Use the QR code or click on the link below to donate - Thank you!

This is a reminder for those who have signed  up for Sally's talk that the program will start at 7:00 pm east coast time today. We have over 100 individuals signed up but If you have not registered for the program there is still time! Please see the link below -

We are excited to offer an opportunity to participate in an online  conversation with Howland Society Member and author, Sally Whiting about the process of researching and writing her recently published work:
Filled with Fortitude – Pilgrim Elizabeth Tilley. 

Thursday September 25, 2025 - 7:00 pm eastern time.

Sally spent six years researching and writing her historic fiction novel. She brings to life, with emotion and a depth of scholarship, the amazing life of a 13-year-old girl who with her parents and aunt and uncle embarks on the Mayflower voyage, survives sorrow and loss to build a life she could not have dreamed possible at the start.

Early praise from Mayflower Descendants:
Descendants of the Mayflower

Debra Hobert—This is such a great book! I learned so much that I did not know before about the Mayflower, the crossing, and Plymouth Colony. Ms. Whiting does an amazing job of bringing the passengers to life while keeping the story historically accurate. Be prepared to shed a few tears as you read!

Descendants of John Howland and Elizabeth Tilley

Lori Newland Lorenz—This is an excellent read! Many places where we can read the log of the men’s work, but this brings to life the women’s experience. The important everyday work, caring for the sick, the babies being born, watching all the children, raising the next generation. Very well done—highly recommend!

The Pilgrim John Howland Society

Bruce Harrington - Filled with Fortitude is a welcome addition to the growing body of historical fiction centered on Mayflower women. For descendants and students of history alike, it offers not just a recounting of events, but an invitation to imagine the heart behind them.

                                                       Register today!
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/7NvsCO9SRR6c_LPnB6TGCg 

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

We Can't Wait To See you, Cousins!

The Pilgrim John Howland Society
128th Annual Meeting and Banquet

With summer upon us it will soon be time to meet in Plymouth for our Annual Meeting 

You should have received your June Howland Quarterly providing details that includes a sign-up sheet to mail back with a check to PJHS, PO Box 1479, Plymouth, MA 02362-1479

You can also sign up via our website at the link below.

 We hope to see you this summer in Plymouth! 

The 128^th Annual Meeting and Banquet will be held August 8-9, 2025.                                     

    ~ There will be a dig on August 6 and 7, 2025.
         Contact Eldon Gay, [email protected]  for more information.

   ~ The weekend begins Friday, August 8 at 4:30pm with a wreath laying
      on John Howland’s grave at Burial Hill.   

   ~ The Friday evening Banquet will be held at the Plimoth Patuxet Museums
      (formerly Plimoth Plantation) in Gainsborough Hall, located in the Visitor’s Center. 
   ~Social time begins at 5:30pm with a cash bar. 
   ~Dinner will be served at 6:30pm followed by our program speaker Patrick Browne. 

                                         Dinner will be served “Family Style.” 

 The New England Harvest Feast includes: “Apple Cider,
     Cheate Bread and Butter, Romaine and Watercress Sallet, Mussels with Parsley and Beer,
     Turkey, Cabbage with Leeks and Onions, Sweet Pudding of Native Corn, Stew’d Pompion,
      Roasted Pork, Fish, Cheesecake with Almonds and Spices, and a Platter of Cheese and Fruit.” 

  ~Historical interpreters will be there to talk about their history as each course is served.

Our Banquet Speaker will be Patrick Browne

  ~ Patrick will be speaking about “Plymouth’s Patriot and Loyalist Rivals during the Revolutionary
     Era, and some Howlands on Both Sides.” This program covers the major figures in Plymouth at
     the time, some of the specific conflicts, and some Howland participants in­cluding Thomas
     Southworth Howland, Consider How­land, and others. This is a wonderful way to prepare to
     celebrate our Nation’s 250th anniversary. 

