The Colonial Governors: John Carver (1620-21)

As of September of 2024, the Governor of  the state of Massachusetts is Maura Healey. She'll be the incumbent until at least the 2026 election coming up in two years. 405 years earlier, the state of Massachusetts wasn't even a state or a colony. When King James decided to form the Virginia Company in 1606, its mission was to colonize new worlds. That year, the Company landed on what's now known as Virginia in the United States, (the subject of the movie Pocahontas). In 1617, a group of men led by Leiden Separatist Robert Cushman wanted to lead another expedition to the "new world" to get away from the British national religion. 3 years later with the help of merchant mogul Thomas Weston, they got the financial backing to send the boat Mayflower to the new world. As fate would have it, they didn't land in Virginia. They landed on a rock in modern day Plymouth, Massachusetts. Thus, Plymouth Rock and the Plymouth Colony was formed in November of 1620.

                                                    The rock that started it all

Once they docked, the patrons onboard the Mayflower signed the Mayflower Compact. The first signer ended up being the first appointed Governor of the new colony, a man named John Carver. What was the Mayflower Compact? They still pledged loyalty to King James but wanted to be free to believe in any faith they wanted, hence why the new colony would be come as you are. Any time a Catholic or Christian says their way is the only way, tell them to stick it in their hat because the colony was literally founded on religious freedom.

                  "Dear King Jimmy, screw your religious persecution" - Plymouth Colony 1620

So who was John Carver? Was he a wealthy British monarch? Was he an archduke? Was he the Thane of Cawdor? Hell no. He was a Protestant Church Deacon in Leiden, Holland although he was born in England. Unfortunately his first family died in 1609 but he re-married a woman named Katherine while still remaining true to the church. He along with Robert Cushman engineered the voyage to the new world by getting the financial backing. Apparently Carver was named the "Governor" while the boat was still at sea.

         "Here's your money, now get outta here before I give ya a slap!" - Thomas Weston

Not surprisingly, the colony almost failed before it even got going. Whoever thought the Mayflower expedition landing on an unknown plot of land in the middle of the fall was a good idea deserved to be flogged. Massachusetts winters are bitterly cold and snowy today, and that's with modern medicine, shelter and filtered water. 400 years ago the pilgrims had to build their own shelter that wasn't meant to handle the bitter cold with scarce food, unvaccinated diseases and the odd rogue Native American to deal with. Half of the people from the Mayflower died either on the way or during that first winter. Still, in March of 1621 Governor Carver met Wampanoag Native Chief Massasoit and worked out a peace treaty to watch each other's backs. Unfortunately Carver wouldn't live long enough to enjoy the peace as he died in either April or May of 1621 at the age of 56. A month later, Katherine died too. Colonizing is a tough racket. Still, Carver was the first Governor and helped get the colony established. Pour one out for Johnny.

                                                          RIP John Carver 1565-1621