The House of Standish Background/History Our Standish Family Pedigree Standish Family Appendix Background 1206 A.D. –Radulphus [Ralph] de Standish first Lord of the Manor of Standish. In one of the earliest deeds of ownership from the House of Standish, Radulphus purchased land from Siwardus de Duxbury and his brother Hugh at the Burh upon the Manor of Duxbury. + Captian Myles Standish was born in 1584, in the county of Lancashire, England, and belonged to the Standishes of Standish Hall, and was the only one of the Mayflower Pilgrims of high descent, according to the laws of England. His family dated back to the time of the Conquest, and is in existence there today. Many were knighted and ennobled by peerages during their long existence. Their estates are very valuable in mines and land in this county, near the village of Chorley, where exists the ancient church in whose vaults lie the bodies of many members of this ancient family and the ancestors of Myles Standish. Many years before his time the family had divided into two branches: one the Standishes of Standish, and the other that of Uuxbury Hall or Park; and the family early divided in their religious beliefs, that of the Standishes of Standish being Roman Catholic, and those of Duxbury Hall being Protestant. Capt. Myles came from the family of Standish of Standish, and that he was heir to some of the family estates there is no doubt, as he claimed them himself and left his right by testamentary bequest to his son Alexander, the text of which is added further along; and this son in his turn bequeathed his right to his children. Perhaps the Captain was less skillful in obtaining his legal rights than in fighting with more deadly weapons his fellowmen. Of the early life of Capt. Myles Standish we know little. The first mention of him is that in Queen Elizabeth's time he held a commission as Lieutenant in the English forces that + were fighting the Spanish in the Netherlands, and it was during the truce that existed between the combatants that he joined the Plymouth Pilgrims. It appears that he never joined the Pilgrim Church strictly as a church member, but, be that as it may, he fully and entirely cast, his lot in with theirs, and rendered them inestimable service from the lime of his joining them till the day of his death. He bore not only all of their hardships, but as Bradford particularly mentions in his history, was one of those who nursed the others through their sickness and sore straits during the first winter. He was their military savior on numerous occasions, as is told in the various histories of the Plymouth and Massachusetts colonies; and he was not less efficient in shaping the civil policy, being constantly on the Board of Assistants to the Governor, and serving in many other capacities connected with the infant Colony. He was chosen the attorney of the English Company under the Royal Charter of the Great Patent of New England to transfer to the Plymouth Settlement a charter of their proprietary rights in 1629, this document being in existence today, preserved in the Registry of Deeds office in Plymouth. Finally, on September 6, the M ayflower departed from Plymouth, England, and headed for America. The voyage itself across the Atlantic Ocean took 66 days, from their departure on September 6, until Cape Cod was sighted on 9 November 1620. It is told in the early records that the first settlers lived in Duxbury only + in the summer time, going to Plymouth for the winter; and Captain Standish is mentioned in 1632 as one of those who promised to live in the town in the winter that they may the better repair to the worship of God." Captain Standish settled on a bluff overlooking Plymouth, the site of his house being known, and of unquestionable authenticity, and is particularly described under the chapter on Old Houses. Here Captain Standish lived till his death, on Oct. 3, 1656, being seventy-two years old. Secretary Morton, recording his death, says: he, growing very ancient, became sick of the stone or stangullian, whereof, after his suffering of much dolorous pain he fell asleep in the Lord, and was honorably buried at Duxbury." Although at an advanced age, shortly before his death he was appointed to lead an expedition against the Dutch in the New York Colony War about to break out between the Dutch and English, which was averted by one of Cromwell's victories. He had held the position of Captain Commandant all of his life, never for a moment losing the confidence of the Colony. What he might have done on a larger field of action it is impossible to say, as it is with most men; but if his actions and ability are to be judged by the services that were rendered