Henry Howland (From the Howland Heirs) HENRY HOWLAND, the pioneer, with his brother Arthur, came to this country in either the Fortune, 1621, or the Ann, 1623. Their brother John had preceded them to Plymouth as one of the Mayflower Pilgrims in 1620. The origin of this family is believed to have been in Essex County, England, but extensive researches have failed to reveal the parentage of the three brothers. There was another brother, Humphrey Howland, a draper, of the parish of St. Swithin, London, whose will, proved July 10, 1646, left certain legacies to his three brothers, Arthur, John and Henry in New England. Still another brother, George, was of St. Dunstan's parish in the east. The first mention made of Henry Howland is in the allotment of cattle in Plymouth in 1624, when he appears as owner of the "black cow." In 1633 his name is found in the list of freemen, and in the same year he indentured a servant, Walter Harris. In 1634 he was taxed eighteen shillings, as against a tax of nine shillings the year previous. He was among the earliest settlers of Duxbury, where in 1635 he was chosen constable, and was described as "one of the substantial landholders and freemen." In 1640 he purchased five acres of upland and an acre of marsh meadow in Duxbury, the price paid being "twelve bushells of Indian Corne." For several years he was surveyor of highways in the town, and for nine years served on the grand jury. But in 1657 he refused to serve longer on the grand inquest, the apparent reason being that he had turned Quaker and could not conscientiously perform the duties required of him. Thereafter he was an object of persecution by the authorities of the Colony. In October, 1657, he was "summonsed to appear at the next March Court to answare for intertaining Quakers meetings at his house." He was fined ten shillings. In March, 1659, his wife, their son Zoeth, and the latter's wife, and Arthur Howland and wife, with others, were fined ten shillings each for "frequently absenting themselues from the publicke worship of God." In 1659 Henry Howland was convicted and sentenced by the Court "to be disfranchised of his freedom in the corporation" for being an abettor and entertainer of Quakers. The following year he was again convicted and fined for a similar offense. Once, on refusing to pay his fine, his house and lands were seized by the marshal. In 1652 Henry Howland was among the original purchasers of Dartmouth, where his son Zoeth and four of his six grandsons were destined to become settlers. He was the owner of half a share, or one sixty-eighth of the purchase, which was acquired from the Indians. Subsequently, with twenty-six others he bought the land known as Assonet, including the present town of Freetown, Mass., and here his son Samuel settled. In 1664 he bought a large tract of land at Swansea. It is probable that he lived for a time at Apponegansett, on his share of the Dartmouth purchase, as his will of 1670 gave to two of his children his horses and cattle "now running" there, and his wife's will, four years later, made this bequest: "Unto my son John Howland my house at Apponegansett." His old homestead at Duxbury was left to his son Joseph, excepting the "new room," which was reserved for the widow of the testator. Henry Howland died in Duxbury, Jan. 17, 1671. His wife was Mary Newland, a sister of William Newland, who came from Lynn in 1637 and settled in Sandwich. She died in Duxbury, June 17, 1674. To the couple were born four sons and four daughters, Zoeth, Joseph, John, Samuel, Sarah, Elizabeth, Mary and Abigail, all of whom were legatees under the wills of both parents.