The Tilley's of Henlow England

  John Tilley and Joan Hurst, my 11th Great-Grandparents were married on 20 September 1596 at St Mary Church in Henlow England, (See Photo) Both John and Joan were born in Henlow England, he on 19 December 1571 to Robert Tilley and his wife Elizabeth, and she on March 13 1567/68 to William Hurst and Rose Fisher.

  Edward Tilley, brother of John Tilley, was born in Henlow England on 27 May 1588. Edward married an Alice Cooper on 20 July 1614, probably in Henlow England.

  In September of 1620 the brothers sailed to The New World on the "Mayflower" (see painting) and arrived at what was to become Plymouth Massachusettes in December of 1620. John brought his wife and his daughter Elizabeth, and  Edward brought his wife and her nephew and neice.

  The winter of 1620/21 was harsh on the new settlers and all the adult Tilley's and their wives died during the winter. John's daughter, Elizabeth, of whom I decend, survived the winter and would marry a fellow "Mayflower" passenger named John Howland. The neice of Alice Cooper, Humility, would survive the winter and return to England. The nephew of Alice Cooper, Henry Samson, survived the winter and remained in the New World

For furthur reading see Wikipedia entries for , John Tilley, Edward Tilley and Henry Samson