Edward Bangs: his arrival in Plymouth

Edward Bangs arrived in Plymouth on the Anne in 1623. Governor William Bradford tells of the ship’s arrival in Plymouth: “About fourteen days after came in this ship, called the Anne, whereof Mr. William Peirce was master; and about a week or ten days after came in the pinnace which, in foul weather, they lost at sea, a fine, new vessel of about 44 tun, which the Company had built to stay in the country. They brought about 60 persons for the General, some of them being very useful persons and became good members to the body; and some were the wives and children of such as were here already.” William Bradford, Of Plymouth Plantation 1620-1647, ed. Samuel Eliot Morison (New York: Knopf, 1991), p. 127.

Edward Bangs & the 1623 Division of Land:

The 1623 Division of Land marked the end of the Pilgrims’ earliest system of land held in common by all. Governor Bradford explains it in this way: “And so assigned to every family a parcel of land, according to the proportion of their number, for that end, only for present use (but made no division for inheritance) and ranged all boys and youth under some family. This had very good success, for it made all hands very industrious, so as much more corn was planted than otherwise would have been by any means the Governor or any other could use, and saved him a great deal of trouble, and gave far better content. The women now went willingly into the field, and took their little ones with them to set corn; which before would allege weakness and inability; whom to have compelled would have been thought great tyranny and oppression.” William Bradford, Of Plymouth Plantation 1620-1647, ed. Samuel Eliot Morison (New York: Knopf, 1991), p. 120. Plymouth Colony Records, Deeds, &c, Vol. I 1627-1651 is the oldest record book of the Plymouth settlement. It begins with the 1623 Division of Land, recorded in the handwriting of Governor William Bradford. It records not only the land holdings but also the names of those passengers who arrived in the Colony on the ships Fortune and Anne. The lands of “Bangs” were among those designated “their grounds which came over in the shipe called the Anne” and described it in this way “These following lye on the other side of the towne towards the eele-river.” A further division of land was accomplished in 1627. The allotments of land were laid out by six men: William Bradford, Edward

view the full list of documents here