to the English race, his talents were very great; for if this beginning of making a colony had been crushed, it would not only have set back the progress of the English settlement for a long time, but would have set back freedom and liberty to a far greater extent. MayflowerHistory.com + Our Standish Family Pedigree Ralph [Radulphus] de Standish (1160-1220) of Standish, Lancashire. First lord of the manor (Lordship,1202-1220). Marriage: Juliana Spileman (1164-deceased) of England Children: (1) Alexander; (2) Richard (Rural Dean of Standish) Alexander de Standish (1180-1246) of Standish, Lancashire. Sole heir to the Manor of Standish (Lordship,1220-1240). He had been Rector of Standish since 1205. Marriage: Juliana Child: Ralph Ralph [Radulphus] de Standish [Radulphus de Standish (II) ] (1200-deceased) of Shevington, Lancashire. These three sons all succeeded in turn to the manor after the death of their father. (Lordship 1240-1246). Marriage: Children: (1) Edmund; (2) Hugh, was Rector of Standish in 1253; (3) Jordan + Jordan de Standish (1235-1290) of Standish, Lancashire. Lordship 1270-1290. Marriage: 1255 Alionora (1235-1284) of England Children: (1) Radulphus, succeeded in 1290, but d. in 1296; (2) Mabel; (3) William; (4) Edmund; (5) Alice, living 1304; m. Richard de Ince; Alice, daughter of Jordan de Standish, releases to her brother William, son of Jordan de Standish, certain lands in Shevington of which she had been enfeoffed by Jordan, her father. William de Standish (1260-1322) of Standish, Lancashire. William de Wygan deeded to William, the son of Jordan de Standish, all his estates real and personal in Wigan. Dated, 1309. Marriage: Alianore, [William and his wife Alianore had at least two children. There may have been others but no record remains. It was a feature of the times that many children did not survive to maturity and their short lives were not recorded.] Children: (1) John, lord of Standish, 1322-1353; (2) Joan, who married Henry de Burgh, who held lands on the manor of Chorley and Burgh upon the manor of Duxbury. John de Standish (d.1353) of Standish, Lancashire. Lord of the Manor 1326-1353. [Soon after he obtained possession of the manor John exchanged some land which he held in Shevington for another plot nearer the manor. The rent on + this piece of land was a pig. John de StandishJohn contributed to a subsidy for a defence against the Scots. A John de Standyshe is mentioned at the Battle of Durham, or as it may be better known, the Battle of Neville’s Cross, in 1346, where he took prisoner Sir William Lydell, a Scots Knight. The Standish arms at this time were a saltire between four crosses patonce. This armorial seal is found on an indenture with the legend ‘S Johannis de S(tand)issh’. John was concerned in future transfers of land, though in a deed of 1335 he was witness only for a conveyance of land in Duxbury by Richard, son of Hugh de Standish. In the following year, however, John seemed to be following his policy of consolidating his Standish estate by making exchanges of outlying plots to obtain pieces adjoining the manor.] Marriage: 1314 Margaret de Hulton daughter of Robert de Hulton of Shevington. Thomas and his wife Margery were enfeoffed by his brother Gilbert Standish Rector of Standish of land at Gathurst. Children: (1) William (preceeded his father in death); (2) Henry; (3) Ralph; (4) Edmund; (5) Thomas, was the originator of the Gathurst branch of the Standish family; (6) Gilbert; (7) Robert Henry de Standish (1316-1396) of Standish with Langtree, Lancashire. [Henry’s brothers had followed the traditional occupations of the younger sons of those days, either military service or the church. Robert and Ralph had been knighted, Robert having been appointed Sheriff of Lancaster, while Ralph was an esquire to the Black Prince, whom he served in Acquitaine. Gilbert and Edward entered the church, Gilbert being Rector of Standish an Edmund most likely the one known as Brother Edmund de Standish, who was one of the Black Friars of Chester. + Two years after he succeeded to the manor he received a general pardon from Richard II, which seems to have covered a multitude of sins, including complicity with others in the death of Roger de Hulton in 1382, when they had been ordered by John of Gaunt to pay the widow 100 marks at Wigan Church. Other misdemeanours were neglected to do homage and non-payment of fines.] Marriage: 1336 Joan de Worseley of Worseley, Barton- upon-Irwell, Lancashire, daughter of Henry de Worseley of Standish, Lancashire & Margaret Shoresworth of Shoresworth, Lancashire Children: (1) Joan; (2) Ralph; (3) John Ralph de Standish (1339-1392) Lord of Standish, Sheriff of Lancashire.