Patrick Browne is a historian, writer, and Executive Director of the Plymouth Antiquarian Society. He holds a Ph.D. in History from Boston University, as well as an M.A. in History and a B.A. in English from the Univer­sity of Massachusetts Amherst. He previously served as a Lecturer at Boston University, where he taught courses on the American Revolu­tion, the History of Boston, and the Civil War Era. Before beginning his doctoral studies, Patrick held leadership roles in public history as Executive Director of both Pilgrim Hall Museum and the Duxbury Rural and Historical Society. He is the author of two books on local history and has published scholarly articles in academic journals. His award-winning dissertation explored the work of civilian relief workers and Union veterans during the Civil War.

                       Annual Business Meeting on Saturday, August 9 at 10:30 am

 ~ Our Annual Business Meeting and Luncheon will be held on Saturday, August 9 at 10:30am
     in the Accomack Building, which is located to the left of the Visitor’s Center as you enter the
     grounds. 

 ~The Hometown Buffet features Field Greens with Citrus Vinaigrette, Baked Scrod with Herbed Crumb Topping, Stuffed Chicken, Wild Rice Blend, Roasted Vegetables, Assorted Dessert Bars, Tea and Coffee.

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/Hc0ICRWjS6OoZaVXbsJZpw 

Esther Howland and the American Valentine

The image comes from an Esther Howland inspired card donated to the Society
by member Phillip Warner

Esther Howland helped popularize the sharing of Valentine cards in America. While studying at Mt. Holyoke Seminary she received a Valentine from a friend in England featuring lace and hearts. Charmed by the card, Esther set out to create Valentines with her own creative flare. The popularity of her cards soon turned her avocation into a thriving business. Today, she is known as the “Mother of the American Valentine.”

The Pilgrim John Howland Society 

President, Board of Directors, and Executive Director

Wishes you a Happy Valentine's Day!

 Howland Society board members Steven Howland and Gail Adams, along with the fundraising Committee put together a video celebrating the history of Esther and her cards. 

Take a look: Here's a link to our YouTube channel  

you can also access the our channel via this QR Code

Howland Society Members and Friends

Our good friends at the Alden Kindred of America are hosting a webinar about the history of the Cushnoc Trading Post on January 31, 2025 at 12:00 pm eastern time. Please see the information below. Click on the link to register. 

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_paHAQskiSTC85WCC1sZpeQ

Click here to go to the Howland Society donation page

Thank you!

Greetings from the Land of the Pilgrims.

In Plymouth our Thanksgiving week begins with a Parade. The parade started as a small local event but has grown into a regional parade televised on the Boston's channel 5, WCVB. 

While the weather is a bit damp and dreary on this drizzly November day, it has not dampened the enthusiasm of the parade participants or the crowds gathered on the street corners of this old town to celebrate the coming of Thanksgiving.

Please enjoy some photos from the start of the parade and remember The Pilgrim John Howland Society on "Giving Tuesday," which is coming up on December 3rd. 

Also, if you wanted to watch our recent webinar about Howland Society  ongoing plans at Rocky Nook, but couldn't make the actual event you are in luck, it was recorded and is available to watch any time on our YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPZ-hsR8kkKOxtDNQCvEbtg
For those who can use a QR code this will take you to our YouTube channel too

Happy Thanksgiving!

Mayflower in a turbulent sea of umbrellas.

Santa is on his way!

You are invited to a Zoom meeting. 
When: Nov 13, 2024 06:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) 

Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZErd-yvrTIuEtT3HSfpf2SY2NIMuVxmwxwN 

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Please Join us Friday afternoon August 23

For the ceremonial wreath laying on Burial Hill at John Howland’s burial marker

To honor Howland Society members we have lost

In the past year

Donate Today

Dear Members and Friends,

If you would like to participate in our annual meeting on Saturday, August 24 at 10:30 am East Coast time, but cannot make the trip to Plymouth, you can watch the meeting live on zoom.

Register here to receive the link for Saturday's meeting.

When: August 24, 2024 10:30 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Topic: Howland Society Annual Meeting

Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMlf-2uqD8iHNUIYItxkpw27UP93b39SE9x 

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

It will  be on zoom and you will be on mute upon entering the meeting. You can unmute yourself to talk during the meeting. Please remember to stay on mute while watching so that background noise won't interrupt others hearing the meeting in progress. 

The chat function is also available if you wish to post a question or comment.

