celebrities, a United States president, and an Apollo astronaut. Among these figures are Richard Gere, John Lithgrow, Taylor Swift, Alfred Wordon, James Garfield, and Wilson brothers Brian, Dennis, and Carl of the Beach Boys.
Check out GenealogyBank’s Historical Newspaper Archives to learn more about your Mayflower ancestors, and I would love to hear from BELLINGTON descendants!
Thanks to Libby Needham of Descendants of the Mayflower
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Sources and Further Reading:
- American Ancestors 2020: John Billington
- Pilgrim Hall Museum: Francis Billington
- Vita Brevis, American Ancestors: The Great Billington Sea
- Hathi Trust: Bradford, William & Winslow, Edward; Dexter, Martin Henry (ed). “Mourt’s relation or journal of the plantation at Plymouth.” Boston, MA. J. K. Wiggin Press, 1865.
- Caleb Johnson’s: Mayflower History
- Richard Hall: Famous Kin
Melissa, great article. The Billington’s and all their antics are hilarious. I am sure years ago all of the citizens living with them did not find it as funny as we do 400 years later. All the best, Elizabeth “Libby” Needham
Thanks Elizabeth! You are right — that time has allowed for us to find humor. Looks like the Mayflower page is buzzing on this story! 🙂
Fantastic, little-known story of the darker side of the Pilgrims. Nonetheless, the line has contributed more than its share of upstanding citizens! Which goes to show: even scoundrels can contribute to society… eventually…
Jack, I think that some of biggest scoundrels turned out to be great men — even Ben Franklin admitted he had too much fire and fun. 🙂 Obviously the Billington boys were too early for Ben’s warning: “If you lie down with dirty dogs, you get up with fleas.” 🙂 Thanks for posting and love your history shares too!
I’m a descendent of the Billingtons. I have to say, my children have been rambunctious, hard to handle at times and strong willed. However, they all turned out to be good people. Oh, and my grandchildren still have that same fire.
Jeanetta, thanks for the comment! I think all work and no play makes for dull boys (and girls). It was fun researching this line. 🙂 GenealogyBank is loaded with Mayflower stories!
Wondering whether this bit of history might have inspired O. Henry’s “The Ransom of Red Chief”?
Susan, thanks for posting. I am not sure, but good observation. As I recall that was a kidnapping where the ransomers actually paid to have the tikes taken off their hands. 🙂
As a Billington descendant, I can only conclude that Billington genes must have been powerful, as they seem to continue cropping up in various of my ancestral generations. Thank goodness the Billington genes have been somewhat balanced by genes from Governor Sam Bradford, and John and Priscilla Alden. My particular line goes from John and Elinor to son Isaac to his daughter Mary. In other material I have found on John, it seems that he may not have been a member of the church that spawned the Pilgrims; it appears that no one is really certain how the family came to be on the Mayflower in the first place. Thanks for your article.
Hi James, thank you for sharing! I love to hear feedback from Billington lines! I am glad that the posse was sent out to gather little Billington and he returned to marry and carry the line forward. There are speculations on why the Billington family came; I believe Caleb Johnson’s My Mayflower site may have some info. What about the Great Migration? I will be doing more Mayflower research in the future to see what I can find.
I do not know for sure that we have any Mayflower ancestors, but if we do it is a sure bet that they would be the Billingtons! You are familiar with the phrase “there’s one in every crowd”? Yeah, that was my kid. His friends have greatly enjoyed relating their memories of “the good old days when your Dad…” to his kids. I love the comment made by his then 9-year-old son, “Gee Gramma, I’m lucky I’m here huh? Dad could have killed himself a bunch of times!” This man’s folder at the emergency room probably weighs about 5 pounds. For real!
Shelly, Thanks for sharing! Maybe you should take the tree and see if there is Billington blood!
Melissa, My great-grandmother was a Billington and my grandmother (her daughter) insisted, until the day she died, that her ancestor was the first person to ever be hanged in the colonies, although I’m not sure it is true. We are still working on our family tree to determine if my grandmother’s John Billington is the same John you mentioned in this blog article. It may not be too far-fetched, since my grandmother’s great uncle (a Billington) stabbed his son to death and her grandfather died after blowing off his arm by setting off homemade fireworks. In any event, thanks for the great article about the Billingtons. They certainly were a colorful family!
Barbara, what is the name of the ancestor? I would love to look this up. Yes, the Billington’s were spirited! I suspect they kept the colony on their toes! Thank you for sharing and I will be doing more Mayflower stories again.
Melissa, We are reading your great story of the Billingtons! I’m Ken Crocker, owner of the Old Decovin Farm at 326 Mere Point Road! Love to show it to you.
Thanks Ken! Love to see it sometime!
