Living on the South Shore of Massachusetts, Thanksgiving is a time of year not only to be grateful for all we have but also to reflect upon the journey our ancestors made from England to the new world, first landing locally in nearby Plymouth, Massachusetts.
In September 1620, just over 130 passengers and crew members boarded the Mayflower in search of a better life and made the journey across the Atlantic. Of that group, just 53 survived the first winter.
According to TheMayflowerSociety.org, “In 1897, the General Society of Mayflower Descendants was established to pay homage to the Pilgrims through preservation and education. The Mayflower Society now has a network of more than 54 member societies across the world. [Its] members have formed lifelong bonds together while honoring the sacred legacy of our ancestors.”
Two of these Mayflower descendants are Mary Ann and David Worthington – current residents of the Village at Proprietors Green in Marshfield.
“We first met during our college years on the UMASS Campus,” recalled Mary Ann Worthington. “As we got to know each other, we found out that we are both descendants of passengers on the Mayflower. Today, we are both proud members of the Society of Mayflower Descendants!”
Coincidentally, Mary Ann Worthington has a direct link to Isaac Allerton – one of the many reasons she was so excited to be living at Village at Proprietors Green’s Allerton House! Allerton was one of the original Pilgrim fathers who came on the Mayflower to settle the Plymouth Colony in 1620. Allerton is an ancestor of Presidents of the United States Zachary Taylor and Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Due to their unique ties to the local area through their individual genealogies, both Mary Ann and David were interested in settling closer to their roots back on the South Shore of Massachusetts.
“We’re getting on in years and we wanted to have a wonderful place to live,” shared the couple. “Well, here we are at Allerton House at Village at Proprietors Green in Marshfield! We’ve made all kinds of friends. We love being back in Massachusetts after having lived in Florida, Connecticut, and other places. We are just delighted to be here!”