The Mayflower ship brought 102 passengers to America in the 1600s, and 51 of them had children. Over 400 years and 11 generations later, these settlers are identified as the ancestors of over 34 million people. Many celebrities trace their heritage back to a pilgrim. This article is dedicated to the ancestors of these famous faces.
Alec Baldwin
Alec Baldwin descended from John Howland, an indentured servant who came on the Mayflower. He worked as an executive assistant to the first Governor, John Carver, who governed the colony through its first winter.
John Carver died in 1621, and his wife and only child died shortly after. Becoming a free man, John Howland married Elizabeth Tilley around 1624, and they had 10 children. Christopher Lloyd is another descendant of John Howland.
Bing Crosby
Bing Crosby descended from William Brewster, a religious leader and preacher who came on the Mayflower. He served as the colony’s religious leader as he became the most senior elder after landing in Plymouth.
Being the only university-educated person in the group, he also served as an adviser to William Bradford. Four of the islands of Boston Harbor, which he was granted in those times, still bear his name today.
Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe was a descendant of John Alden, who was a crew member on the Mayflower ship. As the ship’s cooper, his work was to maintain the barrels on the ship. John was one of the most memorable newcomers because he had the most descendants.
In Plymouth, he married Priscilla Mullins, a fellow passenger who had lost her entire family soon after their arrival to America. The couple had 11 children. Dick Van Dyke and Orson are also their descendants. John signed the Mayflower Compact; he outlived the others who signed the Compact.
Franklin Roosevelt
Franklin Roosevelt descended from Richard Warren, one of those who took part in the ‘first encounter.’ While several Mayflower crew members were sick aboard, Richard was one of those who went out in exploration parties under harsh conditions.
Richard was a lone passenger on the Mayflower. He brought his wife and daughters in 1623 after ensuring the colony was suitable. Richard Gere and Ulysses S. Grant are also notable descendants of Richard Warren.
Clint Eastwood
Clint Eastwood is a descendant of a Plymouth governor, William Bradford. The description ‘pilgrim’ came from his journal, which he used to record the group’s voyage some years later. He also kept a detailed history of the Plymouth Plantation, which remains the oldest record of the colony’s activities.
He lost his wife, Dorothy, when she fell or jumped overboard the ship. From 1621 to 1632, William Bradford served as colony governor– he played a major part in planning the first Thanksgiving. Christopher Reeve and Hugh Heffner are also his descendants.
