John Endecott

John Endecott (also spelled Endicott; before 1600 – 15 March 1664/1665),^[1] regarded as one of the Fathers of New England,^[2] was the longest-serving governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, which became the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. He served a total of 16 years, including most of the last 15 years of his life. When not serving as governor, he was involved in other elected and appointed positions from 1628 to 1665 except for the single year of 1634.

Quick Facts 1st, 10th, 13th, 15th, and 17th Governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, Preceded by ...

John Endecott
1st, 10th, 13th, 15th, and 17th Governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony
In office 1629–1630
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	John Winthrop
In office 1644–1645
Preceded by	John Winthrop
Succeeded by	Thomas Dudley
In office 1649–1650
Preceded by	John Winthrop
Succeeded by	Thomas Dudley
In office 1651–1654
Preceded by	Thomas Dudley
Succeeded by	Richard Bellingham
In office 1655–1664
Preceded by	Richard Bellingham
Succeeded by	Richard Bellingham
Commissioner of the United Colonies for Massachusetts Bay
In office 1646–1648
In office 1658–1658
Personal details
Born	unknown; before 1600 Devon England, possibly
Died	15 March 1664/1665 (aged 77) Boston, Massachusetts Bay Colony
Resting place	Tomb 189, Granary Burying Ground
Spouses	Jane Francis (died 1629) Elizabeth Gibson Married (m. 1630–1665)
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Endecott was a zealous and somewhat hotheaded Puritan, with Separatist attitudes toward the Anglican Church. This sometimes put him at odds with Nonconformist views that were dominant among the colony's early leaders, which became apparent when he gave shelter to the vocally Separatist Roger Williams. Endecott also argued that women should dress modestly and that men should keep their hair short, and issued judicial decisions banishing individuals who held religious views that did not accord well with those of the Puritans. He notoriously defaced the English flag because he saw St George's Cross as a symbol of the papacy, and had four Quakers put to death for returning to the colony after their banishment. An expedition he led in 1636 is considered the opening offensive in the Pequot War, which practically destroyed the Pequot tribe as an entity.

Endecott used some of his properties to propagate fruit trees; a pear tree he planted still lives in Danvers, Massachusetts. He also engaged in one of the earliest attempts to develop a mining industry in the colonies when copper ore was found on his land. His name is found on a rock in Lake Winnipesaukee, carved by surveyors sent to identify the Massachusetts colony's northern border in 1652. Places and institutions are named for him, and (like many early colonists) he has several notable descendants.