Chapter 1
pg 1
pg 1
Summers Past
by : Nelson Teichmann
by : Nelson Teichmann
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In vessels like this settlers
traveled to the
17th-century colony in
Maryland. The Ark and the
Dove took the first
Pilgrims to Maryland in
1633. Our John Summers
was transported in a very
similar vessel named the
Cecilius in 1671. Therefore
our John Summers landed
in America over 335 years
ago.
traveled to the
17th-century colony in
Maryland. The Ark and the
Dove took the first
Pilgrims to Maryland in
1633. Our John Summers
was transported in a very
similar vessel named the
Cecilius in 1671. Therefore
our John Summers landed
in America over 335 years
ago.
Our first Summers ancestor arrived on or just before December 18th
in 1671 (over 335 years ago). This is documented by the fact that
we have a copy of the record of Captain John Body proving his right
to six hundred acres of land for “transporting there twelve persons
into this Province to Inhabite”. (See attached photocopy). One of
these persons was our John Summers.
I would like to now relate what it was like for a person like our John
Summers to go from England to Maryland at this period of time. It
was a long difficult journey filled with all kinds of risks.
Actually a first hand account of such a voyage was written by Father
Andrew White. He wrote “A briefe Relation of the Voyage Unto
Maryland”. I purchased a copy from the Maryland Hall of Records
several years ago. A synopsis of the journal is printed in “Maryland
…at the beginning”. The following are excerpts from “Maryland …at
the beginning” This publication is by Carr,Menard & Peddicord. Its
authors among the forefront in historical scholarship in Maryland
history.
in 1671 (over 335 years ago). This is documented by the fact that
we have a copy of the record of Captain John Body proving his right
to six hundred acres of land for “transporting there twelve persons
into this Province to Inhabite”. (See attached photocopy). One of
these persons was our John Summers.
I would like to now relate what it was like for a person like our John
Summers to go from England to Maryland at this period of time. It
was a long difficult journey filled with all kinds of risks.
Actually a first hand account of such a voyage was written by Father
Andrew White. He wrote “A briefe Relation of the Voyage Unto
Maryland”. I purchased a copy from the Maryland Hall of Records
several years ago. A synopsis of the journal is printed in “Maryland
…at the beginning”. The following are excerpts from “Maryland …at
the beginning” This publication is by Carr,Menard & Peddicord. Its
authors among the forefront in historical scholarship in Maryland
history.
| Chapter 1 The Voyage from England |
It was November 22, 1633.
The Pilgrims were bracing for their fourteenth New England winter. The new
colony at Massachusetts Bay had survived its third year in good condition. In the
Virginia colony, first settled over twenty-five years before, disease still brought
early death to many, but there was peace and a reasonably orderly life after many
early troubles.
That morning the first Maryland colonists were assembled on the ship Ark
and the pinnace Dove anchored at Cowes, England. They were undoubtedly little
concerned at that moment with these and other facts about those who had col
onized before them. They were doubtless consumed with just one thought: the
dangers of the voyage to the New World and of the life that awaited them in a
wilderness.
17th-century English life. Seventeen were gentlemen who were investing in the
enterprise. They were paying the way of the others, who for a while would work
for them as servants. A handful of women were aboard, but there is no record of
any small children. Most or all of the gentlemen were Roman Catholics, the ser
vants largely Protestant. Lord Baltimore, the proprietor-that is, the owner of the
These 140-odd settlers and adventurers were a mixed lot from all walks of
Maryland grant-was not among the leaders. He had hoped to go, but he had to
stay in England to defend the charter that gave him the right to settle a colony in
Maryland. He sent a younger brother, Leonard Calvert, as chief leader of this first
expedition.
The departure for Maryland had been scheduled next for mid-September,
then early October; finally the two small ships had sailed from London in mid-
October. But, then, they had been detained near the mouth of the Thames because
the passengers had not taken an oath of allegiance to the king. Finally, about Oc-
tober 27, 128 people aboard the Ark and the Dove took the allegiance oath.
Possibly some Roman Catholics had hid themselves either on shore or somewhere
in the two ships to avoid the oath-taking ceremony. The three Jesuit priests known
to be aboard very likely had done so, and many or all of the seventeen gentlemen
investors may also have escaped the oaths. The actual count of passengers may ,
have ranged between 131 and 148 people, possibly a handful more.
The two ships had then sailed to Cowes on the Isle of Wight before leaving
for the crossing of the Atlantic. Like other 17th-century vessels, Lord Baltimore's
ship must have been cramped and uncomfortable during the four-month sea
voyage to Maryland. If any passengers had cabins, they were the gentlemen
investors. The rest of the men and the handful of women were confined for the
most part to the lower deck of the Ark. Although the Ark was a large vessel
for her day, at least 300 "tuns burthen," this was a space perhaps no more than
100 feet long and 30 feet wide at its widest point. Here all slept, ate, and lived
side by side, with no privacy for the full voyage. Watersoaked bedding, mo-
notonous food, and the close quarters of so many travelers in a confined space
probably made the journey across the Atlantic an ordeal for many of the pas-
sengers. But most survived.
