Mayflower Passenger, Rebellious Colonist, and America’s First Convicted Murderer
John Billington was born around 1580 in England, possibly in Lincolnshire, though little is known about his early life. He married Elinor (sometimes spelled Ellen or Ellinor) and had two sons, John Jr. and Francis. The family came to America aboard the Mayflower in 1620, not as religious Separatists like many of their fellow passengers, but as part of the “Strangers” — secular colonists recruited by investors to help establish a profitable settlement in the New World.
Aboard the Mayflower
From the beginning, the Billingtons stood apart. They were known for their contentiousness and disregard for authority. John himself clashed with the ship’s leadership during the voyage, particularly with Captain Myles Standish, the colony’s military officer. Even before the Mayflower reached land, Billington was reprimanded for defying orders — a sign of things to come.
But it was his younger son, Francis Billington, who nearly caused one of the most disastrous accidents in early colonial history.
While the ship was still anchored in Provincetown Harbor and being used as the passengers’ living quarters, Francis, likely 14 or 15 at the time, discharged a musket inside the ship — near an open barrel of gunpowder. According to Governor William Bradford’s firsthand account in Of Plymouth Plantation:
“He had got gun powder and shot, and had shot a piece in his father’s cabin, not knowing how near he was to the powder keg; had he fired it there, it might have blown up the ship.”
This reckless act nearly destroyed the Mayflower and killed everyone on board, just days after sighting land. It cemented the Billingtons’ reputation as disruptive and dangerous among the tightly knit group of settlers trying to establish order in a hostile and unfamiliar world.
Life in Plymouth Colony
The Billington family continued to make waves after the colony was established. John Billington was frequently at odds with the Plymouth leadership. He was cited for insubordination, disrespect, and refusing to obey orders. He was part of a faction described as “unruly” and “profane” by the more devout members of the community.
At one point, he was bound over for contempt for speaking ill of the colony’s governors. His name appears in court records several times, always in connection with disorderly conduct or troublemaking.
His sons, too, were no strangers to controversy. Aside from Francis’s near-catastrophe on the Mayflower, he later explored beyond the boundaries of the colony without permission, climbing a tall tree and claiming to have discovered a “great sea,” which turned out to be Cape Cod Bay. While not malicious, the Billington boys were seen as wild and undisciplined — traits that reflected their father’s influence.
The Murder of John Newcomen (1630)
In 1630, John Billington’s increasingly volatile behavior turned deadly. He became embroiled in a feud with a younger colonist named John Newcomen. Though details are limited, contemporary accounts suggest the conflict had been brewing for some time. One day, Billington reportedly lay in wait for Newcomen along a woodland path and shot him dead with a musket.
This murder — the first criminal homicide among English settlers in New England — sent shockwaves through the fragile colony. The leaders of Plymouth, committed to establishing a just and lawful society, held a full trial.
Despite the small population and the desire to avoid harsh punishments, Billington was convicted of murder by a jury of his peers and sentenced to death. Governor William Bradford lamented the decision but upheld it, writing:
“This John Billington… was one of the profanest families amongst them. He came from London and I know not by what friends shuffled into the company. He was the first that was executed by them.”
Execution and Legacy
On September 1, 1630, John Billington was hanged, making him the first Englishman executed for murder in the American colonies. His execution was carried out publicly to serve as a warning and to reinforce the rule of law in the struggling colony.
Though remembered in history primarily for his crimes, John Billington’s story is more nuanced than that of a mere criminal. He represents the reality that not all who came on the Mayflower were saints or visionaries — many were ordinary people, some flawed, some disruptive, but all part of the difficult and human story of America’s founding.
Family and Descendants
Ironically, despite his infamy, John Billington has thousands of descendants today, including notable Americans. His wife Elinor remarried after his execution and lived until 1643. His son Francis went on to live a long life in the colony, married, and had nine children. Some scholars believe he even became more respected over time.
The Billington legacy is a reminder that family histories contain all kinds of stories — courageous and notorious, triumphant and tragic. John Billington’s life, while controversial, is an indelible part of early American history, adding richness and complexity to any family tree.