Edward Fuller (1575-1620/21)
I trace my ancestry to Edward Fuller through the line of
my grandmother, Annetta May Jones,
wife of Charlie Burton Thornburg.
Edward Fuller came to Plymouth in the Mayflower, 1620, with his wife, a son, and his brother Samuel. Edward was the 21st signer of the Mayflower Compact which was signed in the Cabin of the Mayflower, Nov. 11th, Old Style, Nov. 21st, New Style, 1620. The document shows the location as “Cap-Codd.”
Why was there a need for a legal document? Northern Virginia, the intended destination, was governed by the English. But the crew of the Mayflower sighted land off of Cape Cod on November 19 and chose to set anchor there. This was well to the North of their intended destination and not covered by the patent granting permission to settle. The Pilgrims realized that if they settled in this location, there would be no government in place. The passengers therefore entered into the Mayflower Compact.
The day
following the business of the Mayflower
Compact was the Sabbath, and the Pilgrims spent that day on board the ship,
giving thanks for their safe and successful journey to the New World. Over the
next weeks, they explored more along the coastline, and on December 31, they anchored
at a harbor now known as Plymouth Harbor. They explored the harbor for three
days, eventually deciding on the location of Plymouth as the best suited.
Edward and
Samuel were sons of Robert Fuller, a butcher of Redenhall, Norfolk,
England. It is recorded that in 1588,
Robert Fuller made a contribution towards the purchase of the sixth of the
famous chimes of eight bells in St. Mary's Church at Redenhall. Edward was baptized there on 4 September 1575. Robert’s
first wife Sara Dunkhorn who died in 1584was the mother of Edward and Samuel.
Named in Robert’s will was a second wife, Frances.
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| St. Mary's Church, Redenhall Fuller Family Records are located here. http://www.hullhome.com/Fuller.genealogy.htm |
Redenhall was
about 25 miles from the English home of John Robinson, prominent
elder and pastor of the Pilgrims. It is likely that the Fuller family had heard
and been influenced by Robinson’s preaching, probably accounting for their
joining the pilgrimage to a new land for the sake of religious liberty.
Initially,
the plan for the pilgrimage voyage to America was to travel in two ships. Speedwell was to bring some passengers from Holland
to England, then on to America where it would be kept for a fishing business,
with a crew hired for support services during the first year. A second larger
ship, Mayflower, was leased for transport and
exploration services. In July 1620, Speedwell departed Delfshaven with the Leiden colonists. Reaching Southampton, Hampshire, they met with Mayflower and the additional colonists hired by
the investors.
With final
arrangements made, the two vessels set out on August 5 (Old Style)/August 15 (New Style). Soon after, the Speedwell
crew reported that their
ship was taking in water, so both were diverted to Dartmouth, Devon. There it was inspected for leaks and
sealed, but a second attempt to depart also failed, bringing them only so far
as Plymouth, Devon.
It was decided that Speedwell
was untrustworthy, and
it was sold. The ship's master and some of the crew transferred to Mayflower for the trip, with supplies
consolidated. Of the 121 combined
passengers, 102 were chosen to travel on Mayflower, departing September 6 (Old
Style)/September 16 (New Style).
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| Mayflower II, a replica |
Less than
half of the 102 passengers came to the New World for religious reasons. These
were the Separatists, many being followers of Robert Browne, a famous dissenter
from the Church of England. The initial Leiden group had gone to Holland in
1608 from the general region of England where Nottinghamshire, Yorkshire and
Lincolnshire meet (from towns like Scrooby and Austerfield.) Over time,
additional members arrived and had joined the church in Leiden, especially from
Separatist groups from Canterbury and Sandwich, Kent; Norwich and Yarmouth,
Norfolk; Colchester, Essex; and London. As passengers in the Mayflower, the Leiden group are usually
referred to as “saints.”
The rest of
the Mayflower complement was made up
of “strangers,” mostly members of the Church of England who came from London
and southeast England, hired by the Merchant Adventurers, sponsors of the
voyage, to settle in the colony. This
second group, the London Group, were associated with the investors who were
putting their money into the joint-stock company the Pilgrims were using to
fund their voyage. Some had Puritan sentiments. Some were relatives of the
Leiden group, but who had not made the migration to Holland. Some simply wanted
to start a new life with new opportunities.