I, too, am a Billington descendant. I have rambunctious boys who grew to be fine men, thankfully. I am also grateful to have descended from the Fullers, Tilleys and John Howland. The Pilgrims and the Strangers, to which group the Billingtons belonged, certainly had their differences in how to manage life. Sounds kind of like our country now, and sometimes our families too. How to manage conflict for the best of all is always a difficult process it seems to me. I love your article. It is fun to share it with boys who have had their own escapades.
Thank you so much, Julie! You have some great insight here and yes, there will always be a “Billington”-like child in every generation and there are many among us now! 🙂
It’s always fun to read comments about the Billington family. I am a descendant and my three-generation family had hoped to visit Plymouth, Massachusetts, this summer.
Thanks to COVID-19 we won’t make the trip.
Alice, I hope you get to Plymouth sometime soon! Maybe someone can do a virtual tour for you until then. It is beautiful! I loved Woods Hole too! Thank you for sharing. Stay well.
Great Grandpa Billington was quite a stinker, and unfortunately I can imagine my busy little son getting into all sorts of mischief after being cooped up on a ship for months, and having access to guns and gunpowder! Thanks for sharing this great article and for making it possible for people to comment.
Thanks Charlotte, and thank God the Billington boys did not have enough gunpowder to blow the ship and our ancestors to the bottom of the sea! Plus we have added color for tales of the Pilgrims!
My husband’s family is from the Billington line. His mother’s maiden name is Billington. It’s very believable they could be related to these juvenile delinquents.
Amy, thanks for the post comment. Have you done the genealogy to connect this Mayflower passenger? I can help! 🙂
I am also a descendant of the Billington’s. John Sr. and Francis his son are my 11th and 10th great grandparents, respectively.
Thank you, Nikki, for sharing! The Billington’s must be grateful that Francis did not blow up the Mayflower. 🙂
I just found out today that I am a descendant of the Billington’s. Francis is my 11th Great Grandfather on my Mother’s Father’s side. I had no idea and it’s an honor to be a part of America’s first Dysfunctional Family.
Kathyrn, thank you so much for sharing! So many tidbits on the family in the newspaper archives!
Hi,
I am a descendant of John and Eleanor Billington through my father’s side, the Egglestons.
I would like to learn more about this history.
I understand that the Billingtons were not religious separatists and were called “strangers,” as they were not “saints.”
Bigod Eggleston was a member of the first Massachusetts Legislature and lived in Neponset.
Thanks,
Gary
Gary, thanks for sharing and I will look into this and keep you posted. The Quakers were sometimes labeled the strange people or strangers, but I think anyone that did not adhere to the imposed guidelines were referred to as strangers.
Libby, I just downloaded the AncestryDNA app, and it says I’m related to the Billington line! I actually moved to Plymouth 2 years ago, unaware of this morsel!!!!! I was adopted when I was 18 months old, so I CRAVE my history! Billington traces back to my biological father, whose last name was Lamson. Billington’s 4th(?) great grandfather was Sir Knight John Craddock Newton of Hawtrey.
Anne, That’s wonderful that you made the discovery and connection. Do you have plans to pursue proof and possibly joining the society? Let us know. Best regards, Elizabeth
Oh, YES!!!! I am so intrigued!!!! I also found I have quite a few Mayflower descendants!
Edward Fuller is my 11th GGF
Samuel Fuller is my 11th Great Granduncle
Susannah Fuller is AKA White, then Winslow, my 11th Great Grandaunt
Katherine White AKA Leggatt (Leggitt)-Carver, my 10th GGM
Thomas Rogers, my 11th GGF
I’m still searching!!!!!
OMG! I am a Billington descendant. AND also a descendant of the Blys (father and son) whose testimony against Bridget Bishop led to her being the first “witch hanging” in Salem. What a legacy. You can choose your friends but you can’t choose your relatives. lol
Thanks for sharing Darlene! That is the truth, but it makes research colorful and fun! Stay tuned for more!
My maiden name was Billington. My grandparents lived in Woodplumpton, near Preston, Lancashire, England. This is where the Billingtons originated. I have traced the Billingtons back to Henry VII.
Thanks Christine! So the Billington line may have some Blue Blood after all! I will have to do some digging! Stay tuned!
I sincerely hope someone can help me. My 98-year-old mother has been researching our family history for 40+ years. She’s in DAR, has 9 Revolutionary soldiers, her family in the colonies since the 1600s.
She has an ancestor named Franklin Billington Terpenning, b. 1835, Cortland, NY, and knowing what she knows, that a name like Billington doesn’t just appear by coincidence, she is absolutely certain this Billington name links back to the Mayflower’s John Billington.
Franklin Billington Terpenning’s father was Noah Terpenning, and his mother was Mary “Polly” Slotte (Sloate?), and my mom is sure Polly Slotte, b. 1787, Ulster, NY, is the link to John Billington, but nothing can be found on Polly Slotte.
Finding this Mayflower link, even via a scoundrel like John Billington, is my mom’s Holy Grail. Help me help her move on in peace, please!
Hi Kimberley. Thank you, and I just sent you an email. Look forward to speaking with you.