State-Wide, NC - Perkins, First to America, 1631

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                             PERKINS
                       First of this name
                               on
                         American Shores
                              1631

Upon the 5 of February arrived here Mr. Peirce with the shipp Lyon
of Bristow the first of December before

Hee had a stormy passage hether, and lost one of his saylors not farr
from our shore who in a tempest, having helped to take in the spirit
saile, lost his hold as hee was comeigne downe and fell into the sea,
where after long swimming, hee was drowned, to the great dolour of
those in the shipp, who beheld so lamentable a spectable, without
being able to minister help to him

The sea was soe high and the shipp drove so fast before the wind,
though her sailes were taken down

And by the reports of those who came hether in this shipp to abide
with us (which were about 26) that those who went discontentedly
from us last yeare, have raised many false and scandalous reports
against us

Having followed up the clues to the four families mentioned in the
text the following incomplete list of the passengers of the Lyon
have been made up:

Mr. Roger Williams

Mrs. Mary Williams, his wife

John Perkins, aged 47

Judith Perkins, his wife, aged 42

John Perkins, Jr., son of John and Judith aged 22

Elizabeth Perkins, daughter of John and Judith aged 20

Mary Perkins, daughter of John and Judith aged 15

Ann Perkins, daughter of John and Judith aged 13

Thomas Perkins, son of John and Judith aged 9

Jacob Perkins, son of John and Judith aged 3

___ Onge

Francis Onge, son of ___ and Francis aged 6

Simon Onge, son of ___ and Francis aged ___

Jacob Onge, son of ___ and Francis aged ___

Thus accounting for fifteen out of the twenty-six passengers

The ship LYON had been one of the ten ships that brought the 700 members
of the Massachusettes Bay Colony under John Winthrop, Sr.

It is not comonly known that an advance party had preceeded to prepare
for the coming of the above party. The advance party had met with much
misfortune unprepared for above arrival so the colony was immediately
short of supplies

John Perkins had been one of the advance party. He returned to England
on the Lyon for supplies returning with his family

The Lyon carried only 26 passengers as it was loaded with 200 tons of
food and other supplies that saved the colony from starvation

The Roger Williams referred to is the historic American Rev. Roger
Williams who, opposing the Puritans, established Road Island. He is
responsible for the basis for separation of church and state in 
this country


[This record can be found at the NC Archives on the Mezzanine in the
"Perkins" vertical file and was contributed by Dow. W. Perkins]

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http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm

This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by
Dow. W. Perkins
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