Also aboard the ship were servants and hired hands.
 |
| Mayflower II, a replica |
Historians
have attempted to list the names of the Mayflower
passengers in categories based on research. One of my lists shows as
“strangers” the names (1)Edward Fuller, (2)Ann Fuller, his wife, (3)Samuel
Fuller, their son. Among the “saints” in that listing, is Samuel Fuller,
physician. A more recent list, made up of names only of the men, was compiled
for viewing at www.MayflowerHistory.com; it moves Edward Fuller over from the
London Group into the Leiden Group, next to his brother Samuel. [In Volume
Four, Mayflower Families Through Five
Generations, Bruce Campbell MacGunnigle explains, “ It has recently been
discovered that Edward and his unnamed wife were among the English Separatists
living in Leiden, Holland.” Edward is mentioned in Leiden Judicial Archives 79, L, Folio 172 verso.]
Edward and his
wife (name not known) had two sons—Matthew and Samuel. [James Savage calls
Edward’s wife Ann, but there is no known evidence that this was her name.] My descent is from the older brother Matthew
who was born in England, probably in about 1603. He did not embark in the Mayflower with his parents and brother,
but came with a later group of emigrants to the new colony, appearing on record
there in 1640, as head of a family. His marriage to Frances ___, had occurred
in England before 1630.
The following
appears in Bradford’s History of Plimouth
Plantation in the section titled Passengers of the Mayflower (1651)-- “Edward Fuller, and his wife, and Samuell,
their sonne.” Also recorded by Bradford was a listing for Edward’s brother
Samuel. Bradford further states: “Edward ffuller, and his wife dyed soon after
they came ashore; but their sonne Samuel is living, and married, and hath 4
children or more.” Edward died soon after 11 January 1620/1. This date is
confusing, but one must remember that before 1752, the year began on March 25th;
dates between Jaunary 1st and March 24th
were at the end of the year, not the beginning.
Edward’s
brother, the renowned doctor Samuel
Fuller, was able to render valuable service to both Plymouth Colony and the
Massachusetts Bay Colony in their fights against epidemics and heavy mortality
due to the privations of early colonial life. Edward’s orphaned son Samuel was
brought up by this uncle, Dr. Samuel Fuller, who died at Plymouth between 9 August 1633 and 26 September 1633. The next
year, young Samuel
was made freeman of the
Colony, and about that time removed to Scituate, where he was married, 8 April
1635, "ye 4th day of the weeke," by Captain Myles Standish, of
Plymouth, to Jane, daughter of the Reverend Mr. John Lothrop, who was then in charge
of the church at Scituate. In 1644, Samuel was admitted an
inhabitant of Barnstable, where he lived until his death, which occurred 31
October 1683.
My ancestor, Matthew
Fuller, was Edward’s older son. He came to America several years after the Mayflower voyage, probably bringing with him his wife
and several children. He arrived in Plymouth before 26 October 1640 at which
time he sold land lately purchased of John Gregory. Matthew was propounded a
freeman in 1642, served as a juryman, and was assigned ten acres of land. In
1643, he was chosen sergeant in the newly established “military discipline.” He
was termed “of Plymouth” in a quitclaim from Samuel Fuller on 16 March 1648. Matthew lived in Plymouth for about ten years, then
moved to Barnstable where by this time his brother Samuel was living. Records
in 1650 show Matthew residing in Barnstable, following the profession of physician, the first on
record in that locality.
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| Colonial Settlements in Massachusetts http://www.hullhome.com/Fuller.genealogy.htm |
In
Barnstable, Matthew Fuller took a noble stand in favor of religious toleration.
He lived near neighbors to some of the most prominent of the Quakers, and was
connected by marriage alliances with some who felt the severity of the laws
passed against the sect. He went so far as to censure this law in strong terms
in public. For this he was fined by the magistrates. Though indiscreet in
speech, the Court continued to confer offices of trust and honor upon him--a
most unusual course which shows that his honor and bravery were never doubted.
In his public and private life he was a man of sound judgment, of good
understanding, faithful in performance of duty, liberal in politics, tolerant
in religion.
In October
1652, the Court approved Matthew Fuller’s election as lieutenant of the
Barnstable militia. In published Plymouth Colony Land Records in 1667, he was
called Captain. On 17 December 1673, he was appointed Surgeon General of the Colony troops. He served
as captain of the Plymouth Colony forces during King Philip’s War.
Matthew
Fuller lived in the northwest corner of Barnstable at Scorton Neck and owned
land in Falmouth and Middleboro which had been granted to him by the Colony for
distinguished service. He died a wealthy man, for the times, leaving a lengthy
will, dated 25 July 1678. His inventory was dated 22 August, 1678. Transcripts
of both are recorded in the Plymouth
Colony Wills and Inventories, Volume III, Part II, Pages 127-129.
+ + +
The Pilgrims'
story of seeking religious freedom has become a central theme of the history
and culture of the United States. Researching the FULLER FAMILY has given me the
opportunity to personalize this part of my heritage and its associated history.
genieBev (genealogy Beverly)
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