How to Furnish a Pilgrim House

Since there were no stores or places to purchase things in New England, the colonists had to bring what they would need with them.  Below you can learn what was recommendd that people bring and what showed up in people's inventories in New England when they died.

What They Brought

The colonists who emigrated across the Atlantic Ocean in 1620, did not move as we do today. They could not make several trips to bring everything they wanted with them so they had to pack what needed in as small a space as possible. Unless they were wealthy, people generally did not bring things like a frame for a bed or othre large pieces of furniture. This was because it cost money to travel across the ocean and the more extra things you brought with you, the more it would cost. But, backers in England and settlers who had already made the voyage often put out lists and helpful hints if one was planning to make the trip. For example, Edward Winslow, one of the first settlers in Plymouth, wrote a book entitled Good News from New England in 1622. It was designed to encourage people back in England to make the trip to New England and settle. In this book, Winslow outlined as follows what, after a year in the New World, he felt was needed for a settler to bring. Winslows account is found at the end of this activity. Another example is the list that was made for settlers coming to Massachusetts Bay in the 1630s.  The final example was written by John Josselyn, a visitor to Massachusetts Bay in the later part of the 17th century.

Click on one of the lists below to see what was recommended to be brought

Click on the example of the (a record made for tax purposes upon a person's death) to see what a typical inventory contained.  More inventories can be found at the the website.

Click on the to find definitions for some of the odd words contained in the probate.