All had come equipped for a new life in America. The advice given to
those who would adventure to a New World colony recommended that sup-
plies be taken to last a year, and the Calvert expedition seems to have been
careful to do so. In 1635, Lord Baltimore published a promotional pamphlet
that listed what was needed. If he followed these instructions, quantities of
meal, oatmeal, salt peas, oil, jugs of vinegar, and some sugar, spice, and dried
fruit were laid in for each settler before the ships left. Clothing, tools, guns,
bullets, fishing lines and nets, and seeds to sew in the Maryland soil were also
included. For the voyage itself, ship biscuit and beer were the usual fare, with a
little dried meat and cheese. The gentlemen investors no doubt supplied
themselves with extras-wines, conserves, pickled meats, lemons, perhaps
even some live chickens.
Storms and pirates threatened every voyage across the North Atlantic,
and passengers nearly always found occasion at some point to pray for God's
help. The Ark and the Dove did not escape. Father Andrew White, a Jesuit
priest on board the Ark, has left a vivid account of the voyage. During the first
days after departing from Cowes, the ships encountered dangerous weather. w
The first night a calm forced the two vessels to anchor in a nearby harbor. But
a strong wind arose and drove another ship upon the Dove, which at 50 tons
or less was much the smaller of the two vessels, forcing the Dove to cut her anchor
and take to sea. The captain of the Ark felt that he had no choice but to follow. If the
Dove sailed on alone, the risk of disaster was high-Turkish pirates might even seize
her. So the captain threw off his lines and sailed into the treacherous open sea.
The Pilgrims were bracing for their fourteenth New England winter. The new
colony at Massachusetts Bay had survived its third year in good condition. In the
Virginia colony, first settled over twenty-five years before, disease still brought
early death to many, but there was peace and a reasonably orderly life after many
early troubles.
That morning the first Maryland colonists were assembled on the ship Ark
and the pinnace Dove anchored at Cowes, England. They were undoubtedly little
concerned at that moment with these and other facts about those who had col
onized before them. They were doubtless consumed with just one thought: the
dangers of the voyage to the New World and of the life that awaited them in a
wilderness.
17th-century English life. Seventeen were gentlemen who were investing in the
enterprise. They were paying the way of the others, who for a while would work
for them as servants. A handful of women were aboard, but there is no record of
any small children. Most or all of the gentlemen were Roman Catholics, the ser
vants largely Protestant. Lord Baltimore, the proprietor-that is, the owner of the
These 140-odd settlers and adventurers were a mixed lot from all walks of
Maryland grant-was not among the leaders. He had hoped to go, but he had to
stay in England to defend the charter that gave him the right to settle a colony in
Maryland. He sent a younger brother, Leonard Calvert, as chief leader of this first
expedition.
The departure for Maryland had been scheduled next for mid-September,
then early October; finally the two small ships had sailed from London in mid-
October. But, then, they had been detained near the mouth of the Thames because
the passengers had not taken an oath of allegiance to the king. Finally, about Oc-
tober 27, 128 people aboard the Ark and the Dove took the allegiance oath.
Possibly some Roman Catholics had hid themselves either on shore or somewhere
in the two ships to avoid the oath-taking ceremony. The three Jesuit priests known
to be aboard very likely had done so, and many or all of the seventeen gentlemen
investors may also have escaped the oaths. The actual count of passengers may ,
have ranged between 131 and 148 people, possibly a handful more.
The two ships had then sailed to Cowes on the Isle of Wight before leaving
for the crossing of the Atlantic. Like other 17th-century vessels, Lord Baltimore's
ship must have been cramped and uncomfortable during the four-month sea
voyage to Maryland. If any passengers had cabins, they were the gentlemen
investors. The rest of the men and the handful of women were confined for the
most part to the lower deck of the Ark. Although the Ark was a large vessel
for her day, at least 300 "tuns burthen," this was a space perhaps no more than
100 feet long and 30 feet wide at its widest point. Here all slept, ate, and lived
side by side, with no privacy for the full voyage. Watersoaked bedding, mo-
notonous food, and the close quarters of so many travelers in a confined space
probably made the journey across the Atlantic an ordeal for many of the pas-
sengers. But most survived.
All had come equipped for a new life in America. The advice given to
those who would adventure to a New World colony recommended that sup-
plies be taken to last a year, and the Calvert expedition seems to have been
careful to do so. In 1635, Lord Baltimore published a promotional pamphlet
that listed what was needed. If he followed these instructions, quantities of
meal, oatmeal, salt peas, oil, jugs of vinegar, and some sugar, spice, and dried
fruit were laid in for each settler before the ships left. Clothing, tools, guns,
bullets, fishing lines and nets, and seeds to sew in the Maryland soil were also
included. For the voyage itself, ship biscuit and beer were the usual fare, with a
little dried meat and cheese. The gentlemen investors no doubt supplied
themselves with extras-wines, conserves, pickled meats, lemons, perhaps
even some live chickens.
Storms and pirates threatened every voyage across the North Atlantic,
and passengers nearly always found occasion at some point to pray for God's
help. The Ark and the Dove did not escape. Father Andrew White, a Jesuit
priest on board the Ark, has left a vivid account of the voyage. During the first
days after departing from Cowes, the ships encountered dangerous weather. w
The first night a calm forced the two vessels to anchor in a nearby harbor. But
a strong wind arose and drove another ship upon the Dove, which at 50 tons
or less was much the smaller of the two vessels, forcing the Dove to cut her anchor
and take to sea. The captain of the Ark felt that he had no choice but to follow. If the
Dove sailed on alone, the risk of disaster was high-Turkish pirates might even seize
her. So the captain threw off his lines and sailed into the treacherous open sea.