John Turner was a passenger on the Mayflower and a signer of the Mayflower Compact. He was one of the original Pilgrims that arrived in Plymouth Colony.
There is little known about his time in England, but he must have suffered some persecution for his beliefs. He believed that the church was corrupt and the only way to serve the Lord faithfully was to separate from the Church of England.
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This led to persecution, which resulted in him leaving England for Leiden, Holland. Leiden was much more tolerant toward the Separatists.
It is believed he was one of the original men who left England for Leiden. He came to Leiden with William Bradford and William Brewster in 1610.
Turner's vocation as a merchant who traded between England and Holland allowed him to carry letters back and forth from the Separatists still in England to the Leiden congregation.
He continued this until he set sail on the Mayflower to the New World.
Family Overview
When John Turner left for the New World, he took his two young sons. His wife had either died or stayed behind. It is more likely she died because the boys were very young and would have most likely stayed behind with her.
He and his two sons would endure cramped quarters and unsanitary conditions and witness two deaths across the Atlantic Ocean.
Their original destination was the Virginia Colony, where Jamestown had been founded 15 years prior, but they were blown off course. Instead, they settled for Plymouth Rock and would have to endure a brutal New England winter that they were not prepared to handle.
While preparing to leave the Mayflower, he signed the Mayflower Compact.
He and his sons would die within the first winter. Prior to their death, there would be three other complete families that had been wiped out by the conditions: Martins, the Rigsdales, and the Tinkers.
John Turner would be survived by his daughter, who migrated to the New World later and lived in Salem. It is not known if she married or had children.
Family Tree Chart
Parents: Unknown
Spouse:
Unknown Wife - He had multiple children, but his wife's name is unknown, which suggests she probably died prior to the trip.
Children
Unkown Son (1615 - 1621)
Unkown Son (1615 - 1621)
Elizabeth Turner (1620) - Her birthdate is unknown, but she migrated over later in her life.
Siblings: Unknown