born Oct. 18, 1595, Droitwich, Worcestershire, Eng.
died May 8, 1655, at sea, near Jamaica, British West Indies
British-American colonist.
In 1620 he sailed on the Mayflower to New England, where he was a founder of the Plymouth colony. He served on the governor's council (162447) and was governor of the colony (163334, 163637, 164445). He traded with the Wampanoag Indians and won the friendship of their chief, Massasoit . As a commissioner of the United Colonies of New England, he often went to England to represent the interests of the Massachusetts Bay and Plymouth colonies. In 1646 he returned to England and held minor offices under Oliver Cromwell . He died aboard a ship on an expedition to the West Indies.