Katherine (White) (Leggett) Carver


BIRTH:  Probably in the 1570s, likely at Sturton-le-Steeple, co. Nottingham, England, daughter of Alexander White.
FIRST MARRIAGE:  Mr. Leggett, before 1599.  Some sources suggest his name may have been George.
SECOND MARRIAGE:  John Carver, sometime before 1617 in Leiden.
CHILDREN (by Mr. Leggett):  Mary.
CHILDREN (by John Carver): unnamed child buried in Leiden in 1617.


Katherine White was the daughter of Alexander White of Sturton-le-Steeple, Nottinghamshire, England. She was born probably in the 1570s. In 1599, Alexander White mentions his daughter Leggett in his will, and mentions their daughter Mary who is stated to have been under the age of 10. Nothing more is known of Mr. Leggett, or of their daughter Mary. In 1604, Katherine's sister Bridget married the Pilgrims' soon-to-be pastor, John Robinson; and in 1605 sister Frances White married to Francis Jessop. The White, Jessop, and Robinson families were among those who moved to Leiden, Holland. There, in 1611, sister Jane White married another Leiden church member, Randall Thickens. At some point (whether before or after the move to Holland is unknown), Katherine's husband died and she remarried, perhaps around 1616, to John Carver. They buried a child in November 1617 in Leiden.

Both Katherine and John Carver came on the Mayflower to Plymouth in 1620. John became governor for a time, until his death in April 1621 of an apparent sun stroke while working in the fields. Katherine died a few weeks later of what William Bradford described as a broken heart.