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Brewster, Reverend Elder of the Pilgrim's Church William IV

Brewster, Reverend Elder of the Pilgrim's Church William IV

Male 1566 - 1644  (78 years)


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  • Name Brewster, William 
    Title Reverend Elder of the Pilgrim's Church 
    Suffix IV 
    Birth 24 Jan 1566  Scrooby, Nottinghamshire, England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Burial Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Education 1580  Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Enrolled at Peterhouse College and Spoke Greek & Latin. 
    Departure 1585  Netherlands Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • went w/ Davison (age 44) to carry out the Queen's alliance in supporting the Dutch against Spain; in return they gave her authority over 2 Dutch towns (Flushing & Brill) + fortress of Ramikins; Brewster was put in chg. of the towns' ornate keys
    Occupation 1586  England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Assistant to Secretary of State. 
    • employed by diplomat William Davison "at (Queen Elizabeth's) Court" - meaning Brewster & Davison were part of grp. that moved w/ the Qn. from 1 palace to another
    Occupation Between 1590 and 1607  Scrooby, Nottinghamshire, England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Postmaster - took over from father; stepmother, Prudence, also performed the duties. 
    Departure 1607  Boston, Lincolnshire, England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • grp. chartered boat to take them to The Netherlands; captain betrayed them to the English - they were robbed & 7, incl. Brewster, were imprisoned in Boston. Mary & 3 children (teen, 7, baby) went back to Scrooby.
    Immigration 1608  Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Arrival Aug 1608  Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • Was the last to leave England he helped the weakest through the waiting period and secured passage for them.
    Occupation 1609  Leiden, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • using his knowledge of Latin, he taught English to students from all over Europe who came to the University of Leyden - a leading university
    Occupation 1609  Leiden, Leiden, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • Acted as Pastor's Robinson assistant despite never ordained as minister. Held position until death 34 yrs. later. Called and chosen by the church, he was principal lay leader.
    Residence 1609  Leiden, Leiden, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • Living with the Brewsters was also: Ann and brother Robert Pecke were both "wards" - probably niece & nephew, and William Bradford who moved out when he turned 21 (1611) and was able to claim his inherited property in England which he sold.
    Residence Feb 1609  Leiden, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • left Amsterdam due to disagreements btwn. the 2 churches; moved to a Leyden to a house that fronted on a street named: Stincksteeg (Stink Alley); it was L-shaped & 1 door opened into an adjacent lane, the Koorsteeg (Choir Alley in English). p.127-28
    Occupation Between 1610 and 1618  Leiden, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Employed @ University of Leiden teaching students english. 
    Occupation Abt 1616  Leiden, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Publisher 
    Arrival 1620  Plymouth Colony, British Colonial America Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Emigration 3 Jul 1620  Southampton, Hampshire, England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Departure 5 Aug 1620  Southampton, Hampshire, England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • joined family here. Speedwell joined Mayflower to depart for America; Speedwell started to leak a week out of port - both turned back to Dartmouth for repairs.
    Emigration 15 Aug 1620  Southampton, Hampshire, England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • Speedwell and Mayflower left for Plymouth Eng, Sept 16 Mayflower left for Pylmouth to the New world, 102 Pilgrims on Mayflower. Speedwell had to turn back due to a leak.
    Departure 23 Aug 1620  Dartmouth, Devon, England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • 2 ships set sail; Speedwell began to leak again 100 leagues beyond the tip of England at Land's End; anchored at Plymouth where most Speedwell passengers joined Mayflower
    Departure 6 Sep 1620  Plymouth, Devon, England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • Mayflower set sail. 102 passengers - a few in 50s & 40s; most in 20s (3 pregnant women) - 32 children. By mid-Atlantic storms so severe they had to drift; one storm caused ship to leak & a main beam to crack; used huge iron screw passengers brought...
    Physical Description Nov 1620  Plymouth Colony, British Colonial America Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • "Pilgrims had unknowingly chosen a site where an Indian village stood about 4 yrs. earlier and had been abandoned; tribe who lived there was wiped out by smallpox so there were no native claims on the territory. ...Squanto only survivor-was away." p.187
    Arrival Nov 1620  Plymouth Colony, British Colonial America Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • original plan had been "'to find some place about Hudson's River for their habitation."' (p.1775-6) but dangerous waters off Cape's coast stopped them from going father south; voyage over. Set exploring parties out several times
    Arrival 20 Dec 1620  Plymouth Colony, British Colonial America Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Arrived on the Mayflower, Wm. was the oldest passenger on the Mayflower. 
    Origin Leiden, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands Find all individuals with events at this location 
    The First Thanksgiving Nov 1621  Plymouth Colony, British Colonial America Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • Wm., wife Mary and son's Love & Wrestling are on the list of people at the First Thanksgiving celebration.
    Verified Yes - Research 
    Residence 1627  Plymouth Colony, British Colonial America Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • located on a corner mid-way up the hill where the street leading up to the Common Hse. was intersected by another street; son Jonathan lived next door (right); just beyond, Patience & husband; 2 hses. beyond cross street was Fear & husband.
    Burial Apr 1644  Burial Hill Cemetery, Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Residence 10 Apr 1644  Duxbury, Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • 10 mi. No. of Plymouth using trail along curve of the harbor or short crossing by shallop; 111 acres of farmland located on a peninsula known as The Captain's Nook
    _AMTID 122722689590:1030:207924248 
    _COLOR 19 
    _FSFTID LH2V-RD6 
    _UID FB200089A58D444DAEECD9A6C509DDCFFA9D 
    Death 10 Apr 1644  Duxbury, Plymouth Colony, British Colonial America Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID I942  Charles Banks and Jon Ray Family Tree
    Last Modified 22 Nov 2025 

