Also see: The ships Anne and Little James
In the spring of 1623 about 90 passengers embarked in two small ships sailing from London to Plymouth Colony for the purpose of providing settlers and other colony support. These were the 140-ton supply ship Anne and the smaller, new 44-ton pinnace Little James which had been outfitted for military service. They were financed by Thomas Weston's investment group, the Merchant Adventurers, also those who financed in 1620 and in 1621. After a three-month voyage, Anne arrived in Plymouth, per Bradford, on July 10, 1623 and Little James a week or ten days later. After this voyage Anne was to return to its regular cargo shipping work and Little James was to remain in the colony for fishing, cargo and military service. Annes master was William Peirce and Little James had two young men in charge – Master John Bridges, master mariner, and a novice captain, Emmanuel Altham, a Merchant Adventurer.Charles Edward Banks, The English Ancestry and Homes of the Pilgrim Fathers: who came to Plymouth on the Mayflower in 1620, the Fortune in 1621, and the Anne and the Little James in 1623 (Baltimore, MD.:Genealogical Publishing Co., 2006) pp. 133, 135, 169Eugene Aubrey Stratton, Plymouth Colony: Its History and People, 1620-1691 (Salt Lake City:Ancestry Publishing 1986) p. 34Nathaniel Philbrick, Mayflower: A story of Courage, Community and War (New York: Viking, 2006), p. 156Nick Bunker, Making Haste from Babylon: The Mayflower Pilgrims and their New World a History (New York: Knopf 2010), pp. 332-333
Passenger composition Of the 90-odd passengers, there were about 60 men, women and children total in both ships, many being former English Separatist residents of Leiden, Holland, and with about 30 others being part of an independent emigrant group led by John Oldham. This later group had been promised a separate living situation in Plymouth apart from the main settlement.Charles Edward Banks, The English Ancestry and Homes of the Pilgrim Fathers: who came to Plymouth on the Mayflower in 1620, the Fortune in 1621, and the Anne and the Little James in 1623 (Baltimore, MD.:Genealogical Publishing Co., 2006) p. 135
There are no separate passenger lists for each ship, as those that sailed in these ships were grouped together in records under Anne when the official land division was made in 1623 with assignment of acreage lots by name. But author Charles Banks did identify at least four men, three with families, who were passengers on Little James. These totaled about 14 persons. Banks also states that it is possible Little James had more passengers, but due to size it could not accommodate many. Additionally, eight wives accompanied their husbands on these two ships, along with twelve children most brought over by their parents of at least two of whom were Patience and Fear Brewster, daughters of William and Mary Brewster, who had arrived on the Mayflower.Charles Edward Banks, The English Ancestry and Homes of the Pilgrim Fathers: who came to Plymouth on the Mayflower in 1620, the Fortune in 1621, and the Anne and the Little James in 1623 (Baltimore, MD.:Genealogical Publishing Co., 2006) pp. 169-173, 178
Association with Mayflower In the contingent on board Anne were about 15 persons associated in some way with Mayflower passengers who had come over in 1620. Some joined husbands or future husbands: Hester Cooke, Bridget Fuller, Alice (Carpenter) Southworth who married William Bradford, Elizabeth Warren and Barbara Standish. Another had been the spouse of a now-deceased Pilgrim – Sarah Priest Cuthbertson. There were other passengers who married Mayflower passengers after arrival: Fear Brewster/Isaac Allerton, Mary Becket/George Soule, Christian Penn/Francis Eaton & Francis Billington, Experience Mitchell/Jane Cooke, Nicholas Snow/Constance Hopkins, Sarah Warren/John Cooke, Robert Bartlett/Mary Warren. And there were Mary and Sarah Priest, the daughters of the deceased Pilgrim Degory Priest, who had arrived from Leiden and later married Phineas Pratt and John Coombs respectively.
