George Soule

(before 1600 - before 22 January 1679/80)
Pedigree - three generations
Date this page was last edited=5 Sep 2014
Appears on chart or charts:
Ancestors of Martha Josselyn (1909 - 2007) (#1)
Ancestors of Martha Josselyn (1909 - 2007) (#2)
George Soule was born before 1600 in England.1 His parentage and birthplace are not known with certainty.2,3

George Soule arrived at Plymouth, Massachusetts, in December 1620 on the Mayflower.2,3

The following description appears in a 1980 publication of the General Society of Mayflower Descendants: George Soule joined, probably in London, a company of adventurers off to the New World. His status is clearly established as a "servant" to relatively wealthy Pilgrim Edward Winslow; also as a signer of the famed Mayflower Compact of 11 Nov. 1620, O. S. It appears logical, therefore, to assume that Winslow bore the cost of his passage to Plymouth aboard the Mayflower. . . . Unlike some of his colleagues, he [Soule] never returned to his homeland. However, suffice to say that he became a relatively well-to-do leader, business man and office holder in Plymouth Colony.3

George Soule received one acre "on the South side of the brooke to the baywards" in the land division of 1623.1,4

George Soule married Mary Buckett (or Becket) before 1626 in Plymouth, Massachusetts.5,3

In an agreement negotiated in England by the Mayflower Pilgrim Isaac Allerton, dated 26 October 1626, the Adventurers sold their properties in Plymouth Colony to the planters living there; George Soule was listed among these Purchasers.6

At the division of cattle on 22 May 1627 "George Sowle" was listed in the ninth lot, together with 12 others including "Mary Sowle" and "Zakariah Sowle"; the cattle in this lot consisted of "one of the 4 black Heyfers that came in the Jacob caled the smooth horned Heyfer and two shee goats."7

George Soule was on the 1633 list of freemen (men who had the right to vote.)1

George Soule moved in 1637 to Duxbury, Massachusetts, where he was an original proprietor.2 He acquired extensive holdings in Duxbury, Dartmouth, Middleboro, Marshfield, and Bridgewater.8 In 1651 Governor William Bradford wrote: "his [Edward Winslow's] man George Sowle is still living, and hath 8 children."1

George Soule died in Duxbury, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, before 22 January 1679/80 when his will was probated.1

George Soule left a will dated 11 August 1677.9 Apparently it came to his notice that his son John was displeased with the amount of property given to John's sister Patience, prompting George to add a codicil to his will that would have denied John his inheritance if John attempted to disturb Patience's inheritance.10

The Five Generations Project of the Mayflower Society (General Society of Mayflower Descendants) documents two lines of descent from the Mayflower Pilgrim George Soule, through his children John and Mary, to Lucy Dwelley (1770-1829), wife of Charles Josselyn.11,12 The significance of this is that any descendant of Charles and Lucy Josselyn, or of Martha and Kenneth DeVoe, is eligible to apply for membership in the General Society of Mayflower Descendants. Nancy DeVoe Webert was accepted as a member of the Society on 28 July 2014.13

Children of George Soule and Mary Buckett

Citations

  1. [S428] Wakefield, George Soule of the Mayflower, 1.
  2. [S423] John Edward Soule, "The Soule Family", 122.
  3. [S427] Soule and Terry, George Soule of the Mayflower, 3.
  4. [S762] Stratton, Plymouth Colony, 415.
  5. [S423] John Edward Soule, "The Soule Family", 122, 123.
  6. [S762] Stratton, Plymouth Colony, 420.
  7. [S762] Stratton, Plymouth Colony, 424.
  8. [S427] Soule and Terry, George Soule of the Mayflower, 4.
  9. [S427] Soule and Terry, George Soule of the Mayflower, 4-5.
  10. [S427] Soule and Terry, George Soule of the Mayflower, 5.
  11. [S428] Wakefield, George Soule of the Mayflower, 1-3, 7, 8, 14, 34, 56, 140.
  12. [S429] Throop, George Soule of the Mayflower, 105-106.
  13. [S911] Letter, Nancy DeVoe Webert to Howard DeVoe, 27 August 2014.
  14. [S423] John Edward Soule, "The Soule Family", 123.
  15. [S428] Wakefield, George Soule of the Mayflower, 4.
  16. [S428] Wakefield, George Soule of the Mayflower, 2.

This family history is a work in progress. If you know of any errors or omissions, please contact me through the e-mail link at the bottom of the page.