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Contents of this page: [Scan] [More about the Book] [Indian Ancestor Link]
This is a scan of the end covers of the book about Indian Converts by Experience Mayhew.
 © Harvie A. Davis, Jnr. INDIAN CONVERTS: OR, SOME ACCOUNT OF THE Lives and Dying SPEECHES of a considerable Number of the Christianized INDIANS of Martha's Vineyard in New-England. By Experience Mayhew, M. A. Preacher of the Gospel to the Indians of that Island. |
 © Harvie A. Davis, Jnr. John Wingate, his Book, Jno Wingate of Modbury, 1777. |
| An American family history researcher kindly contacted me because the signature above right bears a striking similarity between the signature in the book and the signature that appears on my web page about John WINGATE, the paterfamilias of the Horrabridge tree. I've reproduced that signature again here for comparison. [More . . . ] | |
 © Harvie A. Davis, Jnr. |
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More about this book
(summary courtesy of my American contact)
It is an amazing historical writing. Experience Mayhew tells us about his family teaching and preaching to Aboriginals in America. It begins with Thomas Mayhew Senior when he came over to Massachusetts in the 1640's as a Merchant. The book covers almost the full 100 year period.
According to "SOME ACCOUNT of those ENGLISH MINISTERS who have Successively presided over the Indian Work in that and the adjacent Islands" by Mr. (T. or Thomas) Prince, which is included at the end of the book, Thomas Mayhew Senior receives a Grant or Patent of Sir Ferdinando Gorges for Martha's Vineyard, Nantuchet, and Elizabeth Isles to make an English Settlement. Prince also elaborates on the superb work ethic of those ministers over the years.
And so the Mayhew family lived and interacted with many specific Indians according to this essay by the Great Grandson, Experience, summing how the original Charter was carried by their family and others to do "The Work of Gospelizing the Heathen thus primarily under your Honours Direction and Management..." He was giving his most current account of accomplishment "To The Honourable William Thompson, Esq.; Governour, and to the rest of the Honourable Company for the Propagation of the Gospel in New-England,and parts adjacent in America." Experience found himself engaged in the work "when the Society in England for the Propagation of the Gospel here were by Royal Charter erected into a Corporation, for the more effectual carrying on that great and good Work."
As an addition in the front of this book - there is an ATTESTATION BY The
United Ministers of Boston in 1726 which includes the following names: Cotton Mather, Benjamin Colman, Peter Thacher, Joseph Sewall, Thomas Prince, John Webb, William Cooper, Thomas Foxcroft, Samuel Checkley,
William Waldron and Joshua Gee.The Story covers four Chapters to include:
I. Of Godly Ministers,
II. Of other Good Men,
III. Of Religious Women and
IV. Of Pious young Persons.These include stories of well over 100 Indians some of whom are women and girls whose lives and conduct are also described.
Indian Ancestor Link
Given that there is a possibility that the paterfamilias of many American WINGATE families was a freed Indian slave called John . This John was presumably also a convert, I am wondering if the ownership of the book might have any link with that family. However this is all very speculative and I am informed that the book does not mention any convert by the name of John WINGATE. However it is worth bearing in mind. It is possible that John WINGATE was a descendant of the Indian John and had come to England from America.
Most WINDGEATs are described as fairish both of complexion and hair but there is an Edmund WINDEAT who must be the son of the WINDEAT family from Mortonhampstead who is described in the Exeter Police Charge Book of 1880 as of dark complexion and a Charles WINGETT appears in The Times Newspaper also in 1880 where he has the nick-name 'Darkie'. None of this, of course, means anything very much.
- Here is a link to a Wikipedia article about one of the American WINGATE descendants together with a portrait.
- And the link to my speculations on the origins of the American WINGATEs of New Hampshire.
