Captain Christopher Jones
c. 1570 – March 5, 1622
Master of the Mayflower, who brought the Pilgrims to the New World in 1620 — and the man for whom Kingston's Jones River was named
Why the Jones River Bears His Name
The Jones River, the 7.5-mile waterway that flows from Silver Lake through Kingston and into Kingston Bay, was named by the Pilgrims in honor of Captain Christopher Jones, master and quarter-owner of the Mayflower. In December 1620, shortly after their arrival in the New World, the Pilgrims explored the river, traveling at least three miles upstream in search of a suitable settlement site.
Though they ultimately chose Plymouth for their colony, the river that bore Jones's name would become the lifeblood of Kingston's identity — powering sawmills, grist mills, and iron works, and giving rise to one of the longest continuously operating boatyards in North America.
Without Captain Jones's skill and determination in navigating the Mayflower across the Atlantic, the Pilgrim settlement — and eventually the town of Kingston itself — might never have come to be.
Key Facts
- Born: c. 1570, Harwich, Essex, England
- Ship: Mayflower (c. 180 tons, quarter-owner)
- Wives: Sara Twitt (m. 1593); Josian Gray (m. 1603)
- Died: March 5, 1622, Rotherhithe, London
- Buried: St. Mary's Church, Rotherhithe
A Mariner from Harwich
Christopher Jones was born around 1570 in Harwich, Essex, a bustling English port town known for its wool trade and skilled mariners. His father, Christopher Jones Sr., was a mariner and ship owner who died in 1578, leaving young Christopher a share in the ship Marie Fortune. The sea was in his blood from the start.
Jones rose to prominence in Harwich, becoming a freeman of the Borough in 1601 and a burgess in 1604. Around age 36, he designed and oversaw the construction of his own 240-ton vessel, the Josian, named after his second wife. He used the ship for trading voyages as far as Bordeaux, France.
His first wife, Sara Twitt, whom he married in 1593, came from a family with significant shipping interests. After her death in 1603 at age 27, he married Josian Gray, a 19-year-old widow with seafaring relatives. Together they had eight children.
Around 1611, Jones moved his family to Rotherhithe, a maritime district along the Thames in London, where he would live until his death. By this time, he had likely traded the Josianfor a quarter-share ownership in the Mayflower, a cargo vessel of about 180 tons primarily used for transporting wine from France, Spain, and Portugal, and English textiles to Continental ports.
Records from August 1609 first identify Jones as master and part-owner of the Mayflower, chartering a voyage from London to Trondheim, Norway. Over the next decade, he would become one of the most experienced merchant mariners sailing from the Thames — experience that would prove essential when he accepted the most consequential commission of his career.
The Historic Mayflower Voyage
In the summer of 1620, with European trade declining, Jones accepted a charter from Thomas Westonof the Merchant Adventurers to transport a group of religious separatists — later known as the Pilgrims — to the New World. It was a decision that would change the course of history.
The Departure
The Mayflower picked up about 65 passengers in London, then sailed to Southampton to meet the Speedwell, which carried additional Pilgrims from Holland. Persistent leaks in the Speedwellforced both ships back to port twice — first to Dartmouth, then to Plymouth, England. The Speedwellwas finally abandoned, and approximately 102 passengers and a crew of about 30 crowded aboard the Mayflower alone.
On September 6, 1620, the Mayflower departed Plymouth, England, for the last time. Jones and his crew, including pilot John Clarke and master's mate Robert Coppin, faced a voyage into the unknown.
66 Days at Sea
The 66-day Atlantic crossing was arduous. Powerful gales battered the ship, cracking a main beam that had to be repaired using a large iron screw brought by one of the passengers. At times Jones employed the technique of “lying ahull” — furling all sails and letting the ship drift — to survive the worst storms.
Blown off course from their intended destination near the Hudson River, the Mayflower sighted land off Cape Cod on November 9, 1620. Two days later, she anchored off Provincetown, where the male passengers signed the Mayflower Compact, establishing a framework for self-governance. Jones, though not a signatory, supported the initiative.
The Mayflower Voyage — A Timeline
From London to the New World and back again
Mayflower departs London, picking up approximately 65 passengers
Meets the Speedwell in Southampton; both ships depart together
Speedwell leaks force returns to Dartmouth, then Plymouth, England
Mayflower departs Plymouth, England, alone with 102 passengers and ~30 crew
Land sighted off Cape Cod after 66 days at sea
Mayflower anchors off Provincetown; Mayflower Compact signed
Pilgrims explore Jones River, traveling three miles upstream
Mayflower remains in Plymouth Harbor; many passengers and crew perish
Mayflower departs Plymouth for England, ballasted with stones
Jones arrives back in Rotherhithe after a swift 33-day return voyage
The Harsh Winter & the Naming of the Jones River
Captain Jones and the Mayflower remained in Plymouth Harbor through the devastating winter of 1620–1621, providing shelter for the passengers while the settlement was being built ashore. Disease ravaged both passengers and crew — approximately half of each group perished, including the boatswain, gunner, three quartermasters, and the cook.
Throughout this desperate time, Jones demonstrated compassion beyond his contractual obligations. He witnessed the deathbed will of passenger William Mullins in February 1621 and organized hunting and fishing expeditions to help feed the starving colonists.
During their explorations of the surrounding territory, the Pilgrims traveled up a river flowing into Kingston Bay, venturing at least three miles upstream, likely as far as the area now known as Wapping Road. They named this waterway the Jones River in honor of the captain who had brought them safely across the Atlantic.
This act of naming reflects the deep respect the Pilgrims held for Captain Jones. The river would go on to become central to the identity of Kingston, powering its early industries and giving rise to its legendary shipbuilding tradition — a fitting legacy for a man whose life was defined by the sea.
“The Jones River originates in Silver Lake and flows 7.5 miles through Kingston before emptying into Kingston Bay. Named for the Mayflower's captain, it would become the site of one of the longest continuously operating boatyards in North America and the birthplace of the Brig Independence.”
— Jones River Watershed Association
Return to England & Final Days
On April 5, 1621, with its hold ballasted by stones, the Mayflower set sail for England. Favorable westerly winds carried the ship home in just 33 days — half the time of the outbound crossing. Jones arrived back in Rotherhithe on May 5, 1621.
He resumed his trading voyages between England and France, but his health had been severely impacted by the arduous transatlantic journey and the winter spent in the harsh New England climate.
Captain Christopher Jones died in early March 1622, at approximately 52 years of age. He was buried on March 5, 1622, in the churchyard of St. Mary's Church in Rotherhithe, London. The exact location of his grave was lost during a church renovation in 1715, but memorials at the church honor his pivotal role in the Mayflower story.
The Mayflower itself, without its master, was declared in ruins by 1624 and sold for scrap wood — a humble end for a ship that had carried the seeds of a new nation.
From the Mayflower to the Brig Independence
Captain Jones brought the Pilgrims to the shores of the river that bears his name. Over a century later, their descendants would build a warship on its banks that helped secure a nation's independence.
Historical Sources
- • Christopher Jones (Mayflower captain) — Wikipedia
- • Christopher Jones, Captain of the Mayflower — World History Encyclopedia
- • Captain Christopher Jones — Mayflower 400
- • Our Story — Jones River Watershed Association
- • Mayflower Crew — MayflowerHistory.com
- • Captain Christopher Jones Memorial — Find a Grave
- • Painting: “Mayflower in Plymouth Harbor” by William Halsall (1882), public domain