Emigrant condition Bradford states that some of the new settlers were useful persons and became “good members to the body”, some being the wives and children of men there already, some since the Fortune came over in 1621. But Bradford also related about those unfit for such a hardship settlement: “And some were so bad, as they were faine to be at charge to send them home again next year.” And the state of the passengers is relayed in an apologetic letter sent by Robert Cushman, former Leiden agent in London, to Bradford: “… It greeveth me to see so weake a company sent you, and yet had I not been here they had been weaker…Shuch and shuch came without my constente: but the importunitie of their freinds got promise of our Treasurer in my absence.”Charles Edward Banks, The English Ancestry and Homes of the Pilgrim Fathers: who came to Plymouth on the Mayflower in 1620, the Fortune in 1621, and the Anne and the Little James in 1623 (Baltimore, MD.:Genealogical Publishing Co., 2006) pp. 135-136
From these statements it can be learned the reason that so many of the first arrivals disappeared from Plymouth after a few years of experiencing that hardship existence. Many of the emigrants on the Anne and Little James would eventually be sent back to England as unfit for the task of living and working in a harsh colonial environment.Eugene Aubrey Stratton, Plymouth Colony: Its History and People, 1620-1691 (Salt Lake City:Ancestry Publishing 1986) p. 24
Anne passengers Anthony Annable – Married Jane Momford in Cambridge 1619. Had four acres in 1623 land division (as Anthony Anable). In the 1627 'Division of Cattle' the four Annables shared "one red heyfer" and "two shee goats" which they shared with the other eight people in their lot #8 including the three Brownes, the three Fullers, two Fords, and Damaris Hopkins. This group received "halfe" of another animal in "consideration" for sharing with the "poore". Annable was also a Member of the 1626 Purchaser investment group. Died 1674.Charles Edward Banks, The English Ancestry and Homes of the Pilgrim Fathers: who came to Plymouth on the Mayflower in 1620, the Fortune in 1621, and the Anne and the Little James in 1623 (Baltimore, MD.:Genealogical Publishing Co., 2006) pp. 137, 179Eugene Aubrey Stratton, Plymouth Colony: Its History and People, 1620-1691 (Salt Lake City:Ancestry Publishing 1986) p. 235 Jane Annable (wife) d. 1643 Hannah Annable (daughter) Sarah Annable (daughter) Edward Bangs – Born c.1591 - 86 in 1677. Per Banks he was of Panfield, Essex, son of John and Jane (Chavis) Bangs. Shipwright by occupation. The 1623 land division lists four shares for him under "Bangs." From that it is thought that he may have had a family of wife and two children with him on Anne that are mysteriously missing in the 1627 'Division of Cattle'. In lot #12, he appears as single along with six members of the Hickes family, five members of the Jenes family, and with another single man, Stephen Deane. This lot shared "the great whyte backt cow which came over on the "Anne", to which cow, the keeping of the bull was joyned, and two shee goats". It can only be surmised that something happened to them between 1623 and 1627 as he (re)married after 1627. Member of the 1626 Purchaser investment group as "Edward Banges." He was with those chosen to lay out twenty-acre lots in the 1627 division. After 1627 married Lydia Hicks, daughter of Robert and Margaret Hicks, having been fellow passengers with him on Anne in 1623. Died 1677. Three members of his family that may have been with him as counted in the 1623 land division: (Mrs) ___ Bangs – possibly died before 1627. (child) Bangs (child) BangsEugene Aubrey Stratton, Plymouth Colony: Its History and People, 1620-1691 (Salt Lake City:Ancestry Publishing 1986) p. 238Charles Edward Banks, The English Ancestry and Homes of the Pilgrim Fathers: who came to Plymouth