John Winthrop: America's Forgotten Founding Father

by Francis J. Bremer

John Winthrop's effort to create a Puritan "City on a Hill" has had a lasting effect on American values, and many remember this phrase famously quoted by the late Ronald Reagan. However, most know very little about the first American to speak these words. In John Winthrop , Francis J. Bremer draws on over a decade of research in England, Ireland, and the United States to offer a superb biography of the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, one rooted in a detailed understanding of his first forty years in England. Indeed, Bremer provides an extensive, path-breaking treatment of Winthrop's family background, youthful development, and English career. His dissatisfaction with the decline of the "godly kingdom of the Stour Valley" in which he had been raised led him on his errand to rebuild such a society in a New England. In America, Winthrop would use the skills he had developed in England as he struggled with challenges from Roger Williams and Anne Hutchinson, among
others, and defended the colony from English interference. We also see the personal side of Winthrop--the doubts and concerns of the spiritual pilgrim, his everyday labors and pleasures, his feelings for family and friends. And Bremer also sheds much light on important historical moments in England and America, such as the Reformation and the rise of Puritanism, the rise of the middling class, the colonization movement, and colonial relations with Native Americans.
Incorporating previously unexplored archival materials from both sides of the Atlantic, here is the definitive portrait of one of the giants of our history.

John Winthrop recevied an honorable Mention, The Colonial Dames of America Book Award.

Genres: History, Biography, American History, Nonfiction

512 pages, Paperback

First published June 16, 2003

About the author

Francis J. Bremer is Emeritus Professor of History at Millersville University.

Reviews

[Ryan Jankowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was first introduced to Winthrop through Edmund Morgan's "Puritan Dilemma" back in 2004. That was a great introduction, but Bremer's work is far more comprehensive in scope, especially with Winthrop's family history and years prior to embarking upon the colony. Fascinating history.

[Robert Snow · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Winthrop should be called the First American and Father of this Continent… he was a remarkable, tolerant and enlightened man. A Puritan for sure, but one with a true Christian viewpoint. His sermon “A Model of Christian Charity” where he calls the the new colony a City on a Hill a Biblical reference where he asks his fellow colonist to bare each other’s burdens in the love of Christ. He was a very down to earth man not the type of man to allow emotion to rule his heart… he had a dream for this new land and a love for those who live here in peace. This book was well worth the read about a good man!

[Kw Bray · Rating 3 out of 5]

Excessive detail from the reformation on. I wish it would have went deeper into everyday life of the settlers. Concentrated on the political aspects of life in the 1630's. Lots of great information.

[Brian Hutzell · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 1789 George Washington began his historic and precedent-setting term as the first president of the United States. He is often called “the father of our country.” But perhaps the title could as fittingly be applied to another man, who in 1630 began his historic and precedent-setting term as the first governor of Massachusetts. John Winthrop may not be as forgotten as the subtitle of this biography implies, but his name is certainly not as familiar as those of Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Madison, or the others we generally refer to as our Founding Fathers. This is a shame, because Winthrop in many ways set the tone for the America that still resided 1 ½ centuries in the future. Perhaps it is because his style of New England puritanism is now regarded as narrow-minded and archaic that Winthrop is not held in the high esteem of our mostly Deistic Enlightenment Era heroes.

Bremer only touches on this in the Epilogue. Mostly, this book is an account of Winthrop’s upbringing in England and his subsequent role as a leader of Massachusetts Bay Colony. Nearly becoming a panegyric at times, and at other times resorting to speculation as to specifics (Bremer does a good job of noting when he is thus speculating), John Winthrop nevertheless paints abroad and engaging portrait of the man and his times. Sufficient background on the Reformed church movement is provided to give crucial context to the puritanism practiced by Winthrop and his contemporaries in early 17th century Massachusetts.

