Family:John Colvin and Dorothy Allen (1)

The first Colvin/Calvin recorded in the New World was in New England. John Calvin (a direct descendent of John Calvin the reformer), arrived at the Plymouth Bay Colony about 1670 as a cabin boy. John Calvin (later Colvin), was born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1654. His mother, Janet Calvin died when he was 11. His father, William Calvin died when he was 14. It is said at 16 years of age, John ran away from a home where he was living as an orphan in Devon, England. He made his way to the docks in Bristol, England where he stowed away on a ship bound for New England. When he was found three days later, he was ordered to work as a cabin boy. Once he made it to Plymouth, MA, he had to work for five years to pay off his passage. In 1677 he became a Quaker and married Dorothy Allen and fathered nine children. The Birth records from Rhode Island show children of John and Dorothy as Colvin. Anna 3/26/1679, John Jr.,4/19/1681, Stephen 9/24/1683, Abigail 7/28/1686, Samuel 12/10/1688, Anne 10/31/1690, Deborah 5/28/1693, James 11/24/1695, (a Baptist Minister), and Josiah 6/6/1700. In the 4th Generation Peleg Colvin, and in the 5th Generation Sanford Jenks Colvin, changed back to Calvin. From there the Calvin line continued in America. There is only speculation as to why the name was changed to Colvin from Calvin.