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John Howland was born in Fenstanton, Huntingdonshire, England, about 1592/3. He died at Plymouth Colony, Massachusetts, February
23, 1672/3. Plymouth Colony records state:
The 23th of February Mr. John Howland Senir of the Towne of Plymouth Deceased; Hee lived until hee attained about eighty yeaes
in the world;and was the last man that was left of those that Came over in the ship Called the May flower, that lived in Plymouth
hee was with honor Intered att the Towne of Plymouth on the 25 of February 1672;
*These sheweth, that on Jul the 22cond, 1648, wee, whosse names are vnderwritten, were sworne by Mr Bradford, gouerner, to
make inquiry of the death of the child of Allis Bishop, the wife of Richard Bishope.
Wee declare, yt coming into the house of the said Richard Bishope, wee saw at the foot of a ladder wh leadeth into an
vpper chamer, much blood; and going vp all of vs into the chamber, wee found a woman child, of about foure yeares of age,
lying in her shifte vppon her left cheeke, with her throat cut with diuers gashes crose wayes, the wind pipe cut and stuke
into the throat downward, and a bloody knife lying by the side of the child, with wh knife all of vs judg, and the said Allis
hath confessed to fiue of vs at one time, yt shee murdered the child with the said knife.
JOHN HOWLAND, JAMES COLE,
JAMES HURST, GYELLS RICKARD,
ROBERT LEE, RICHARD SPARROW,
JOHN SHAWE, THOMAS POPE,
FRANCIS COOKE, FRANCIS BILLINGTON,
JOHN COOKE, WILLIAM NELSON.
Rachell, the wife of Joepth Ramsden, aged about 23 yeares, being examined, saith that coming to the house of Richard Bishope
vppon an erand, the wife of the said Richard Bishope requested her to goe fetch her som buttermilke at Goodwife Winslows,
and gaue her a ketle for that purpose, and she went and did it; and before shee wente,shee saw the child lyinge abed asleep,
to her best deserning, and the woman was as well as shee hath knowne her att any time; but when shee came shee found her sad
and dumpish; shee asked her what blood was that shee saw at the ladders foot; shee pointed vnto the chamber, and bid her looke,
but shee perseiued shee had kiled her child, and being afraid, shee refused, and ran and tould her father and mother. Morouer,
shee saith the reason yt moued her to thinke shee had kiled her child was yt when shee saw the blood shee looked on the bedd,
and the child was not there.
Taken vppon oath by mee, WILLIAM BRADFORD,
The day and year aboue written.
At a Court of Asistants holden at New Plymouth, the first of Aguste, 1648, before Mr Bradford, Gouer, Mr Coliar, Captain
Miles Standish, and Mr William Thomas, gent, Assistants, the sd Allice, being examined, confessed shee did comite the afforsaid
murther, and is sory for it.
October 4, 1648 (PCR 2:134) Att this Court, Allice Bishope, the wife of Richard Bishope, of New Plymouth, was indited
for felonius murther by her comited, vppon Martha Clark, her owne child, the frute of her owne body.
John Howland Will
JOHN HOWLAND'S WILL AND INVENTORY.
Transcribed from the original records,
BY GEORGE ERNEST BOWMAN
John Howland died at Plymouth, on the twenty third of February 1672 - 3 and his will and inventory were recorded in the
Plymouth Colony Wills and Inventories, Volume III, Part I, pages 49 to 54.
