THE DESCENDANTS OF EARLY SETTLERS IN MASSACHUSETTS [To the Editor
of the SPECTATOR.]
Sia,—May I reply to Mrs. E. F. Gray's letter in your issue Of October 26th, asking for information about the family of one of these early settlers ? John Carver, Governor of Plymouth Bay Colony, has no descendants. He married Catherine White of Sturton-le-Steeple, Notts, and had two children, both of whom died young, before he went to America. Robinson married a sister of Catherine's.
John Carver had an elder brother, whose descendants are still living in America. Unfortunately, however, these descendants do not know the name of this brother. One of these descendants has given me the following details of his parentage :—
" Wo are descended from the elder brother of John Carver.
The story handed down to us is elder brother left with the Pilgrims in their first attempt to come to America in the Speedwell, John being left behind to take care of his aged mother, Katherine, who was too old to travel. This was in 1619. The ship proved unseaworthy, and put back, so the expedition was abandoned for that year. During that winter the elder brother died. The following spring (1620), when the Pilgrims again set forth in the Mayflower, the elder brother's son was left in charge of his grand- mother, and John was placed in charge of the expedition. The old lady lived until 1636, when our ancestor came oeer to Plymouth Colony, settling in Marshfield. The old family place in Marshfield has been in the hands of Carvers ever since, although it is a good many generations ago since my ancestors left Marshfield, and went to Maine."
This family of Carver apparently came from Norfolk. John Carver of the ' Mayflower ' originally went to Middle- burgh (Holland) from Norwich in 1581, then to Naarden in 1592, Amsterdam in 1596, and to Leyden in 1596, where he stayed until 1618. With regard to the " Son of the elder brother " who went to Plymouth Colony in 1636, I have a record of Richard Carver, farmer, of Skratley (? part of Ormsby) Norfolk, having migrated to New England in 1637 with his wife Grace and two daughters, Elizabeth and Susanah.
Should any of your readers have any records of this family I shall be very grateful if they will communicate them to me. I have written to my Carver friend in America and asked him to communicate direct with Mrs. Gray, at Boston.I am, Sir, &c., Royal Empire Society, Northumberland Avenue, W.C. 2. H. D. CARVER,
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