Sound familiar again? Some of these acts included celebrating Christmas, which Winthrop celebrated when he lived in Lavenham. You didn't have to actually violate the law to be accused of wrongful acts.

Sound familiar? He was cruel toward anyone who opposed him and loved to think up punishments for alleged wrongdoers. The Separatists in Plymouth Bay were much more conservative than the Dissenters in Massachusetts and, being politically ambitious, Winthrop did whatever he had to do in order to be re-elected as the Governor of Massachusetts Bay. He wanted to please the colonists who were already on American soil. I was surprised that Governor Winthrop became more conservative after emigrating to Massachusetts Bay Colony. She is unable to abide by societal rules here either, maintaining her damning reputation. Elizabeth follows him to the colonies, not aware that she was a widow.

In order to tame his son, Governor Winthrop demands Harry move to the new world with him. Elizabeth still loves Jack but is stuck with Harry. When Jack returns to England he is shocked that Elizabeth did not wait for him, even though he never told her of his desire for her. At first, Elizabeth and Harry were happy in their marriage but Harry was an alcoholic and a spendthrift. She broke that engagement after dillydallying with Jack's brother Harry. Although Elizabeth was in love with her cousin Jack, she agreed to marry Edward Howes after Jack left England. She became areligious after the flogging and despised her uncle Winthrop for demanding that she receive the beating. Before her marriage Elizabeth blasphemed God during a conversation at home and was flogged in front of the entire family and household staff. She scandalized her family and community with brazen behavior such as sleeping with a cousin before marriage, necessitating the marriage. Elizabeth Fones was the niece of Governor John Winthrop and she married her cousin Harry Winthrop, which gave her prestige among the Puritan set.

The Winthrop Woman was published in 1958. I highlighted my copy of the book each time an ancestor was mentioned. Yes, my people are in the book and some of them traveled with Governor Winthrop in 1630 to the Massachusetts Bay Colony on the Arbella. Lavenham is also known as the birthplace of Harry Potter. My people were cousins to John Winthrop and lived in the same English village as the Winthrops.

The book is a historical biography of Elizabeth Fones Winthrop, daughter-in-law to John Winthrop, the governor of Massachusetts Bay Colony. I selected this historical novel because I thought that my ancestors might be in it.

The winthrop woman book