    Father Brewster, Sir William III,   b. 1535, Scrooby, Nottinghamshire, England Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 10 Aug 1608, Scrooby, Nottinghamshire, England Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 73 years) 
    Mother Simkinson, Mary Smyth,   b. 1535, Scrooby, Nottinghamshire, England Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 17 Apr 1627, Scrooby, Nottinghamshire, England Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 92 years) 
    Marriage 25 Dec 1552  Scrooby, Nottinghamshire, England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F313  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Wentworth, Mary Love,   b. 1569, Scrooby, Nottinghamshire, England Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 17 Apr 1627, Plymouth Colony, British Colonial America Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 58 years) 
    Marriage 1590  Nottinghamshire, England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • see "comment" on her page; 6 children: Jonathan, Patience, Fear, Love, Wrestling, & a child buried at St. Pancras in Leiden, Holland
    Children 
     1. Brewster, Elder Jonathan,   b. 12 Aug 1593, Scrooby, Nottinghamshire, England Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 7 Aug 1659, Norwich, New London, Connecticut Colony, British Colonial America Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 65 years)
     2. Brewster, Patience,   b. Abt 1600, Scrooby, Nottinghamshire, England Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 12 Dec 1634, Duxbury, Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 34 years)
     3. Brewster, Fear,   b. 1607, Scrooby, Nottinghamshire, England Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 12 Dec 1634, Plymouth Colony, British Colonial America Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 27 years)
     4. Brewster, Child,   b. 20 Jun 1609, Leiden, Leiden, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 20 Jun 1609, Leiden, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 0 years)
     5. Brewster, Love,   b. 1611, Holland, Reusel-de Mierden, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 6 Oct 1650, Duxbury, Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 39 years)
     6. Brewster, Wrestling,   b. 1614, Holland, Reusel-de Mierden, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 22 May 1627, Plymouth Colony, British Colonial America Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 13 years)
    Family ID F333  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 27 Jan 2026 

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBirth - 24 Jan 1566 - Scrooby, Nottinghamshire, England Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBurial - - Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsEducation - Enrolled at Peterhouse College and Spoke Greek & Latin. - 1580 - Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDeparture - 1585 - Netherlands Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsOccupation - Assistant to Secretary of State. - 1586 - England Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsOccupation - Postmaster - took over from father; stepmother, Prudence, also performed the duties. - Between 1590 and 1607 - Scrooby, Nottinghamshire, England Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarriage - 1590 - Nottinghamshire, England Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDeparture - 1607 - Boston, Lincolnshire, England Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsImmigration - 1608 - Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsArrival - Aug 1608 - Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsOccupation - 1609 - Leiden, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsOccupation - 1609 - Leiden, Leiden, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - 1609 - Leiden, Leiden, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - Feb 1609 - Leiden, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsOccupation - Employed @ University of Leiden teaching students english. - Between 1610 and 1618 - Leiden, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsOccupation - Publisher - Abt 1616 - Leiden, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsEmigration - 3 Jul 1620 - Southampton, Hampshire, England Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDeparture - 5 Aug 1620 - Southampton, Hampshire, England Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsEmigration - 15 Aug 1620 - Southampton, Hampshire, England Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDeparture - 23 Aug 1620 - Dartmouth, Devon, England Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDeparture - 6 Sep 1620 - Plymouth, Devon, England Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsOrigin - - Leiden, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBurial - Apr 1644 - Burial Hill Cemetery, Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - 10 Apr 1644 - Duxbury, Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDeath - 10 Apr 1644 - Duxbury, Plymouth Colony, British Colonial America Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 

  • Notes 
    • began publishing books w/ Thomas Brewer from an upper floor (garret) of his house; used the Latin version of his street address, Vicus Chorali! Published 15-20 bks. before Dutch authorities (due to English ambassador) put them out of business.

      Occupations: abt 1584 - employed by diplomat William Davison "at (Queen Elizabeth's) Court" - meaning Brewster & Davison were part of grp. that moved w/ the Qn. from 1 palace to another


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