Plymouth Colony, Massachusetts – A historical detail recently highlighted on social media revisits the journey of Moises Simonson, a passenger on the ship Fortune, which arrived in Plymouth in 1621. Simonson, who hailed from Leiden, Holland, notably adopted the surname Simmons upon his arrival in the New World, becoming an early settler of the burgeoning colony. > "One of the passengers on the ship that followed the Mayflower, the Fortune, was Moises Simonson from Amsterdam. He became Simmons after arrival," stated Roy Abrams in a recent tweet, shedding light on this historical transformation.
The Fortune, a 55-ton vessel, holds a significant place in early American history as the second English ship to transport settlers to Plymouth Colony, following the iconic Mayflower in 1620. Departing London in July 1621 with approximately 35 new colonists, the ship reached Plymouth on November 9, 1621, just weeks after the Pilgrims' first Thanksgiving. Its arrival marked a crucial expansion of the nascent settlement.
Upon disembarking, Moises Simonson, an unmarried man, quickly integrated into the Plymouth community, receiving two acres of land in the 1623 land division. His name, originally Moyses Symonson, evolved into Moses Simmons, a surname that would continue through his descendants. Simonson is recognized as one of the earliest individuals to establish roots in the Plymouth Colony.
The Fortune's return voyage, however, underscored the perilous nature of transatlantic travel and the economic vulnerabilities of the early colony. Laden with valuable cargo including beaver and otter skins, and clapboard, intended to repay debts to the Merchant Adventurers who financed the colony, the ship was captured by a French privateer near the coast of France. The loss of this cargo, estimated at £500, dealt a significant blow to Plymouth's economic stability and delayed its self-sufficiency.
Despite these challenges, the arrival of ships like the Fortune and individuals such as Moises Simonson were pivotal in the sustained growth of Plymouth Colony. Simonson's journey from Leiden to Plymouth and his subsequent name change exemplify the adaptive experiences of many early European settlers in shaping their new American identities. His story remains a testament to the diverse origins of the colony's founding population.