According to William Bradford, John Crackstone was a signer of the Mayflower Compact and would be one of the first deaths within the Plymouth Colony.
Crackstone and his son set sail on the Speedwell that left from Holland to the New World. Unfortunately, the Speedwell sprung a leak, and it could not be fixed. This forced the passengers of the ship to merge with the Mayflower passengers.
After arriving at Plymouth Rock, he signed the Mayflower Compact but would not survive the first winter.
William Bradford recalled the death of John Crackstone and his son:
John Crakston dyed in the first mortality, and about some 5 or 6 years after, his sone dyed; having lost him selfe in the wodes, his feet became frosen, which put him into a feavor, of which he dyed.
Early Life
The birth of John Crackstone has been estimated at about 1575 based on the fact he was a witness to the marriage of his daughter, Anna, to Thomas Smith in Leiden, Holland, on December 12, 1618.
Anna Crackstone's marriage record describes her as a spinster from Colchester; thus, it is assumed her father, John, was also from Colchester before coming to Leiden.
An extensive search of the Colchester records found very little to advance the knowledge of his ancestry.
Although John Crackstone Sr. was married, his wife’s name is unknown. She was never mentioned in the Dutch records, and she did not accompany him on the Mayflower, so it is presumed she died possibly before he left England and went to Holland.
Because the Crackstone surname is unusual and extremely rare in England, there is a marriage record at the parish of Stratford St. Mary, Suffolk, of a John Crackston to Catherine Bates on 9 May 1594.
This marriage would fit very well with the assumed date for John Crackstone's birth of 1575 as well as the approximate dates of birth for his children, Anna, born about 1600, and John, born about 1602.
It is not proven, but "almost certainly" the marriage of the Mayflower passenger. (wikitree)
John Crackstone Family Chart
Parents: Unknown
Siblings: Unknown
Spouse: Unknown
Children:
John Crackstone
Anna Crackstone
Conclusion
John Crackstone died in obscurity, and most will never know his name and what he attempted. However, it was brave of him to journey to an unknown land with his son to just take a chance at a better life.
His life and death are a testimony to how hard it was to colonize the New World. He did not come to steal land but just for a better life.
His sacrifice, although obscure, should be remembered as should the other Pilgrims who perished during those first few years.
Without their desire to find a better life, America would not have become what it did.