The Voyage of Captain William Knowlton
A Fourth Grade report By Chris Gibson
The Voyage
of Captain William Knowlton of Kent, England to the New World.
Captain William
Knowlton was born in Kent England in 1585.
He was unhappy with the rulers in England and wanted to move to another
land. He was unhappy because he wanted to be able to worship God the way he
wanted to. He heard that there was a New World across the ocean and decided to
move there. It took a long time to get enough money to buy a ship. So he worked
very hard and saved his money. Captain
Knowlton and five other families finally raised enough money and bought a ship
in 1632. They named the ship Elizabeth
after his wife Elizabeth Knowlton.
The left England
early in the morning on March 13, 1632. They had to leave at night so they
wouldn’t get caught and put in jail. They did not have permission to leave
England. The ship was not a very large
ship. It was full of food, guns,
animals and a lot of water. There was
not much space left over to sleep.
There were 73 men, women and children on his ship with him including his family. He brought his four sons and two daughters with him. They all had to work very hard. Captain Knowlton was very sick and almost died while crossing the Atlantic Ocean. His wife Elizabeth was in charge of the ship when he got sick. Two people died on the trip.
They were headed for Charles Town Harbor, in the Massachusetts Bay Colony of New England. They ran in two very bad storms and had to change course for the nearest land. Seventy two very tired and hungry people landed in Nova Scotia,
Canada on May 23, 1632. The were at sea for more than two months and ran out of food more than a week before they
landed. They buried the two people who died and then hunted for food. The weather was still very cold when the landed in Nova Scotia.
Captain Knowlton died on August 13, 1632 and is buried in a small cemetery along the coast of southern Nova Scotia.
His widow Elizabeth with her six children, and most of the others that were on the ship did not want to stay in Nova
Scotia. She decided that they should travel to New England and landed in what is now the southern part of the state of
Maine. They met some other settlers and decided to stay in the area even though it was cold. Then she sold the ship so they
would have some money. The area where they lived was part of Massachusetts at that time.
The first few years were very hard for the families. They built small cabins and settled in. After the
children grew up and got married they stayed in Maine to raise their families.
There are a few famous Knowlton who lived in the United States especially Colonel Thomas Knowlton,
a Revolutionary War hero who served under General George Washington.
descendants of William and Elizabeth Knowlton living in the United States including me.
When I did my research on the Internet and interviewed my father, I found this information about my Ancestor, Col. Thomas Knowlton.
He is considered
the first United States Spy. My middle name is Thomas and my brother Jonathan’s
middle name is Knowlton.
The LTC Thomas Knowlton Award
The Knowlton Award was established in 1995 as a joint venture
between MICA and the US Army Intelligence Center. The award recognizes
individuals who have contributed significantly to the promotion
of Army Intelligence in ways that stand out in the eyes of the
recipient's seniors, subordinates, and peers. These individuals also demonstrate
the highest standards of integrity and moral character, display an outstanding
degree of professional competence, and serve the Military Intelligence Corps
with distinction. MICA is the award's sponsoring agency, and provides financial
resources, administrative control, and publicity.
LTC Thomas Knowlton's distinguished military service during the
American Revolution was recognized by General George Washington, who appointed
him to raise a regiment, known as "Knowlton's Rangers," expressly for
desperate and delicate services. This exemplifies the gallantry, bravery, and
strong determination to succeed associated with the Military Intelligence
soldier. As a brave warrior/soldier, and really the first intelligence officer
in the Continental Army, LTC Thomas Knowlton embodies courage and justice; he
is an appropriate symbol of excellence for the Military Intelligence Corps.
Award Criteria
A
nominee for the Knowlton Award must have served Military Intelligence -- either
within the military or civilian community -- with distinction, and must have
demonstrated a significant & conspicuous contribution in support of the
Military Intelligence Corps; must embody the highest standards of integrity,
moral character, professional competence, and dedication to duty; must be
nominated for the award by a MICA member. Possible nominees are not required to
be on active duty.
Award Medallion and
Certificate
Recipients will receive
the Knowlton Medallion complete with ribbon, and the Knowlton Award
Certificate.
Holders of the Knowlton Award should wear their award with intense
pride and decorum. They must, however, be extremely judicious in their choice
of occasions for wear. The medallion should be worn only at functions such as
the Military Intelligence Corps birthday celebration, Military Intelligence
Balls, and MI unit Dinings-in and out. Inappropriate occasions would include
social functions such as AUSA meetings, etc.
When
worn with the Army Blue Mess or Army White Mess uniform, the Knowlton Medallion
should be worn with the ribbon around the neck, outside the shirt collar, and
inside the coat collar. The Medallion should hang at full length on the ribbon.
When
worn with the Army Blue, Army White, or Army Green uniform, the medallion
should hang with the ribbon around the neck, outside the shirt collar, and
inside the coat collar. The Medallion should hang over the four-in-hand necktie
near the collar and above the top button of the coat, or just under the bow tie
near the collar and above the top button of the coat.