on the Mayflower in 1620, the Fortune in 1621, and the Anne and the Little James in 1623 (Baltimore, MD.:Genealogical Publishing Co., 2006) pp. 138, 180 Robert Bartlett – Cooper (barrel maker) by occupation. Believed to be from Devon, born c. 1603. May have arrived as a servant. One share in the 1623 land division as "Robt Bartlet." Married c. 1629 Mary, daughter of Mayflower passenger Richard Warren. She was also passenger on Anne. Died 1676.Charles Edward Banks, The English Ancestry and Homes of the Pilgrim Fathers: who came to Plymouth on the Mayflower in 1620, the Fortune in 1621, and the Anne and the Little James in 1623 (Baltimore, MD.:Genealogical Publishing Co., 2006) pp 139, 177Eugene Aubrey Stratton, Plymouth Colony: Its History and People, 1620-1691 (Salt Lake City:Ancestry Publishing 1986) p. 241 Mary Buckett – until recently nothing has been known of her ancestry. But in the December 2013 Mayflower Quarterly, author Caleb Johnson reports new findings based on his research in England. He believes that she may be Mary Beckett, baptized February 24, 1605 at St. Mary, Watford, Hertfordshire, the daughter of John Beckett and Ann Alden. In Plymouth she was a single woman in the 1623 land division as "Marie Buckett." Married prior to 1627 Mayflower passenger George Soule. In the 1627 'Division of Cattle' she is listed as "Mary Sowle" with husband George and son Zachariah.Mayflower Quarterly, vol. 79, no. 4, pp. 318, 319Eugene Aubrey Stratton, Plymouth Colony: Its History and People, 1620-1691 (Salt Lake City:Ancestry Publishing 1986) pp. 243-244 Fear Brewster – Daughter of Elder William Brewster coming from Leiden. In the 1623 land division a portion was given to Fear Brewster along with her sister "Pacience Brewster" and Robert Long. Married Mayflower passenger Isaac Allerton in 1625 as his 2nd wife. She died in 1634.Caleb H. Johnson, The Mayflower and Her Passengers (Indiana: Xlibris Corp., copyright 2006 Caleb Johnson), p. 97 Patience Brewster – Daughter of Elder William Brewster coming from Leiden. Allotted a portion in the 1623 land division, with her sister Fear and Robert Long. Married Thomas Prence, passenger on Fortune in 1621 and future colony governor. Thomas Clark - Son of John and Mary (Morton) Clarke, baptized Stepney (London) c. 1599-1600. Came over as a young, unmarried man and was allotted one share in the 1623 (as Tho. Clarke) and 1627 divisions. Member of the 1626 Purchaser investment group. Married (1) Susanna Ring, daughter of Mary Ring who was the mother of all his children – William, Andrew, John, James, Susanna, and Nathaniel. Died in Plymouth 1697/8.Eugene Aubrey Stratton, Plymouth Colony: Its History and People, 1620-1691 (Salt Lake City:Ancestry Publishing 1986) p. 265Charles Edward Banks, The English Ancestry and Homes of the Pilgrim Fathers: who came to Plymouth on the Mayflower in 1620, the Fortune in 1621, and the Anne and the Little James in 1623 (Baltimore, MD.:Genealogical Publishing Co., 2006) pp. 140, 180 Christopher Conant – Baptized in East Budleigh, Devon in 1588, son of Richard and Agnes (Charles) Conant. Went to London in 1609 and became freeman in 1616. Lived in the London parish of St. Lawrence Jewry where his brother Roger Conant, the founder of Salem, Massachusetts, married. He had one share in the 1623 land division as "Christopher Connant". Not in the 1627 'Division of Cattle' and may have left with his brother. Living in Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630. Probably returned to England.Eugene Aubrey Stratton, Plymouth Colony: Its History and People, 1620-1691 (Salt Lake City:Ancestry Publishing 1986) p. 269Charles Edward Banks, The English Ancestry and Homes of the Pilgrim Fathers: who came to Plymouth on the Mayflower in 1620, the Fortune in 1621, and the Anne and the Little James in 1623 (Baltimore, MD.:Genealogical Publishing Co., 2006) pp. 141, 180