George SOULE

Notes:

George Soule came to America on the original Mayflower voyage to Plymouth. He was a servant to Edward Winslow. George signed the Mayflower Compact on 11 Nov 1620.

Interesting to note, particularly in the light of our twins, and other twins elsewhere on our family tree: "Soule descendants have shown a strong genetic trait of twinning." (see "Mayflower Descendants Through Five Generations" Vol. 3 , George Soule, p. 14) We have three lines of descent from George Soule.

I believe this has been disproven since being published, but still an interesting theory: "As was his wife Marie Bucquet, 'George Sowle . . was apparently also of a Waloon family. His proposed father Jan Sol was born in Brussels . . . the seat of the French community of Belgium and of the Flemish community. George Soule signed his will as 'Gorge Sowle,' thus blending the Dutch first name with an English-sounding surname. He was probably known as 'Joris Sol' or 'Joris Jansz' in Leiden and Haarlem before 1620.' " (source: The Mayflower Quarterly, December 2012, pp 378 & 379, article by Louise Walsh Throop)

In answer to my question about why George would have been known as Joris Jansz, Louise replied: "There were standard abbreviations for the -son ending or -daughter ending: the Dutch used -zn for the -son ending. So if George Sowle [his English name] was originally a Dutch boy of Huguenot background, he could have been called Joris [the equivalent of Gorg or George] the son of John, or Jansen, or the Dutch version: jan-zoon or Janzn. By the way, Labis is probably the surname of George's mother.....with the possibility she came from an upper-class family." (email from Louise Walsh Throop dated 14 June 2013)

From the "Soule Kindred Newsletter" of Winter/Spring 2016: "George's place and date of birth are the subject of much conjecture. Some sources identify the name Soule as originating in the village of Soles in the county of Kent. Another possibility is that it was brought to England from Normandy in 1066 when the French conquered England."

For additional information on George, see: http://www.themayflowersociety.com/pilgrim.htm

See this excellent web site by Caleb Johnson: http://www.mayflowerhistory.com/Passengers/GeorgeSoule.php

The text of his will can also be found at this site.

Also visit here for more information: http://www.soulekindred.org/

George married Mary Marie BECKETT Abt 1625, Plymouth, MA. Mary (daughter of John BECKETT and Ann ALDEN) was born Abt Feb 1604/05, Watford, Hertfordshire, England; died Dec 1676, Duxbury, MA; was buried , Standish Cemetery, Duxbury, MA. [Group Sheet]

1. Zachariah Soule was born Bef May 1627; died Abt 1664.
2. John Soule was born Abt 1632, Plymouth, MA; died Bef 14 Nov 1707, Duxbury, MA.
3. Nathaniel SOULE was born Abt 1637, Plymouth, MA; died Bef 12 Oct 1699, Dartmouth, MA.
4. George Soule was born Abt 1639.
5. Susanna SOULE was born Abt 1642; died Abt 1684, Kings Towne, RI.
6. Mary Soule was born Abt 1644.
7. Elizabeth Soule was born Abt 1645.
8. Patience Soule was born Abt 1648.
9. Benjamin Soule was born Abt 1650; died 26 Mar 1676, Pawtucket, RI.