Person:Stephen Deane (2)

Stephen embarked on the "Fortune" in July of 1621, and arrived at Provincetown on Cape Cod on November 9th. There were about 30 young passengers aboard the vessel destined for Plymouth Colony. After searching for the colonists for about 3 weeks, the young men were ready to steal the sail of the ship when the colony was found. Nearing starvation, the colonists agreed to go on half-rations in order to support the new arrivals.

In 1627, Stephen purchased one acre of land and married Elizabeth Ring. By 1633, he was in position to request permission from the colony council to build the first mill in the colony. It was erected near his house and Billington Sea, and probably pouded corn to separate it from the hull for making samp, an Indian substitute for bread.

Stephen purchased the Godbertson house in the center of the village on March 10, 1634, but only six months later, in September, he died. His estate was valued at over 45 pounds, including the house, garden, and mill, plus land at Fresh Lake. Widow Elizabeth remarried Josiah Cooke the following year, and moved to Eastham.

Division of Land 1623 - These lye beyond the fort to the wood west. - Stephen Dean

1. ↑ Stephen Deane, in Anderson, Robert Charles. The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-1633. (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1995).

   DEATH: Plymouth between 10 March 1633/4 (purchase of Godbert Godbertson's house) and 2 October 1634 (date of inventory), and probably closer to the latter date. Secondary sources claim that he died in September 1634, which is reasonable but not proved.