Margaret Tyndal Winthrop
Margaret Tyndal Winthrop, born around 1591 in Great Maplestead, Essex, England, was the daughter of Sir John Tyndal and Lady Anne Egerton Tyndal. In 1618, she married John Winthrop, a prominent figure who later became the governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. As a devoted stepmother, she formed strong bonds with her husband's four children from previous marriages and later had six children of her own. Despite lengthy separations due to John Winthrop's commitments in London, their correspondence showcased a mutual respect and partnership, with both valuing each other's intellect and seeking advice on various matters.
Margaret was supportive of her husband's ambitions to establish a Puritan community in the New World, joining him in Massachusetts Bay Colony after giving birth to their daughter, Anne. Tragically, her infant daughter died during the journey. Once in Boston, Margaret became an influential figure in the community, contributing to the social and religious life alongside her husband until her untimely death from influenza in 1647. Her letters provide a rich historical insight into the experiences of women in Puritan New England and the dynamics of early colonial life.
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Margaret Tyndal Winthrop
- Born: c. 1591
- Birthplace: Great Maplestead, Essex, England
- Died: June 14, 1647
- Place of death: Massachusetts
Biography
Margaret Tyndal Winthrop was born in Great Maplestead, Essex, England, around 1591, the daughter of Sir John Tyndal and Lady Anne Egerton Tyndal. In 1618, she married the widower John Winthrop, a justice of the peace and a wealthy fleet owner. John Winthrop had been married twice before and both wives had died in childbirth; he was the father of four children from his previous marriages. Winthrop readily accepted the role of stepmother and grew very close to her stepchildren.
While their marriage was happy, John Winthrop frequently left his wife at his family home in Suffolk while he pursued his career in London. In 1627, John Winthrop was appointed the common attorney of His Majesty’s Court of Wards and Liveries. The demands of this prestigious position further served to separate the couple.
During these long separations, Winthrop remained at home, caring for her stepchildren and the six children she had with her husband. She often wrote letters to her husband, which she would send to London by carrier. These letters chronicled a loving relationship in which both partners viewed each other as having equal intellects. John Winthrop often sought his wife’s advice on domestic and political concerns, and the letters also reflect the couple’s shared religious beliefs. More than 250 years later, Joseph Hopkins Twichell collected almost one hundred of these letters, which were published under the title Some Old Puritan Love Letters: John and Margaret Winthrop, 1618- 1638 (1893).
In the 1620’s, John Winthrop began preparations to establish a Christian community in the New World. Winthrop fully supported her husband’s mission, describing it in her correspondence as “our intended purpose.” When John Winthrop sailed for the New World in 1630, Winthrop, who was pregnant, stayed behind. One year later, after giving birth to a daughter named Anne, Winthrop left England to join her husband in the newly established Massachusetts Bay Colony. Her infant daughter died on the journey.
By the time Winthrop arrived in Boston, John Winthrop had been named governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The Winthrops set up their home near the Old South Church in Boston. There, Winthrop became the center of Boston’s social circle, playing a major role in her husband’s attempt to perpetuate the mission of the Puritan colony. In 1647, as her husband was beginning his eleventh term as governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, Winthrop died of influenza. Her correspondence with her husband provides a valuable historical resource about life in Puritan New England.