Thank you!

Donate today

Dear Members, 

We are offering a chance to view our annual member's meeting via  zoom webinar if you are unable to attend in person. This is a new technology for us and a new opportunity for our Society to come together. We will be recording the meeting and make it available at a later date if you can not watch it live. 

As it is a webinar there will be no face to face interaction so feel free to dress comfortably, relax and enjoy our presentation. There is a chat function with which members can ask questions. We will try and answer as many as possible as the meeting goes along. 

This email also is a reminder that if you are interested in seeing the play "The young Pilgrims" in Duxbury Saturday night you can by tickets on-line. Go to youngpilgrimstheplay.com and use the code word Mayflower (capital M) at the check out for the discounted price of $20.

The play is being performed at The Theater at The First Parish Church of Duxbury, 842 Tremont Street, Duxbury. (13 minutes from downtown Plymouth)

You can also buy your tickets at the door and tell them you are with the Howland Society to get the discounted ticket price.

Information and the link for the webinar
When: Aug 13, 2022 10:30 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada) 
The Pilgrim John Howland Society Annual Members meeting.

Register in advance for this webinar:
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_4Vpk2aVfQYC1d1G6vgdvfA

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Hope to see you all soon,

Peter Arenstam

Executive Director

~ Happy Summer Members and Friends ~

Our Annual banquet and members' meeting will soon be here.
You still have time to register as the deadline is Friday August 18th. 

You can print out the form below and mail it to the address provided, or register on line at:
Pilgrimjohnhowlandsociety.org

Be sure to take a look at the June 2023 Howland Quarterly for more information on the
annual meeting weekend (available to members on-line at Pilgrimjohnhowlandsociety.org)

Hope to see you all in Plymouth  in September.

RESERVATION FORM 
PJHS One Hundred & Twenty-Sixth Annual Banquet & Meeting 
Reservation must be received by Friday, August 18, 2023 
Banquet Friday, September 8, 2023,      
Name(s)      _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ 
Cost $65 x __________                           Total:   _________ 

Annual Meeting Luncheon, September 9, 2023, Cost $27 
 Name(s)      _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________  
Cost $27 x __________                    Total:  ___________ 

Note:  Children 12 and under are free 

Total Amount Enclosed:  _______________ 
Which of John & Elizabeth Howland’s children do you descend through? ___________________________________________________________
Email address: ______________________________________________  
Phone number: ______________________________________________  
Is this your first time attending? ________________ 

Please make checks payable to: 
The Pilgrim John Howland Society
 
Mail check along with registration form to: 
The Pilgrim John Howland Society 
P.O. Box 1479 
Plymouth, MA 02362-1479 

If you haven't signed up for this event there is still time.

However, if you can't watch the presentation live you will be able to view a recording for up to two weeks following the event on our Howland Society youtube channel 

We are excited to announce the perfect presentation for Spring! Join us on April 20^th at 12:00 noon Eastern Time to hear from John Forti, the award-winning Garden Historian

When: Apr 20, 2022 12:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Register in advance for this meeting: Click on the link below

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUlduitqjotHNzwhKN62g96pREj1pmMLI-p

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. 

The Heirloom Gardener – Traditional Plants and Skills is John Forti’s newest presentation.  It draws from his new book of traditional plants and skills for the modern world.  Richly illustrated with period images and contemporary woodcuts, his PowerPoint shares inspiration from our long history of heirloom preservation, garden craft and homestead lifeways.  Artisanal gardening lifestyles that are helping us to rebuild vibrant local agricultural economies and celebrate sustainable cottage industries that are contributing to our new, homegrown American arts & crafts movement and backyard environmentalism.  At a time when we could all use a little good news, we hope you will join us for a refreshing look at how you can make a difference and build habitat in your own backyard and community.  