The Last Will and Testament of mr John howland of Plymouth late Deceased, exhibited to the Court held att Plymouth the
fift Day of March Anno Dom 1672 on the oathes of mr Samuell ffuller and mr Willam Crow as followeth
Know all men to whom these prsents shall Come That I John howland senir of the Towne of New Plymouth in the Collonie of
New Plymouth in New England in America, this twenty ninth Day of May one thousand six hundred seaventy and two being of whole
mind, and in Good and prfect memory and Remembrance praised be God; being now Grown aged; haveing many Infeirmities of body
upon mee; and not Knowing how soon God will call mee out of this world, Doe make and ordaine these prsents to be my Testament
Containing herein my last Will in manor and forme following;
Imp I Will and bequeath my body to the Dust and my soule to God that Gave it in hopes of a Joyfull Resurrection unto Glory;
and as Concerning my temporall estate, I Dispose therof as followeth;
Item I Doe give and bequeath unto John howland my eldest sonne besides what lands I have already given him, all my Right
and Interest To that one hundred acrees of land graunted mee by the Court lying on the eastern side of Taunton River; between
Teticutt and Taunton bounds and all the appurtenances and privilidges Therunto belonging, I belonge to him and his heires
and assignes for ever; and if that Tract should faile, then to have all my Right title and Interest by and in that Last Court
graunt to mee in any other place, To belonge to him his heires and assignes for ever;
Item I give and bequeath unto my son Jabez howland all those my upland and Meddow That I now posesse at Satuckett and
Paomett, and places adjacent, with all the appurtenances and privilidges, belonging therunto, and all my right title and Interest
therin, To belonge to him his heires and assignes for ever,
Item I Give and bequeath unto my son Jabez howland all that my one peece of land that I have lying on the southsyde of
the Mill brooke, in the Towne of Plymouth aforsaid; be it more or lesse; and is on the Northsyde of a feild that is now Gyles
Rickards senir To belonge to the said Jabez his heires and assignes for ever;
Item I give and bequeath into Isacke howland my youngest sonne all those my uplands and meddowes Devided and undivided
with all the appurtenances and priviliges unto them belonging, lying and being in the Towne of Middlebery, and in a tract
of Land Called the Majors Purchase neare Namassakett Ponds; which I have bought and purchased of Willam White of Marshfeild
in the Collonie of New Plymouth; which may or shall appeer by any Deed or writing that is Given under the said Whites hand
all such Deeds or writinges Together with the aformensioned prticulares To belonge to the said Isacke his heires and assignes
for ever;
Item I give and bequeath unto my said son Isacke howland the one halfe of my twelve acree lott of Meddow That I now have
att Winnatucsett River within the Towne of Plymouth aforsaid To belonge to him the said Isacke howland his heires and assignes
for ever,
Item I Will and bequeath unto my Deare and loveing wife Elizabeth howland the use and benifitt of my now Dwelling house
in Rockey nooke in the Township of Plymouth aforsaid, with the outhousing lands, That is uplands [p. 50] uplands and meadow
lands and all appurtenances and privilidges therunto belonging in the Towne of Plymouth and all other Lands housing and meddowes
that I have in the said Towne of Plymouth excepting what meadow and upland I have before given To my sonnes Jabez and Isacke
howland During her naturall life to Injoy make use of and Improve for her benifitt and Comfort;
Item I Give and bequeath unto my son Joseph howland after the Decease of my loveing wife Elizabeth howland my aforsaid
Dwelling house att Rockey nooke together with all the outhousing uplands and Meddowes appurtenances and privilidges belonging
therunto; and all other housing uplands and meddowes appurtenances and privilidges That I have within the aforsaid Towne of
New Plymouth excepting what lands and meadowes I have before Given To my two sonnes Jabez and Isacke; To belong to him the
said Joseph howland To him and his heires and assignes for ever;
Item I Give and bequeath unto my Daughter Desire Gorum twenty shillings
Item I Give and bequeath To my Daughter hope Chipman twenty shillings
Item I Give and bequeath unto my Daughter Elizabeth Dickenson twenty shillings
Item I Give and bequeath unto my Daughter Lydia Browne twenty shillings
Item I Give & bequeath to my Daughter hannah Bosworth twenty shillings
Item I Give and bequeath unto my Daughter Ruth Cushman twenty shillings
Item I Give to my Grandchild Elizabeth howland The Daughter of my son John howland twenty shillings
Item my will is That these legacyes Given to my Daughters, be payed by my exequitrix in such species as shee thinketh
meet; Item I will and bequeath unto my loveing wife Elizabeth howland, my Debts and legacyes being first payed, my whole estate:
viz: lands houses goods Chattles; or any thinge else that belongeth or appertaineth unto mee, undisposed of be it either in
Plymouth Duxburrow or Middlbery or any other place whatsoever; I Doe freely and absolutly give and bequeath it all to my Deare
and loveing wife Elizabeth howland whom I Doe by these prsents, make ordaine and Constitute to be the sole exequitrix of this
my Last will and Testament to see the same truely and faithfully prformed according to the tenour therof; In witnes wherof
the said John howland senir have heerunto sett my hand and seale the aforsaid twenty ninth Day of May, one thousand six hundred
seaventy and two 1672
Signed and sealed in the John howland prsence of Samuell ffuller And a seale Willam Crow
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John Howland