Tombstone Tuesday ~ Richard More, the Mayflower Bastard, Salem, Massachusetts

Both these tombstones were photographed at Burying Point, Salem, Massachusetts, 

also known as the Charter Street Cemetery

LYETH BURIED

YE BODY OF CAPt

RICHARD MORE

AGED 84 YEARS

DIED 1692

A MAYFLOWER PILGRIM

HODIE MIHI CRIAS TIBI*

CHRISTIAN WIFE

TO RICHARD MORE

AGED 60 YEARS

DECd MARCH Ye 18

1678

[* this latin translates to "Today me, tomorrow you"]

Richard More is one of the four More children who were put out to Mayflower passengers in 1620 as servants.  All the children were less than seven years old, and when Richard was placed into the custody of the Brewster family, he was about five years old.  He was the only one of the four siblings to survive the first winter in the New World.  This was the result of a custody battle between his parents.  His father accused his mother of adultery, and none of the children were his.  But since he was legally their parent he turned them over to Mayflower passengers, with the promise that they would receive land in Plymouth Colony.

The story of Richard More and his siblings was told very admirably in the book The Mayflower Bastard, by David Lindsay, St. Martin's Press, New York, 2002.  It is a true soap opera of a story, and for all the interesting details you should read the book.  When Richard was of age he became the apprentice to Isaac Allerton, another Mayflower passenger and my 11 x great grandfather.  Allerton lived in Salem and Marblehead after he was thrown out of Plymouth (another soap opera).  Allerton was a business man who returned to England many times during his lifetime.

Richard Moore, married three times. His first wife was Christian Hunter in 1636, my 10x great aunt.  She was daughter of my 11 x great grandparents, of unknown names, and sister of my 10x great grandmother, Elizabeth Hunter (abt 1614 - 1689) who married Humphrey Woodbury (1609 - 1689) of Beverly, Massachusetts.  His second wife was a bigamous relationship in England, while he was traveling abroad, and this third wife was from Salem.  The first and third wife are buried in Salem.  I told you it was quite a soap opera!

The last two lines on Richard More's tombstone were added in the early 20th century.  The year 1692 was apparently a guess, and the words "A Mayflower Pilgrim" are not original. I found an article in the Greenfield, Massachusetts newspaper Greenfield Gazette, 18 December 1920, page 7 that describes his tombstone without the last two lines. This article was printed on the 300th anniversary of the landing of the Mayflower.  Perhaps that anniversary prompted someone to alter Richard More's stone? That same year, the Boston Globe reported on 24 October 1920 that the Mayflower Society was adding the name of the boy passenger, Richard More, to the list of approved passengers, and his descendants would be eligible for membership.

Richard More is thought to be the last male living passenger of the Mayflower.  His gravestone is also thought to be the only gravestone in it's original spot (never moved) and contemporary to the time of death (not placed by descendants or a family association years later).  It has been encased in concrete as a move towards preservation.  Richard More's aristocratic parents left him a legacy of royal ancestors, including William the Conqueror, Henry I, Henry II, King John, Henry III, Edward I, Edward II, Edward III and many members of the nobility.  Both his parents were Mores.  Most of his descendants eligible for membership in the Mayflower society are through is daughter Susanna, who married Samuel Dutch.

Genealogy:

Richard More, son of Jacobe Blakeway and Katharine More (wife of Samuel More), baptized 13 November 1614 in Shipton, Shropshire, England, and died between 19 March 1694 and 20 April 1696 in Salem, Massachusetts; married first on 20 October 1636 to Christian Hunter; married second (while still married to the first wife) on 23 October 1645 in England to Elizabeth Woolnough; married third after 1675 to Jane Hollingsworth, widow of Samuel Crumpton.

Seven children with Christian Hunter, all born in Salem:
1. Samuel More, baptized 6 March 1642; married Sarah Unknown
2. Thomas More, baptized 6 March 1642
3. Caleb More, baptized 31 March 1643/4
4. Richard More, baptized 2 Jan 1648; married Sarah Unknown
5. Joshua More, baptized 3 March 1646
6. Susanna More, baptized 12 May 1650; married 1 Samuel Dutch, 2 Richard Hutton 3 John Knowlton
2. Christian More, baptized 5 September 1652, married Joshua Conant

One daughter with Elizabeth Woolnough
1. Elizabeth More, born about 1638; no further information

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Copyright 2012, Heather Wilkinson Rojo