John Oldham

  Information about this person:

• Background Information. ¹¹⁵
John Oldham arrived a second at Plymouth in 1635 aboard the Elizabeth & Ann. He came with his sister, Lucretia Oldham and possibly two nephews. He was orignally from Derby, Derbyshire, England. The first time he arrived in Plymouth was in 1623 on the Anne. He was made a freeman, 18 May 1631 as "Mr. John Oldeham."

In the 1623 Plymouth land division, "Mr. Ouldom & those joined with him" were granted the ten acres. Among those joined with him were his wife, whose name is not known, his sister Lucretia and his stepson, William Bridges. Later, he was granted five hundred acres of land lyning near Mt. Feakes on the northwest of Charles River.

John Oldham was only in New England for a little over a decade, but he was involved in three important episodes in early Massachusetts history. He was involved in a rebellion of Reverend Johy Lyford and others against the Pilrims of Plymouth, the conflict with the Massachusetts Bay Company over its patents, and his death at the hand of the Native Americans in 1636, which sparked the Pequot War.

John was active in his business of coastal trading early in 1636. This trade took place mostly along Long Island Sound and Narragansett Bay Islands in Naragansett Bay from Canonicus. Often trading with him were Thomas and another John Oldham, presumably his nephews who were 12 and 10 respectively in 1635 when the accompanied him on the Elizabeth & Ann. Besides his nephews and his step-son, John Oldham had no other known children.
~The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England 1620-1633, Volumes I-III