John Forti www.jforti.com is a garden historian and ethnobotanist who has directed gardens for Plimoth Plantation Museum, Strawbery Banke Museum, Massachusetts Horticultural Society, and Bedrock Gardens. As a Slow Food Slow Food USAGovernor and biodiversity specialist, his preservation work has helped to restore countless native and heirloom plants and has brought traditional artisanal practices to modern thinking.   He has won numerous awards for historic garden preservation, children’s garden design, herbal and historical education and the 2021 Award of Excellence from National Garden Clubs, one of the nation’s most-recognized nonprofits and largest volunteer gardening organization in the world.  His new book was inspired by his posts as The Heirloom Gardener - John Forti which go out regularly to millions on facebook.

We are excited to announce the perfect presentation for Spring! Join us on April 20^th at 12:00 noon Eastern Time to hear from John Forti, the award-winning Garden Historian

When: Apr 20, 2022 12:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Register in advance for this meeting: Click on the link below

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUlduitqjotHNzwhKN62g96pREj1pmMLI-p

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. 

The Heirloom Gardener – Traditional Plants and Skills is John Forti’s newest presentation.  It draws from his new book of traditional plants and skills for the modern world.  Richly illustrated with period images and contemporary woodcuts, his PowerPoint shares inspiration from our long history of heirloom preservation, garden craft and homestead lifeways.  Artisanal gardening lifestyles that are helping us to rebuild vibrant local agricultural economies and celebrate sustainable cottage industries that are contributing to our new, homegrown American arts & crafts movement and backyard environmentalism.  At a time when we could all use a little good news, we hope you will join us for a refreshing look at how you can make a difference and build habitat in your own backyard and community.  

John Forti www.jforti.com is a garden historian and ethnobotanist who has directed gardens for Plimoth Plantation Museum, Strawbery Banke Museum, Massachusetts Horticultural Society, and Bedrock Gardens. As a Slow Food Slow Food USAGovernor and biodiversity specialist, his preservation work has helped to restore countless native and heirloom plants and has brought traditional artisanal practices to modern thinking.   He has won numerous awards for historic garden preservation, children’s garden design, herbal and historical education and the 2021 Award of Excellence from National Garden Clubs, one of the nation’s most-recognized nonprofits and largest volunteer gardening organization in the world.  His new book was inspired by his posts as The Heirloom Gardener - John Forti which go out regularly to millions on facebook.

For More Information see: Mayflower400tours.com

For Questions or to Book your tour contact: [email protected]

Here is the Donation Link

Consider shopping at our Website Catalog for the upcoming holiday season

Thank you and be well!

The Shallop Elizabeth Tilley will be sailing to Clark's Island on Sunday, July 15, 2018 to participate in the Duxbury Rural Historical Society picnic.

A sail is also scheduled following the annual meeting on August 11.

All sailing events are weather, time, tides permitting.

If you live in the Plymouth area and would like learn how to sail the shallop, contact Michael. (We need crew members!)  

Please check the Shallop Elizabeth Tilley Facebook page for updates and information!

The Rocky Nook Dig is back this year! The dig will take place on Sept 4-7, 2017.  Contact Eldon Gay for more information about the dig.

Rocky Nook  is located at 67 Howland Lane, Kingston.  Look for the monument on your right. For more information about the Rocky Nook site, call the Jabez Howland House @508 746 9590.

Jack Howland, 72, passed away peacefully with his wife and son beside him on Monday September 12, 2011, at Pen Bay Medical Center in Rockport, Maine. He was born in Dover, New Hampshire on January 5th, 1939, the son of the late John C. and Dorothea Hurn Howland. He grew up in Haverhill, Massachusetts, and was a graduate of Haverhill High School, class of 1956. After high school Jack entered the Navy, and served on the USS Plymouth Rock for three years.

Read More: John R Howland (1939-2011)

THE PJHS IS DEEPLY SADDENED BY THE DEATH OF OUR PRESIDENT, BRADFORD GORHAM.

Brad was first elected President of the Society in 1999, and he served until his death on Oct 19, 2015.  He orchestrated the building and sailing of our shallop, The Elizabeth Tilley, from Plymouth to Augusta, ME, following the same route our ancestor John Howland would have taken. He was an affable and respected leader of the society who was proud of his family history, even writing a book "John and Elizabeth Howland PIlgrims on the Kennebec" last year.  Our sympathies are with his wife Christine and the entire Gorham family.  For more information on his life and information on services, please read his Obituary.