Christopher Martin
Encyclopedia
Christopher Martin was a Pilgrim and signer of the Mayflower Compact
.
Christopher Martin was born on an unknown date prior to 1582. He married Mary Prower, a widow, in Great Burstead
, Essex
, England
in February 1606 or 1607. Mary Martin was born around 1580, in the vicinity of Great Burstead, Billericay
. She had a son, named Solomon, from her previous marriage. She later bore Martin a son, whom they named Nathaniel, born in February 1609 or 1610, also in Billericay.
Christopher Martin was a merchant. He was a practicing Catholic, however in his early 30s, he came into conflict with Catholic
religious authorities for refusing to observe the Catholic ritual of kneeling at communion
. A similar incident, also involving Nathaniel, occurred at Archdeaconry Court at Chelmsford
in 1619.
Christopher Martin, Mary Martin and her son Solomon came to America on the Mayflower
, but all died during the first winter in Plymouth Colony
, during 1620-21.
Christopher Martin Had a son John Martin born in Essex in 1620 prior to the Mayflower departure. While en route to the new world Captain Jones of the Mayflower died and Christopher Martin also the Governor of the Mayflower assumed command. There was a storm that blew the ship off course and the Mayflower landed in what is now Provincetown, MA in November 1620. His son John survived the treacherous following winters and died in 1687. John Martin is my 12th Great Grandfather and Christopher Martin in my 13th Great Grandfather.
Mayflower Compact
The Mayflower Compact was the first governing document of Plymouth Colony. It was written by the colonists, later together known to history as the Pilgrims, who crossed the Atlantic aboard the Mayflower...
.
Christopher Martin was born on an unknown date prior to 1582. He married Mary Prower, a widow, in Great Burstead
Great Burstead
Great Burstead is an urban settlement in Essex, England - it is contiguous with the town of Billericay.By tradition, the origins of the church, St Mary Magdalene, at Great Burstead are linked to Saint Cedd. Cedd, a missionary monk and later Bishop of the East Saxons, was trained by the Celtic Saint...
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in February 1606 or 1607. Mary Martin was born around 1580, in the vicinity of Great Burstead, Billericay
Billericay
Billericay is a town and civil parish in the Basildon borough of Essex, England. It lies within the London Basin, has a population of 40,000, and constitutes a commuter town east of central London. The town has three secondary schools and a variety of open spaces...
. She had a son, named Solomon, from her previous marriage. She later bore Martin a son, whom they named Nathaniel, born in February 1609 or 1610, also in Billericay.
Christopher Martin was a merchant. He was a practicing Catholic, however in his early 30s, he came into conflict with Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
religious authorities for refusing to observe the Catholic ritual of kneeling at communion
Eucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
. A similar incident, also involving Nathaniel, occurred at Archdeaconry Court at Chelmsford
Chelmsford
Chelmsford is the county town of Essex, England and the principal settlement of the borough of Chelmsford. It is located in the London commuter belt, approximately northeast of Charing Cross, London, and approximately the same distance from the once provincial Roman capital at Colchester...
in 1619.
Christopher Martin, Mary Martin and her son Solomon came to America on the Mayflower
Mayflower
The Mayflower was the ship that transported the English Separatists, better known as the Pilgrims, from a site near the Mayflower Steps in Plymouth, England, to Plymouth, Massachusetts, , in 1620...
, but all died during the first winter in Plymouth Colony
Plymouth Colony
Plymouth Colony was an English colonial venture in North America from 1620 to 1691. The first settlement of the Plymouth Colony was at New Plymouth, a location previously surveyed and named by Captain John Smith. The settlement, which served as the capital of the colony, is today the modern town...
, during 1620-21.
Christopher Martin Had a son John Martin born in Essex in 1620 prior to the Mayflower departure. While en route to the new world Captain Jones of the Mayflower died and Christopher Martin also the Governor of the Mayflower assumed command. There was a storm that blew the ship off course and the Mayflower landed in what is now Provincetown, MA in November 1620. His son John survived the treacherous following winters and died in 1687. John Martin is my 12th Great Grandfather and Christopher Martin in my 13th Great Grandfather.
References
This information was obtained from over 60 hours of genealogy research from articles posted in ancestry.com.Resources
- Thru the Looking Glass. (n.d.). Christopher Martin
- MayflowerHistory.com. (n.d.) Passenger List, Mary Prower Martin;
- Morrison, S.E. (1976). Of Plymouth Plantation, 1620-1647 by William Bradford, New York: Alfred Knopf.