[Nick Rossi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Several pages in, I realized this book was following a different narrative than I expected. Like most interested in American history, I expected a critique of society at the time of Winthrop, a background of his family history and transformative years and substantial details of his key contributions and the way they shaped our society. However, in his biography of Winthrop, Bremer provides a microscopic view of the spiritual and religious state of the times in the Stour Valley of England, where Winthrop was raised. In contrast to our modern times, religion was everything during the 17th century in England and touched all aspects of life, at times in divisive ways. Winthrop was raised in the puritan culture that sought for godly reformation, both in the church and society. Bremer presents a well researched book that delves deeply into the personal spiritual life of Winthrop, his quest for a pious and pure life and desire to spread it to the newly created Bostonian culture. The personal struggles of Winthrop are reflective of the times, certainly of a man desiring to have influence. Winthrop sees the struggles in England and immigrates to the Bay area in 1630, founds Boston and serves several terms as governor of the newly formed Massachusetts colony. He brings with him a desire to create a puritan culture aiming to be a "City on a Hill." Like most initiatives, Winthrop runs into opposition, but in many regards is successful in chartering the foundations of the American society more than a century before the Revolution makes it official.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting look inside the mind of one of our pivotal founding fathers. I was impressed with the level of detail presented, particularly about Winthrop's life and his motivation to come to the New World. The second half of the book was a slower slog - as the author delved in to the distinctions between puritans, separatists, autonomists, etc., etc. One thing that surprised me was the level of religious intolerance in the early colony - ironic because 'freedom of religion' is cherished as one of our nation's founding principles - but the founding fathers circa 1640 had no compunction about sending you packing back to whence you came, for a little as a slight nuanced shift in your religious beliefs. Of course I also loved the detailed genealogy of the Winthrop family, and the description of ordinary family life in 1640.

[Christy Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've seen this book referenced in much of the research I'm doing for my own historical novel on a related subject: Mary Barrett Dyer, the Quaker martyr.

I'm not usually nitpicky about other people's books, and am generally trusting of their scholarship, BUT... I did find a mistake near the end of the narrative, regarding Winthrop's fourth wife, Martha Rainsborough Coytmore. The child she had with Gov. Winthrop died in 1651, so she had no descendants; in addition, she was not considered worthy of the Winthrop name, which is probably why there's not much information about poor Martha.

You're welcome to read my discoveries about Martha here:

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very well researched book which is not only a biography of John Winthrop, who was instrumental in the successful settling of Boston, but is also a church history of England. Unlike most Protestant reformations which were within the religious community, the Church of England was begun for political and personal reasons by Henry VIII. The Puritan movement was birthed in an atmosphere of religious and political unrest in England, and migrated to America to ensure their freedom of worship. Their hardships and trials, as well as the political and religious conflicts, of this early American community are documented. The book traces the Winthrop family and their spiritual journey from around 1500 to John Winthrop's death in 1649.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bremer does a good job of explaining how John Winthrop helped shape colonial Massachusetts civil and religious authority, as well as how Winthrop's ideas grew out of 16th century English and puritan practices. The first few chapters provide background on Winthrop's English ancestors and -- since everyone seems to be named Adam, John, or William -- are somewhat confusing if you're reading just a few pages at a time. Once Bremer moves on to Winthrop's life things are a bit easier to follow. However Bremer doesn't proceed in strict chronological order, so some events are mentioned multiple times and remembering which event happened first takes some effort.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought that this book gave great insite to the life of John Winthrop, the policital times he lived in, and the struggles with the English in the early 1600's. The book followed a logical format, starting with his ancestors in England and ending with his life in "the new land." The book was a bit repatitive and I found myself losing my place often. Overall a good book biography.

[Steven Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not a patriot. I dislike the whole "We love American Patriot" literary genre. Thankfully, this was not that. This is the best historical research I've seen thus far on John Winthrop. The degree of background research done by Bremer should be applauded. Amazing read. Winthrop was a British Puritan, so please don't let him be hijacked by the Tea Party.

[Jeremy Snow · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well researched and written biography, but i found it a little slow, especially in the period before immigrating to Massachusetts Bay.