George Weymouth

For the Massachusetts representative, see George W. Weymouth. For the American artist, see George Alexis Weymouth.
Weymouth impressing Native Americans by magnetizing his sword
Captain Weymouth's expedition in Penobscot Bay in Maine

George Weymouth (17th century) was an English explorer of the area now occupied by the state of Maine.

In 1602 he sailed 300 miles into Hudson Strait until he was forced to turn back by his crew.[1]

Ferdinando Gorges, who wanted to settle colonists in the Maine area,[2] sponsored an expedition under Weymouth, who sailed from England on March 5, 1605 on the ship Archangel[3] and landed near Monhegan on May 17, 1605. James Rosier, who accompanied Weymouth on this expedition, would write that Monhegan was

"woody, growen with Firre, Birch, Oke and Beech, as farre as we say along the shore; and so likely to be within. On the verge grow Gooseberries, Strawberries, Wild pease, and Wilde rose bushes."[4]

Weymouth named the island "Saint George", after the patron saint of England.[3]

They explored the coast of Maine, including the mouth of the Kennebec River.[5] Weymouth may have seen the White Mountains of New Hampshire.[5]

During the expedition, Weymouth’s men captured several Native American Patuxet: they were named Manida, Skidwarres/Skettawarroes, Nahanada/Dehanada, Assacumet and Tisquantum (later called Squanto by Pilgrim settlers). Weymouth returned to England in July 1605 and presented the natives to his sponsor Gorges.[2]

In Britain, the North American tree species Pinus strobus is referred to as the "Weymouth Pine", in honor of George Weymouth.

References

  1. ↑ Glyn Williams,"Arctic Labyrinth",2009,page 45
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mosmd/squanto.htm
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Samuel Adams Drake, The Pine-tree Coast (Estes & Lauriat, 1890), 218.
  4. ↑ " Rosier's Relation of George Weymouth's 1605 Voyage", in Ronald F. Banks, Ed., 1969, A History of Maine: A Collection of Readings on the History of Maine 1600 - 1974, Third Edition, scanned online by Davistown Museum, accessed 20 Oct 2009
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "George Weymouth", Son of the South

External links